Florida

Election 2024: Civil rights attorney Daryl Parks considers challenge to Sen. Corey Simon

Published

2 years ago

March 8, 2024

Election 2024: Civil rights attorney Daryl Parks considers challenge to Sen. Corey Simon

A number of Leon County Democrats say they believe they have found a candidate with the star power to match Sen. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee, and take back a state Senate seat they had held for more than a century.

But that potential candidate has of yet declined to officially declare while generating speculation with comments to Tallahassee activists.

Prominent civil rights attorney Daryl Parks, a Florida State University Law graduate, confirmed this week to the Tallahassee Democrat he is considering challenging Simon, a former football player who was on FSU’s 1999 national championship team and first elected in 2022.

A whispering campaign about Parks’ potential candidacy surfaced after a Feb. 19 meeting of the Democratic Club of North Florida.

Ryan Ray, chair of the Leon County Democratic Executive Committee, told a reporter afterwards that Parks had said he’s going to make a run and that the possibility of Democrats taking back the seat had put a “pep in his step.”

Reached the next day Parks would not confirm the conversation and said Ray did not speak for him. Ray then retracted his statement.

Now, Parks said he is taking a serious look at launching a Senate campaign against the incumbent Simon.

“Over the last few weeks, I received calls and texts from people from all walks who are fed up with what they see happening in the capital. Republicans, Independents, and Democrats, all fed up with our Senator siding with insiders and actually working against us,” said Parks.

For Simon and Parks to stage a showdown for a Senate seat between two prominent FSU alumni, Parks first has to get past Gadsden County Commissioner Kimblin E. NeSmith, and the Florida Education Association’s executive director Sheria Monique in the Democratic primary – they both have announced their candidacy and are raising money, though their totals are dwarfed by the hundreds of thousands in Simon’s campaign account.

Nesmith has $20,000 in a campaign account. Griffin $11,000.

“Looks like they’re going to have a crowded primary. Whoever emerges will have to make a case against Sen. Simon’s strong record of delivering for the district,” said Simon’s spokesperson Erin Isaac

Democrats think Simon benefited from Gov. Ron DeSantis’ coattails, a redrawn district led by the governor and the GOP’s significant financial advantage to win the 2022 election against former Sen. Loranne Ausley, D-Tallahassee.

The sprawling 13-county Senate District 3 marries a Tallahassee area dominated by two universities and growing professional and medical communities with 11 counties blanketed with forests and farms.

The sparsely populated rural counties in recent years have voted Republican with more than 60% of the vote, while the more populated Tallahassee area of Leon and Gadsden counties back Democrats by the same margin.

Two years ago, Simon trimmed 2% points (19,000 votes) off the Democrats vote total in Leon and Gadsden counties while pulling in three-quarters of the vote in the in the remaining 11 counties to win by six points.

Both Simon and Parks have strong ties to the community as FSU graduates and through community service.

Parks, a civil rights and personal injury attorney and his former partner Ben Crump gained a national reputation when they represented the families of Trayvon Martin, killed by George Zimmerman in 2012, and became the lead attorneys in a number of other wrongful death cases.

Daryl Parks and Ben Crump call on Eric Holder to investigate DOC death

Daryl Parks and Ben Crump call on Attorney General Eric Holder to inviestigate Florida DOC desth of Latandra Ellington

Sean Rossman/Democrat

Simon earned his celebrity on the football field at FSU and later with the Super Bowl winning Philadelphia Eagles.

Both returned to Tallahassee to work in the community after being in the national spotlight.

Parks has been involved with the Sickle Cell Foundation, the Bethel Community Development Corporation, Legal Services of North Florida and the Tallahassee Urban League.

Simon volunteered with youth football groups, the Boys and Girls Club, and led Volunteer Florida.

His first term in the Senate has been highlighted by an increase in the amount of money secured for local projects, support for school vouchers, and voting to preempt local wage ordinances.

Parks said the Simon platform puts “corporations that gouge us above,” the people he is supposed to represent.

Parks said he will decide soon whether he will challenge Simon. He has until June 14 to file the paperwork and designate a treasurer and bank, and begin to raise campaign money.

Simon has already file, has $302,689 in his campaign account and so far this election cycle has spent nearly $10,000 on voter outreach, campaign T-shirts, and media services.

James Call is a member of the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jcall@tallahassee.com. Follow on him Twitter: @CallTallahassee

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Florida

Florida Airport Officially Renamed After Trump. Here’s What to Know

Published

6 hours ago

July 9, 2026

Press Room

Florida Airport Officially Renamed After Trump. Here’s What to Know

The Palm Beach International Airport was officially renamed to the President Donald J. Trump International Airport on Thursday, becoming the latest place to take on the President’s name since he took office for a second term.

The Florida airport announced the change on social media early Thursday morning, changing its handle on X to bear the new name and saying that staffers were “working behind the scenes to update our physical signage, terminal spaces, and digital channels to our new name.”

The President’s son, Eric Trump, said that his father’s plane, which he was on, was the first flight to land at the newly-branded airport.

“There is no person who has done more for Florida and our country, and no one more deserving of this incredible honor,” Eric Trump said in a post on X. “As a son, and someone who flies out of this airport nearly every day, I will forever be proud to see the initials ‘DJT’ on my boarding pass.”

Here’s what to know about the change.

Why was the airport renamed?

In March, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law a bill to rename the Palm Beach airport after Trump, after state lawmakers passed the legislation. The Trump Organization had previously submitted trademark applications for possible airport names.

The President frequently travels through the Palm Beach hub, as it’s close to his Mar-a-Lago estate.

There are a number of airports across the country named after U.S. Presidents, such as New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. But the Palm Beach rebranding makes Trump the first President to have an airport named after him while in the White House.

When does the name change go into effect?

The airport was officially renamed on Thursday, but it said on its website that “transition activities, including updates to signage, branding and public-facing materials, will occur in phases.”

Will the name change affect airport operations?

The airport said on its website that “airport operations and services will continue without interruption” and that flight routes and schedules will not be impacted by the change. It added that “this is a branding change only,” and that the airport’s ownership and governance will not undergo any changes.

The three-letter identifier that airlines and travelers reference for services related to their flights, such as ticketing and baggage handling, will change from “PBI” to “DJT,” but the airport said on its website that that change will go into effect on Aug. 18. Until that date, travelers should stick to using the original code, “PBI.”

As of Thursday afternoon, some airline booking sites, such as Delta’s portal, recognized both codes, while others, such as American Airlines, only recognized the original PBI identifier.

How much is the rebranding going to cost?

According to the airport’s website, the Palm Beach County Department of Airports predicted that the total cost of rolling out the new name for the travel hub would be roughly $5.5 million. That amount will cover the price of changing airport signage, branding, and printed materials, among other items.

The state has allocated $2.75 million in funding for the rebranding, according to the airport’s website. The rest of the funding for the project will come from the Department of Airports’ operating budget and capital improvement program. The airport said that the rebranding “does not result in a separate fee charged to passengers.”

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Florida

Summer Scheming ‘26: Florida State Seminoles

Published

16 hours ago

July 9, 2026

Press Room

Summer Scheming ‘26: Florida State Seminoles

After a stellar run at Memphis Mike Norvell has had a rollercoaster run in Tallahassee as the Florida State Seminoles head football coach. Norvell finished his four year stint at Memphis with a 38-15 record.

At FSU Norvell started off slow winning only eight games in two years. Then the ‘Noles had an awakening and won 23 games from 2022-2023. And now that reality has come crashing back down with seven wins the past two seasons.

FSU will have 17 transfers in the 2-deep once again in 2026. It’s become a double-edged sword where he only way Norvell can keep his job (buyout be damned) after this year is to inject talent into the roster but he’s got a bad culture in the field house up at Doak Campbell Stadium.

Now let’s put the ‘Noles through The Goal, our 2026 Summer Scheming analysis system.

Acquisition: The ’Noles high school recruiting hasn’t been as ‘bad’ s advertised. FSU is 16th over the past three years in prep signings and 14th when it comes to the transfer portal for an average of 15th overall.

Development: Now this is the crazy part. Over the past couple of years the ‘Noles have only produced eight NFL players. Only eight have stuck it out from the 2025 and 2026 NFL Draft classes. Remember all of those drafts loaded with FSU talent like Jameis Winston and Jared Verse? Right now it’s Deuce Robinson and who else?

Deployment: This preseason Bill Connelly’s SP+ has FSU 35th in overall SP+. The Seminole offense is 45th, the defense 30th and the kicking game is 94th. So where as Mike Norvell has the 15th best players he’s producing the 35th best team. He’s revamped his coordinators once again sending Gus Malzahn off to the glue factory and promoting Tim Harris Jr to OC.

The bottleneck to success at FSU is the culture within the program. The Seminoles went hellbent on the transfer portal to improve from 5-7 to 10-3 and dipped their toe in again to move to 13-1. They were Jordan Travis’ leg away from competing for a national championship. But injuries do happen and losing your starting QB is a devastating one.

NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 05: A fan cosplays as Scorpion from Mortal Kombat during the 2018 New York Comic Con at Javits Center on October 5, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)

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Mike Norvell has taken the Manny Diaz approach to the transfer portal and it’s killed any semblance of a culture that could possibly have been built in the FSU locker room AND he’s losing games.

The FSU strength of schedule is 45th of 138 in FBS per CFB News. Florida State faces SMU before an off week. Then they head to Tuscaloosa to play the Alabama Crimson Tide. After a cupcake, FSU hosts UVA before consecutive road trips to Louisville and Miami. The ‘Noles also face Clemson, Pitt and Florida over the back half of the schedule.

The inventory space includes returning production per Bill Connelly, the On3 top-100 list and the Athlon preseason All-Conference Team honorees. The ’Noles returning production is 48th in FBS at 57% production. FSU has two players on the On3 top-100 list in WR Deuce Robinson (74th) and DL Mandrell Desir (97th). The ‘Noles have one player on the Athlon All-ACC Team and that’s Robinson.

CLEMSON, SOUTH CAROLINA – NOVEMBER 08: Mandrell Desir #93 of the Florida State Seminoles sacks Cade Klubnik #2 of the Clemson Tigers during the first half of a football game at Memorial Stadium on November 08, 2025 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)

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FSU hit the transfer portal for four of their five potential starting OL in ‘26. They also brought in QB Ashton Daniels (Auburn) and RB Quintrevion Wisner (Texas). Daniels is another FSU QB with a penchant for throwing interceptions.

Robinson averaged 19.3 yards per catch with six scores in 2025. Wisner adds over four yards per carry and three TD’s from his run at Texas. On defense M. Desir returns with 7.5 TFL’s and 6.5 sacks from a year ago.

Southern Miss transfer LB Chris Jones logged 9.5 TFL’s and 3.5 sacks a year ago. Another transfer, this one DB Nehemiah Chandler, picked up 13 PBU’s last season with two INT’s.

Mike Norvell is committing highway robbery with the past two seasons performances. After the 13-1 season and the Alabama opening with Nick Saban’s retirement, Norvell landed himself a nice raise up to $10.3M a season. The issue is they’ve only won six games per season under Norvell which adds up to $1.7M per win. That’s second to only Bill Belichick in the grand theft coaching category.

There is no chance the goal at FSU is anything short of eight wins. What a sad cry from only three seasons ago when the ‘Noles were potentially a national championship program. That’s the crux of the transfer portal, live by the transfer / die by the transfer.

TALLAHASSEE, FL – MARCH 13: Head Coach Mike Norvell of the Florida State Seminoles during Spring Football Practice at the Albert J. Dunlap Athletic Training Facility on the campus of Florida State University on March 13, 2026 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)

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Highly successful clubs have started to be extremely careful with who comes in and out of their program, think: Ohio State, Notre Dame, Indiana and even lately- Miami. The vetting process is pivotal for not bottlenecking your success by bringing in locker room cancers.

Season Prediction: I can see this winding up anywhere from 5-7 to 7-5. They’ve got the 2nd most players on the On3 top-11 than anyone else on Miami’s schedule (ND has five). They also have the 15th best grouping of talent in the country. And yet I just can’t see Daniels, four new OL, a new RB, and another dozen guys on defense gelling together under Mike Norvell and into some phoenix that rises from the ashes of the ACC cellar.

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Florida

Iranian drones in Cuba could threaten South Florida, officials warn

Published

1 day ago

July 8, 2026

Press Room

Iranian drones in Cuba could threaten South Florida, officials warn

An Iranian-made drone displayed at the Biltmore Hotel served as a stark warning from national security advocates and South Florida officials who say Cuba’s growing military ties with Iran could pose a threat to the United States.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, chairman of the advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran, joined U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Florida, to highlight concerns about what they say are roughly 300 Iranian drones that have been delivered to Cuba.

Standing alongside one of the drones, Bush described the weapon as among the deadliest battlefield threats faced by American forces in recent years.

“Most loss of life of the U.S. military than any single weapon that exists over the last 15 years,” Bush said.

Gimenez warned that the drones’ capabilities make them particularly concerning because of their ability to carry significant explosive payloads over long distances.

“This particular model, there is about over 100 pounds of explosives,” Gimenez said. “That’s a pretty big bang. That’s why they call them kamikaze drones — they crash into their target and they explode.”

According to Gimenez, the drones can reach speeds of about 115 miles per hour and travel more than 1,000 miles, placing South Florida well within range. He said the aircraft could also reach the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay and other cities throughout the southeastern United States, including Tallahassee and Atlanta.

The congressman said one of the primary concerns is the potential for Iran-style drone warfare tactics, in which large numbers of drones are launched simultaneously to overwhelm air defense systems.

While the United States has sophisticated defense systems capable of intercepting incoming drones, Gimenez noted that a successful strike may require only one, or a handful of aircraft to penetrate those defenses.

The event was organized by United Against Nuclear Iran, which has sought to draw attention to expanding military and strategic cooperation between Iran and countries aligned with its interests, including Cuba.

Supporters of the group’s effort say the growing presence of Iranian military technology in the Western Hemisphere warrants increased attention from policymakers and defense officials.

For South Florida residents, the warning underscores the region’s proximity to Cuba and the continuing role the island nation plays in broader geopolitical tensions involving the United States and its adversaries.

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