Uncommon Knowledge
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Florida
Florida Republican says Ron DeSantis lost a “lot of support” in state
Florida voters are “frustrated” with Governor Ron DeSantis’ choice to run for president in 2024, according to Republican Congressman Greg Steube.
Once considered the biggest challenger to ex-President Donald Trump, DeSantis suspended his eight-month presidential bid last month, returning his focus to Florida and giving his endorsement to the former president. But some Florida Republicans appear to be giving the governor the cold shoulder since ending his campaign, and Steube, who represents Florida’s 17th Congressional District, said the feeling is mutual among his constituents.
“I can tell you from people I’ve talked to in my district, they’re frustrated when [DeSantis] decided to take on Trump,” Steube told Newsweek on Capitol Hill Thursday.
“They thought his focus should be on governor,” the congressman added. “I mean, think about this: People were asking him if he was running for [president or] governor before when he was running for reelection.”
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
DeSantis was reelected to a second term as governor, with Trump’s endorsement, in November 2022 by nearly 19 points, beating out his Democratic challenger and former Florida Governor Charlie Crist. But questions rose before the midterm elections on whether DeSantis was planning on launching a 2024 presidential campaign.
About a week before Election Day, Crist told voters during a debate against DeSantis that the governor “only cares about the White House, he doesn’t give a damn about your house.”
“So obviously, [DeSantis] was putting the pieces together to launch a campaign against the very guy that put him in the post that he’s at,” Steube said. “So, there was a lot of frustration in the Republican base about that.”
Steube told Newsweek that he views DeSantis as “wielding the veto pen to sway members” of Florida’s House and Senate, adding that state lawmakers are trying to “toe the line” with the governor since he ended his presidential campaign.
“But I certainly don’t think he has a lot of [the] support he did before he took on President Trump,” the congressman said.
Newsweek has reached out to DeSantis’ office via email for comment.
Looking Toward November 2028
DeSantis has gained a reputation with conservatives across the country for his war on “woke” policies in Florida. But his presidential campaign failed to garner popularity among voters when compared with Trump, who for most of the Republican primary race led DeSantis by double digits in preliminary polls.
When asked if he believes DeSantis would appear as “damaged goods” if he tried to run for president again in 2028, Steube told Newsweek that it may be too far out to tell.
“It’s my hope…[that] President Trump wins in 2024,” the congressman continued. “Obviously, President Trump’s gonna have a lot of influence on who the nominee will be after him.”
Steube added, however, that he thinks “it’d be very difficult from a donor perspective” for DeSantis to launch another presidential bid. Several major GOP donors dropped DeSantis’ campaign this past fall to instead support former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who is still in the Republican primary race against Trump.
Some of the strongest criticisms DeSantis’ presidential campaign received were focused on his perceived stiff behavior at events.
Concern was raised before his 2024 announcement that the governor would struggle with presenting the personal charisma that is required to become president. According to a New York Times report, DeSantis had internal conversations with his team about engaging in basic “political courtship” prior to launching his campaign, including making small talk and holding eye contact.
Steube spoke with Newsweek on Thursday about reports that, after suffering serious injuries from falling off a 25-foot ladder in January 2023, the congressman never heard from DeSantis or received a “get well” message from the governor.
“I mean, I even had Democrats call, text,” Steube said. “[House Minority Leader] Hakeem Jeffries sent me a care package to my house after the fall.”
“To this day, [DeSantis] never called in six years,” added the congressman, who was asked if he believed the governor’s “social skills” may pose an issue for him to win the Republican nomination in the future.
“He got elected governor when I got elected to Congress,” Steube continued. “In the six years I’ve been in Congress, he’s never reached out once.”
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
TAMPA, Fla – New SNAP restrictions will start Monday in Florida.
What we know:
These changes will ban the purchase of many sugary sodas, energy drinks, candy and ultra-processed, shelf-stable prepared desserts.
Hunger Free America, an advocacy group, is against these restrictions.
Joel Berg, the CEO, said some regulation is a good thing, but he wants to see it support access to healthy foods as a choice.
“We do support mandates to mandate that healthier food is available in stores that do accept SNAP,” Berg said. “So, it makes a lot more sense to make it easier to get healthier food.”
Berg said these restrictions are unnecessary in achieving a healthier America.
“We should make America healthier again by making healthy food more affordable, convenient and physically available,” Berg said. “We shouldn’t micromanage the eating patterns of adults to try to achieve that goal.”
The other side:
This is part of the Make America Healthy Again initiative.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said, “Under the MAHA initiative, we are taking bold, historic steps to reverse the chronic disease epidemic that has taken root in this country for far too long.”
What they’re saying:
Berg said that these changes, on top of cuts to the program nationwide, will increase hunger.
“It’s not that low-income Americans don’t want healthier food; it’s that they can’t afford healthier food,” Berg said.
This coincides with the announcement that there will be cuts to WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, which supplies food to mothers and young children.
“President Trump’s budget just announced that he’s proposing taking away fruits and vegetables from the WIC program for pregnant women and children under five,” Berg said. “So, they’re taking away healthier food.”
The WIC cuts would take away $1.4 billion in fruit and vegetable benefits from 5.4 million people.
Big picture view:
The SNAP changes come as part of the MAHA movement and include more than 20 other states that will implement changes over the next two years.
The Source: Information in this story comes from WIC, SNAP and interviews done by Fox 13’s Danielle Zulkosky.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — The engines are revving for one final day of high-stakes bidding and family fun at the South Florida Fairgrounds.
Barrett-Jackson’s Palm Beach auction reaches its grand finale today with an action-packed “Super Saturday” lineup, promising to close out the weekend with a full slate of collector car sales, live entertainment, and fan attractions.
“Super Saturday,” presented by Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, officially kicks off at 8 a.m. when gates, food courts, and the exhibitor marketplace open to the public.
What to expect
- 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.: The Fantasy Bid presented by Dodge begins early, running in tandem with the automobilia auction in the arena.
- 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Thrill-seekers can catch Dodge thrill rides on the Barrett-Jackson Performance Track.
- 10:00 a.m.: New amenities open to the public, including the Stella Artois, Staging Lanes, and Food Court patios, which offer shaded seating and auction views.
- 10:45 a.m.: The national anthem will be performed in the auction arena, signaling the start of the main collector car auction at 11 a.m.
- Afternoon Entertainment: DJ sets run from noon to 5 p.m. across the various patios, and a detailing clinic by Adam’s Polishes is scheduled for 2 p.m. near the South Showcase.
For those unable to attend, the whole event will be livestreamed throughout the day on the Barrett-Jackson website and the HISTORY channel from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Today’s finale comes on the heels of a high-energy Friday that saw significant sales and notable celebrity interest.
Star power was evident throughout the day, particularly with vehicles tied to the Busch family. A 1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible owned by Samantha Busch and a 1969 Oldsmobile 442 Custom Coupe were among the day’s heavy hitters, each fetching $159,500. Kyle Busch’s 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Custom Coupe also drew a strong bid, selling for $143,000.
Other Friday highlights included:
- 1968 Ford Mustang Eleanor Replica: $137,500
- 2004 Dodge Viper SRT-10 Mamba Edition: $132,000
- 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer Custom SUV: $126,500
- 1957 Ford Thunderbird Custom Convertible: $121,000
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With a festival-style atmosphere and high-profile sales driving momentum, organizers expect a busy crowd for the final push at the auction block today.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — A quiet Monday turned into a frantic race against time when a deputy stepped in to save a choking 1-year-old’s life.
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a call about a 1-year-old baby choking. Upon arrival, the responding deputy performed life-saving procedures to help the child breathe again.
See also: Two arrested after 6-year-old arrives at Florida school with bruises, deputies say
Body camera video shows a deputy holding the baby, flipping it over on its stomach, and beginning to pat the baby’s back.
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When the baby begins to cry, the deputy is heard saying, “he’s good.”
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