Southeast
Fox News Poll: Trump holds 4-point edge in Florida rematch as majority says conviction won’t matter to vote
Former President Donald Trump won Florida in 2016 and 2020 and a new Fox News survey shows he is favored to win it again. Still, while it is not widely considered a battleground state this election cycle, the survey shows President Joe Biden within striking distance.
In 2020, Trump won the Sunshine State by almost 3.5 points. Today, he holds about that same advantage, Trump 50% vs. Biden 46%, within the poll’s margin of sampling error.
Trump’s edge comes from White evangelical Christians (76%), rural voters (66%), White voters (55%), voters without a college degree (54%), men (52%), and voters under 30 (51%) as well as those ages 65 and over (50%).
Some of Biden’s best groups include Black voters (69%), moderates (55%), independents (52%), college graduates (51%), urban voters (51%), and suburban voters (49%).
Notably, Biden only has a 2-point edge among Hispanic voters while his advantage among Black voters is down to 40 points. The 2020 Fox News Voter Analysis in Florida shows he won Hispanic voters by 9 points and Black voters by 80 points.
Women split their support, 49% each. In 2020, Biden won them by 3 points.
Reports this week indicate registered Republican voters in Florida outpace Democrats by about 900,000. The survey, released Thursday, finds voters toeing the party line as 9 in 10 Democrats and Republicans go for their respective candidate.
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In a hypothetical five-way race, Trump extends his advantage to 7 points: 47% Trump, 40% Biden, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 7%, Cornel West 2%, and Jill Stein 1%.
Kennedy supporters in the expanded ballot prefer Biden over Trump by 5 points in the two-way matchup.
Of the third-party candidates tested in the survey, Jill Stein is the only one officially on the ballot in Florida.
Trump’s Hush-Money Trial Conviction
Trump was found guilty in the New York hush-money case on May 31. The survey was conducted completely after the verdict was rendered (June 1-4).
But that won’t make much difference to Floridians when they vote this year, as roughly two-thirds (64%) say Trump’s conviction won’t matter, including half who say it won’t matter at all (50%).
Voters saying the verdict won’t matter at all favor Trump by 30 points. One-third say the outcome will matter a great deal or some to their vote and they go for Biden by 32 points.
By a 7-point margin, voters believe Trump got a fair trial (52% fair, 45% unfair). Almost all Democrats (92%), two-thirds of independents (65%) and even 1 in 6 in Republicans (15%) say it was fair.
“Since the vast majority of partisans have already made up their minds, we should look to those without a party attachment to see what the likely impact of the verdict will be,” says Republican Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News Poll with Democrat Chris Anderson. “Roughly 14% of the electorate is truly independent, and about one-quarter of them say Trump’s conviction will matter ‘a great deal’ for their vote. The implication is that Biden may gain a single percentage point due to the verdict.”
Might Trump’s conviction persuade third-party voters to swing to Biden? Most of those voters think the trial was fair and their views split over whether it will matter to their vote or not – in the head-to-head they go for Biden by 21 points.
The Issues & Florida Ballot Initiatives
Over half of voters feel they are getting ahead (13%) or holding steady (41%) when it comes to their financial situation. But the largest number, 45%, say they’re falling behind.
Those who say they are ahead or steady go for Biden by 36 points while those falling behind back Trump by 53.
Meanwhile, when it comes to who would better handle the issues, Trump is seen as the clear choice on some of the top priorities — up 21 points on immigration/border security, 17 points on the economy, and 12 points the Israel-Hamas War.
More voters trust Biden on climate change (+7) and abortion (+5), albeit with narrower margins.
Voters split over who would better handle election integrity and health care (Biden +2 on each).
The survey tests two state constitutional amendments on the Florida ballot this November and roughly two-thirds of voters say they will vote “yes” on each.
The first is Amendment 3, which would legalize marijuana for adults ages 21 and older: 66% support this measure while 32% are against it.
On Amendment 4, which would establish the right to an abortion up until fetal viability or at any point to protect the patient’s health: 69% would vote yes vs. 27% no.
Majorities of Democrats (76%), independents (71%), and Republicans (57%) support legalizing marijuana. On establishing the right to abortion, 9 in 10 Democrats support the amendment and 7 in 10 independents feel the same, while Republicans split (50% yes vs. 45% no).
Those who favor the amendments go for Biden (marijuana +9, abortion +23) while those opposed overwhelmingly back Trump (marijuana +35, abortion +69).
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The DeSantis Factor
By a 5-point margin, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ approval rating is in positive territory (52% approve, 47% disapprove), however that’s down from a 13-point spread four years ago and a 26-point margin in April 2020.
Still, he does better than Biden, whose job rating is underwater by 14 points: 43% -57%.
“DeSantis is less popular than he was four years ago and there are two popular ballot questions that could drive favorable turnout for Democrats,” says Anderson. “Could Biden go on offense in Florida? Maybe, which is significant because that totally changes the electoral map.”
Moreover, 83% of those who approve of DeSantis say they will back Trump in the fall while a larger 92% of those who approve of Biden say they will support his re-election.
When it comes to views of the candidates, Floridians have a more favorable view of Trump than Biden or Kennedy. Trump breaks even with voters (49% favorable, 49% unfavorable), while Biden (42%-56%) and Kennedy (34%-46%) are in negative territory.
“Biden faces a numbers game in Florida, as there are many more Republicans than Democrats right now,” says Shaw. “Given their need to win elsewhere, can Democrats afford to spend the money and time to hunt for more votes in an expensive state like Florida?”
CLICK HERE FOR TOPLINE AND CROSSTABS
Conducted June 1-4 under the joint direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News Poll includes interviews with a sample of 1,075 Florida registered voters randomly selected from a statewide voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (176) and cellphones (670) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (229) and were given the option of completing the interview in English or Spanish. Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics of respondents are representative of the registered voter population.
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Southeast
Duffy exposes 54% of North Carolina truck licenses issued illegally to ‘dangerous drivers’
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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Thursday revealed that 54% of North Carolina’s non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) issued to foreign nationals reviewed by federal officials were issued illegally.
The discovery came amid the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) ongoing nationwide audit of the state’s truck licensing systems.
If North Carolina does not revoke all illegally issued licenses, the Department of Transportation (DOT) will withhold nearly $50 million in federal funding.
“North Carolina’s failure to follow the rules isn’t just shameful — it’s dangerous. I’m calling on state leadership to immediately remove these dangerous drivers from our roads and clean up their system,” Duffy wrote in a statement. “President [Donald] Trump and I are committed to keeping you and your family safe on our roads.”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that widespread fraud is allowing illegal immigrants to obtain commercial driver’s licenses, which he said poses safety risks. (Department of Homeland Security)
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In a letter to North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein and state Department of Public Safety Commissioner Paul Tine, the FMCSA said the state illegally issued non-domiciled CDLs to drivers who were ineligible, those whose licenses were valid long after their lawful presence in the U.S. expired and those whose lawful status in the U.S. was not verified by North Carolina.
FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs said the level of noncompliance in North Carolina is “egregious.”
To retain its federal funding, North Carolina will be required to immediately pause issuance of non-domiciled CDLs, identify all unexpired non-domiciled CDLs that fail to comply with FMCSA regulations and revoke and reissue all noncompliant non-domiciled CDLs if they comply with the federal requirements.
ICE arrested more than 100 foreign national truck drivers in California’s Operation Highway Sentinel after deadly crashes linked to state-issued CDLs. (Department of Homeland Security)
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The state must also conduct a comprehensive internal audit to identify all procedural and programming errors, training and quality assurance problems, insufficient policies and practices and other issues that have resulted in the issuance of non-domiciled CDLs that did not meet federal rules.
Duffy set his focus on CDL issues in early 2025 after an Indian national who held a California-issued CDL allegedly killed a car full of people on Florida’s turnpike.
ICE said Akhror Bozorov, 31, a criminal illegal immigrant from Uzbekistan, was issued a CDL from Pennsylvania. (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
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California has since revoked 17,000 problematic non-domiciled CDL licenses as DOT conducts a nationwide audit initiated by President Donald Trump’s executive order on truck driver roadway safety.
Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
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Southeast
Naked woman allegedly assaults deputy while intoxicated, claims she was ‘trying to be a mermaid’
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A Louisiana woman’s attempt to go for a skinny-dip did not end swimmingly, authorities said, after she allegedly attacked a sheriff’s deputy responding to a trespassing complaint before finally surrendering to deputies Tuesday.
According to the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched in November to a residence in the Linville community of Marion after a caller reported a neighbor standing in their driveway screaming and refusing to leave the property despite having been warned previously.
When a patrol deputy arrived, authorities said the suspect was found nude and swimming in a pond located on the caller’s property.
The woman was later identified as Erin Elizabeth Sutton, 41, of Marion. Sutton initially refused to exit the pond or speak with the deputy, telling him she was “trying to be a mermaid,” according to a sheriff’s office Facebook post.
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Erin Elizabeth Sutton, 41, is accused of threatening a sheriff’s deputy in Louisiana after being caught skinny-dipping in a neighbor’s pond. She claimed she was “trying to be a mermaid,” according to police. (Union Parish Sheriff’s Office / Getty Images)
After repeated commands, Sutton eventually exited the pond. Due to cold temperatures, emergency medical services were contacted to evaluate her, authorities said.
A blanket was provided, and as the deputy attempted to escort Sutton inside a residence to warm up, she allegedly charged at him.
Authorities said Sutton ignored multiple commands to comply and resisted detention. A taser was deployed but had no effect, according to the sheriff’s office. Sutton was taken to the ground, where she allegedly continued to resist, kicking and punching the deputy before being restrained.
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The Union Parish Sheriff’s Office in Farmerville, La., announced on Facebook that 41-year-old Erin Elizabeth Sutton had allegedly attacked and threatened one of their deputies after skinny-dipping in a neighbor’s pond, citing she was “trying to be a mermaid.” (Google Maps)
Sutton was transported to a hospital for further treatment. During the transport, she allegedly threatened to kill deputies and paramedics, authorities said.
Because Sutton required medical care at the time, deputies later sought arrest warrants, which were signed by a judge in Louisiana’s Third Judicial District Court, according to the sheriff’s office.
Sutton surrendered to deputies on Jan. 6, 2025, and was arrested on multiple charges, including three counts of resisting an officer with force or violence, two counts of public intimidation, two counts of battery of a police officer, disturbing the peace/drunkenness and criminal trespassing.
According to the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched in November to a residence in the Linville community of Marion after a caller reported a neighbor was trespassing. (iStock)
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Her bond was set at $62,000, authorities said.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office for additional comment but did not immediately receive a response. It was not immediately clear whether Sutton has retained legal representation.
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Southeast
Dem governor-elect taps Crockett’s former ‘chief brand strategist’ for top DEI role
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FIRST ON FOX: Soon-to-be Virginia Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger has tapped the former “chief brand strategist” for Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, to serve in the state’s top diversity, equity and inclusion role.
In a Tuesday statement, Spanberger, who takes office on Jan. 17, announced she is appointing Dr. Sesha Joi Moon to serve as Virginia’s chief diversity officer and director of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Spanberger said that Moon’s “experience across government, education, and the nonprofit sectors gives her firsthand insight into the ways in which we can build a stronger, safer, and more prosperous Virginia for every family.”
“I’m excited to announce that Dr. Moon is joining our administration,” said Spanberger, adding, “Virginia deserves leaders who will make sure our work to grow our Commonwealth’s economy keeps the needs of all Virginians in mind.”
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Virginia Democratic Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger celebrates as she takes the stage during her election night rally at the Greater Richmond Convention Center on Nov. 04, 2025. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
“When every Virginian has the opportunity to reach their full potential, it benefits all of us,” she said.
Moon, whose doctorates are in public administration and policy and self-identifies as a “Black queer woman,” responded to her appointment by saying she is looking “forward to joining the cabinet of Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger as her historic administration works to advance a future in which all Virginians have access to opportunity — to include residents from some of the hardest-to-reach communities throughout the Commonwealth.”
Moon most recently served as the chief impact officer for the Girl Scouts of the USA. Before that, through her private consultant practice Moon & Associates, she worked as the “chief brand strategist” for Crockett, a radical far-left Democrat who is currently running for the U.S. Senate in Texas.
Earlier this year, Moon appeared on a 40-minute podcast episode, where she defended the importance of DEI and delivered a direct message to critics, saying, “This work has not stopped. You can defund and dismantle all you want, but the work continues.”
“I’m excited. I feel like DEI is just getting started,” Moon continued. “I know that sounds so insane to some people because some people think our discipline is crumbling, and I don’t see it like that. I feel like we’re onto something here.”
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Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Moon also served as executive-in-residence with two-time failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams’ American Pride Rises Network, a DEI advocacy network.
Before that, she was the chief diversity officer of the U.S. House of Representatives during the 117th & 118th Congresses under Speakers Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Mike Johnson, R-La.
Spanberger won a decisive electoral victory this November, defeating Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears by a margin of over 10 percentage points.
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Then Republican Virginia gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears speaks at a CPAC Latino Rally for Virginia on October 25, 2025 in Sterling, Virginia. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Considered a purple state, Spanberger’s victory returns the Virginia governor’s mansion to the Democrats after being held by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
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Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger, Moon, Crockett, Abrams and the Girl Scouts of the USA for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
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