Southeast
Trump backed Donalds on his run to succeed DeSantis as Florida governor: ‘This thing is going to take off’

BONITA SPRINGS, FL. – EXCLUSIVE – Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, as he kicked off his 2026 campaign for Florida governor, touted that “this is going to take off.”
Donalds’ prediction came in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital ahead of his rally in front of a hometown crowd, at his first campaign event in his 2026 bid.
The conservative lawmaker, who has represented Florida’s 19th Congressional District in the southwest part of the state for four years, is currently the only major Republican to date to jump into the race to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Donalds, a staunch supporter and ally of President Donald Trump, announced his candidacy during an appearance on Fox News’ “Hannity” late last month, days after landing the president’s endorsement.
FIRST ON FOX: LEADING CONSERVATIVE GROUP BACKS DONALDS IN FLORIDA
Gubernatorial candidate U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds speaks during his kickoff campaign, Friday, March 28, 2025, in Bonita Springs, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris Tilley) (AP Photo/Chris Tilley)
“We’re going to campaign hard and we’re going to take this to every part of Florida,” Donalds pledged in his interview.
And pointing to the support from Trump, whose immense grip over the GOP is stronger than ever, he emphasized “having his endorsement, it’s a great thing to have, I’m glad I have it.”
“And when he makes these choices, they tend to turn out well for his candidates,” Donalds noted.
Donalds, in his speech, told the large crowd of supporters that “this is the free state of Florida, and as your next governor, it will remain the free state of Florida,”
In his address, he spotlighted Florida’s insurance crisis, vowed to make the state the “financial capital of the world,” pledged to improve public education, and to build new roads and restore the Everglades.

At his gubernatorial campaign kickoff rally, GOP Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida takes photos with supporters after delivering an address, on March 28, 2025 in Bonita Springs, Florida (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)
And the 46-year-old Donalds pledged that “Florida will continue to be the best state in America and show the other 49 how to get the job done,”
The campaign event, in Bonita Springs, comes as Florida first lady Casey DeSantis has acknowledged she is considering a 2026 Republican gubernatorial run of her own, to succeed her husband in Tallahassee.
WHAT BYRON DONALDS TOLD FOX NEWS’ LARA TRUMP
DeSantis has repeatedly touted his wife’s accomplishments as Florida first lady and framed her as a worthy successor.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his wife, first lady Casey DeSantis, celebrate his victory over Democratic gubernatorial nominee Rep. Charlie Crist during an election night watch party at the Tampa Convention Center on Nov. 8, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Octavio Jones/Getty Images)
Additionally, Casey DeSantis, late last month, stoked speculation when asked by reporters if she would run.
“To quote the late Yogi Berra,” DeSantis said as she reiterated a famous line from the late baseball legend. “If you see a fork in the road, take it.”
The governor then quipped to reporters that “you guys can read into that what you will.”
RON AND CASEY DESANTIS TEE OFF WITH TRUMP AS FLORIDA GOVERNOR’S RACE HEATS UP
When asked this month at the National Review Institute’s Ideas Summit in National Harbor, Maryland, if she might launch a campaign, Casey DeSantis said “we’ll see.”
Sources last month confirmed to Fox News that the governor has been reaching out to donors on behalf of his wife.

Casey DeSantis, Florida’s first lady, during a campaign event for her husband, Gov. Ron DeSantis, in Atlantic, Iowa, on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Asked about a possible face-off with Casey DeSantis, Donalds told Fox News that “races take on a shape of their own, so we’ll see what actually happens.”
“My mission is going to be focused on our future and the things that are necessary for Florida to go and to thrive and be prosperous for everybody. So that’s going to be my mission. We’ll see how the race shapes up,” he added.
And Donalds said he aims to convey to voters that “I have a vision for their future and I think that when they hear it, they’re going to choose me.”
The next campaign cash filing deadline in the Florida governor’s race comes at midnight Monday, and a source in the congressman’s political orbit predicted to Fox News that Donalds would “easily eclipse” the $1 million DeSantis raised in his first month as a gubernatorial candidate in his successful 2018 campaign to succeed Scott as governor.
“I think he’s going to show a really strong fundraising number,” added another Florida-based Republican strategist, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely.

Demonstrators protest outside of Republican Rep. Byron Donalds 2026 Florida gubernatorial campaign kickoff, in Bonita Springs, Florida on March 28, 2025. (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)
Outside of the rally, which was held at a restaurant and music venue in downtown Bonita Springs, dozens of demonstrators protested Donalds and the Trump administration’s sweeping and controversial agenda.
TRUMP REVEALS WHY HE PULLED THE STEFANIK AMBASSADOR NOMINATION: ‘CANT’ TAKE A CHANCE’
Donalds’ rally was held amid concerns by the White House and Republicans on Capitol Hill over next week’s special congressional elections in Florida.
Voters in two congressional districts in Florida will head to the polls on Tuesday, as Republicans aim to keep control of both solidly red seats and give themselves slightly more breathing room in the House.
The elections are in Florida’s 1st and 6th Congressional Districts, which Trump carried by 37 and 30 points in last year’s presidential election.
But the Democratic candidates have vastly outraised the Republican nominees, and polling in recent days suggested that the race in the 6th District was within the margin of error.
The GOP currently holds a 218-213 majority in the House, with two vacant seats where Republicans stepped down and two where Democratic lawmakers died in March.
“When it comes to Florida, you have two races, and they seem to be good,” Trump told reporters on Friday.
But pointing to the massive fundraising advantage by the Democrat candidates over the GOP contenders, Trump raised concerns, saying “You never know what happens in a case like that.”
Donalds, in his Fox News Digital interview, predicted “it would be difficult” for the GOP House majority if the party lost one of Tuesday’s elections.
But he added, “I’m not looking forward to that. I think we’re going to win both those seats on Tuesday. I think Republican voters in those districts are going to turn out because, at the end of the day, the choice is clear.”
Jimmy Patronis, the Florida Chief Financial Officer, is favored over Democrat Gay Valimont in a multi-candidate field in the race to fill the vacant seat in the 1st CD, which is located in the far northwestern corner of Florida in the Panhandle region.

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, who is the Republican nominee in Tuesday’s special congressional election in the state’s 1st Congressional District. (Tiffany Tompkins/Bradenton Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Republican Matt Gaetz, who won re-election in the district in last November’s elections, resigned from office weeks later after Trump selected him to be his nominee for attorney general in his second administration.
Gaetz later withdrew himself from cabinet consideration amid controversy.
But it’s the race in the 6th CD, which is located on Florida’s Atlantic coast from Daytona Beach to just south of Saint Augustine and inland to the outskirts of Ocala, that is really raising concerns among some in the GOP.
The race is to succeed Republican Michael Waltz, who stepped down from the seat on Jan. 20 after Trump named him his national security adviser.
Republican state Sen. Randy Fine is facing off against teacher Josh Weil, a Democrat, in a multi-candidate field.

Florida state Rep. Randy Fine, a Republican from South Brevard County, who is running in Tuesday’s special House election in the state’s 6th Congressional District. (AP)
Weil grabbed plenty of national attention in recent weeks by topping Fine in the campaign cash battle by roughly a ten-to-one margin.
The cash discrepancy in the 6th CD race spurred GOP-aligned outside groups to make last-minute contributions in support of Fine in the closing days of the campaign, with conservative super PACs launching ads spotlighting Trump’s support of Fine.
“I would have preferred if our candidate had raised money at a faster rate and gotten on TV quicker,” Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, the chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, told reporters earlier this week.
But Hudson added that Fine is “doing what he needs to do. He’s on TV now.”
And he emphasized, “We’re going to win the seat. I’m not concerned at all.”
Trump, pointing to Fine, on Friday acknowledged that “our candidate doesn’t have that kind of money.”
In the 1st District, where there is less concern by Republicans about losing the seat, Valimont topped Patronis in fundraising by roughly a five-to-one margin.
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Southeast
Tennessee skydiving plane crashes moments after takeoff, leaving multiple passengers injured

Aftermath of Tennessee plane crash captured on video
A plane carrying up to 20 people crashed on Sunday, June 8, 2025. Emergency crews, including Tullahoma police and Tennessee Highway Patrol, responded swiftly. Several victims were airlifted to nearby hospitals. (Credit: Tennessee Highway Patrol)
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Several people are injured after a skydiving plane crashed in Tennessee on Sunday afternoon, according to the Tullahoma Police Department.
The plane departed Tullahoma Regional Airport at approximately 12:30 p.m. and crashed shortly after takeoff, Tullahoma Community Engagement Officer Lyle Russell confirmed to Fox News Digital.
There were 20 people, including crew members, on board when the plane crashed.
“Happening Now: Coffee County – THP troopers are assisting @TullahomaPD at the scene of a plane crash on Old Shelbyville Road,” the Tennessee Highway Patrol posted on X.
FAA, NTSB INVESTIGATING AFTER 3 PEOPLE KILLED IN TENNESSEE PLANE CRASH
Tullahoma police and Tennessee Highway Patrol responded to a plane crash on Old Shelbyville Road in Coffee County, Tennessee, on Sunday. (Tennessee Highway Patrol)
During a Sunday news conference, officials said that the plane had experienced an “unknown issue” shortly after takeoff that “resulted in an impact on trees and terrain.”
Three people were taken to local hospitals for medical treatment via helicopter, while one victim was sent by ground transport for more serious injuries, Russell said. Other minor injuries were treated by first responders at the scene.
There are no fatalities reported at this time.
FAA INVESTIGATING UPSTATE NEW YORK PLANE CRASH WITH 6 PEOPLE ON BOARD

The sheriff’s office said the skydiving plane involved in a crash in Tennessee on Sunday was a DeHaviland DH-6 Twin Otter. (Tennessee Highway Patrol)
“We are grateful the injuries were limited, and our hearts and minds are with those who went through this accident and their upcoming recovery,” officials said during the news conference.
The sheriff’s office said the skydiving plane was a DeHaviland DH-6 Twin Otter.
“No ground facilities or airport facilities were damaged and there were no injuries reported from the ground,” officials added.
DELTA UP-SIDE-DOWN PLANE CRASH AT TORONTO AIRPORT MARKS NORTH AMERICA’S 4TH MAJOR AVIATION DISASTER IN A MONTH

Twenty people were on the plane when it crashed shortly after takeoff. (Tennessee Highway Patrol)
Authorities said this is an active scene and local officials will provide more updates as they become available.

Multiple injuries were reported, though the sheriff’s office said there were no fatalities. (Tennessee Highway Patrol)
Officials are urging residents to avoid the area while the investigation continues.
The FAA responded to the scene and is working with local airport personnel, officials said, adding that the National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB) will be taking over the investigation.
Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com
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Southeast
Florida stands up against woke mind virus and rejects leftist university president who promised 'DEI 2.0'

University dean out of job after pushing DEI
Oklahoma state superintendent Ryan Walters and The Mom Wars’ Bethany Mandel react to UNC Asheville Dean of Students Megan Pugh being ousted from her position after admitting to pushing DEI initiatives.
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The defeat of Santa Ono, as the sole nominee to lead the University of Florida, is a success for Florida but also for the higher education system across the country.
For a long time, our best universities fell like dominoes to the woke mind virus. Schools where rigor and merit were meant to flourish became institutions of identity politics and far-out leftism. They moved seamlessly from safe spaces to land acknowledgements to anti-Israel encampments. Education was an afterthought.
Ono was the former University of Michigan president. For Michigan, he was considered a “moderate.” A moderate in this case meant someone who promised, in his inauguration speech in 2023, to implement “DEI 2.0” and described racism as “one of America’s original sins.”
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA PRESIDENTIAL PICK REJECTED BY STATE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OVER PAST DEI SUPPORT
In the strategy document for that DEI 2.0, the plan was to “emphasize DEI in terms of strategic priorities; build a campuswide effort; develop institutional and constituent capacity to implement and improve DEI initiatives; fully institutionalize DEI into the university; and ensure continued progress and long-term sustainability.”
Former University of Michigan President Santa Ono had his hiring overturned by the Florida Board of Governors. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
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In his previous role as president and vice-chancellor of the University of British Columbia, Ono made land acknowledgments and wrote an op-ed about the “systemic racial inequities” that “permeate the halls of academia.”
Ono clearly had a lifelong devotion to inserting leftist politics in his roles.
WATCH: UNEARTHED FOOTAGE EXPOSES MEDICAL SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS PLEDGING TO RESIST TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDERS
After October 7, he said he would commit the University of Michigan to “a shared commitment to pluralism, to mutual respect and to freedom of speech and diversity of thought.” That didn’t happen. Radical anti-Israel protesters were able to frequently interrupt events with no repercussions and the free speech of those who disagreed with them went unprotected.
Over the last few weeks, Ono had been on something of a rehabilitation tour. In an op-ed in early May, Ono wrote that he agreed “with the state leadership’s vision and values for public higher education” and that, “Public universities have a responsibility to remain grounded in academic excellence, intellectual diversity and student achievement. That means rejecting ideological capture, upholding the rule of law, and creating a culture where rigorous thinking and open dialogue flourish.”
But just a month earlier, in April, Ono had signed an anti-Trump letter as the administration used pressure to force universities receiving public funds to curtail illegal activities on their campuses. Ono had his name scrubbed from the letter once he was being considered for the UF role. His flip-flop had been so sudden that it was impossible to trust. Of course, people develop and change over the course of their lives, and it’s possible Ono has realized how damaging his past support for these far-left policies had been, but the recency of his conversion had given many pause.
UNIVERSITIES FACING ‘IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION’ AS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CRACKS DOWN ON DEI: REPORT
Success has many fathers, of course, and a number of people and organizations are rushing to take credit for knocking down the Ono pick. But the real credit goes to the Florida Board of Governors, the majority of whom were appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. It took guts to overturn the unanimous vote for Santa Ono of the University of Florida Board of Trustees and stand strong against someone who was seen as a prestigious choice for UF. The BoG final vote was 10–6 with one member abstaining.
Several members of the Board of Governors asked excellent, probing questions of Ono, trying to get to the bottom of his beliefs. Vice Chair of the Board of Governors Alan Levine, in particular, asked pointed questions about Ono’s lack of response to the anti-Israel protests that had rocked the UM campus. Ono didn’t have a great answer on why he took so little action to stop the encampments, the vandalism or the interruptions of events at UM. “Antisemitism will not rear its head again,” Ono promised. Not at the University of Florida it won’t.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM KAROL MARKOWICZ
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Southeast
EXCLUSIVE: Franklin Graham dedicates homes to Hurricane Helene survivors: 'God hasn't forgotten them'

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In the mountains of western North Carolina Friday, two families that lost nearly everything to Hurricane Helene stepped into brand-new homes donated by Samaritan’s Purse.
In an exclusive look provided to Fox News Digital, Rev. Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse, dedicated the first mobile homes completed as part of a massive rebuilding effort aimed at restoring hope to families devastated by the storm.
“We’re grateful that they have a new home,” Graham said. “But, more importantly, we want these families to know that God loves them, and He hasn’t forgotten them.”
PRESIDENT TRUMP’S VISIT TO NORTH CAROLINA ‘GAVE PEOPLE HOPE’: REV. FRANKLIN GRAHAM
Rev. Franklin Graham greets a young mother outside her new mobile home after Samaritan’s Purse dedicated the house to her family, one of many Hurricane Helene victims. (Courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse)
Graham, who grew up just down the road from Swannanoa, called it a “full-circle moment” while standing near the same stretch of land where floodwaters swept through mobile home communities last fall.
“To see these families move back into a real home again … we just thank God,” he said.
At the first dedication, a young mother stood on the threshold of her new home, clutching her baby and wiping away tears. Her family had been living in a cramped camper ever since their trailer was destroyed by floodwaters. Just days earlier, she had welcomed a newborn into the world.
“God has provided shelter for me,” she said softly. “He helped us get closer as a family. It’s been such a long journey, but I kept clinging to faith and patience.”
She thought Samaritan’s Purse might help rebuild her old trailer. What she got was something far beyond what she expected: a completely new, fully furnished home.
DONALD TRUMP JR., KRISTI NOEM JOIN FRANKLIN GRAHAM IN HELENE-TORN NORTH CAROLINA WITH SAMARITAN’S PURSE

A mother holds her newborn in the nursery of her new home, donated by Samaritan’s Purse. The family had been displaced since Hurricane Helene destroyed their previous home. (Courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse)
“I didn’t think they were going to bring us a new trailer,” she said, her voice cracking. “But this was way better. I feel really emotional. It’s hard to lose a house and all the stuff you worked hard for. But seeing this one, it brings me excitement. I’m ready for me and my family to go in and finally have our place back.”
Earlier that morning, another mother and her three children stepped inside their new home for the first time. Their previous mobile home had been crushed by a falling tree during the hurricane, leaving them displaced and uncertain about the future.

A young girl smiles as she walks through her family’s new home, provided by Samaritan’s Purse, after they lost their previous home in Hurricane Helene. Rev. Franklin Graham joined the family for the dedication. (Courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse)
Both homes were built with reinforced walls, weather-resistant features and a firm foundation designed to last for years. Each one came furnished and move-in ready. Every family received not only the keys to their new home but also a Bible, a gesture Graham said reflects the heart of the mission.
“These are homes built by God’s people, in Jesus’ name,” he said. “We want these families to know He hasn’t turned His back on them. He loves them.”
Samaritan’s Purse is building dozens of new homes across the region and delivering upgraded mobile units to survivors. The homes weigh 7,000 pounds more than standard models and are reinforced from top to bottom — roof, windows, walls and floors.
“These homes are the first two of many,” Graham said. “And we are ready to provide hundreds more if needed.”

A sign on the exterior of a new mobile home says”Given in Jesus’ Name by Samaritan’s Purse.” (Courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse)
Before the rebuilding began, nearly 35,000 Samaritan’s Purse volunteers poured into western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. They cut down trees, cleared debris, tarped roofs and mucked out flooded homes. The ministry also conducted the largest civilian airlift in U.S. history, delivering more than 700,000 pounds of aid on 358 flights.
In addition to housing, the organization has replaced hundreds of vehicles and helped thousands of families with grocery assistance and basic needs.
But it’s the personal moments — the quiet prayers, the tears of relief, the joy of children stepping into a bedroom again — that define the mission.
“We thank everyone who gave,” Graham said. “Thousands and thousands contributed. But, most of all, we thank God. Because He’s the one who makes all of this possible.”
To apply for help or to volunteer, visit samaritanspurse.org.
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