Florida might have lost its status as the ultimate swing state, but in some ways the Sunshine State was the center of the country’s political universe in 2024.
From Mar-a-Lago, his private residence/club in Palm Beach, the once-and-future President Donald Trump set his campaign strategy. At his nearby Trump International Golf Club, he evaded an assassination attempt in September – the second attempt on his life during the campaign. After his victory in November, he held court as he assembled picks to fill his next administration, and supporters and would-be nominees flocked to the spot. Many of the nominees are Florida officials, further roiling the state’s politics.
Trump’s general election victory in November came after he dispatched his GOP rivals in the primary. That included Gov. Ron DeSantis, who dropped out on Jan. 21 following a dismal showing in the Iowa caucus, losing by 30 points to Trump.
DeSantis immediately endorsed Trump but the animosity between them lingered. A slight thaw in the relationship came after the November election. That, along with DeSantis’ successful campaign against ballot measures to legalize abortions up to about 24 weeks and marijuana for recreational use, has brightened his prospects for a 2028 run for President.
For Democrats, though, 2024 did not include any silver linings, just a series of darkening clouds. They were swept up and down the ballot and a party switch by a Tampa Democratic House member to the GOP gave Republicans their largest-ever advantage in the chamber.
As the campaigns played out, other storms – literal and political – were brewing. Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton bashed the state, putting hundreds of residents in the Panhandle out of their homes. They also threatened a property insurance market officials say is stabilizing, but which still carries high rates for homeowners.
The year also saw clashes over social media bans for children, a courtroom drama to decide future of Florida State University in the Atlantic Coast Conference and the abrupt end of Ben Sasse’s reign as president of the University of Florida.
Here’s a look at the major political headlines and issues in Florida in 2024:
DeSantis’ presidential run fizzles
DeSantis spent hundreds of millions of dollars. He brought large chunks of his administration to Iowa to knock on doors in subfreezing temperatures. He lined up endorsements from most Florida GOP legislators and won over several conservative media personalities.
But up against Trump’s widespread popularity with the Republican base, it was to no avail. Trump romped to a 51% to 21% victory over DeSantis in the Iowa caucus. Despite a bitter contest, in which Trump called him “DeSanctimonious” and at one point elevated a social media post suggesting DeSantis “groomed” underage students he taught with alcohol. DeSantis bowed out and endorsed Trump before the New Hampshire primary.
“While this campaign has ended, the mission continues,” DeSantis said in announcing his departure from the race. “Down here in Florida we will continue to show the country how to lead.”
Trump assassination attempt in West Palm Beach
The Secret Service came under metaphorical fire after Trump was nearly hit with a literal bullet during a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July. The calls for answers only grew louder two month later, after another attempt on Trump’s life while he was at his Trump International Golf Club.
Ryan Routh, 58, of Hawaii, fled after being spotted pointing a rifle at security officials and a member of Trump’s security detail shot at him. Trump, who was on the course, was moved to safety. Routh was later tracked down on Interstate 95 in Martin County and arrested. A trial in federal court is tentatively scheduled for next year.
Despite the federal charges, DeSantis ordered a separate state investigation, claiming the federal one wouldn’t uncover the full truth of the matter and a state probe would be more transparent.
Backlash to push for golf courses on some state parks
The backlash against the plan from DeSantis’ office and the Department of Environmental Protection to put golf courses on some state parks, which was part of an overall plan to refurbish several state parks with new amenities, was swift and bipartisan.
Democrats and environmental groups panned the “Great Outdoors Initiative,” which sought to put golf courses, pickleball courts and expanded lodges on some state parks. But it was the vehement backlash from Republicans that killed the plan.
Then-Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and a slew of other GOP lawmakers publicly criticized the plan. Since DeSantis took office in 2019, such a vocal pushback from fellow Republicans to one of his proposals was unprecedented. DeSantis and DEP quickly backed down, shelving the plan.
And after the elections, DEP Secretary Shawn Hamilton stepped down and was replaced by Alexis Lambert, a veteran state government official.
Gentle pushback on DeSantis by Legislature
In 2023 DeSantis’ agenda, full of hot-button culture war issues both large and small as he geared up to run for President, was essentially passed without reservation by the GOP-led Legislature. This year DeSantis was preoccupied in Iowa and didn’t present lawmakers with as an ambitious agenda.
Heading into his final two years in office, he still holds vast sway with his fellow Republicans, but the rift with Trump led a handful of lawmakers who initially endorsed DeSantis to switch to the former President. That was the first inkling of the gentle pushback from lawmakers against DeSantis that was to come in 2024.
Last year DeSantis asked for and won approval by the Legislature to take over a special district run by Disney, ban “gender-affirming” care for minors, eliminate automatic dues for teachers’ unions, allow concealed guns to be carried without a permit, and eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in schools and universities.
But this year, bills in a similar culture war-vein didn’t get through. Bills to protect Confederate monuments; lower the age to buy rifles from 21 to 18; ban non-profits from giving training to employees on sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression; and require drivers licenses to display a person’s sex assigned at birth didn’t pass.
Those bills weren’t part of DeSantis’ main legislative agenda, but he was also rebuffed by legislative leaders in the fall when he urged them to hold a special session before the end of the year to fix a law requiring condo boards to carry more reserves for structural and maintenance projects.
Combined with the pushback against the state parks plan and the dismal showing of the school board candidates DeSantis endorsed in the August primary, it seemed as though his influence was beginning to decline, at least compared to the prior year. But that was before the November election results.
Republicans sweep elections
There was no refuge for Florida Democrats anywhere on the ballot this year.
At the top, Trump ran away with a 13-point victory – the largest margin for a presidential race in Florida since 1988. U.S. Sen. Rick Scott coasted to reelection. In the middle, Republicans won every competitive legislative race except for one and expanded their supermajority in the state House.
And at the bottom, DeSantis’ campaign against amendments that would have legalized recreational marijuana and installed the right to an abortion up to about 24 weeks was successful. The ballot measures, despite getting more than 50% of the vote, didn’t meet the 60% threshold to pass.
DeSantis push against the amendments included using taxpayer funds to air public service announcements from state agencies bashing the proposals and threatening some TV stations for airing pro-abortion amendment ads. The results showed DeSantis’ political clout was still potent, at least in Florida.
Trump transition scrambles Florida’s politics and government
As President-elect Trump looked for people to fill the next administration, the Florida resident picked his fellow Sunshine State denizens.
Trump’s political consultant Susie Wiles, a longtime Jacksonville GOP aide, was picked as his chief of staff. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio was tapped as Secretary of State. U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz was picked for Attorney General, and when that ran into resistance in the U.S. Senate, former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi was picked for the job. U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz is slated to be the national security advisEr.
Those picks left holes in Florida’s congressional delegation. DeSantis must choose Rubio’s replacement, but special elections will be held to replace Waltz and Gaetz, who resigned despite being unsure of his confirmation.
And there’s been no shortage of politicians aiming to fill those seats. Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis is running for Gaetz’ seat, as is state Rep. Joel Rudman, R-Navarre. Patronis, who has been endorsed by Trump, has already resigned to run for the spot, so DeSantis will name his replacement.
State Sen. Randy Fine, R-Melbourne Beach, is running to fill Waltz’S seat. So DeSantis will have to call special elections to replace Fine and Rudman, continuing the domino effect from the Trump picks into 2025.
Social media ban for kids?
Former House Speaker Paul Renner’s top priority for the legislative session was a ban on social media for children under 16. The bill made its way through the process relatively smoothly before hitting a major snag: a veto from DeSantis.
DeSantis axed the first version of the measure over concerns about privacy and constitutionality. The bill would have prohibited those under 16 from having their own social media accounts. But ahead of the veto he worked out a compromise with Renner to allow 14- and 15-year-olds to access the sites if their parents allow it. DeSantis opted to sign that version into law.
Two groups representing major tech companies, including Meta, Google, Amazon and Apple, filed suit to block the new law in Tallahassee federal court, alleging it unconstitutionally violates the First Amendment rights of users.
The bill was set to take effect Jan. 1, but Attorney General Ashley Moody has said she won’t enforce it until the court rules on the groups’ request for a preliminary injunction.
Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton
A trio of hurricanes bashed into Florida this year, spurring tornados and bringing heavy winds, rain and storm surge that knocked out power and leveled homes.
First came Hurricane Debby on Aug. 5, making landfall at Steinhatchee in Taylor County as a Category 1 storm with 80 mph winds. It also carried storm surge and heavy rainfall that brought floods as far south as Sarasota.
Hurricane Helene was next, hitting Dekle Beach as a Category 4 storm with a powerful surge and punishing winds of up to 140 mph. The storm devastated the Taylor County once again, wiping out homes and businesses. Other states, though, including North Carolina and Tennessee, saw massive floods that carried even worse damage.
Two weeks later, Hurricane Milton barreled into Siesta Key as a Category 3 storm with 120 mph winds and cut across central Florida, although it also spawned tornados that ripped into neighborhoods in South Florida.
The storms left many without permanent housing and in need of assistance, but the long-term effects will likely be felt in the state’s property insurance market.
Property insurance
Before hurricane season began, insurance regulators and GOP lawmakers were touting a stabilizing property insurance market. Rate hike request had become more modest, with some even asking for statewide average decreases for next year.
It remains to be seen whether the hurricanes will drive rates higher or drive some smaller companies into bankruptcy, as 12 carriers did in 2021-2023. During that period many smaller domestic companies struggled to cope with the effects of hurricanes, a slew of lawsuits, rampant inflation and the rising cost of reinsurance.
Many companies sought and received sky-high rate increases from regulators. GOP leaders, though, pointed to reforms passed in 2022 aimed at limiting attorneys fees in lawsuits over property insurance claims as needing more time to play out in the marketplace. Democrats criticized those reforms as a giveaway to insurance companies, making them harder to sue if they don’t fully pay a fair claim.
Ben Sasse resigns as UF president
When former Nebraska Republican U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse was hired to be president at UF, he had grand plans for the school. He sought to overhaul the core curriculum and make 10 of its programs recognized as the top 10 in the country.
But he abruptly resigned on July 31, saying he needed to spend more time with his family in light of his wife Melissa’s epilepsy diagnosis. Two weeks later, however, UF’s student newspaper, the Independent Florida Alligator, reported Sasse spent liberally while president. In his first year he spent $17.3 million, triple the amount spent by his predecessor, including lavish staff salaries and consulting contracts.
Now UF is on the hunt for a new president and putting new restrictions on spending.
FSU vs. ACC lawsuits (and abysmal season)
During football season this year, the only time FSU had a fighting chance against the ACC was in the courtroom. As the team slunk to a 2-10 record, including 1-7 in the conference, FSU was battling the ACC over leaving the group.
FSU sought to leave to get more money for its media rights in a different conference. The Southeastern Conference and Big 10 pay out more to other teams, and FSU leaders feared the financial disparity could continue to worsen a gap in talent on the field as new rules in college football allow players to be paid.
But the current media rights contract runs through 2036, and the fee to leave the conference is exorbitant – about $125 million. The ACC claims the fee and the rest of the media rights under the current contract, around $500 million, must also be paid to leave. FSU doesn’t think that’s the case.
FSU filed suit in Tallahassee, while the ACC filed a lawsuit in North Carolina last year. Both suits are ongoing, and the outcome could cause further tectonic shifts in a sport that has seen many teams shift conferences in recent years.
Moody stepped into the fray in April, filing suit to force the ACC to release its Grant of Rights agreement with member schools as well as its TV deal with ESPN. She dropped the suit in August when heavily redacted versions of the deals were released.
Gray Rohrer is a reporter with the USA TODAY Network-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at grohrer@gannett.com. Follow him on X: @GrayRohrer.
