Florida politics

After voting for himself to be Florida’s first black governor, Andrew Gillum was asked to comment on the historic nature of his run.

“We’ll worry about history later," Gillum said Tuesday morning after casting his ballot at a Catholic church in Tallahassee. "But today, we’re working to win."

Gillum held his infant son over one hip, and he and his wife, R. Jai Gillum, each held a hand of one of their twins. He seemed calm, comfortable, confident.

Thirteen hours later, he conceded the race.

Activist Emma González, who became famous after giving an impassioned speech in Fort Lauderdale days after the shooting at her Parkland high school in February, stood on the steps of Florida's old state Capitol building on Monday and urged people to vote.

"Gun violence is on the ballot," González said. "Our lives are in the hands of the people that we elect. Vote in every election like it's your last, because it very well could be."

Candidates are revving up their campaigning in the final days before Nov. 6.

The momentum can be felt in South Florida and across the country. More than 800,000 people have already voted across the region – surpassing those who voted early or by mail four years ago.

WLRN asked listeners about their motivations for going to vote.

Lisa Silvers of Parkland says she’s worried about the country’s direction.

In Florida's high profile, tightly contested governor's race, the focus is squarely on South Florida. On Thursday, one candidate went as far south as he could go.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis told voters at a Jewish deli in Aventura on Tuesday he'd be a champion for Israel if elected governor.

In the days leading up to Hurricane Michael’s landfall, Gov. Rick Scott did what any Florida governor would do: warn people. After the storm passed, Scott shifted from warnings to gravitas.

But his appearances were more significant than previous storm responses (Michael is the fourth hurricane Scott has had to respond to in his eight years as governor). 

With elections just under three weeks away in Florida, candidates – especially those for governor and U.S. Senate – know that voters could cast their ballots based on how candidates responded to the storm.

A new documentary examines the role one retirement community in Broward County is playing in shaping Florida's politics.

As the 2018 midterms are rapidly approaching, there’s a segment of the population in South Florida that will have a definitively large impact on the election -- seniors.

The Wynmoor retirement community in Broward County is indicative of that power. They've hosted Joe Biden, Charlie Crist and many other high profile politicians on the campaign trail.

Florida's 27th Congressional District has miles of coastline. The district stretches from near Black Pointe Marina in south Miami-Dade County to the Venetian Causeway, and all of Key Biscayne and Miami Beach.

"Whatever is going on in the rest of the country, we're not denying climate change," says Donna Shalala, the Democrat running for Congress in the district. "For us, it's life and death."

Senator Bill Nelson and Governor Rick Scott squared off for the first of their three debates in Florida's U.S. Senate race.

In the battle over control of the U.S. House of Representatives, the race to replace the longest-serving member of the Florida Congressional delegation plays a big role. The campaign to succeed Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R) in Congress pits a veteran of Democratic politics and community leader against a political newcomer who is a former Spanish-language television news host.

Republican Maria Elvira Salazar and Democrat Donna Shalala are running in the 27th Congressional district in Miami-Dade County, but the outcome will echo across the region.

A crowd of people gathered at Little Havana’s Ball & Chain nightclub on Friday, sweating under the gaze of a stage that looks like a giant hollowed out pineapple, as drafts of mojito mint freshened the night air. The event was in support of Andrew Gillum, the Democratic nominee for Governor of Florida. But for many speakers and attendees, the event’s location was also important in terms of counter-messaging.

Broward County state Sen. Lauren Book was floated as a potential running mate for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum — but she says she wouldn’t have accepted the offer if it had materialized.

Gillum, the Tallahassee mayor who snagged the Democratic nomination for governor in an upset victory on Aug. 28, ultimately chose one of his primary opponents for the lieutenant governor spot on his ticket. Book said she thinks Orlando entrepreneur Chris King is a “wonderful, wonderful choice” and said she’s on “Team Gillum” heading into November.