Kimberly Leonard
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Florida Playbook author, based in Miami. Florida politics reporter for @Politico. Send tips to kleonard@politico.com.
Articles by Kimberly Leonard
The fight for Florida's 16th District
Good morning and welcome to Monday. Democrats running across the U.S. are trying to tie political corruption to the high cost of living. KELLY KIRSCHNER is testing that message in his bid to flip Florida's 16th District, arguing rapid development and special interests are driving up prices in the region.
Senate money race heats up
Good morning and happy Friday. State Rep. ANGIE NIXON, widely viewed by the national Democratic establishment to be a long-shot candidate for Senate, outraised incumbent GOP Sen. ASHLEY MOODY during the third quarter of this year. The latest batch of federal campaign finance reports due Thursday before midnight show Moody raised roughly $5.8 million between her campaign victory fund and victory committee from July through the end of September.
Closing weeks' ad splashes
It's hard to turn on the TV without seeing a political ad this time of year. And the spending backs it up: Candidates and causes in Florida have spent nearly $400 million on campaign ads this cycle. The Republican Party of Florida, in concert with the campaign of Rep. BYRON DONALDS and his political committee, have spent nearly $90 million on Florida governor's race ads, according to a Playbook analysis of data compiled by the ad tracking firm AdImpact.
Weekend with Bernie
Good morning and welcome to Wednesday. It may only be Hump Day, but there's already a ton of fanfare around the progressive parade heading into Florida to help boost state Rep. ANGIE NIXON 's Senate campaign. Today, she's joined by Democratic Sens. CHRIS MURPHY of Connecticut and RUBEN GALLEGO of Arizona. One of her stops is at the University of Central Florida and will also include Rep. RO KHANNA . Then, independent Sen.
Florida Democrats test 2 different comeback strategies
Two sharply different political styles, constituencies and ideologies are being put to the test in the races for governor and Senate. Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Jolly and Democratic Senate candidate state Rep. Angie Nixon attend a campaign event Sept. 28, 2026, in Boynton Beach, Florida.
Florida Democrats test 2 different comeback strategies
MIAMI — Democrats at the top of the ticket in Florida are running a real-time experiment on how to claw their way back to competitiveness in a state where Republicans consolidated power under Gov. Ron DeSantis and President Donald Trump. Two Democrats running very different campaigns are testing divergent strategies and messaging: On one side is the Democratic nominee for governor, David Jolly, a former Republican who has built his political brand around moderation and crossover appeal.
Inside a Florida focus group
Good morning and welcome to Tuesday. All across the state, campaigns and political operatives are conducting focus groups of voters that help them understand how people are thinking about this election cycle and the candidates running. Last week, your author got to listen in on one. Over two hours, the focus group, conducted by The Bulwark political media organization, interviewed nine Floridians who voted for President DONALD TRUMP last cycle. Now, all of them disapprove of the job he's doing.
Donalds on AI, Trump and state of play
Good morning and happy Friday. Republican candidate for governor Rep. BYRON DONALDS joined POLITICO's Dasha Burns for “ The Conversation ” this week. And he told her he was “very excited” to leave Congress. In an interview that lasted almost an hour, Donalds said he was looking forward to enacting new state policies that federal lawmakers might consider.
DeSantis calls for accountability over leaked Hope Florida report
MIAMI — Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday called for the prosecution of the people behind a leaked grand jury report that was sharply critical of the Hope Florida scandal, a day after an appeals court ruled the report should never have been issued.
Isaias ends the hurricane lull
Good morning and welcome to Thursday. Florida's stretch without a hurricane has come to an end. Isaias strengthened into a hurricane in the Gulf late Wednesday night and is projected to make landfall Friday. Gov. RON DESANTIS is expected to brief the media and public at the Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee during the early afternoon. He'll be joined by JARED PERDUE , the newly minted state emergency management boss who's also overseeing Florida's Department of Transportation.
The midterms' health care factor
FIRST HURRICANE OF THE ATLANTIC SEASON — Gov. RON DESANTIS declared a state of emergency Tuesday night for 25 counties in preparation for storm surge, high winds, heavy rainfall and tornadoes tied to Tropical Storm Isaias, which is expected to strengthen to a hurricane by Thursday. It's forecast to affect the Florida Panhandle and north Florida. See the state's disaster preparation guide Good morning and welcome to Wednesday.
Donalds courts Black voters
Good morning and welcome to Tuesday. Rep. BYRON DONALDS could be Florida's first Black governor. And in the closing weeks of his campaign, the conservative Republican is making a more pronounced push to win over Black voters in Florida — a group that has traditionally backed Democrats. On Monday, Donalds rolled out names of more than two dozen Black leaders, including sheriffs and state lawmakers, who are supporting him.
Inside Byron Donalds' campaign to court Black voters in Florida
Donalds could be the first Black governor of the state. But he's working on peeling away a voting bloc that has traditionally been the backbone of the Democratic Party. “We've done a lot of work in Broward County and in North Miami,” Donalds said. “We've done that work in Jacksonville very quietly. Most people didn't even know we were doing it.
RPOF's SeaWorld bash
Decoded by POLITICO Launches Today The future of the world is being dictated in real time by the intersection of tech titans and governments. But there's just way too much tech news to monitor. Your inboxes are full. Your feeds are even fuller. Push alerts pile up. And your phones won't stop pinging.
VP vibes in Lakeland
Good morning and happy Friday. Central Florida Republicans showed they were more than willing to embrace President DONALD TRUMP 's administration in the closing weeks of the election, choosing an aircraft hangar and events venue in deep-red Polk County for Vice President JD VANCE to address a massive crowd of MAGA supporters. “It seems very obvious that Florida is MAGA country,” Vance, who stood under a banner that read “Defend our Future,” told the crowd.
Vance's red-state swing hits Florida as polls tighten in Sunshine State
The vice president talked up GOP candidates Byron Donalds and Ashley Moody, saying the duo “want the same things that President Trump and I want” regarding safety, healthy food and “happy families.” U,S, Vice President JD Vance attends a campaign rally to support the GOP gubernatorial candidate Rep. Byron Donalds in Lakeland, Florida, on Oct. 1, 2026.
Griffin’s great college gambit
Citadel founder and CEO Ken Griffin addresses Carnegie Mellon University students at the announcement of Carnegie Mellon University Miami on Sept. 30, 2026, in Pittsburgh. | Jack Dempsey/AP Content Services for Griffin Catalyst Good morning and welcome to October. News that Carnegie Mellon University was set to open in Miami raised eyebrows across the state — and questions about what the move could mean for the growing city and higher education in Florida.
Bernie Sanders gets ready to lend cash, star power
Good morning and welcome to Wednesday. Sen. BERNIE SANDERS is set to help support state Rep. ANGIE NIXON in Florida. In a story out Tuesday night, POLITICO's Lisa Kashinsky reports that the independent senator from Vermont is preparing to spend some of his estimated $23 million campaign war chest to boost several candidates he's endorsed, including Nixon. His team is also planning to hire more full-time organizers in Florida, Minnesota and Michigan.
Rick Scott's next policy push
Good morning and welcome to Tuesday. GOP Sen. RICK SCOTT isn't on the ballot this election cycle, but he's still making a push to shape his party's economic agenda as voters grapple with crushing costs. The senior senator from Florida started rolling out his “Rescuing America” proposal through a video series this month. Part of the reason, he said, was to present an alternative to ideas coming from the socialist wing of the Democratic Party.
Trump brings Florida Republicans to heel
Good morning and welcome to Monday. President DONALD TRUMP is making it clear he won't be loosening his grip on his adopted home turf. In a series of posts on Truth Social over the weekend, the president signaled how he'd react if any Florida Republicans sought to create distance with him. He did so after POLITICO published a story saying the White House would be understanding if some GOP candidates broke with the administration to win in November. So much for that.
Democrat's ‘lightning in a bottle' scenario
Good morning and happy Friday. Despite tight polling and growing heartburn about the GOP's chances nationwide, Florida Republicans are publicly projecting confidence that President DONALD TRUMP 's adopted home state will deliver on Election Day. Yet there is a scenario in which House Democrats might overcome the GOP mid-decade redistricting to hang onto or flip House seats. One or more Democrats might even eke out statewide.
‘We are hemorrhaging': Cracks emerge in GOP's Florida firewall
The party projects confidence, but the Sunshine State isn't immune to voter anger over high prices, the war in Iran and mass deportations. Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds walks to the podium during a primary election party on Aug. 18 in Orlando, Florida. | John Raoux/AP 09/25/2026 11:00 AM CEST President Donald Trump is not making it easy for Republicans in Florida to keep their firewall.
Property tax fallout for next gov
Good morning and welcome to Thursday. If voters approve a ballot amendment to cut property taxes on Nov. 3, it'll bring the issue to the top of the next governor's agenda. But regardless of what happens with the amendment, the candidates for governor made it clear Wednesday during a WLRN economy summit that they want to address property taxes. The much-buzzed-about measure known as Amendment 3 doesn't go as far as Gov.
Different time, same place
Good morning and welcome to Wednesday. In Fort Lauderdale this morning, both candidates for governor will speak at a WLRN summit on the economy . Just not at the same time. The event's timing is coincidental : The summit had been on the books for a while and happened to fall just days after Democrat DAVID JOLLY announced he wouldn't be debating GOP BYRON DONALDS .
Democratic ads under a changed map
Good morning and welcome to Tuesday. Three House Democrats whose districts were redrawn to be more favorable to Republicans have started hitting the airwaves. And the focus of their ads offers a window into the messages they think will resonate in their newly configured districts. Republicans are trying to unseat Democratic Reps. KATHY CASTOR DARREN SOTO and JARED MOSKOWITZ with Republican candidates former state Rep.
Florida Democrats, together at last?
It took a month for Democrats who won statewide nominations to gather in the same room together after the Aug. 18 primary. That night delivered a shocker ticket , with an unexpected mix of centrist and progressive candidates. Infighting ensued . Key Democrats eventually signed a “ Pledge of Hope ” to try to signal unity. Yet everyone still seemed to need a minute. That time finally came Saturday night at the Miami-Dade Democratic Party's Blue Gala at the Frost Science Museum downtown.
‘He is kryptonite': Republicans start breaking with Trump
Candidates in tight races are publicly distancing themselves from a president whose low approval rating is dragging the party down. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., who is running for Wisconsin governor, speaks before President Donald Trump at Custer Farms in Chippewa Falls, Wis., Friday, June 5, 2026. | Glen Stubbe/AP Photo 09/20/2026 08:00 PM CEST In late January, when President Donald Trump endorsed his close ally Rep.
Big break with Trump
Good morning and happy Friday. The biggest GOP midterm split with President DONALD TRUMP in his home state happened with less than seven weeks to go until the election — right in the state's most populous county. It came in the form of a TV ad out Thursday, in which Miami Republican Rep. MARÍA ELVIRA SALAZAR warned the president his immigration agenda had gone “too far” and would hurt him politically among Hispanics.
Republican and Democratic states defy Trump on AI regulation
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Calls for more robust limits have escalated since July. Presidend Donald Trump dismissed the alarms about AI as a “HOAX,” arguing that new rules would hurt the economy. But some governors, state attorneys general and members of Congress say the threat is real.
By Liam Dillon Verified, Kimberly Leonard Verified, Andrew Atterbury Verified, Chase DiFeliciantonio Verified
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POLITICO
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House members return to messy preelection picture
A Note to Our Readers Over the past week, you've been bombarded with dire warnings about AI's future, and a cacophony of voices insisting governments must take “some” action. But on what will actually be done, by whom and where — there are precious few voices offering clarity. That's where POLITICO comes in. On the most consequential story of our lifetimes — how governments around the world respond to the most powerful technology humans have ever built — clarity is our commitment to you.
Every risk, everywhere, all at once
Good morning and welcome to Wednesday. Democrat ANGIE NIXON is taking chances in her Senate campaign. Her tactics are a gamble. The progressive state representative is visiting every county in Florida — no matter how red — and tapping rally-goers to knock on doors with her on the spot. She opened herself to legal risk during a sit-in at the governor's office to show how angry she was at the GOP's mid-decade redistricting. The trial date? Right before the election. She doesn't hold back ideologically.
DeSantis stretches his political legs
Good morning and welcome to Tuesday. Gov. RON DESANTIS is increasing his midterms presence by backing other Republicans, shaping conservative messaging and promoting his own agenda. The governor was sluggish to get going this election season, often saying that politicians should be focused on their current jobs instead of the next role they want.
Florida pols grapple with AI debate
Good morning and welcome to Monday. The week ahead could be very telling about where the debate on artificial intelligence is headed — and where Florida fits into it. Leaders of some of AI's biggest giants stunned the political world this weekend when they called for a slowdown in developing advanced AI . The moves came as politicians remain hugely divided about what to do about a complicated, quickly changing issue.
9/11: Where they were
We begin today by remembering Sept. 11, 2001. Former President GEORGE W. BUSH was visiting a school in Sarasota 25 years ago today when he learned about the attacks on the World Trade Center. He'd already been told about the first plane hitting the tower before he entered the classroom, but thought it had been an accident. Then chief of staff ANDY CARD whispered in his ear about the second attack while a child was reading.
DeSantis rebukes Trump's $5K checks: ‘More debt and more inflation' Original
Florida's Republican governor said his party should look to policies in the Sunshine State to improve the economy. “What I don't think you want to do is borrow another $1.5 trillion, and then just try to flood that into the economy, because that will lead to more inflation. That will lead to more debt and more inflation," DeSantis said Thursday. | Joe Raedle/Getty Images 09/10/2026 04:53 PM EDT MIAMI — Gov.
Leonida Playbook, presented by video game concerns
Good morning and welcome to Thursday. Miami is a city on the rise, attracting major businesses, hosting World Cup games, wooing the Trump presidential library downtown and prepping for the G-20. It's also the heavy inspiration for the latest version of Grand Theft Auto. The wildly popular video game, which is shaping up to be the one of the most highly anticipated game releases in history, features a couple, Jason and Lucia, whose criminal exploits unfold in the fictional and familiar Vice City.
Netflix becomes latest in stream of Florida AG tech targets
MIAMI — Florida officials on Wednesday sued streaming giant Netflix, alleging it misleads parents about how it collects data on minors and harms children with features that lead to “binge watching” content. The lawsuit, led by GOP Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, is the latest instance of how Florida has emerged as one of the most aggressive red-leaning states against Big Tech, particularly in the era of artificial intelligence.
Netflix becomes latest in stream of Florida AG tech targets
Follow Netflix becomes latest in stream of Florida AG tech targets Wed, September 9, 2026 at 12:23 PM EDT Netflix becomes latest in stream of Florida AG tech targets MIAMI — Florida officials on Wednesday sued streaming giant Netflix, alleging it misleads parents about how it collects data on minors and harms children with features that lead to "binge watching" content.
Florida Republicans' AI fears buoyed by Anthropic researcher bombshell Original
The warnings on social media stoked fears in Washington about something Florida's top Republicans have been criticizing for months. “While some AI hysterics is aimed towards investors in advance of upcoming IPOs, that there is even a possibility that these technologies would elude human control is alarming,” DeSantis said Wednesday on social media. | Joe Raedle/Getty Images 09/09/2026 11:47 AM EDT MIAMI — Florida's leading artificial intelligence skeptics — Gov.
Immigration push and pull
Good morning and welcome to Wednesday. A flurry of activity on immigration ahead of today's GOP midterm convention in Dallas helps to show just how dicey the issue has become for the party. On the one hand, President DONALD TRUMP is eager to talk up his immigration policies, arguing they've resulted in a safer country . And the White House on Tuesday asked the Supreme Court to allow officials to use a federal immigration database to scrutinize voter rolls.
Florida GOP heads to Dallas
Good morning and welcome to Tuesday. Here's hoping your power didn't go out last night. With Labor Day in the rear view mirror, voters are really starting to tune into the elections. And the GOP is giving them quite a show post-holiday: The party is holding its first-ever midterm convention, with Republicans from all over the country flying into Dallas for the televised two-day gathering.
Florida fallout on Venezuela deal
Good morning and happy Friday.
Big Tech's Florida whiplash week
Good morning and welcome to Thursday. Florida Republicans continue to take a far more skeptical posture toward Big Tech than the White House's stance. In just the last week, Florida ordered the removal of locally installed Flock cameras and other license plate readers from state roads. Gov. RON DESANTIS extracted a pledge from GOP gubernatorial candidate Rep. BYRON DONALDS that he'd authorize a “framework” of an AI Bill of Rights that he pushed for.
Worrell gets a warning
Good morning and welcome to Wednesday. Florida Democrats are on edge over the possibility that Gov. RON DESANTIS may be preparing to resuspend MONIQUE WORRELL , the state attorney in Orange and Osceola counties. DeSantis first suspended Worrell from her elected position in 2023, effectively removing her from her role while he was staring down the reality of losing the presidential nomination to DONALD TRUMP .
DeSantis splashes into the midterms
Good morning and welcome to September. Gov. RON DESANTIS is putting Florida's GOP statewide candidates onstage tonight — and he's asking all the questions. The governor is hosting a leadership summit in Tampa with GOP candidate for governor Rep. BYRON DONALDS , state Attorney General JAMES UTHMEIER , Chief Financial Officer BLAISE INGOGLIA and Agriculture Commissioner WILTON SIMPSON All four men will sit together with DeSantis for a fireside chat.
Hope Florida's midterm reach
Good morning and welcome to Monday. Playbook is back after a one-week hiatus. Also returning from a lull: the Hope Florida scandal, in the form of a grand jury report leak to CBS Miami threatening to overtake the midterm conversation. A quick catch-up: The report found Gov. RON DESANTIS ' administration “misappropriated” $10 million in taxpayer funds from a health care settlement.
Hope Florida reemerges as midterm issue with leaked grand jury report
A grand jury looked into the claims and issued a report in January, which was obtained by CBS Miami. The long-running controversy has entangled GOP Sen. Ashley Moody and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, both of whom were appointed to their current jobs by the governor and are up for elections in November.
Donalds picks Florida legislator Bryan Ávila as running mate, leaning into anti-communist message Original
Ávila, from heavily Cuban-populated Hialeah, is a dean of a criminal justice college and Florida Army National Guard captain. Donalds made his announcement from Miami's Freedom Tower, an iconic part of the city's skyline that was previously used to process Cuban refugees who fled communism. | John Raoux/AP 08/25/2026 10:39 AM EDT MIAMI — Florida GOP gubernatorial nominee Byron Donalds announced Tuesday he's tapping sta te Sen.
Florida GOP starts its anti-Nixon campaign
Good morning and happy Friday. Republicans kicked off the general election in a rally Thursday night by name dropping Democratic Senate nominee ANGIE NIXON more than President DONALD TRUMP During their “Top of the Ticket Tour” in Tampa , speaker after speaker bashed Nixon as dangerous for Florida and accused all Democrats of being in agreement with her.
Bernie Sanders endorses Angie Nixon for Senate in Florida
Follow Bernie Sanders endorses Angie Nixon for Senate in Florida Thu, August 20, 2026 at 2:37 PM EDT Bernie Sanders endorses Angie Nixon for Senate in Florida MIAMI — Sen. Bernie Sanders endorsed Democrat Angie Nixon for Senate after she notched an upset victory in red-state Florida to face Gov. Ron DeSantis-appointed GOP Sen. Ashley Moody in November.
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