When the white smoke rose above the Vatican on Thursday, one Port Charlotte man felt a wave of disbelief and pride: his younger brother had just become the next pope.

Pope Leo XIV received congratulations from former presidents Joe Biden and George W. Bush to other politicians with connections to Florida.

The Florida Democratic Party is facing significant internal and external challenges, marked by a series of election defeats, the departure of prominent members, and escalating tensions within the party ranks.

Pope Leo XIV, a 69-year-old missionary, was elected Thursday in a dramatic scene at the Vatican that captivated the entire globe, including religious leaders in the Big Bend and Florida.

U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds now leads First Lady Casey DeSantis 44%–25% in a GOP race for Florida governor, according to a new statewide poll.

Progressive advocates have filed a federal lawsuit challenging new restrictions on Florida’s process to get citizen-driven initiatives on the ballot before voters.

Federal prosecutors allege the two women, who moved from the Ukraine to Boynton Beach, were not citizens when they cast ballots during early voting.

The cone of uncertainty is much bigger than it was even a month ago. ... We don’t know exactly where we’re going to land with tariffs at the end of the day," said Raj Singh, BankUnited CEO.

The main stage is cleared — and the scorecards are in. Here’s who walked away grinning, and who got left in the dust.

Florida Decides Healthcare ... And campaigners will face shorter deadlines to return petitions to local election officials, and stiffer fines if they don’t send them to the correct county.