Ron DeSantis

Florida lawmakers and Governor Ron DeSantis have finally reached consensus, passing two immigration reform bills this week, but the process to get there has reshaped the relationships and power dynamics among the state’s top government leaders.

The new session, scheduled to start Tuesday at noon, comes after Governor Ron DeSantis pledged to veto the package lawmakers passed in January.

Political watchers say wanting credit for immigration policy ahead of the 2026 gubernatorial race and 2028 presidential election could be a factor behind the fighting between Florida's top Republican officeholders.

DeSantis' statements come after the legislature rebuked him by gaveling out a special session on immigration DeSantis called where he wanted to pass his own legislative package.

Nearly a dozen bills have been filed ahead of the start of the Florida legislature’s special session. The measures seek to fulfill Gov. Ron DeSantis’ efforts to help President Donald Trump’s administration crack down on illegal immigration, and DeSantis’ efforts to curb citizen-led ballot initiatives.

Florida’s Legislative leaders have officially made the call: the state House and Senate are scheduled to meet in special session at 10:30 a.m. Monday. However it remains unclear whether the governor will get all of the immigration and ballot reform changes he’s calling for at this time.

Governor Ron DeSantis said during a Tuesday press conference that almost 50,000 homes are still without power.

Several political watchers and opinion writers have been panning Governor Ron DeSantis’ political performance during Tuesday’s primary election. Tristan Wood spoke with one of DeSantis’ critics.

Smart and Safe Florida, the PAC behind the ballot initiative, spent $5 million on pro-pot ads across Florida.

Critics of recent laws allowing school books and other classroom materials to be challenged and removed have categorized the effort as book banning. And many school districts have taken steps to keep themselves from running afoul of these new state laws. Gov. Ron DeSantis himself has spearheaded the efforts to keep inappropriate books away from kids, but now he’s endorsing a plan to curb what some see as excessive challenges.