Donalds Ahead in Gubernatorial Polls

Recent polls show Rep. Byron Donalds emerging as the early favorite among statewide Republican voters to secure the party’s nomination for governor, surpassing Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis.

Polling conducted in July by St. Pete Polls for Florida Politics, sampling 831 likely Republican primary voters, showed Donalds securing about 35% support compared to roughly 27% for Casey DeSantis.

Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and former state House Speaker Paul Renner each received less than 4% support if the two were to run against Donalds and DeSantis. Polls in March and May showed similar results.

The same survey showed 82% of Florida Republicans approve of the job President Donald Trump is doing in the White House, while Gov. Ron DeSantis received an 83% approval rating.

Real Estate Market Balances

According to Florida Realtors President Tim Weisheyer, the real estate market in Florida is stabilizing after the pandemic-driven frenzy of a few years ago. He doesn’t expect single-family home prices to drop any further.

“There was a major influx of people moving into our state that drove up sales and home prices,” Weisheyer said in a recent interview. “Buyers right now are in one of the best positions they’ve been in in the last handful of years.”

With about 5.5 months of inventory on the market, Weisheyer said there are enough homes available for buyers “to pick and choose what home they really want.” See the full interview.

Florida Behind in AI Race

A new study by the artificial intelligence learning companion Brainly shows that Florida is falling behind Washington, D.C., and other states in the race to adapt to AI implementation, based on data from federal education, labor, and census agencies.

The study assesses the states most and least prepared for the changes AI will bring, based on Goldman Sachs’s estimate that 300 million jobs could be lost to AI in the future.

Florida ranked No. 6 for the percentage of businesses using AI as a regular part of their operation (11%) while ranking No. 35 overall for AI–related preparedness, trailing in education and infrastructure.

Nationally, Washington, D.C., New Hampshire, and Utah lead in AI readiness due to high rates of AI job density, tech education, and digital infrastructure. Alaska ranks last.

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➤ Statewide: The National Hurricane Center is tracking a disturbance that’s crossing Florida from the Atlantic toward the Gulf. The system has currently been given a 30% chance for development as it tracks westward along the northern Gulf. (See Map) 

➤ Sarasota County: A new investigation revealed that illegal storefront casinos with unregulated slot machines are proliferating across the Suncoast, operating in open defiance of state law. (More)

➤ Hillsborough, Pinellas Counties: House Democratic Leader Rep. Fentrice Driskell, who faces a term limit, is running for Senate District 16 for the seat currently held by Sen. Darryl Rouson, who is leaving office due to term limits. (More)

➤ Fort Lauderdale: A $500 million project in Flagler Village is set to transform the FAT (Food Art Technology) Village Arts District with apartments, retail, office space, art studios, and galleries. (More)

➤ Brevard County: County officials are defending the use of steel plates to cover caved-in roads despite concerns from residents. (See Video)

➤ Tampa: The city is hosting its final storm resiliency meetings this week to update residents on efforts to help deter flooding during large rain events and hurricanes, with the fourth meeting happening tonight at the TPD Rich House. (See Details)

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➤ Florida State pitcher Jamie Arnold was selected by the A’s with the 11th pick in the MLB Draft, which many observers described as one of the draft’s first-round steals. (Draft Tracker)

➤ Former Florida Tech canoeist Anuar Akchurin was selected to represent the USA in the 2025 Canoeing World Championships, which take place next month in Italy. (More)

➤ Florida State golfer Lottie Woad finished third at the LPGA Tour’s Evian Championship, but was unable to collect her $500K prize because she was technically competing as an amateur. (More)

Yesterday’s Results: Soccer | WNBA | MLB Draft

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➤ Gas prices fell through the weekend, reaching a new yearly low. The average price for regular unleaded in Florida is currently $2.93 per gallon. (See Map)

➤ After nearly 20 days on the International Space Station, the four-member crew of the private commercial Axiom 4 mission that launched from Kennedy Space Center undocked on Monday morning and is expected back on Earth this morning. (See Details)

➤ Palm Coast is set to anchor Sol, Google Cloud’s new undersea cable connecting the U.S. to Spain, Bermuda, and the Azores, building what city officials call a direct route to the world’s digital economy. (More)

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➤ Border Czar Tom Homan challenged a heckler while in Tampa at Turning Point USA’s Student Action Summit, telling protestors, “I’m not going anywhere.” (More)

➤ The Mary McLeod Bethune Home at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach reopened to the public on July 10, her 150th birthday. (More)

➤ Pairs of checkered shoes are helping doctors connect better with patients at Wesley Chapel Hospital. (See Video)

➤ Dreaming of a Florida business? LegalZoom helps you form your LLC quickly and easily, shielding personal assets and building business credibility. Over 4 million businesses launched with LegalZoom—yours could be next!

Do you think the Jeffrey Epstein client list exists?

1. Yes, absolutely
2. I’m not sure
3. No
4. I don’t care

Monday’s Results:

Have you ever gone tubing on a river?

1. Yes: 64%
2. No: 36%

What star of TV’s The Beverly Hillbillies learned to sing and dance while his parents ran the Mayfield Hotel in Daytona Beach?

Show me the answer