Florida Democrats renew their push to make the Hope Florida scandal a part of the 2026 elections, and Republican gubernatorial candidates cross the state to win support.


Democrats renew push on Hope Florida funds

Florida Democrats are leaning on the Hope Florida scandal to criticize Republicans ahead of the November election, including U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody, who previously served as Florida’s Attorney General.

Moody’s office in 2024 approved the $10 million transfer of Medicaid funds to the Hope Florida Foundation.

State lawmakers in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ own party have been scrutinizing the program and its not-for-profit foundation, which gave $10 million from a state Medicaid settlement to two not-for-profits. Those groups in turn gave millions to a political committee, chaired by DeSantis’ then-chief of staff, that campaigned against a failed referendum on recreational marijuana.

No one has been indicted for what happened with that $10 million. Nonetheless, there are still questions here about how that $10 million in taxpayer money ended up being used for political campaigning.

Florida Democrats want U.S. Senator Ashley Moody to push for the release of a potential grand jury report that could give more details into that Hope Florida scandal.

“If you have nothing to hide, come out there, declare that you want this report released, and let’s see what’s in there,” U.S. Senate candidate Alexander Vindman said.

House Republicans investigated the controversy in 2025, focusing on Uthmeier.

Records show the AG’s Office under Ashley Moody approved the initial money transfer from a state agency to Hope Florida, which later made its way to a political committee.

“If there has been an investigation of any kind by anyone, I’d love for that to see the light of day,” State Rep. Alex Andrade said.

Uthmeier denies any wrongdoing, as does Senator Moody.

Moody’s campaign reacted to the issue in a statement.

“This was an Agency for Health Care Administration agreement that AHCA chose to negotiate and settle through AHCA-lawyers and outside counsel almost two years ago. The Senator has had no role in any grand jury proceedings and would certainly have no issue with the public release of any report,” Moody Communications Director Cameron Gambini said.

Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried is also banging the drum about Hope Florida.

Together, they’re arguing that the public deserves more insight into the controversy.

Florida Republican candidates make stops throughout Florida

Lt. Gov. Jay Collins made a stop in Tampa on Thursday to announce his new safety and security plan called Florida Internal Shield.

Collins, who is running for governor, says his plan is to protect Floridians from things including terrorism, cyberattacks, human trafficking, illegal immigration crime and government overreach.

Collins also discussed where he sees the primary race for governor ahead of the August vote.

“My favorite part of the job is going county to county, city to city, and talking to people. I love it. And people aren’t enamored by Byron; those who are voting for him are voting for him because of the president’s endorsement, not because of Byron. When afforded an opportunity for something different, what do people do? They take that opportunity. We are the greatest state and the greatest country on our planet, and we’ve gotta keep it that way. And I think 30% or wherever we’re at is very strong, and we’re going to continue to push. It’s a two person race. The primary is between Byron and I, and we are going to continue to push forward,” Collins said.

A group of young conservatives in Tampa would agree that this is a two-person race. But they believe that is between Byron Donalds and James Fishback.

The core of Fishback’s support is young men. And this week in Tampa, Donalds went into the lion’s den, so to speak, to try to win over young Fishback supporters.

This group of Tampa Bay Young Republicans wasn’t entirely a friendly crowd for gubernatorial front-runner Donalds.

Some here aren’t sure he’s the one to carry on Ron’s Desantis’ conservative legacy.

“Me personally, I don’t think he’s that guy. He’s underwater with young conservatives. But I respect that he showed up here tonight,” Michael Fusella, with the Tampa Bay Young Republicans, said.

Some in the crowd were clearly displaying their preference for Fishback, and his position that Israel has too much influence in the U.S.

Donalds pushed back on assertions that President Trump is doing the bidding of Israel’s prime minister.

“As someone who knows Trump, and I know him. He isn’t influenced by Melania. He doesn’t always do what his boys want. He respects Ivanka, but doesn’t always listen. To say he is controlled by Bibi is ridiculous. Israel is our ally. Geopolitics is way more complex that something you read on social media. Way more complex,” he said.

There were a few moments of applause. And Donalds laid out the stakes to this group if they don’t unite behind him after the primary.

“If you lose in the primary, are we just gonna take our ball and go home? The only people who would be for that would be David Jolly and the Democrats,” Donalds said.

So did Donalds make his case to young conservative men who are drawn to Fishback?

“The problem is, if people that vote for Fishback, they might not vote for Byron Donalds. That might show up in the general election against David Jolly. That’s why we could end up with a Democratic governor here in Florida,” Fusella said.

That possibility is why Donalds is trying to bring young Republican men back to the fold.

The official Florida Republican Party position on James Fishback is that he is not welcome in the party.

RPOF kicked Fishback out of their summer convention over what they said were racist and antisemitic remarks.

Fishback denied that and hit back by holding a counter-rally and declared he would “burn down the Republican establishment.”