Sen. Joe Gruters was a key player in the drama surrounding plans to help carry out one of President Donald Trump's top priorities -- boosting enforcement of illegal immigration. On this week's Deeper Dive, the Sarasota Republican chats with Dara about potential legislative fallout from the GOP family squabble over the immigration proposals. The sen…

Senate Minority Leader Jason Pizzo, R-Sunny Isles Beach, gives Dara his take on GOP legislation aimed at addressing illegal immigration ("It's crap!"), offers some alternate solutions, and weighs in on Republican leaders' showdown with the governor. The "candid and comprehensive" former prosecutor also offers a frank assessment of Florida Democrats…

In this week's Reporter Roundtable, POLITICO politics reporter Kimberly Leonard and The Miami Herald's Ana Ceballos join Dara to dissect the showdown between Gov. Ron DeSantis and GOP legislative leaders. Who will emerge the winner in a brutal messaging war over how best to implement President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration? How wi…

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Wilton Simpson rejoins Dara this week for a wide-ranging, lively discussion Divas will not want to miss! The Ag Commissioner gives Dara an update on how recent historic snowfall in North Florida is affecting nurseries, cattle ranchers and other ag producers in the state. Commissioner Simpson…

Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell chats with Dara this week about what keeps her motivated, as Republicans continue to make political gains in the Sunshine State. The Democratic leader also explains how the GOP's looming crackdown on immigration could affect Florida families and the state's economy. Tune into this episode of Deeper Di…

Former Brevard County School Board member Jennifer Jenkins joins Dara this week to discuss what drove her to launch Educated We Stand, a group aimed at countering Moms for Liberty. Jennifer shares details about harassment and intimidation she endured as a school board member in ruby-red Brevard after defeating Tina Descovich, a co-founder of Moms f…

Innocence Project of Florida Executive Director Seth Miller joins Dara this week to discuss wrongful convictions in Florida. Seth gives insights into what can be a decades-long exoneration process for people who've been convicted of crimes they did not commit. The pair delve into Seth's efforts to free Leo Schofield, the subject of Gilbert King's "…

Capitol reporter Forrest Saunders joins Dara in the Speakeasy to dig into the biggest Florida stories of the year. Hurricanes. Elections. Abortion. State parks. We say goodbye to 2024 with Mar-a-Lago as the center of the political universe & as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to Make America Great Again -- with the help of the Sunshine State!…

Former Senate President Kathleen Passidomo gave up her gavel last month, but the Naples Republican has two more years to go before exiting the upper chamber. Sen. Passidomo, who's now chairwoman of the Rules Committee, shares insights with Dara about returning to the floor as one of 40 Somalian warlords after being president. The duo also discusses…

Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried visits Dara in the Speakeasy to conduct a postmortem on the 2024 elections. How did Donald Trump -- an affluent celebrity -- become the torchbearer of working-class voters? Nikki tells Dara that Dems missed the mark on messaging. The pair discuss weed, abortion, and much more, including The Scandal Ba…

John "Mac" Stipanovich, a veteran Republican party operative, left the GOP years ago because he considered President-elect Donald Trump to be an "existential threat" to democracy. The erudite Vietnam vet returns to Deeper Dive this week to dissect the MAGA movement. Mac and Dara have a LIVELY discussion about feminism, liberal autocracy, and so muc…

Karen Woodall, a legend in the Florida Capitol, has devoted more than 40 years advocating for people from marginalized communities, including immigrants, farmworkers, children and the poor. On this week's Deeper Dive, Karen tells Dara about her decade-long battle to get breakfast for school kids and talks about how powerful personal stories can hel…

To brine or not to brine? Chef Justin Timineri, Culinary Ambassador for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, returns to Deeper Dive this week to help divas prep for the holidays. Chef Justin dishes up some seasonal recipes, gives Dara some tips for the perfect turkey (or chicken!) and serves up some Sunshine State-style cock…

Whew! We finally made it through Nov. 5! Republicans made gains up and down the ballot in Florida and throughout the nation, handily returning President-elect Donald Trump to the White House. A majority of Florida voters approved measures that would have allowed recreational marijuana and enshrined abortion rights in the state Constitution -- but t…

Investigative journalist Jim DeFede has been covering Florida politics from the #305 for more than three decades. The host of CBS News Miami's "Facing South Florida" joins Dara on this week's episode to discuss the upcoming elections, reminisce about the campaign trail ("We're all a little nuts!"), and give a peek into the bare-knuckle politics in …

In this week's Reporter Roundtable, state capital reporters Jason Delgado of Spectrum News and Forrest Saunders of EW Scripps join Dara in the Speakeasy for a fresh take on journalism, politics and so much more. How does social media affect broadcast news? Do TV reporters get more access to state leaders than print journos? What are real voters tal…

Can Democrats bust the GOP's supermajority in the state House? Longtime Democratic political consultant Beth Matuga digs into House seats Dems are fighting to hang onto and dishes on districts they're aiming to flip. Beth, general consultant for state House Democratic campaigns, christens Deeper Dive's new recording space with Dara this week as the…

Remember the shark swimming down the street after Hurricane Ian? Didn't happen! But fake memes and dangerous rumors continue to swirl on social media as Florida grapples with the one-two punch of Hurricanes Helene and Milton AND as voting in the presidential election is already underway. Janet Coats, the managing director for the Consortium on Trus…

Deadly Hurricane Helene slammed into storm-torn Taylor County and caused widespread damage in Tampa Bay and inland. In today's episode of Deeper Dive, Florida Municipal Electric Association Executive Director Amy Zubaly gives Dara the inside scoop on how city-owned utilities prep for and respond to storms. Amy also gives Dara a redecorating tip for…

In Part 2 of Deeper Dive's pre-election series, Dara speaks with Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections Julie Marcus. Supervisor Marcus, whose career in the elections office spans more than two decades, discusses how she and her colleagues plan for Election Day and shares what gives her "heartburn" about changes to voting laws. Dara and her guest …

How are mail-in ballots counted? Are election results audited? What about signature matching? Join Deeper Dive for the first segment of a two-part, soup-to-nuts series on voting in Florida with SOEs from two very different parts of the state. This week, Lake County Supervisor of Elections Alan Hays gets feisty about election-denier "wackadoodles" a…

He's back! South Florida Sun Sentinel Opinion Editor Steve Bousquet joins Dara in the Terracotta Room for this week's Reporter Roundtable episode. The pair chat about all-things-politics, including the battle for the White House and legislative races to watch. Steve also weighs in on a proposal that would make school board races partisan and tells …

The Harris-Walz campaign kicked off a national "Reproductive Freedom" bus tour in the Sunshine State this month. On today's Deeper Dive, Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison joined Dara to talk about why he's "bold" about Florida, which he called a "wild card" in the upcoming election. Friend-of-the-show U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman …

Sen. Shevrin Jones joins Deeper Dive this week to chat with Dara about attending his first Democratic National Convention and shares some takeaways from the Sunshine State primaries. Shev, who's chair of the Democratic Executive Committee in Miami-Dade County, also weighs in on Dems' biggest challenges heading into the November election. The pair a…

Maria DeLiberato, executive director of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, joins Dara for a wide-ranging dive into the state's death penalty process. Maria, a former prosecutor, says she wants to have an "honest conversation" about the death penalty with people on both sides of the issue. Join Deeper Dive for this timely discussion, …

Rich Templin, director of politics and public policy for the Florida AFL-CIO, tells Dara why labor unions "are needed now more than ever" and talks about the impact of recent laws aimed at dismantling them. Rich also gives Dara an update on how Vice President Kamala Harris has shaken things up in down-ballot races in Florida. The pair swaps notes o…

Join Dara and First Amendment Foundation Executive Director Bobby Block for a dive into Florida's expansive public-records laws and efforts to chip away at what was once a national model for government in the sunshine. Bobby also warns about the "growing threat" to citizens' ability to hold government officials accountable.…

Dara takes Deeper Dive on the road to the annual Florida Media Conference! Join Dara and editors in as they dig into what's happening at media outlets of all sizes in an ever-evolving world of journalism. Also, discerning consumers of news get some tips amid a highly charged political season. Hear about podcasts, investigative journalism, fact-chec…

Former Gov. Jeb Bush joins Dara for Deeper Dive's 100th episode! Gov. Bush shares insights about some of his most controversial policies, such as the "One Florida" plan scrapping affirmative action in university admissions and state hiring and the sweeping "A-plus" education plan that assigned grades to schools, provided school vouchers for student…

State Rep. Vicki Lopez, R-Miami, returns to Deeper Dive to give us an update on "vertical living," following changes to the state's condo regulations. Rep. Lopez, aka the "Condo Queen," gives Dara the down-low on issues facing condominium owners and condo boards, shares some takeaways from a recent "life-changing" sojourn to Israel, and much, much …

Carlos Guillermo Smith won't appear on the ballot in November, but he'll be joining the Florida Senate this fall after cruising to victory without an opponent. The senator-elect chats with Dara about his priorities for the 2025 session, his passion for the arts, his advocacy for the LGBTQ community and much, much more. Plus, find out what he and Se…

House Speaker-Designate Daniel Perez talks about his love for the 305 (watch out, Pitbull!), shares his priorities for the upcoming 2024 session and makes predictions about state House races. The incoming Speaker also chats about Cuban-American culture and reveals one of his not-so-hidden talents!Di Dara Kam

You've seen him on billboards and on your TV... Trial lawyer extraordinaire John Morgan joins Deeper Dive this week to talk medical marijuana, politics, the 2024 elections and some legislative races he's interested in.Di Dara Kam

Florida's Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis talks about being a "people person," shares insights into the state's insurance market, discusses his political future, and much, much more!Di Dara Kam

In the second part of a two-part episode with Senate Majority Leader Ben Albritton, the incoming Senate president chats with Dara about the citrus industry and resilient citrus trees, his priorities for the 2025 legislative session and much more!Di Dara Kam

It's a big episode of Deeper Dive this week, as Senate Majority Leader Ben Albritton, who will take the gavel as Senate president after the November elections, chats with Dara about his faith, his family, 2024 Senate races and much more! This is the first of a two-part episode.Di Dara Kam

Hurricane season is about to start in Florida, and Deeper Dive has you covered with the latest and greatest information. Dara chats this week with Mark Wool, warning coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service, about the forecast for this coming hurricane season (spoiler alert, we’re expecting more and stronger storms), the effect o…

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and NWF Health Network CEO Mike Watkins joins Dara this week to chat about increases in the need for mental health and substance abuse services. Mike talks about resources available to families in need, the effects of COVID and natural disasters - and shares successes about adoption.…

State Attorney Dave Aronberg, Deeper Dive's second-ever guest, returns for Episode 90 to chat with Dara about former president Donald Trump’s legal trials, campus protests, and whether Florida is in play for Democrats in 2024Di Dara Kam

Dara dives into the hottest topic in tech this week, as she is joined by two experts in generative artificial intelligence from the firm KPMG. The trio discuss how AI is so good at mimicking human intelligence that it may seem creepy - but don't be scared! Learn how businesses, students, government and even professional sports can benefit from the …

Dara gets the band back together! Jim Rosica brings his new title with him to the Terracotta Room, where the two mooks dig into this week in politicsDi Dara Kam

Dara chats this week with opponents of Amendment 4, a proposal that would enshrine abortion rights in the state Constitution. Mat Staver and John Stemberger talk about efforts to block the measure from passing. Check out Episode 85 to hear from supporters of the proposal. This week's guests are: Mat Staver, Chairman, Liberty Counsel John Stemberger…

Pass the dutchie! Dara dives into Potlandia with two experts this week to discuss Amendment 3, which will give voters the chance to legalize recreational marijuana in November. This week's guests are: John Lockwood, regulated industries attorney and founder, Lockwood Law Firm Steve Vancore, veteran political consultant and pollster…

Dara chats this week with proponents of Amendment 4, which will be on the ballot in November in a bid to enshrine abortion rights in the Florida Constitution. Dara and guests also discuss a six-week abortion restriction set to go into effect May 1, and dig into one of 2024's most contentious issues. This week's guests are: Laura Goodhue, executive …

South Florida Sun Sentinel Opinion Editor and Columnist Steve Bousquet chats with Dara about decisions pending at the Florida Supreme Court, controversial vacation rental legislation, Trump endorsements and much more!Di Dara Kam

Longtime Democratic political consultant Beth Matuga joins Dara this week for a Deeper Dive into the 2024 elections, the importance of 'institutions,' and voter turnout. Plus, tips on online dating!Di Dara Kam

This week's Deeper Dive features Howard Simon, interim executive director of the ACLU of Florida. Howard dishes with Dara about nearly five decades of fighting to uphold constitutional rights to free speech, voting and abortion. Simon also calls balls and strikes on the 2024 legislative session. Don't miss it!…

Coming to you from the Florida Capitol, Dara visits the fourth floor rotunda and chats with people involved in The Process as we wrap up the 2024 legislative session. This week's guests are: Lobbyists Yolanda Jackson, Chris Doolin & Steve Schale, with a special appearance by Florida House Chaplain Tim Perrier…

Top-tier lobbyist Nick Iarossi, who also played an instrumental role in Gov. Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign, shares insights into GOP politics and chats about how lobbying in Florida has morphed over the past two decades. The owner of Capitol City Consulting discusses what's happening now on the Fourth Floor in the run-up to the end of session…

Should kids under 16 be banned from social media? Longtime Capitol reporter Steve Bousquet joins Dara this week to discuss Gov. Ron DeSantis' doubts about the effort - a priority of House Speaker Paul Renner - and to chat about other bills as the session winds down.Di Dara Kam