Had Saturday's Kentucky Derby been run in Florida, there's a possibility the winner's growingly contentious disqualification might not have ever happened.  

While most of Florida’s horseracing community went about its business on Jan. 4, 2012, the State of Florida’s Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering quietly repealed a slate of regulations pertaining to Thoroughbred racing under the cover of Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s 2011 Executive Order to repeal regulations that are “unneeded” or “unnecessarily burdensome to small business.”  

Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, has taken heat in recent weeks for sponsoring a bill targeting so-called “sanctuary cities” following extensive consultation with one hardline anti-immigration group, and reliance on “research” produced by another.

There is plenty wrong with this situation, including that these groups have a vision of immigration policy that runs directly opposed to bedrock conservative principles.  

The Florida Legislature is wrestling again with criminal justice reform because of the persistence of Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, an outspoken advocate for far-reaching reforms who has good intentions.  As a result, the Senate is positioned to pass an omnibus bill, SB 642, while the House is ready to take up a considerable number of bills that individually encompass some of the same issues.

The Legislature is in its final days and many bills concerning environmental protection from nitrogen and other nutrient “pollutants” seem sidelined for this year.  Few bills confronted the real issue: preventing nitrogen and other nutrients from entering groundwater and the aquifer. 

Perhaps they are being put off until they can be debated more fully next year, or there is a legislative “surprise” yet to come.  These issues are important and deserve careful consideration.  Most remaining bills deal more with reorganizing bureaucracies and requiring reports. 

Despite record-setting revenues, billions in reserve accounts, and promising industry forecasts, U.S. airports are lobbying Congress to increase the passenger facility charge (PFC), a move that would make flying more expensive for the more than 90 million air travelers who board planes in Tampa International or Miami International Airports, or elsewhere in Florida every year.

The majority of Americans don’t share the Left's hatred for America.  The Left hates President Trump, the American flag, unborn (now newly born) children, straight white men, the military, Jews (going back to the Obama days), a strong economy, legal immigrants, and ultimately they hate the U.S. Constitution. 

The Left’s blatant anti-American platform has moderate Democrats, Independents and even Never-Trumpers walking away feeling alienated, if not abandoned, at the center of the political spectrum, giving them more reason to vote for President Trump in 2020.  

The recent suicide deaths of two students who survived the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas and a father who lost his daughter at Sandy Hook are heartbreaking reminders of the trauma that school or workplace violence can inflict on survivors. They also underscore the need for treatment and support, long after an incident occurs. 

The crisis in Venezuela is a crisis in America. Senator Rubio, Congressman Diaz-Balart and I have been talking about this for years and have worked with the White House on a comprehensive strategy.

More than 200,000 Venezuelans live in Florida, and their concerns are our concerns.

And make no mistake; this is a crisis. It’s a humanitarian crisis that threatens the lives of the people of Venezuela and has created a flood of refugees numbering in the millions.

Senate Democratic Leader Audrey Gibson’s "press conference" Wednesday was a disingenuous attempt to deflect from two days of remarkable rhetoric that was both inappropriate and insensitive.  

No reasonable person would think Florida voters approved Amendment 4 to make it harder for felons to regain the right to vote than it was under former Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet in their role as Florida’s Clemency Board. 

Despite other restrictions in the executive clemency process, that is where the Legislature is heading if it requires felons to pay all fines, fees and restitution before they could vote again.