March 26, 2025 | Michael Fechter
There’s so much rancor in Tallahassee in recent weeks, you might think post-election partisanship was running amok. But the name calling is coming from inside the House (and the Senate), which are both home to Republican supermajorities.The tensions became public after Gov. Ron DeSantis — whose past calls for a special session to deal with skyrocketing condominium assessments triggered by state-mandated safety inspections were ignored by legislative leaders — ordered lawmakers to Tallahassee in January. He wanted them to take up several issues, including passing legislation to position Florida to assist President Trump’s immigration policies.
Instead, the House and Senate met Jan. 27, as required, and promptly adjourned. Then they reconvened on their own terms, firing three salvos at the governor.
They ignored his non-immigration proposals, including condominium relief, saying that could wait until the regular session. For the first time, they overrode a DeSantis veto, restoring $57 million for Legislative Support Services, primarily staff salaries. Only one lawmaker, state Sen. Blaise Ingoglia (R-Spring Hill) voted against the override.
Then they took up illegal immigration, making a point of naming the bill sponsored by state Sen. Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota) the “Tackling and Reforming Unlawful Migration Policy (TRUMP) Act” in a somewhat naked play to curry White House favor. It strips DeSantis of his role working on federal immigration issues, designating the state Agriculture Commissioner, currently Wilton Simpson, as “the only person responsible for serving as liaison” with the federal government and authorizing the appointment of an immigration point person.
DeSantis promised to veto the bill, which he said makes Florida “a de facto sanctuary state,” insulting Simpson and Florida farmers along the way. DeSantis suggested Simpson might look the other way because of “the agriculture industry’s affinity for cheap, illegal foreign labor.”
Senate President Ben Albritton defended the legislation, saying it was “about following the leader you trust. I trust President Trump.”
House Speaker Daniel Perez implied that the governor tried to bully the Legislature. Special sessions, he said, “should not be stunts designed to generate headlines.”
DeSantis then implied he would help finance primary challenges to Republicans who crossed him, saying to those running “with this thing around your neck, you are dead on arrival.”