Year: 2023

Florida Is Spending $61.6 Million to Bulletproof Capitol Windows

Buck Banks

$61.1 million

The Florida Legislature (which last year passed a “Constitutional Carry” gun law) is spending millions of dollars beefing up security at the Capitol Complex with expensive bulletproof windows while also making it easier for people to carry weapons into those state buildings. The Legislature approved a $61.6 million window replacement project as part of a larger renovation of the Capitol, reports the Orlando Sentinel.

More Republicans Thought DeSantis Won First Debate

Buck Banks

29%

A new Washington Post/FiveThirtyEight/Ipsos poll finds 29% of debate viewers thought Gov. Ron DeSantis came out on top, followed by Vivek Ramaswamy at 26%, Nikki Haley at 15% and Mike Pence at 7%. “The findings may be surprising because DeSantis generally stayed above the fray in a raucous debate, though Ramaswamy received and delivered lots of barbs.”

Trump-Free GOP Debate Draws Nearly 13 Million Viewers

Buck Banks

12.8 million

“An average of 12.8 million viewers watched the event telecast from Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee… The TV audience was larger than what any Republican presidential primary debate drew during the 2012 campaign season, four years before Trump emerged as the main attraction. It also surpassed audience of 12.5 million for Fox News’ January 2016 primary debate held in Iowa, which Trump skipped as well,” the Los Angeles Times reports. By contrast, Mashable reported that, as of the publication of this article on Thursday evening, Carlson’s Trump interview has received 14.8 million video views on X.