Between the Lines with Dara Kam

Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri joins State Affairs' "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" this week to break down his opposition to Amendment 3, a high-stakes property tax measure on the November ballot. Warning that "there really is no plan," Gualtieri cautions that the proposal could trigger an estimated $180 million revenue drop in Pinellas County during its first year alone — a loss he says...

In this episode of "Between the Lines" from State Affairs , Dara chats with José Javier Rodríguez, the Democratic candidate for Florida attorney general, who says his campaign is rooted in fighting for everyday Floridians and challenging entrenched power.  Rodríguez, who hopes to become the first Democrat elected as the state's top legal eagle in nearly twenty‑five years, faces incumbent AG James...

Curious about what's at stake in Florida's looming property tax vote? On this week's episode of State Affairs ' "Between the Lines," Dara sits down with Florida Realtors CEO Margy Grant to break down the ins and outs of the controversial property tax amendment. With the Realtors among the most prominent advocates for Amendment 3, Grant delivers a compelling defense of a measure that has sparked fi...

State Rep. Angie Nixon shocked Florida and much of the nation with a stunning victory in Florida's U.S. Senate Democratic primary. Outspent by her opponent 16-to-1, Angie shares how she racked up more than 70,000 miles traversing the state in her family's van — even changing her own tire — while wearing her trademark hot pink to spread her message to voters and how she's handling the ensuing fame....

Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs), most recognizable as Flock Safety cameras, quietly spread across Florida, sparking a fierce debate over whether the technology signals the rise of Big Brother. Enter Carl Gunn, a Pinellas County resident known as the "Flock Blocker." When a photo of Gunn sitting in a lawn chair and holding a sign to block a camera's view went viral, he instantly became a sy...

With an explosive grand jury report rocking Tallahassee, Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried joins host Dara Kam on "Between the Lines" from State Affairs to unpack the fallout of the Hope Florida scandal. In this episode, Fried discusses why she believes a significant turning of the tide is underway in the Sunshine State. Facing challenges like unaffordability, "chaos," and corruption in T...

Fresh off last week's primary elections, incoming Florida Senate Minority Leader Tracie Davis joins Dara to break down the impact of Democrat Angie Nixon's upset U.S. Senate victory and the brewing battle for Dems' political identity. The incoming caucus leader and Dara explore the fascinating ideological juxtaposition defining Democrats' top of the ticket: progressive Angie Nixon alongside "radic...

It's a wild and scaly episode of "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" from State Affairs this week as python removal specialist Taylor Stanberry joins the show! As last year's grand prize winner of the Florida Python Challenge in the Everglades, Stanberry tells Dara that her approach to hunting these massive invasive predators is surprisingly low-tech, relying primarily on "a headlamp and hope."  Sta...

As Floridians head to the polls, Leon County Elections Supervisor Mark Earley joins "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" from State Affairs to ensure listeners are ready for the ballot box. Recorded with early voting under way, Earley breaks down some voting changes for this year's elections and highlights what Floridians need to know before casting their ballots in person or by mail. Earley, who als...

In a story where the truth is stranger than fiction, this week's episode of "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" from State Affairs dives into a dark web of "murder, deception and injustice." Guest Pamela Colloff, author of the haunting new book "Catch the Devil," joins us to peel back the layers of a chilling Gulf Coast mystery that challenges what we think we know about the American justice system....

What the Florida!? Dara's reporter chats are back with the inaugural edition of "Behind the Byline" on "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" from State Affairs . E.W. Scripps Capitol Reporter Forrest Saunders takes Dara inside a Tallahassee courtroom to dish on the drama in a lawsuit Lt. Gov Jay Collins filed seeking to scrub GOP gubernatorial opponent James Fishback from the primary ballot. Dara and...

Florida's governor's race is at a fever pitch, with social media feuds between candidates driving the Sunshine State's news cycle. Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, who's vying to replace the man who appointed him, says the online chatter does not reflect real life on the campaign trail. Collins joins the "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" podcast from State Affairs to give an update on the state of the race a...

Temporary Protected Status is at the center of a high‑stakes policy battle that could reshape life for hundreds of thousands of immigrants — and their neighbors, employers and communities. In this week's episode of "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" from State Affairs, Tessa Petit, executive director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition, breaks down the human and economic risks if TPS protections are...

U.S. Senate candidate Alex Vindman has spent his life in the arenas that shape history—the Army, the Pentagon, and the White House. Now, he's stepping into the volatile arena of Florida politics. In this candid conversation on "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" from State Affairs , Vindman reflects on the experiences that forged his candidacy and his strategy to address "crushing costs" facing Flor...

Desmond Meade, a nationally recognized advocate and founder of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, is stepping into Florida's gubernatorial race with no party affiliation and a belief that unity is still possible. Known for leading the historic constitutional amendment that restored voting rights to Floridians with felony convictions, Meade has reshaped both policy and language, championing...

In this episode of "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" from State Affairs , Florida State Senator Tina Polsky joins the show for her first in-depth chat since joining Democrat David Jolly's gubernatorial campaign in a major leadership role. Polsky, serving as the chair of public policy and government affairs, discusses her transition from the Florida Legislature and her work shaping the campaign's o...

Jeff Brandes, a Pinellas County Republican who served for 12 years in the Florida Senate, isn't holding back on his analysis of a proposed property tax overhaul going before voters in November.  Brandes, the founder and president of the nonprofit Florida Policy Project, joins the "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" podcast from State Affairs this week with his take on what he calls one of the most c...

Crafting a budget for a state of more than 23 million people means working with a dizzying number of stakeholders and trying to please some of Florida's most powerful political leaders. An even-tempered onetime fireman with nearly two decades of legislative experience, Senate Appropriations Chairman Ed Hooper might be the perfect person for the job. The senator joins "Between the Lines with Dara K...

The recent indictment of former Cuban leader Raúl Castro on murder charges was more than 30 years in the making. Prosecutors allege that Castro ordered the killing of members of the humanitarian group Brothers to the Rescue during their missions to aid Cubans fleeing to the United States. Republican Congressman Mario Diaz‑Balart joins "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" from State Affairs this week...

The Everglades is woven into the fabric of Florida as the state's defining ecological treasure. This week on "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" from State Affairs, Elise Bennett, Senior Attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, joins the show to unpack her organization's legal challenge to the Gov. Ron DeSantis-backed detention center dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz." Bennett explains why the Cen...

Could Gov. Ron DeSantis' new congressional maps, passed by the Legislature and now being challenged in court, topple Florida's Fair Districts Amendments? Democratic Senator Shevrin Jones, who voted against the maps, believes they could pave the way for courts to undo the constitutional amendments aimed in part at preventing partisan gerrymandering. On this week's "Between the Lines with Dara Kam"...

Hot off the presses! Senate Ethics and Elections Committee Chairman Don Gaetz joins "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" from State Affairs for a deep dive into a congressional map that could significantly change Florida's political landscape.  Gaetz, a former Senate president, explores how Gov. Ron DeSantis's congressional map and the redistricting process differed dramatically from previous years....

Defending death row inmates in Florida amid the state's "conveyor belt" of executions puts Maria DeLiberato, senior counsel for the ACLU's Capital Punishment Project, on the front lines of the fight against the death penalty. Maria joins "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" from State Affairs to take listeners through Gov. Ron DeSantis's record-breaking number of death warrants. The capital punishmen...

With major election law changes set to take effect next year, Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd joins "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" from State Affairs this week to dive into the new law's ID requirements and other impacts on voters. Saying that no one is turned away from voting in Florida, Byrd explains why he believes people have "ample time" to prepare for the new proof-of-ID law. The sta...

Recent upsets in Republican‑held state Senate districts have some political pundits speculating that Democrats' victories signal shifting headwinds in Florida. But Florida Atlantic University political science professor Kevin Wagner says not so fast — the data doesn't back that up. Wagner joins "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" from State Affairs this week to explain why he believes meaningful suc...