Between the Lines with Dara Kam

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...

Brian Nathan, the Tampa Democrat who just pulled off a surprise flip of a key Florida Senate seat, joins our host for this week's "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" from State Affairs. The senator breaks down how he won the Hillsborough County special election, the issues that resonated most with voters, and the strategy behind his upset victory. Looking ahead, the duo also discusses what Dems' twi...

Barbara Petersen, founder of the Florida Center for Government Accountability, is the tip of the spear in defending the public's right to access government records. The doyenne of open government joins "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" from State Affairs this week to discuss a landscape where citizens and reporters are met with government officials' "total refusal" to turn over records. We dive in...

AFL‑CIO Director of Politics and Public Policy Rich Templin joins "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" from  State Affairs  to reflect on a quarter‑century of advocacy for unions in Florida. Templin breaks down legislation from the 2025 session that he says complicates union members' ability to exercise their rights — and what those changes could mean for teachers, bus drivers, and others. A longtime...

Is there a lane for centrists in today's political climate? Florida U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a former chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, joins "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" from State Affairs this week to dig into the fate of centrism in the era of social media-fueled political pugilism. Wasserman Schultz also gives listeners an inside line into the effect of the Depar...

University of West Florida President Manny Diaz Jr. joins "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" from State Affairs this week for a candid discussion about leadership in Florida's higher-ed system and debate on campus. A former Florida education commissioner who was one of the architects of the state's school voucher system during his tenure in the state House and Senate, the Hialeah native also delves...

Incoming House Minority Leader Christine Hunschofsky dives into Democrats' fight for Florida on this week's "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" from  State Affairs.  Rep. Hunschofsky outlines how Democrats, despite holding superminorities in both chambers, can impact policies to help Floridians.    The former mayor of Parkland also talks with Dara about how the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas Hi...

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier breaks news about euphoria-inducing hemp products during this week's "Between the Lines with Dara Kam" from State Affairs. The attorney general also addresses reports about his six-figure salary as an adjunct law professor.  Dara and the AG dig into redistricting, racism, the Federalist Society, and much, much more. Plus, a "rapid-fire foodie" round! Visit ...

Former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner joins Between the Lines this week to discuss his candidacy in the red-hot governor's race, what he calls a "Grand Canyon gap" in leadership between himself and his leading primary opponent, and how social media shapes personalities in politics.   Plus, Renner gives us a window into his routine on the road as he travels the Sunshine State. Spoiler: It involv...

Veteran reporter Dara Kam is back with Between the Lines, the podcast from State Affairs that cuts through the clutter and gives you the clarity on the policy decisions that impact Floridians and the politics behind them. Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott is our inaugural guest. A former Florida governor, Senator Scott doesn't hold back about critical Florida issues such as property taxes, the cost...