Politics & Power

Florida’s political map is back on the chopping block. Gov. Ron DeSantis pushes mid‑decade redistricting that could hand Republicans up to five new House seats and sideline Democrats for years. What’s at stake for 2026 — and for American democracy?

Florida is facing a potentially historic battle over how homes and local governments are funded. Host Bruce Hamilton speaks with News4Jax political analyst Rick Mullaney about what's at stake. 

President Donald Trump wants to “nationalize” American elections — and state officials from both parties are sounding the alarm. From FBI raids to voter-roll demands and talk of ICE at the polls, on Politics & Power, we break down how the battle over who runs U.S. elections could reshape democracy itself. 

President Donald Trump’s use of executive power has sparked a fierce debate among legal scholars, and we'll tackle the topic on this week's episode of Politics & Power with Jacksonville University political analyst Matt Corrigan. 

Nancy Soderberg, a former United Nations ambassador and the director of the Public Service Leadership Program at UNF, joins Bruce Hamilton on Politics & Power this week to see if President Donald Trump is trying to gain the upper hand with China or even truly has an expansionist agenda.

Chief Justice John Roberts quietly defended the courts’ independence by focusing on history, not politics at the end of 2025. But the real test is coming in 2026, when the Supreme Court will decide if President Donald Trump can change major laws on citizenship, trade, and the Federal Reserve using executive power alone.

President Donald Trump’s first year back in the White House has seen record-low illegal crossings, a U.S.-backed ouster of Venezuela’s president, and sweeping moves to expand presidential power. Is American democracy being pushed to the breaking point?

President Donald Trump’s invasion of Venezuela and overthrow of the Venezuelan government is raising the question: Will it embolden him to execute other such radical acts? Jonathan Katz, author of the book “Gangsters of Capitalism: Smedley Butler, the Marines and the Making and Breaking of America’s Empire” and writer of The Racket Newsletter, joins Bruce Hamilton this week for Politics & Power.

Christopher White, a Senior Fellow at Georgetown University and former Vatican correspondent, joins News4JAX anchor Bruce Hamilton for this week’s episode of “Politics & Power” to talk about Pope Leo XIV — an American pope who keeps Church teachings but changes the playbook.

It’s Jacksonville vs. Tallahassee, and it all plays out when the Florida Legislature convenes in January. Jacksonville’s central 2026 challenge is defending fiscal autonomy and local governance against a state administration pushing top-down fiscal reforms and broader preemption.

Political pressure to limit H‑1B visas reflects real voter concerns about jobs, but if enacted broadly, the restrictions could trigger significant economic disruption and legal challenges while testing foundational American commitments to openness and opportunity. Immigration attorney Renata Castro, the founder of the immigration law firm “USA 4 All,” joins News4JAX anchor Bruce Hamilton on this w...

News4JAX political analyst Rick Mullaney joins News4JAX anchor Bruce Hamilton to look at ways to end the shutdown stalemate -- and who will take the most blame from voters -- on this week’s episode of Politics & Power.

Princeton University professor Khalil Gibran Muhammad joins News4JAX anchor Bruce Hamilton on this week’s Politics & Power to discuss the impact on the university system and student population of the Trump administration's “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education." 

Constitutional law expert Rod Sullivan joins News4JAX anchor Bruce Hamilton to break down some major issues before the Supreme Court and how they could have momentous significance.

Michael Klarman, an American legal historian and constitutional law scholar at Harvard Law School, joined News4JAX anchor Bruce Hamilton for this week’s “Politics and Power.” They explore the question of whether the Supreme Court is becoming the Trump Court. 

Political analyst Daniel Cronrath joins News4JAX anchor Bruce Hamilton on this week's episode of Politics & Power to analyze the fallout from Kamala Harris' book, "107 Days," and what’s next for the former vice president.

Attorney Max Stier, who is president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, joins News4JAX anchor Bruce Hamilton as they ask whether DOGE’s actions are indeed ill-conceived and chaotic, if there is “efficiency” in DOGE, and what will the cost of DOGE cuts be for the American economy and everyday Americans.

The battle for control of Congress in the midterms might be over before voting starts. It all has to do with the political war that is ongoing concerning redistricting. Florida is closely watching the battle in Texas, and many assume it will follow the Lone Star State’s lead. Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez is creating a committee to look at drawing up new districts. So, what you have now is Fl...

President Donald Trump sent shockwaves through Washington by firing the Labor Department statistician after weaker-than-normal job numbers, claiming she had rigged the data. Analysts are calling the move ‘Orwellian’ and authoritarian.

How do you feel about the issues facing Florida, Florida’s legislative leaders, and the candidates shaping the field in the upcoming gubernatorial race to replace Gov. Ron DeSantis? The UNF Public Opinion Research Lab has the pulse of voters and recently released its latest public opinion poll, which specifically focused on Republican voters in Florida. Floridians go to the polls to elect a new go...

Jeffrey Epstein’s ghost seems to haunt the Trump presidency. For President Donald Trump, the Epstein case lingers. It’s a case steeped in alleged conspiracy and political intrigue. There are reports of the powerful protecting the powerful. Everything seems steeped in secrecy. That includes the president’s relationship with Epstein, whether or not there’s a client list, and the circumstances surrou...

It is hardly arguable that President Donald Trump is very willing to test legal boundaries. The conservative majority on the Supreme Court seems to be giving him ample leeway. Political analyst and head of the Jacksonville University Public Policy Institute Rick Mullaney and JU law professor Nathan Richardson join News4JAX Anchor Bruce Hamilton for this week's episode of Politics & Power.

Is the political temperature in America running into the danger zone? Frankly, research and hard data on political violence aren’t readily available, but a growing trend of threats against public officials can’t be ignored. In 2024 alone, U.S. Capitol Police, who are like the Secret Service for Congress members, investigated more than 9,000 threats against lawmakers, marking an 83% increase from t...

The two-party system still dominates at the ballot box. And, as the 2024 election bore out, voters still chose a candidate from one of the major parties. But the new reality is that voter registration rolls show that independent and third-party registration are on the rise. In the past 25 years, the number of voters not affiliated with either the Democratic or Republican party has grown nearly 9%,...

President Donald Trump’s enthusiastic announcement about a ceasefire between Israel and Iran marked the latest wild swing from the president concerning Iran. Political analyst Daniel Cronrath joins News4JAX anchor Bruce Hamilton to discuss the latest developments.