Florida GOP race draws accusations of carpetbagging

NPR | By Maham Javaid

Published August 17, 2026 at 5:26 PM EDT

"Carpetbagger" describes people who move somewhere to run for office. In Southwest Florida, six former congressional hopefuls from other states are taking their shot in this conservative stronghold.

Maham Javaid

Support nonprofit, fact-based public service journalism

WEKU depends on support from those who view and listen to our content. There's no paywall here. Please support WEKU with your donation.

Contribute now

Related Content

Midwest is overwhelmed by rainfall caused by rising temps (which will only get worse)

Lauren Sommer

Severe storms in the Midwest have cause widespread flooding. Climate experts say extreme rainfall has already gotten worse in the region and will keep intensifying.
Testimony begins in the trial of rapper Tupac Shakur's 1996 killing

Steve Futterman

Opening statements began Monday in the murder trial of rapper Tupac Shakur. The man implicated in the 1996 killing in Las Vegas is a former gang member.
Hayden Panettiere and how Hollywood fails to protect women

Elena Burnett, Juana Summers, Sarah Handel

NPR's Juana Summers talks with Marlow Stern, chief correspondent for Variety, about actress Hayden Panettiere's life and career after her death at age 36.
A uranium revival brings new worries to tribal lands

Melissa Bailey

Uranium production has been revived in the US Southwest. Tribal communities there who suffered illnesses from previous development are worried nuclear energy will harm them again.
One Florida county sees the ripple effects of its cooperation with ICE

Jaclyn Diaz

Walton County, Fla., relies heavily on immigrant labor for its booming construction and tourism industries. We look at how county sheriffs' cooperation with ICE affects things.