What Wakulla County Needs to Know From Tallahassee and Washington

Week of September 7 to September 13, 2026

This is the weekly roundup of Florida politics as it bears on Wakulla County: what state lawmakers are up to, which local, state, and federal races are in play, and what the Florida Association of Counties is watching on behalf of county governments like ours. Source links for every item are gathered in the Sources list at the end of this document.

Florida Legislature Buzz

• The 2027 Regular Session is officially set to convene Tuesday, March 2, 2027. Lawmakers will spend the fall and winter working through a series of interim committee weeks first.[1]

• The Senate's fall schedule includes an Organization Session and new senator training November 17 through 19, 2026, followed by the first interim committee week from November 30 through December 3. Additional committee weeks continue into January and February 2027 ahead of the March session.[2]

• Amendment 3, the statewide property tax reform measure, is headed to voters on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot. It would raise the homestead exemption for non-school taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, and it would lower the annual assessment cap on non-homestead property (rentals, second homes, and commercial property) from 10 percent to 5 percent. It needs 60 percent voter approval to pass.[3]

• This week, Florida Realtors formally launched its statewide "Vote Yes on 3" campaign (September 11), arguing the amendment offers affordability relief for homeowners. Opposition voices, including some local government leaders, continue to raise concerns about the hit to county and city budgets.[4]

• Litigation over the state's new congressional map, redrawn earlier this year during a special redistricting session, remains active in the courts even though the map stays in place for the 2026 elections.[5]

Florida's Governor's Race

• Florida has an open governor's race this year, since Gov. Ron DeSantis is term limited. Republican Byron Donalds (currently the U.S. Representative for Florida's 19th District) and Democrat David Jolly (a former U.S. Representative) won their August 18 primaries and face off on the November 3 general election ballot.[6]

• This week's headline: a poll released September 10 by Change Research, surveying 1,107 likely Florida voters, showed Jolly leading Donalds 47 percent to 44 percent. The pollster works with Democratic clients, and Republican leaning polls continue to show Donalds ahead, so this is one data point, not a confirmed trend, with about seven weeks left before the vote.[7,8]

• Also this week, the Donalds campaign released two new ads (September 9) focused on affordability. One features Donalds and his wife discussing their early financial struggles, and the other attacks Jolly's proposal for a state catastrophic hurricane insurance fund, which the Donalds campaign says would cost Florida families $1,000 a year. The Jolly campaign says its plan would instead cut homeowners insurance costs by 60 to 70 percent.[9]

Federal Race: Florida's 2nd Congressional District

• This is an open seat race that directly includes Wakulla County. Republican Rep. Neal Dunn, who has held the seat since 2017, announced earlier this year he will not seek re election.[10]

• Republican Austin Rogers, a former general counsel to Sen. Rick Scott, won a crowded eight-candidate GOP primary on August 18. He faces Democrat Amanda Marie Green, who won her party's primary the same night, in the November 3 general election.[12,13]

• Candidates from both parties, including Rogers and Green, made their case directly to Wakulla voters at a candidate forum held in the county in early August. National forecasters continue to rate the seat as solidly Republican, but it is worth tracking here since it is the one open federal seat that covers Wakulla directly.[11]

State and Local Offices That Affect Wakulla County

• State House District 7, which covers Wakulla along with Calhoun, Gulf, Liberty, Franklin, Jefferson, Madison, Taylor, and Lafayette counties, is represented by Rep. Jason Shoaf (R-Port St. Joe).[14]

• State Senate District 3, which includes Wakulla among 13 counties, is represented by Sen. Corey Simon (R).[15]

• No resignations, special elections, or vacancy announcements affecting either state seat were reported this week.

• On the local ballot this fall: Wakulla County Commission District 4 is a contested race between Carrie Hughes (R), Beverly Keister (D), and Patricia Sue Dyszer (NPA), after Quincee Messersmith was defeated in the Republican primary. Commission District 2 (Fred Nichols), School Board seats 1, 3, and 5, and three Soil and Water Conservation District seats are all set to be decided without opposition.[16]

What the Florida Association of Counties Is Up To

• FAC's website shows its page for the 2026 Innovation and Policy Conference was updated September 9, 2026, as the organization continues building its 2027 legislative policy platform and taking policy proposals from member counties.[17]

• FAC's core mission stays the same heading into the fall: protecting county home rule and representing the interests of all 67 Florida counties as the Legislature's interim committee season ramps up.[18]

Why This Matters at Home

• Wakulla County released a 170-page contingency plan in August outlining a possible $6.5 million budget shortfall if Amendment 3 passes, including a possible end to county funding for the Animal Adoption Center, the UF Extension and 4-H programs, and Veterans Services.[19]

• With a statewide advocacy campaign now underway, a competitive open governor's race, and the vote about seven weeks out, expect Amendment 3 and its local budget impact to keep coming up as county planning continues into the fall.

That is the roundup for the week of September 7 through 13. This blog runs every Monday by 5 PM, covering the previous Monday through Sunday at midnight.

Sources

1. Legislature sets 2027 Session dates, with committee meetings beginning this fall. Florida Voice News, August 3, 2026. https://flvoicenews.com/florida-legislature-sets-interim-committee-schedule-ahead-of-2027-session/

2. 2026-2027 Interim Committee Meeting Schedule. The Florida Senate, Office of the President. https://www.flsenate.gov/PublishedContent/Offices/President/2026-2027_Interim_Committee_Meeting_Schedule_.pdf

3. Proposed 2026 Florida Property Tax Amendment 3 (CS/HJR 1F) FAQs. Pinellas County Property Appraiser. https://www.pcpao.gov/amendment3

4. Florida Realtors launch campaign urging voters to support Amendment 3 property tax changes. News4Jax, September 11, 2026. https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2026/09/11/florida-realtors-launch-campaign-urging-voters-to-support-amendment-3-property-tax-changes/

5. Florida Supreme Court keeps new congressional redistricted maps in place for midterm elections. CBS News Miami, 2026. https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/florida-supreme-court-keeps-new-congressional-redistricted-maps-in-place-for-midterm-elections/

6. 2026 Florida gubernatorial election (primary results, nominees, and race background). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Florida_gubernatorial_election

7. An Emerging Florida Blue Wave (poll of 1,107 likely Florida voters, Donalds vs. Jolly). Change Research, September 10, 2026. https://changeresearch.com/research/2026/2026-09-10-an-emerging-florida-blue-wave

8. Who's winning the Florida governor's race? Well, depends on who you ask. Political Cortadito, September 13, 2026. https://politicalcortadito.com/2026/09/13/new-poll-has-david-jolly-leading-byron-donalds-in-florida-governors-race/

9. Byron Donalds campaign launches ads targeting affordability, Jolly's insurance plan. Florida Voice News, September 9, 2026. https://flvoicenews.com/byron-donalds-campaign-launches-ads-targeting-affordability-jollys-insurance-plan/

10. Florida's 2nd Congressional District election, 2026 (candidates, dates, and district description). Ballotpedia. https://ballotpedia.org/Florida%27s_2nd_Congressional_District_election,_2026

11. 2nd Congressional District candidates outlined their priorities at Wakulla Sun forum. WFSU News, August 5, 2026. https://news.wfsu.org/wfsu-local-news/2026-08-05/2nd-congressional-district-candidates-outlined-their-priorities-at-wakulla-sun-forum

12. Austin Rogers wins Republican nomination for Florida's 2nd Congressional District. Florida Voice News, August 2026. https://flvoicenews.com/austin-rogers-wins-republican-nomination-for-floridas-2nd-congressional-district/

13. Amanda Marie Green wins the Democrat nod and advances to November for CD2. WFSU News, August 18, 2026. https://news.wfsu.org/state-news/2026-08-18/amanda-marie-green-wins-the-democrat-nod-and-advances-to-november-for-cd2

14. Florida's 7th House of Representatives district. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida%27s_7th_House_of_Representatives_district

15. Senator Corey Simon, District 3. The Florida Senate. https://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/s3?pref=full

16. 2026 Wakulla County Candidate List. Wakulla County Supervisor of Elections, updated August 25, 2026. https://wakullavotes.gov/2026-wakulla-county-candidate-list/

17. 2026 Innovation and Policy Conference. Florida Association of Counties, updated September 9, 2026. https://www.fl-counties.com/2026-innovation-and-policy-conference/

18. FAC News Clips, Florida Association of Counties, editions dated September 1 to 3, 2026 (most recent on file). https://www.fl-counties.com/news-clips/

19. Wakulla County releases contingency plan for potential $6.5 million shortfall if tax reform passes. WTXL ABC 27, August 21, 2026. https://www.wtxl.com/news/local-news/in-your-neighborhood/wakulla-county/wakulla-county-releases-contingency-plan-for-potential-6-5-million-shortfall-if-tax-reform-passes

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