Your Florida Daily: Gov. Ron DeSantis suspends presidential campaign, Buccaneers eliminated from NFL playoffs

ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has officially ended his bid for president.

“Accordingly, I am today suspending my campaign. I am proud to have delivered on 100% of my promises, and I will not stop now,” DeSantis said in a recorded message posted on social media.

DeSantis is endorsing the Republican front-runner, Donald Trump, saying Republican primary voters want to give the former president another chance.

“If there was anything I could do to produce a favorable outcome — more campaign stops, more interviews — I would do it. But I can’t ask our supporters to volunteer their time and donate their resources if we don’t have a clear path to victory.”

Following the announcement, Trump thanked DeSantis for the endorsement and congratulated him for his work on the campaign trail.

“It’s not easy. They think it’s easy doing this stuff it’s not easy. He was very gracious and as you know he endorsed me so I appreciate that,” Trump told supporters.

DeSantis’ campaign suspension comes just a few days after the Iowa caucuses, where he edged out Nikki Haley for second place.

“Can you hear that sound? That’s the sound of a two-person race,” Haley said to supporters at a campaign rally.

Even though DeSantis is leaving the race, he will still be on the ballot when Florida voters head to the polls for the primary on March 19.

That is because the state had to publish the list of candidates back in December so counties could get ballots ready for overseas and military voters.

The deadline to register is Feb. 20.

Manatees flock to Blue Spring as forecasters predict temps in the 80s by mid-week

With our latest cold snap, manatees are doing their best to stay warm, which is why they’re migrating to Blue Spring State Park by the hundreds.

Crews say there were more than 900 manatees in the springs Sunday — breaking the previous record of over 700 sea cows there on New Year’s Day.

The springs stays at a constant 72 degrees, which keeps them perfectly cozy during the season.

Meantime, near-record warmth is coming to Florida. Monday’s high climbs back into the 70s but by Wednesday, temperatures will return to the 80s.

Lions advance to NFC title game with 31-23 win over Buccaneers

The last Florida team standing in the NFL playoffs is out.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fought hard on the road but fell just short in Detroit.

Final five minutes in Sunday’s divisional round match-up, the Bucs trailed the Lions by two touchdowns. Baker Mayfield finds Mike Evans in the endzone for the score making it 31-to-23.

The Bucs get the ball back with less than two minutes left in the game ut Mayfield’s pass is intercepted — and with that, the Lions advance to just their second NFC championship game.

Random Florida Fact

Solomon’s Castle, nestled in the Floridian wilderness, is a 12,000 square foot shiny medieval former home and studio of sculptor Howard Solomon.

Solomon started building the castle in the 70s out of aluminum printing plates thrown out by the local newspaper.

Located in Hardee County, about a hour east of Sarasota, it stands three stories high and features a moat, restaurant and inn.

Solomon himself gave pun-filled tours of his aluminum castle up until his death in 2016.

Tourists can still walk the grounds for free or tour inside from October to July.