The Sunshine State was the center of national attention several times in 2023, from former President Donald Trump's classified documents case to the feud between Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) and Disney.

As the year comes to a close, here are four of the biggest stories in Florida during the 12 turbulent months of 2023.

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Disney v. DeSantis

DeSantis and Disney have been engaged in a battle for nearly two years since the company called for repealing the Parental Rights in Education Act in 2022, but the feud reached new levels this year with two separate legal cases between state entities and the "House of Mouse" currently playing out.

In February, the Florida legislature passed legislation, which DeSantis signed, restructuring the special taxing district, which encompasses the Walt Disney World Resort, and added more state oversight to the renamed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.

As the state took over the district, Disney sought to undermine the new state-appointed board, which led to two dueling lawsuits in state court and federal court.

Both lawsuits are expected to continue through 2024, meaning this battle is far from over.

Trump indicted in federal court in South Florida

Trump's second of four indictments in 2023 came in federal court in South Florida, alleging the former president mishandled classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach.

The indictment, brought by special counsel Jack Smith in June, saw Trump get charged on 40 counts, with three being added in a superseding indictment in July, for various crimes, including willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice, corruptly concealing a document or record, concealing a document in a federal investigation, and alleged false statements, among others.

He appeared at his arraignment at a courthouse in Miami in June, becoming the first president, current or former, to be federally charged with a crime.

Hurricane Idalia

Hurricane Idalia hit the Big Bend region of the state in August, bringing severe rain, intense floods, and winds. The National Weather Service estimates the storm surge along the Florida coast went as high as 12 feet.

The storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on Aug. 30, at 7:45 a.m. Eastern near Keaton Beach, with sustained winds of 125 miles per hour. The storm caused widespread damage across the region. One of the most notable incidents caused by the hurricane was when a tree fell on the governor's mansion in Tallahassee.

Florida first lady Casey DeSantis and her children were home when the tree fell but said no one was injured. Ron DeSantis was across town speaking at a press conference at the time.

The storm is estimated to have caused more than $447 million in agricultural losses for the state, along with an estimated billions of dollars in other damages.

Two Florida men join the 2024 presidential race

While one of the most famous Florida residents, Trump, entered the 2024 Republican presidential race in November 2022, two other Florida men entered the race in 2023.

DeSantis entered the race in May, with a messy launch on Twitter Spaces, while Miami Mayor Francis Suarez entered the race in June.

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Suarez's short-lived candidacy ended in August after he failed to qualify for the first GOP presidential debate, and it was best remembered for when he was confused about what a Uyghur was.

DeSantis's presidential campaign has been widely regarded as underwhelming, with some analysts initially predicting he could muster a serious challenge to Trump, the front-runner in the Republican field, but as of December, he has fallen behind former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in polls in New Hampshire and South Carolina.