The MeidasTouch Podcast: "Colonel McAuley Looks to Turn Florida’s 15th Congress District Blue"

Date: September 17, 2025
Host: Ben Meiselas (host, with Brett and Jordy Meiselas, MeidasTouch Network)
Guest: Colonel (Dr.) Darren McCauley, Democratic candidate for Florida’s 15th Congressional District

Episode Overview

This episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast focuses on the political dynamics in Florida’s 15th Congressional District, where Air Force Colonel and physician Dr. Darren McCauley is challenging incumbent Republican Laurel Lee. The hosts explore the economic and political struggles facing Floridians, particularly rising insurance costs, food insecurity, and the impact of controversial policies like the “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center. The conversation with McCauley highlights his personal motivations for running and his critique of MAGA Republican leadership in Florida.

Key Discussion Points

1. Florida’s Growing Economic and Social Crisis

Timestamps: 01:00 – 07:39

• The hosts open with concerns about Florida’s spiraling property insurance, health care challenges, and food insecurity.
  • Ben (Host): "People in Florida are just absolutely pissed at what the Trump regime is doing... property insurance absolutely spike... People in Florida obviously see Donald Trump gutting FEMA." (01:00)
• News clip highlights worsening food insecurity, with charities themselves now struggling.
  • "Feeding South Florida tells us that about a million people in South Florida... have no idea where their next meal is coming from." (03:06)

2. The Incumbent’s Record and Critique of MAGA Policies

Timestamps: 03:35 – 07:39

• Discussion shifts to Congresswoman Laurel Lee, describing her as "hiding out" and disconnected from district needs.

  • Past positions of Lee on FEMA and disaster preparedness are dissected.
    • “So from a logistics and response perspective, yes... Governor DeSantis works very closely with FEMA...” (04:41, Lee)
  • Hosts point out contradictions between Lee’s public assurances and subsequent Republican-led funding cuts.

• The controversy over "Alligator Alcatraz," a new detention center in the Everglades, is linked to broader anti-immigrant and anti-choice policies.

  • “It's a detention center. So the purpose is for it to be secure, to be orderly, to be safe and to be humane... But is it being as relative to [reports of inhumane conditions]?” (06:43–07:15, Lee)
  • Ben presses: “See how the tone changes pretty damn quickly?” (07:39)

3. Introducing Colonel Darren McCauley: Why He’s Running

Timestamps: 07:39 – 16:20

• McCauley describes the economic “crushing” of Central Florida families by rising costs.
  • McCauley: "Unfortunately, folks in Florida 15 have been crushed by economic burdens, including the homeowners crisis… and then at the same time, we see our federal government turning its back on us and cutting off support..." (08:19)
• He critiques Lee’s close ties to insurance and utility company interests.
  • “Laura Lee has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from insurance companies and their lobbyists… she is not serving the citizens of Central Florida, but is instead serving herself in her own campaign.” (10:36)
  • “Here in Tampa Bay... Florida Power and Light... has a de facto monopoly... rolled out the highest rate hike in history… and [Lee] is quiet as a church mouse.” (10:36)
• McCauley contrasts his values: service before self, from his background as a physician and Air Force officer.

4. Personal Motivations and Firsthand Experience

Timestamps: 12:13 – 16:20

• McCauley shares his journey from medicine to politics, citing cuts and dysfunction at the VA as a turning point.

  • “I was a VA physician for 10 years... seeing the cuts to the VA, the dismantling of our organization, the terror and the bullying of VA employees... pushed me into a position where I said, somebody's got to do something about this.” (12:31)

• He recounts personal loss in a hurricane, fighting with insurance companies after his home flooded, paralleling neighbors’ struggles with Florida’s insurance crisis.

  • “I personally lost my home. We had over a foot of water in my home and spent eight months arguing with insurance companies...” (14:21)

• McCauley connects dismantling VA care to real local impact, especially for the district’s 50,000 veterans.

  • “So if you start to dismantle VA health care, you start to take away VA benefits. That affects many of my neighbors, people that I work with, people that live next door to me, and I wanted to do something about it.” (13:56)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ben (Host): "People in Florida are just absolutely pissed at what the Trump regime is doing..." (01:00)
• News Clip: "About a million people in South Florida... have no idea where their next meal is coming from." (03:06)
• Laurel Lee (Clip): “It is a detention facility. But is it being as relative to... inhumane, just to deter people...?” (06:43)
• Darren McCauley:
  • "Folks in Florida 15 have been crushed by economic burdens, including the homeowners crisis." (08:19)
  • "I am running to unseat Congresswoman Lee, who has been self serving ever since she got to Washington." (11:57)
  • "Somebody's got to do something about this because what they're doing to the federal government is going to take decades to unravel and try to put back together." (13:19)
  • "I personally lost my home... arguing with insurance companies... but many of my neighbors on fixed incomes were not willing or not able to do that and insurance companies were not willing to help them." (14:21)
• Ben: “See how the tone changes pretty damn quickly?” (07:39)

Key Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|---------| | 01:00 | Host Introduction: Florida's economic issues, insurance crisis, and FEMA cuts | | 03:06 | News segment on Florida's rising food insecurity | | 04:41 | Clip: Congresswoman Laurel Lee defends FEMA response | | 06:43 | Lee questioned on "Alligator Alcatraz" detention center | | 08:19 | McCauley on the district’s economic hardships, insurance crisis | | 10:36 | McCauley on utility rate hikes and Lee’s ties to corporations | | 12:31 | McCauley’s path from VA physician to candidate, seeing the VA gutted | | 14:21 | Personal story: McCauley’s home destroyed in a hurricane, insurance struggles | | 16:20 | Campaign website and closing remarks |

Conclusion

In a candid and deeply personal conversation, Colonel Darren McCauley lays out a sharp contrast between his commitment to public service and incumbent Laurel Lee’s alignment with corporate interests and MAGA policies. He highlights the very real struggles of his district—rising costs, food insecurity, and disaster vulnerability—and connects national policy changes to the daily lives of his neighbors, especially veterans. The episode underscores the urgent need for new leadership attentive to the people’s needs, not special interests.

For More Information:
Learn about Darren McCauley’s campaign: darrenforflorida.com (16:25)

Tone: Direct, urgent, conversational, and personal—true to the MeidasTouch style of mixing brotherly banter with unapologetic advocacy for democracy.