Staff Reports
Obama endorses candidates in 14 states, but none in Florida
Most of the world knows President Donald Trump was in Tampa on Tuesday night holding one of his typically raucous rallies. He unabashedly got involved in a Republican primary by endorsing Rep. Ron DeSantis for governor over Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam.
Trump’s predecessor, former President Barack Obama, also weighed in on the 2018 cycle this week by announcing support for 81 Democratic candidates in 14 states. Candidates in 22 House districts and one Senate U.S. Senate seat earned Obama’s backing.
“Today I’m proud to endorse such a wide and impressive array of Democratic candidates — leaders as diverse, patriotic, and big-hearted as the America they’re running to represent,” he said on Twitter announcing the list.
“But first, they need our votes — and I’m eager to make the case for why Democratic candidates deserve our votes this fall.”
None of the anointed candidates are from Florida. While he endorsed candidates for state races in Georgia and North Carolina, two Texas House hopefuls were the only federal candidates from southern states on the list.
Obama is backing some candidates taking on big fish, including House Rules Committee Chairman Pete Sessions from the 32nd District in Texas. This district leans Republican by five percent but represents a takeover opportunity if the heralded “blue wave” materializes.
He is also hoping to make a difference in the Democrats’ attempt to drive whatever Republicans are left in California. Three of those on Obama’s list of 7 California endorsements are challenging Republicans holding two battleground districts in Southern California. The open seat currently held by the Democratic-despised Darrell Issa is a big target.
Unlike Trump, Obama avoided primaries with his federal endorsements. This may explain some of those who were not on his list.
For example, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell will be the Democratic nominee in District 26 and take on incumbent Rep. Carlos Curbelo in November, but the primary is a month away. Nancy Soderberg is running a good campaign in the District 6 and leads all candidates in fundraising, but no Obama endorsement yet.
The 44th president is also backing underdog nominees, but not Judge Mary Barzee Flores, who had no primary in her race against veteran incumbent Mario Diaz-Balart in District 25. She was appointed to the federal bench by Obama in 2015.
Perhaps the one not on the list that raised the most eyebrows was the newest Democratic superstar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. After winning her primary in New York City over the powerful Rep. Joe Crowley, she has upset some Democrats and concerned others with her approach to her newly-found celebrity status.
Perhaps the endorsement is not necessary as Ocasio-Cortez is expected to win the seat in November easily unless something strange happens. Rumors of a stealth campaign to get Crowley on the ballot will not go away.
Both Obama and Trump are hoping they can influence their party’s voters to carry the day. Control of Congress is at stake.
Rubio only Republican to vote against military funding bill
With the Senate’s approval of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the $717 billion funding bill heads to the president’s desk. The measure, which funds military operations and gives the armed forces a pay raise, passed the Senate by an overwhelming 87-10 vote.
One of the “no” votes came as a surprise. Republican Sen. Marco Rubio joined the likes of progressive Senators such as Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Kamala Harris of California and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York. Sen. Bill Nelson voted for the bill.
Rubio’s reasoning was different from the progressives, saying his vote stemmed from the lack of concern Congress is showing toward China, whom he described as the nation’s biggest threat. Rubio and other Senators wanted sanctions against Chinese telecommunications giant ZTE reinstated in the bill — but to no avail.
“I have never opposed an NDAA, and I have supported every single one of them, despite the fact that they didn’t have everything I wanted or everything I liked — until today,” Rubio said on the Senate floor. “We have yet to realize what a significant threat China poses to this country and in every realm and sphere. And until we do, we are going to continue to be in danger of surrendering and forfeiting our way of life and our place in the world.”
In the end, Republicans sharing the second term Senator’s views on the issue wound up voting for the bill anyway. Rubio was the only Republican to vote against it.
Nelson takes leading role in 3D gun ban
After the Trump administration settled a lawsuit allowing a vendor to put plans for making 3D guns online, the outrage soon followed. Among those taking a lead role in condemning the action and trying to stop it is Democratic Sen. Nelson.
“American national security is going to be irreversibly weakened because of the actions of the administration because [it] will allow the online publication of blueprints to manufacture 3D manufacturing of plastic guns,” Nelson said on the Senate floor.
Nelson quickly moved to stop Defense Distributed, a Texas company, from publishing the plans. As several states filed suit to stop the company, Nelson filed a bill, co-sponsored by 21 other Democrats. He also appeared with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and some Democratic colleagues in a news conference highlighting the issue.
Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee objected, meaning the bill could not go to the floor. In the meantime, one of the lawsuits bore fruit as a federal judge in Seattle blocked the publication of the plans.
Scott holds slim lead over Nelson in new poll
The margin is never large, but Gov. Rick Scott consistently maintains a small lead over Nelson in a head-to-head matchup for Nelson’s U.S. Senate seat. A Mason-Dixon poll shows Scott holds a 47-44 lead over the three-term incumbent.
With the poll’s four percent margin of error, the race is a statistical tie. The pollster agrees the margin is small, but for any movement taking place, Scott is the beneficiary.
“There has been a small but clear shift toward Scott,” Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy says. Its previous poll in February showed Nelson with a 1-point advantage, 45 to 44 percent.
Only one poll out of the six conducted since June has been outside the margin of error.
Of those six, Scott has led in four of them by margins ranging from three to five points. Nelson led the other two, each by four points.
Last week, Florida Atlantic University released a survey showing Scott with a four-point lead.
Delegation Democrats endorse Florida AG candidate
As primary Election Day draws closer, several Democratic delegation members have weighed in on the race for Florida Attorney General. Their choice is state Rep. Sean Shaw from Tampa.
They chose Shaw, the son of Florida’s first African-American Chief Justice Leander Shaw, over Ryan Torrens. The group of eight legislators joins a growing list of endorsements flowing into the Shaw campaign.
Those backing Shaw are Kathy Castor, Charlie Crist, Val Demings, Ted Deutch, Alcee Hastings, Al Lawson, Darren Soto and Frederica Wilson. Shaw also has the backing of SEIU Florida, the Florida Education Association, and the Florida Police Benevolent Association, among others.
“Unlike the current Attorney General, Sean will stand up to the special interests that have flooded our streets with weapons and push back against companies determined to rip off Floridians,” said Castor, who represents the Tampa district of Shaw’s residence. “Sean Shaw is the best choice for Attorney General of Florida.”
Lawson receives EPA funds for Jacksonville site
A Jacksonville environmental nonprofit is the beneficiary of a new grant to help them carry out an ongoing mission. Democratic Rep Al Lawson announced a $25,000 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant for the Fairfax Environmental Committee for Justice.
Fairfax was created to help restore one of Jacksonville’s most prominent Superfund sites. The Fairfax Street Wood Treaters site is in a residential area near a school and houses.
Over the years the property has become increasingly toxic due to the company’s use of chromated copper arsenate. The substance was being stored in above ground tanks that the EPA described as being in “poor condition.”
“It is essential that environmental cleanup efforts be transparent and accessible to the public,” Lawson said. “This grant will help the Fairfax Environmental Committee for Justice, Inc. achieve just that. I am proud to have helped secure this much-needed funding to help heal our environment.”
Big week for Soto
As he moves into the final month of his primary battle with Alan Grayson, Orlando Democratic Rep. Darren Soto has had a big week. He made two significant announcements that involve his campaign and the military veterans of Central Florida.
On Monday, he joined a select few delegation members who will have a Congressional office in a Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facility. Soto will hold weekly office hours at the Orlando VA facility on Mondays.
“We are thrilled to announce our new office space inside the VA Medical Center in Lake Nona, where we will be providing convenient assistance to our district’s veterans,” Soto said in a news release. “This new location will greatly benefit veterans already living in the facilities, people who may have limited mobility and those traveling to the VA for their appointments.”
On Tuesday, he revealed he had received the endorsement of the gun control group founded by former Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords and her husband, retired astronaut Mark Kelley. They cited Soto for his consistent votes on the issue.
“Darren Soto is a fighter who has stood up to the gun lobby in Congress, refused to stay silent on the need to address our gun violence crisis, and championed legislation that will save lives,” Giffords said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing our work with Darren as we push for the solutions that will keep our schools, streets, churches, and neighborhoods safe.”
Soto called Giffords, who was severely wounded in an attack that killed six, “the definition of courage.”
“It is humbling to have her support,” he said. “The NRA is a determined opponent, but the great majority of Americans are seeing through their lies. Together, we will overcome them and pass real gun safety reform.”
Buchanan: Do not weaken endangered species protection
The Trump administration takes daily hits from Democrats, but a prominent Florida Republican now has issues with two federal agencies. Rep. Vern Buchanan, co-chair of the Florida delegation, is letting the Commerce Department and Department of the Interior know that plans to weaken the Endangered Species Act will not go unchallenged.
Proposed regulations from the two departments would make it easier to remove a species now on the list, make it more difficult to list a new species for protection and weaken safeguards for critical habitats where these animals live. Another provision concerning Buchanan would end the requirement that federal agencies consult with scientists and wildlife agencies before approving permits for activities such as oil and gas drilling.
In a letter to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Buchanan called for a halt to this effort.
“I am writing today to urge you to withdraw immediately a dangerous and ill-advised proposal to gut key protections in the Endangered Species Act (ESA),” Buchanan wrote. “The 45-year-old law is the gold standard for conservation and the protection of wildlife.”
Buchanan, co-chair of the Animal Protection Caucus in Congress, called the proposal an “assault on nature.”
“Once a species becomes extinct, it is lost forever,” he added. “As caretakers of this country’s diverse natural resources, we should do everything in our power to protect these magnificent creatures.”
Baer launches first TV ad in CD 18
Mast’s leading challenger is now on the air with a television ad. Instead of attacking the incumbent’s positions, Democrat Lauren Baer is introducing herself to District 18 voters.
The ad, called “Our Home,” talks about her relationship with the voters of the district and tries to answer the fundamental question of why she is running.
To view the ad, click on the image below:
It ticks her views on critical issues such as education, health care, and the environment. Polling shows voters typically prefer Democrats on those issues.
It also puts a person behind the name, highlighting the fact “she’s a daughter, she’s a mother” and reveals she was an adviser for two Secretaries of State. In the ad, Mast goes unmentioned.
The ad will run in the Palm Beach media market, though details of the ad buy were not provided. She can afford a little TV time because her campaign had more than $1 million cash on hand as of June 30.
Baer is running against former JAG attorney Pam Keith in the Democratic primary on August 28. Keith had raised nearly $500,000 through June 30 but had less than $70,000 remaining.
Mast has raised nearly $4 million and has half of that remaining.
SEIU endorses Mucarsel-Powell
To no one’s great surprise, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Florida has endorsed Mucarsel-Powell in her campaign against Curbelo.
“Debbie Mucarsel-Powell has a keen perspective on the needs and challenges of working people, and she has spent her life’s work on expanding access to quality health care for Floridians, especially those who need it most,” said SEIU Florida State Council President Monica Russo.
SEIU represents workers from several sectors. The organization serves “over 55,000 active and retired Floridians including health care professionals, public employees, and property service workers,” according to its website.
“Debbie is the type of voice we desperately need in Washington to fight to protect our rights and represent our families, and SEIU Florida is pleased to endorse her candidacy,” Russo added.
District 26 is one of the Democrats’ top targets for 2018. The race is rated as a toss-up.
AIF announces endorsements for Congress
Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) has made several endorsements for this fall’s Congressional races. Among their choices are two Democrats and 12 Republicans running for re-election.
AIF also chose in a highly-contested Republican primary in CD 6, selecting former state Rep. Fred Costello over John Ward and Michael Waltz. They are all running to succeed DeSantis.
The group also endorsed state Republican Rep. Mike Miller for the District 7 seat over Scott Sturgill. The winner will take on first-term Democrat Stephanie Murphy. Lawson in District 5 and Soto in District 9 also earned endorsements.
Also endorsed were the re-election bids of Republican Reps. Matt Gaetz in CD 1; Neal Dunn in CD 2; Ted Yoho in CD 3; John Rutherford in CD 4; Bill Posey in District 8; Dan Webster in CD 11; Gus Bilirakis in CD 12; Buchanan in CD 16; Mast in CD 18; Francis Rooney in CD 19; Diaz-Balart in CD 25; and Curbelo in CD 26.
On this day in the headlines
August 3, 1992 — Bush supporters in the administration and Congress said that despite calls for his withdrawal by newspaper editorials and leading conservatives, George Bush is in the presidential race to stay. Bush, campaigning in the Chicago suburbs, ignored a shouted question about the calls for him to quit the race against challenger Bill Clinton, the Arkansas governor.
The newspapers, including the conservative-leaning Orange County Register, urged Bush to refuse the nomination when the party gathers in his adopted hometown of Houston in two weeks. “What you see now is not what’s going to happen in the next 90 days,” Clinton said in Little Rock.
August 3, 2008 — Both presidential candidates visited Florida yesterday with Arizona Sen. John McCain dropping by Orlando and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama visiting St. Petersburg. Obama pledged to enact an economic stimulus if elected while McCain reached out to minority voters in Central Florida.
Joining McCain during a stop at a Puerto Rican restaurant was Gov. Charlie Crist and Sen. Mel Martinez. Recent polls have shown the race for Florida’s 27 electoral votes as deadlocked.
Korean War veterans return home
It took more than six decades, but some of the U.S. servicemen who lost their lives in Korea, are finally back in the United States. It will take much more time to determine who was on the plane that flew from South Korea to Hickam Air Force Base on Wednesday, but they received a dignified welcome.
Vice-President Mike Pence flew to join military leaders personally in a moving ceremony. Each of the 55 flag-draped coffins received salutes from senior officers and a hand-over-heart from Pence, whose father was a Korean combat veteran.
“Some have called the Korean War the ‘forgotten war.’ But today, we prove these heroes were never forgotten,” Pence said at the ceremony. “Today, our boys are coming home.”
