Peter Schorsch
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shots
A new poll from Quinnipiac University gives Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson a seven-point lead, the biggest cushion any poll has shown in the U.S. Senate battle with Republican Gov. Rick Scott.
The poll shows Nelson being lifted by independent voters, and by women, who are increasingly breaking toward the incumbent Democrat.
Quinnipiac found Nelson ahead 53 percent to 46 percent overall, one of the few major poll results this year showing a lead outside a margin of error.
In the Quinnipiac poll, conducted Thursday through Monday of 888 Florida likely voters, Nelson had a 56-40 lead among independent voters, and a 58-41 lead among women.
The previous Quinnipiac poll in the race, taken three weeks ago, had the two in a dead heat overall, 49 to 49.
Scott and Nelson each previously peaked with six-point leads in other polls, but neither could sustain it.
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The Florida Chamber of Commerce’s 2018 Future of Florida Forum will kick off in Orlando tomorrow morning, bringing together the state’s business leaders and many of Florida’s top elected officials for an event which seeks to outline a blueprint for Florida’s future and how the Sunshine State will address the challenges and opportunities it faces over the coming decade.
Among the highlights slated for the first day of the forum are presentations by leaders at Bank of America, the Lumina Foundation and the Florida Prepaid College Foundation, with Zephyrhills Rep. Danny Burgess and Naples Sen. Kathleen Passidomo also scheduled to participate in two of the many panels discussing the future of Florida’s workforce.
Gov. Rick Scott will also be in the room to receive the Chamber’s “Spirit of Free Enterprise” award, as will exiting Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is scheduled to speak at the Chamber’s Women’s Hall of Fame Dinner, where she will become the newest inductee.
Evening Reads
“If Brett Kavanaugh falters, could it open the door for this Florida justice?” via Steve Bousquet and Emily Mahoney of the Tampa Bay Times
“‘These numbers should sound the alarm for Bill Nelson’” via Marc Caputo of POLITICO Florida
“Rick Scott: A model of inconsistency as Florida governor” via Steve Bousquet and Steve Contorno of the Tampa Bay Times
“It had to happen: A political ad about that controversial beach access bill” via Steve Bousquet of the Tampa Bay Times
“Rick Scott vs. Nill Nelson: Who are the outside groups spending millions on the Senate race” via Steve Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel
“Seventh-generation Floridian wants to be Agriculture Commissioner. Meet Matt Caldwell.” via Samantha Gross of the Miami Herald
“A closer look at Florida Constitutional Amendment 5” via Mitch Perry of the Florida Phoenix
“Two months before election, Gus Bilirakis tries to tweak flawed opioid law he backed” via Tracey McManus of the Tampa Bay Times
“Latest poll shows Tracye Polson and Wyman Duggan running neck-and-neck in HD 15.” via AG Gancarski of Florida Politics
“Shawn Harrison leads in HD 63 battleground, but tuned-in voters favor Fentrice Driskell” via Florida Politics
“Jennifer Webb leads Ray Blacklidge by double digits in new HD 69 poll” via Florida Politics
“Hey kids, you really stick at this voting business” via John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times
“Meet the ultra-organized teenager masterminding Parkland’s midterms push” via Dave Cullen of Vanity Fair
“Port Tampa Bay marks 1 million cruise passengers in a year for the first time ever” via the Tampa Bay Times
Quote of the Day
“If you wrote a profile of Rick Scott in his first year in office and you wrote one this week, you’d be describing two starkly different men.” J.M. (Mac) Stipanovich, a strategist and lobbyist who advised two former Republican governors, in this profile of the Governor.
Bill Day’s Latest
Breakthrough Insights
Wake Up Early?
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission meets to receive staff presentations about red tide, proposed budget requests for next year and boating access and enforcement. The board will also consider a request from Gov. Scott to create a Florida Center for Red Tide Research and re-establish the Florida Harmful Algal Bloom Task Force. That’s at 8:30 a.m. Florida Public Safety Institute Conference Center, 85 Academy Dr., Havana.
The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments on whether a Tampa Christian school should have been allowed to offer a prayer over a stadium loudspeaker before a state high-school football championship game. Cambridge Christian School filed a lawsuit against the Florida High School Athletic Association and appealed after a U.S. district judge upheld a decision blocking the offering of a prayer over the loudspeaker before the 2015 game in Orlando. That’s at 9 a.m., U.S. Courthouse, 300 North Hogan St., Jacksonville.
Citizens Property Insurance Board of Governors meet in Central Florida. That’s at 9 a.m., Sheraton Orlando North, 600 North Lake Destiny Dr., Maitland.
Florida’s Consumer Health Information and Policy Advisory Council, which deals with issues related to public reporting of health care data, meets in Alachua County. That’s at 10 a.m., Well Florida Council, 1785 N.W. 80th Blvd., Gainesville.
