Peter Schorsch
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
A proposed constitutional amendment to increase the homestead property tax exemption is failing, according to results of a new poll.
A survey by St. Pete Polls shows that nearly 49 percent of voters asked said they had already voted for it or planned to.
Amendments need no less than 60 percent approval, however, to be added to the state constitution.
Another 35 percent said they voted against it or planned to, and another 16 percent still hadn’t decided how or if they would vote on what’s “Amendment 1” on the statewide ballot.
Here’s the fine print behind the poll: It was “conducted through an automated phone call polling system.
“The results were then weighted to account for proportional differences between the respondents’ demographics and the demographics of the active general election voter population for the state of Florida. The weighting demographics used were: Political party, race, age, gender and media market.
“The voters polled were chosen at random within the registered voter population within the state of Florida. Voters who said they were not planning to vote were excluded from the results … The scientific results … have a sample size of 1,575 and a 2.5 percent margin of error at a 95 percent confidence level.”
Evening Reads
“Republicans hold cash edge heading into final stretch if the midterms” via Kenneth Vogel and Rachel Shorey of The New York Times
“How to win Florida” via Michael Grunwald of POLITICO
“15 days out — Joe Biden time in Florida” via Steve Schale for his blog
“Joe Biden lays it out in Tampa: ‘You will never vote in an election that’s more important’” via Steve Contorno of the Tampa Bay Times
“Rick Scott camp disputes poll showing Bill Nelson ahead in Senate race” via George Bennett of the Palm Beach Post
“Ron DeSantis backs out of meeting with USA Today network” via James Call of the Tallahassee Democrat
“These people have little chance of being governor. Here’s why they’re running anyway.” via Samantha Gross of the Miami Herald
“The battle over Florida’s proposed greyhound racing ban has one side accusing the other of employing ‘the worst of modern politics’” via Kirby Wilson of Tampa Bay Times
“New poll shows Ross Spano 6 points up in CD 15 contest” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics
“Lindsay Cross ad: ‘Put a scientist in the Senate’” via Janelle Irwin of Florida Politics
“Who are professional women, moms duking it out in unusually clean Florida House 54 race?” via Laurence Reisman of the TC Palm
“As HD 15 race gets pricey, Wyman Duggan holds cash lead” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
Quote of the Day
Andrew Gillum “signed a pledge to cut police funding and support a group that says, ‘police and prisons have no place in justice,’ (and) that ‘police were never meant to serve us.’ It’s dangerous.” — Florida Police Benevolent Association President John Kazanjian.
Bill Day’s Latest
Breakthrough Insights
Wake Up Early?
The Statewide Drug Policy Advisory Council will meet and discuss issues such as the implementation of a new law aimed at curbing the opioid epidemic. That’s at 8:30 a.m., Florida Department of Health, 4025 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee.
The 3rd District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission will continue two days of interviews of candidates to replace Chief Judge Leslie Rothenberg and Judge Richard Suarez. That’s at 8:30 a.m., DLA Piper LLP, 200 South Biscayne Blvd., 25th floor, Miami.
The Triumph Gulf Coast Board of Directors, which makes decisions about how to spend money in Northwest Florida from a Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement, will meet in Okaloosa County. That’s 11 a.m. (Central time), Warriors Hall Community Center, 201 Stillwell Ave., Crestview.
Former Vice President Joe Biden will appear at an Orlando rally for the re-election campaigns of U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy. Also expected to take part in the event is Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. That’s at 3:45 p.m., Cheyenne Saloon, 128 West Church St., Orlando.
Republican Ashley Moody and Democrat Sean Shaw, who are running for Attorney General, will participate in a one-hour debate that will be shown live on Bay News 9 in Tampa and Spectrum News 13 in Orlando. That’s at 7 p.m., Bay News 9. Tampa.
