Peter Schorsch
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
The campaign behind a proposed constitutional amendment to ban live greyhound racing in Florida may have gotten an unexpected though indirect boost from a “bully pulpit.”
The Washington Examiner reported Thursday that Lara Trump, President Trump’s daughter-in-law, has “won the quiet backing” of Amendment 13 from her father-in-law.
The president is “busy on the bigger issues of keeping GOP control of the House and Senate, not state initiatives.”
“In his mind, he wants to do the right thing for everything that’s out there,” she told the newspaper. “Whether you’re talking about dogs, or whether you’re talking about the economy, he wants to see the right thing happen.”
The news comes the day after GOP National Spokesperson Kayleigh McEnany tweeted that she is “supporting a ban on dog racing in my home state of Florida!”
“A dog dies every 3 days because of this terrible practice,” she said. “I voted YES on Amendment 13 in Florida!”
Lara Trump also joined Attorney General Pam Bondi for a fundraiser this August to benefit the Protect Dogs-Yes on 13 campaign, formed to persuade voters to vote for the amendment. Bondi has been a Donald Trump ally and advocate.
“I feel greatly about animals and am doing whatever I can to be helpful,” Lara Trump told the Examiner this week. She is married to married to Eric Trump, the president’s second son.
“We certainly hope that we are on the edge of victory here.”
Evening Reads
“Donald Trump’s nationalism is breaking point for some suburban voters, risking GOP coalition” via Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns of The New York Times
“Democrats in prime position to take House, but battleground district poll shows wild cards remain” via Scott Clement and Dan Balz of The Washington Post
“Democrats need a systematic polling error to win the Senate” via Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight.com
“Florida TV political ad spending tops $229 million” via Anthony Man of the Sun Sentinel
“Losing ground? Andrew Gillum, Bill Nelson shed support in CNN poll” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
“Big-name black celebrities, from entertainment to politics, helping boost Gillum” via Anthony Man of the Sun-Sentinel
“Francis Rooney calls Gillum an “existential threat to state via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
“Ron DeSantis, a Trump ally, struggles in Florida as racial flare-ups come to fore” via Patricia Mazzei and Stephanie Saul of The New York Times
“Andrew Warren, Gillum supporter, scolds DeSantis for law and order claims” via Dan Sullivan of the Tampa Bay Times
“The Jewish vote is key in Florida, and DeSantis just picked up a huge endorsement” via Philip Wegmann of The Washington Examiner
“Ex-employee claims CFO Jimmy Patronis fired her over politics” via Gary Fineout of The Associated Press
“Polls show support for Florida ballot measure to automatically restore voting rights to felons” via Anthony Man of the Sun-Sentinel
“With Honor adds another $155K in TV time to support Brian Mast” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics
“Direct mail round-up: ‘Liberal’ Tracye Polson has ‘liberal’ friends and ‘liberal’ donors” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
“Chris Latvala’s not expecting to ‘shellack’ his opponent” via Janelle Irwin of Florida Politics
“HD 69 voters face yet another onslaught of anti-Jennifer Webb attack mailers” via Janelle Irwin of Florida Politics
“Mike Caruso facing questions after pair of disputed endorsements” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics
“Supreme Court rules car can be a ‘weapon’” via The News Service of Florida
Quote of the Day
“You are a despicable divider; the worse social poison to afflict our country in decades. This ad, and your full approval of it, will condemn you and your bigoted legacy forever in the annals of America’s history books.” — D.C. lobbyist and former Florida GOP chair Al Cardenas, born in Cuba, addressing Donald Trump in a tweet about an immigration-related ad.
Bill Day’s Latest
Breakthrough Insights
Wake Up Early?
State candidates, political parties and committees face a Friday deadline for filing final finance reports before the Nov. 6 general election. The reports will show finance activity through Thursday.
Semiretired Tampa Bay Times columnist Daniel Ruth speaks at the next meeting of Café con Tampa. Admission is $12, which includes a breakfast buffet. That’s 8 a.m., Upstairs at Oxford Exchange, 420 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. (You may want to arrive early; parking is limited because of nearby construction.)
Republican nominee for Governor Ron DeSantis will go to breakfast with U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio in Pasco County. That’s at 8:30 a.m., Spartan Manor, 6121 Massachusetts Ave., New Port Richey.
Thomas Johnson, general counsel of the Federal Communications Commission, is slated to speak during a luncheon meeting of the Economic Club of Florida. That’s at noon, FSU Alumni Center, 1030 West Tennessee St., Tallahassee.
Former President Barack Obama headlines a pre-election rally with U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum in South Florida. Doors open at noon, Ice Palace Films, 59 NW 14th St., Miami.
DeSantis hosts a ‘meet-and-greet’ with supporters. That’s at 5 p.m., Yabba Island Grill, 711 5th Avenue S., Naples.
Looking Ahead
Saturday will be the final day of early voting in counties including Alachua, Baker, Brevard, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Escambia, Flagler, Gilchrist, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Holmes, Indian River, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Pasco, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, St. Johns, Sumter, Taylor, Union, Wakulla, Walton and Washington counties.
The Florida Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission will begin interviewing candidates for three seats that will open on the Supreme Court in January. That’s Saturday at 9 a.m., Miami International Airport Hotel, Terminal E, Miami.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will join Republican nominee for Governor DeSantis for a rally on Saturday. That’s at 12:30 p.m., Rocking H Ranch, 2200 Ewell Road, Lakeland.
The Rev. Al Sharpton will rally to ‘get out the vote’ in South Florida for passage of Amendment 4, which restores voting rights for nonviolent ex-convicts. That’s Sunday, 7 a.m. at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, 21311 NW 34th Ave., Miami Gardens; 7:45 a.m. at New Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, 1350 Rev. Dr. Arthur Jackson Jr. Blvd., Miami; 10:15 a.m. at New Birth Baptist Church, 2300 NW 135th St., Miami.
AFSCME Florida and Faith in Florida sponsor a “Souls to the Polls” event with Community Bible Baptist Church, Faith In Action Ministries, and St. Peters Missionary Baptist after worship. Live entertainment, food, and games for kids will be provided. There will also be a motorcade and bike run to the polls. That’s Sunday, starting at 1 p.m., South Dade Regional Library, 10750 SW 211 St., Cutler Bay.
