Staff Reports
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
The Central Florida Political Leadership Institute has named its 2020 class.
PLI’s list includes leaders from a broad array of industries — leaders in construction, banking, real estate, law enforcement, health care and even Disney and Universal made the list.
Many groups put out up-and-comer lists, but the institute has a solid track record in identifying the next generation of elected officials. Since its inception in 2008, 24 PLI graduates have served in public office in Central Florida.
“The PLI class encourages new leaders within our Orlando region and teaches them new skills, provides important resources and helps them make the connections they need to launch their political careers,” said Sharon Smoley, Vice President of Advocacy and Public Policy at the Orlando Economic Partnership.
The PLI selection committee said the 2020 class was the most competitive to date. The training process for the new class will face its own challenges, thanks to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The training program runs from June through November and includes monthly meetings, which consist of half-day and full day sessions where feature local, state and national faculty share insights on clearing professional obstacles, transitioning to public life and campaigning. The first session will include a virtual attendance option.
“The curriculum is engagement-based and practical,” said PLI consultant Mark R. Mills, president of Mills Strategic Communications, Inc. “Everything we do is intended for class members to emerge encouraged and educated with a strategic plan for clearing the personal, professional and political obstacles for engaging in the process and stepping to the starting line prepared and positioned to succeed and lead.”
Coronavirus Numbers
Positive cases:
— 40,804 FL residents (+916 since Monday)
— 1,119 Non-FL residents (+25 since Monday)
Origin:
— 1,902 Travel related
— 17,130 Contact with a confirmed case
— 1,746 Both
— 20,026 Under investigation
Hospitalizations:
— 7,418 in FL
Deaths:
— 1,779 in FL
Unemployment numbers
As of Monday:
Total claims: 1,891,118
— Confirmed unique claims: 1,381,530
— Claim verification queue: 317,540
— Claims processed: 1,063,990
— Claims paid: 665,949 (+9,314 since Sunday)
Total paid out: $1.72 billion (+$160 million since Sunday)
Evening Reads
“Joe Biden and Donald Trump teams each raised over $60 million in April” via Katie Glueck and Maggie Haberman of The New York Times
“Trump, Biden gear up for battle in Florida, where coronavirus is not the only thing on voters’ minds” via Adam Edelman of NBC News
“Supreme Court hears arguments on Donald Trump’s tax returns, personal financial records” via of The Washington Post
“Fauci warns reopening country too fast could be ‘really serious’ for states” via Adam Cancryn of POLITICO
“No deaths and an army of hospital workers ready to fight” via Todd C. Frankel of The Washington Post
“Virus unleashes wave of fraud amid fear and scarcity in United States” via The Associated Press
“Nancy Pelosi wants to go big on aid, but Mitch McConnell sees no urgency” via Lisa Mascaro of The Associated Press
“Marco Rubio: ‘We don’t have enough information’ on coronavirus origins” via Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian of Axios
“Elon Musk becomes champion of defying stay-at-home orders” via The Associated Press
“CFO Jimmy Patronis welcomes Musk and Tesla with open arms” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics
“Dissatisfied students and families in Florida still want in-person graduation ceremonies when COVID-19 wanes” via Isaac Morgan of the Florida Phoenix
“Women’s prisons are already hotbeds of abuse. Now one in Homestead is a COVID-19 nightmare” via Samantha Gross of the Miami Herald
“Mortgage delinquencies rise in first quarter, with Florida a hot spot” via Emily Mahoney of the Tampa Bay Times
“Record temperatures and dry weather have sparked more than a dozen wildfires in Florida” via Allison Chinchar of CNN
Quote of the Day
“No American should ever buy one product ever made from communist China. They are not our friends. They’re not a competitor. They’re clearly an adversary.” — U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, outlining his hard-line stance against China.
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