Peter Schorsch
Every election is packed with Winners and Losers, some obvious, some not so obvious.
But long before the dust settles and the list is sorted, there are a host of behind the scenes players and influential organizations to watch. As Election Day nears, all of the players are in a scramble to make last-minute calls that can make or break races. It’s a chance to identify strategies that paid off and those that failed miserably. And there will be plenty of both.
Here’s a list of Florida politicos who may not be on the ballot Tuesday, but nevertheless have a lot on the line.
Matt Gaetz — The second-term U.S. Representative has fast become a conservative icon thanks to his “warrior” status in Trump World. He’s put his rising star to work in a big way by picking Scott Franklin over incumbent U.S. Rep. Ross Spano in CD 15, Judson Sapp over the nine other Republicans in CD 3, and Anna Paulina Luna over Amanda Makki in CD 13. If his endorsements hold water, there’ll be no shortage of campaigns beating down his door for a nod. If they don’t, meetings with the Florida congressional delegation will be a bit awkward.
Club for Growth — The free-market advocacy group has gone all-in on Rep. Byron Donalds in CD 19, extolling him as the most conservative candidate in a primary packed full of them. There’s also Spano. They backed him in 2018, and they doubled down in 2020. Tuesday will show whether or not they threw good money after bad propping up an incumbent that Republicans from the city level on up to delegation members shunned as a “weak link” who could put a safely red seat in play.
Wilton Simpson — The incoming Senate President would give Littlefinger a run for his money in political “strategery.” Look at SD 3, where he forced Dems to take Marva Preston’s candidacy seriously in an otherwise safe district. In the only truly competitive districts on the ballot, SD 9 and SD 39, he cleared the way for his preferred pick — neither former Rep. Jason Brodeur nor Rep. Ana Maria Rodriguez faces a challenger on Tuesday. Simpson is not infallible, however. Democrats, if one believes the rumors, got in a jab by setting up an expensive Republican primary in SD 27. But Simpson was prepared it seems, as polling shows Rep. Ray Rodrigues is due for an easy, albeit expensive, win over Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen.
Axiom Strategies — Jeff Roe is a bold name political consultant. Among his clients are U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and almost everyone else looking to get elected in Texas. He recently moved to Southwest Florida, a move that coincided with his firm signing a pair of candidates — Casey Askar in CD 19 and Heather Fitzenhagen in SD 27 — who have raised and spent (in the case of Askar much of the money is his own) hundreds of thousands of dollars on their campaigns. Reportedly, he got into a beef with President-designate Simpson who, as the story goes, told Roe he wouldn’t be getting much work in Florida after Roe helped persuade Fitzenhagen to run against Simpson’s preferred candidate. Roe paid Simpson little mind and is, allegedly, the force behind the negative text attacks personally directed at Simpson. Roe’s two horses will probably lose on Tuesday, which is not exactly the way you want to introduce yourself to Florida politics.
The Everglades Trust — The politically active environmental group endorsed in a number of Southwest Florida races, but none so heavily as the open Senate District 27 seat. After Fitzenhagen’s last-minute challenge to fellow state lawmaker Rodrigues, the Everglades Trust dumped $500,000 into a new political committee,
In Florida We Trust, which fired off a series of ads branding Rodrigues as “Sugar Ray,” a poke at his connections to the sugar industry. All indications point to RayRod winning with ease, meaning it’s likely all the Everglades Trust did was make the race expensive and make an enemy out of SD 27’s next Senator.
Gary Farmer — No matter the outcome, he’s got his work cut out for him in November, but Wednesday morning will show whether he’s chasing a flush or an inside straight with redistricting, which puts the next decade on the line. His best draw: A Shevrin Jones win in SD 35, an Irv Slosberg loss in SD 29, and a Fitz win in the SD 27 Republican primary. The odds are probable, unlikely, and improbable, respectively. If he hits, the next few months will be interesting. If he doesn’t … well, it’s not like Florida Democrats aren’t used to disappointment.
José Oliva, David Custin — The outgoing House Speaker had a lot of money to burn this cycle, but he didn’t use it to sway competitive districts toward the GOP or position himself for another office. Instead, he tossed it over to a committee tied to Custin that’s angling to unseat future House Speaker Danny Perez. Oliva claims he anted up to quash Alex Penelas’ campaign for Miami-Dade Mayor, but the committee is almost exclusively focused on bashing Perez and propping up his primary opponent, Gabriel Garcia. It’s a fool’s errand with no upshot for Oliva — when Perez wins, Oliva will look like a petty and vindictive political has-been. The same goes for the one-in-a-million timeline where Perez gets the boot.
Anna Eskamani — Eskamani might be second (only to Nikki Fried) when it comes to star power in the Florida Democratic Party. Her fans have already created a Facebook page aimed at recruiting her to run for Governor in two years and she may just grant their wish. In the present, she’s starting to flex her influence by working to oust incumbent Democrats who have sided with the GOP on abortion, such as Rep. Kim Daniels, or made homophobic remarks, such as Rep. Al Jaquet. There’s no real harm in backing the opponents — the bridges have been burned with both incumbents — and if Eskamani’s picks make it to the House, the Democratic caucus gets that much stronger. The downside is time resource allocation. One can’t help but wonder how many pickups Dems could make in the fall if Eskamani went full force for viable Democrats seeking GOP-held seats.
Nikki Fried — As Florida’s only statewide elected Democrat, Fried is the heir apparent for the party’s gubernatorial nomination in 2022. She’s been coy about whether she’s exploring a run — she’s either “looking into” it or not — but her actions show she’s embraced her leadership role. She’s avoided picking favorites in primary races, putting instead her fundraising muscle behind getting down-ballot Democrats elected. She and FDP recently announced a partnership that will see Fried help cover the bill to purchase access to VAN — the voter database service used by Democratic campaigns across the country. Sure, it costs a pretty penny, but Fried emerges looking like a hero to the party faithful no matter the outcome.
Anthony Sabatini — Sabatini may fancy himself as the next big firebrand conservative, but it would be overly generous to call him the Kmart version of Matt Gaetz. That hasn’t stopped him from trying to play the part. After directing thinly veiled death threats at protesters and embracing the role of chief COVIDiot by crusading against mask mandates, he thought it was a good idea to endorse Gavin Rollins in the crowded CD 3 primary. It’s unclear why he thinks his endorsement carries any weight. The only plausible explanation is an advanced case of Dunning-Kruger. No matter — when Rollins finishes out of the money on Tuesday, it will show that his endorsement is about as worthwhile as his legal acumen.
The consultants — Consultants are to candidates what Bob Baffert is to horses. Over time, if you win enough races, a consultant becomes a bigger name than any individual horse, err, candidate. Tuesday isn’t so much about any single race as it is one consultant’s stable of clients versus another’s. The big names on the Republican side are Pat Bainter of Data Targeting, Randy Nielsen and Rich Johnston of Public Concepts, Anthony Pedicini of Strategic Image Management, and Brett Doster of Front Line Strategies. Also playing in a handful of races are A-listers like Marc Reichelderfer, and Enwright Rimes, in addition to a host of other consultants like Mark Zubaly, James Blair, Max Goodman, Brian Graham, and Terry Miller. There is a slew of other consultants working at various levels, whether it be Erin Isaac, who is, probably, handling communications for the most Republican clients, pollsters or Super PACs. For the Democrats, the consultants involved in the most races are Eric Johnson, Reggie Cardozo, Christian Ulvert, and Steve Vancore.
NRA — Voting against the post-Parkland gun bill could pay dividends for Donalds, the lone candidate in the CD 19 primary to shoot it down. The vote landed him the National Rifle Association’s endorsement and put Rep. Dane Eagle on the bad side of a direct mail campaign. It was nothing short of a big fat L for Eagle, who was considered a front-runner in Florida’s 19th Congressional District for the first couple months after U.S. Rep. Francis Rooney announced his retirement. In past Republican primary elections, the NRA’s endorsement has packed a punch. It seems that truth will hold on Tuesday — Donalds has been racking up endorsements from the likes of U.S. Sen. Rand Paul and the majority of outside spending in the final stretch has been aimed at boosting him or tearing down his opponents.
Leadership races — You know what won’t be decided on Tuesday? Leadership races in the Florida Senate or House. Ten years ago (remember Aaron Bean vs. Mike Weinstein or Jeff Brandes vs. Jim Frishe?), the primaries were where interparty races to decide who would, far off in the future, be Senate President or House Speaker were won and lost. But the Senate seems to have moved away from that format and so the shape of Ben Albritton vs. Manny Diaz won’t change much come Tuesday. In fact, some Republicans believe the party will be lucky to still be in charge by the time one of them would take the gavel. As for the House, the “reforms” implemented by Richard Corcoran and Oliva really have stifled the early jockeying for leadership. If there is a Speaker’s race underway after Danny Perez’s term, we don’t know about it.
Certainly, there are a lot of other forces colliding on Tuesday. Is one industry (the doctors … the trial lawyers?) making a play that we don’t see?
As they say on the subway, if you see something, say something.
— WHAT OTHERS THINK ABOUT TUESDAY —
“Florida’s primary election: Seven things to watch on Tuesday” via Steve Contorno of the Tampa Bay Times — Will U.S. Rep. Spano lose his primary? Who will win the chance to face U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist? How to vote in a pandemic, Part II. Reading vote-by-mail tea leaves. Important primaries for Black communities in Pinellas and Hillsborough: The District 7 seat held by Pinellas County Commissioner Ken Welch since 2000. Upset watch: If there’s an Election Day shocker to track, it may come in the surprisingly competitive primary for Hillsborough County Sheriff. Races to watch outside Tampa Bay: In Naples, nine candidates are in the race to replace U.S. Rep. Francis Rooney. Meanwhile, 10 candidates are running for the Gainesville-area Congressional seat vacated by U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho.
“5 Florida primaries to watch” via Gary Fineout of POLITICO Florida — 15th Congressional District: Incumbent Rep. Spano is under investigation over loans he made to his campaign in 2018 and faces a serious Republican primary challenge from Lakeland City CommissionerFranklin. 13th Congressional District: Republicans hope to emerge from the primary with a well-funded contender to take on Rep. Crist, a Republican-turned-Democrat seeking a third term. 35th state Senate District: State Democrats have made the rare decision to jump into a primary in this liberal Miami-Dade and Broward district for fear one of their own could undermine the party. Miami-Dade State Attorney: George Floyd’s death sparked a national debate over policing and renewed criticism of incumbent Katherine Fernandez Rundle. Broward County Sheriff: Gun politics meets Democratic Party politics.
“GOP Primary Primer: Most interesting races to watch in Florida” via Jordan Kirkland of The Capitolist — 3rd Congressional District — Republican primary: Judson Sapp, Kat Cammack, Gavin Rollins, Ryan Chamberlin, Todd Chase, Joe Millado, James St. George, Bill Engelbrecht, David Theus and Amy Pope Wells; 19th Congressional District — Republican primary: Donalds, Eagle, Askar, Darren Aquino, William Figlesthaler, Randy Henderson, Daniel Kowal, Christy McLaughlin, and Dan Severson; 27th State Senate — Republican primary: Rodrigues and Fitzenhagen; 27th State Senate — Republican primary: Jenna Persons, Roger Lolly, and Charlie Lynch.
“Turnout, mail votes are key to Miami-Dade’s upside-down, record-setting August primary” via David Smiley and Douglas Hanks of the Miami Herald — In developments that could influence the outcome of important races on the ballot, turnout trends among Democrats and Republicans have flip-flopped from just four years ago, with Democrats building a 15-point, pre-Election Day advantage. Republicans, who once dominated mail ballots, had cast more votes in-person than Democrats heading into Sunday, according to information from the state and Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections. But Democrats, who previously favored early voting, are voting by mail this time in unprecedented numbers. And independents, including thousands of voters who tend to skip Florida’s closed summer primaries, are much more engaged this year, with their turnout double what it was in 2016.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
—@JoeBiden: Mr. President, Jill [Biden] and I are sad to learn of your younger brother Robert’s [Trump] passing. I know the tremendous pain of losing a loved one — and I know how important family is in moments like these. I hope you know that our prayers are with you all.
—@DonMoyn: If someone told you that 10 years from this Taylor Swift would be fighting to save the USPS while [Kanye] West was working as a spoiler candidate to help Donald Trump get reelected, what would you have thought?
—@ElectionSmith: In Florida’s 2016 GE, 90k mail ballots arrived at county offices on Election Day. 80k more VBM ballots arrived one day earlier. So, 170k mail ballots were on the edge of being late in 2016. Even a slight delay in USPS delivery could lead to massive disenfranchisement of voters.
—@RichardCorcoran: President @realDonaldTrump is right. Parents deserve the option for their child to attend school. Parents care more about their children than any bureaucrat ever could … I trust them to choose. @GovRonDeSantis & I will provide options in Florida
—@ChrisSprowls: Congratulations to Traci Koster on her selection to be the Republican nominee for HD 64. She’s smart, honest and has a great vision for Florida that I know will resonate with the voters in HD 64. Traci, it’s time to get to work!
—@aselahcurtis: I was just pushed by a woman at the pro-Trump, pro-police rally who said I was a member of the “fake news media.” She told me to write “Communism is evil” in my notepad, and when I didn’t, she pushed me. When I told her not to touch me, all these people claimed I pushed her.
— DAYS UNTIL —
Florida primaries for 2020 state legislative/congressional races — 1; Florida Bar exams begin online (rescheduled) — 2; Regal Cinemas reopen in U.S. — 4; Indy 500 rescheduled — 6; Republican National Convention begins in Charlotte — 7; NBA draft lottery — 8; Rev. Al Sharpton’s D.C. March — 12; U.S. Open begins — 14; Christopher Nolan‘s “Tenet” rescheduled premiere in U.S. — 17; Rescheduled running of the Kentucky Derby — 19; Rescheduled date for French Open — 34; First presidential debate in Indiana — 43; “Wonder Woman” premieres — 46; Preakness Stakes rescheduled — 47; Ashley Moody’s 2020 Human Trafficking Summit — 50; First vice presidential debate at the University of Utah — 51; NBA season ends (last possible date) — 56; Second presidential debate scheduled at Miami — 59; NBA draft — 60; Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch” premieres — 60; NBA free agency — 63; Florida Chamber’s Future of Florida Forum — 64; Third presidential debate at Belmont — 66; 2020 General Election — 78; “Black Widow” premieres — 82; NBA 2020-21 training camp — 84; Florida Automated Vehicles Summit — 95; “No Time to Die” premieres — 95; NBA 2020-21 opening night — 108; Super Bowl LV in Tampa — 174; “A Quiet Place Part II” rescheduled premiere — 186; “Top Gun: Maverick” rescheduled premiere — 319; New start date for 2021 Olympics — 340; “Jungle Cruise” premieres — 347; “Spider-Man Far From Home” sequel premieres — 445; “Thor: Love and Thunder” premieres — 543; “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” premieres — 585; “Black Panther 2” premieres — 627; “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” sequel premieres — 780.
— COUNTDOWN TO PRIMARY 1 —
“Donald Trump Jr. calls out Pinellas congressional candidate Amanda Makki for using his image” via Josh Solomon of the Tampa Bay Times — Trump Jr. made one thing clear on Friday: he doesn’t endorse Makki in the Republican primary for Florida’s 13th Congressional District. Trump’s son and namesake sought to dispel any rumors after Makki sent out a campaign mailer featuring a photo of her with Trump Jr. “You’d think a candidate would ask before plastering my picture everywhere, implying support,” Trump Jr. tweeted on Friday. He quote tweeted Tampa Bay Times Political Editor Steve Contorno, who pointed out Makki’s mailer.
“CD 7 Republican Yukong Zhao declares victory against Yale admissions” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — Zhao is celebrating victory Friday in a federal case to overturn Yale University’s programs enhancing admissions chances for Black and Hispanic students. Zhao, an Orlando business owner running in a three-way Republican primary Tuesday for Florida’s 7th Congressional District, is touting a U.S. Department of Justice ruling that Yale’s undergraduate admissions policies encouraging more Black and Hispanic students have illegally discriminated against Asian and White students. Zhao, a Chinese American who immigrated to the United States on a student visa, has been leading challenges to several elite universities’ admissions programs for several years, as founder and president of the Asian American Coalition for Education. The new ruling is a result of the Department of Justice’s investigation into a Civil Rights complaint Zhao’s organization filed in 2016.
—“Bill Posey hopes to ward off challenge in CD 8” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics
—“Bill Olson hopes to hold off Jose Castillo in CD 9 GOP primary” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics
—Republican Vennia Francois hopes to hold off Willie Montague in CD 10” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics
—“Two compete for Donald Trump’s favor and to face Kathy Castor in Tampa congressional race” via Charlie Frago of the Tampa Bay Times
“As campaign seasons winds down, controversies surrounding Casey Askar clear up” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — As the primary campaign season enters its final days, the controversies surrounding Askar began to resolve Thursday. On the same he celebrated a court victory in a defamation case, military records were provided to Florida Politics verifying Askar served four years active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps. Limited records on Askar’s service were provided to Florida Politics as part of a Freedom of Information Act request. Those show Askar served in the Marine Reserves from Dec. 4, 1987 to Nov. 27, 1988. He then switched to active duty from Nov. 28, 1988 until Aug. 17, 1992. He was discharged with the rank of Private and assigned to the Headquarters and Service Battalion School of Infantry Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in California. During that time, he went to infantry training school. During his service, he earned a National Defense Service Medal and a sharpshooter badge.
—“Drugs, drunken driving, Mitt Romney plague CD 19 GOP primary” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
“Can Laura Loomer ride a right-wing wave into the General Election?” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Loomer became a right-wing favorite thanks to her numerous attention-grabbing stunts on social media. Now she’s seeking to be the conservative standard-bearer in Florida’s 21st Congressional District. Loomer is one of six people seeking the GOP nomination in CD 21. She’s battling Christian Acosta, Elizabeth Felton, Aaron Scanlan, Reba Sherrill and Michael Vilardi in Tuesday’s primary. Loomer has been a lightning rod of controversy for her anti-Muslim remarks and other antics. She supported Hallandale Beach Commissioner Anabelle Lima-Taub after Lima-Taub claimed Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, a Muslim, might “blow up Capitol Hill.” Loomer was also banned from Twitter after calling Minnesota U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar “anti-Jewish.” Facebook, Instagram, Medium, and several other social media platforms have cast Loomer aside as well.
— COUNTDOWN TO PRIMARY 2 —
“Four Democrats battling anointed one in SD 9 primary” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — Democrat Patricia Sigman will soon find out if all the support she has received from the Democratic establishment and all the work she has put in since January will translate to Democratic votes in SD 9. And Democrats Rick Ashby, Alexis Carter, H. Alexander Duncan, and Guerdy Remy will discover whether all the time they’ve spent in the trenches can win over enough grassroots support. At stake is the Democratic Party’s ambition to flip the SD 9 Senate seat, which has been in Republican control for decades. To Democrats, it looks ever so available now, with a popular incumbent stepping out, a somewhat flawed Republican awaiting in November, and a voter registration base now close to even between the parties.
—“SD 29 voters to choose between Tina Polsky and Irv Slosberg after feisty Democratic primary battle” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics
“Shevrin Jones seeks shift to Senate amid a packed SD 35 field” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Jones has been the favorite among the Senate District 35 field in terms of money and Democratic Party support. He’ll find out Tuesday night whether those benefits propel him to victory and into a Senate seat. Jones is competing amid a packed Democratic primary field. Also competing for the seat are former Sen. Daphne Campbell, former firefighter Wilbur Harbin, Miami Gardens City Council member Erhabor Ighodaro, former Rep. Cynthia Stafford and outgoing Rep. Barbara Watson. Jones was the clear leader in the fundraising contest, adding nearly $660,000 this cycle through July 31 between his campaign and his political committee, Florida Strong Finish. Ighodaro ranked second, adding just $134,000. Jones became the favorite among Democratic Party leaders, courting endorsements from U.S. Reps. Alcee Hastings and Debbie Wasserman Schultz as well as state Sen. Perry Thurston.
“’GOP for Beautiful Statues’ flyer targets Alex Andrade, Michelle Salzman” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — GOP for Beautiful Statues, a Facebook group that supports preserving Confederate monuments, sent the flyers to voters Saturday. Both Pensacola Republicans are running in contested primaries to represent parts of Escambia County. But neither candidate opposes “statewide protection” as the flyer suggests. Andrade, a freshman Representative running for a second term, has never publicly commented on removing Confederate statues and doesn’t plan to ahead of Tuesday. And Salzman, a political newcomer, told WUWF in July she doesn’t personally support removing Confederate monuments. But she indicated she would defer to her constituents and didn’t want to address the removal of one monument in Pensacola that isn’t located in HD 1.
“HD 1 primary pits controversial incumbent Mike Hill against establishment-backed Michelle Salzman” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — A few months ago, Hill had flatlined in fundraising while Salzman pulled in maximum contributions and major endorsements. Heading into the Republican primary for House District 1, Hill and Salzman are near even in the money race and Hill has added nods from associations and trade groups such as the National Federation of Independent Business. Salzman hasn’t floundered in the final weeks of the primary; she’s picked up endorsements from the Florida Medical Association and posted a five-figure report to close out July. But Hill has gone on the offensive, smearing Salzman with mailers claiming she supports defunding police and other positions that would be controversial in any GOP primary, let alone one in the deep red Escambia County district.
—“Tumultuous HD 2 primary between Alex Andrade, Cris Dosev fueled by Trump loyalty” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics
—”District 4 state House candidates discuss qualifications, issues, and the Mid-Bay Bridge” via Tom McLaughlin of the Northwest Florida Daily News
—“Tuesday primary puts Jacksonville lawmakers Kim Daniels, Tracie Davis on collision course” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
—“The only thing standing in Fred Hawkins’ way in the HD 42 primary is Fred Hawkins” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics
—“Democratic scramble on for Amy Mercado’s seat in HD 48” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics
—“Ned Hancock and Kaylee Tuck fight for the Heartland vote in HD 55” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
“Local Republicans in Florida go after one of their own in Randy Fine” via Ed Dean of Florida Phoenix — Fine, who has run on the mantle of being a conservative Republican, faces a primary challenge from Marcie Adkins on Tuesday. But the challenge against Fine hasn’t just come from his primary opponent. Instead, it has arisen, in part, from other Republican officials and party leaders. “Fine isn’t a conservative,” said Alex Snitker who ran the Liberty First Network in Florida. In 2018, the Liberty Network released its legislative scorecard and gave Fine a “D-” grade. “His votes show he is part of the problem, not the solution,” said Snitker.
“Poll shows Fine dominating primary” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — A Florida Politics-commissioned St. Pete Polls survey of likely Republican voters found if the election were held today, 59% would vote for Fine. That compares to less than 22% who would choose Adkins, his primary challenger. That leaves less than 20% of voters undecided, but even if all of those vote for Adkins, Fine would still win in a landslide. Moreover, Fine dominates even more among those respondents who already voted in the primary. Among those voters whose vote has already been cast, nearly 68% say they voted for Fine. About 25% of the ballot share went to Adkins. Another nearly 8% declined to say for whom they voted. But if trends continue, there’s a chance the loss could be more embarrassing for Adkins than the toplines alone reveal.
—“Danny Kushmer, Michael Owen battle for the chance to reclaim HD 59 for Republicans” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics
“Traci Koster assumes Jamie Grant’s spot as Republican nominee for HD 64” via Joe Henderson of Florida Politics — She will oppose Democrat Jessica Harrington in the general election. Grant, who has represented the district since 2010, withdrew his name from the ballot on Thursday and will assume the job as Florida’s Chief Information Officer. Republicans quickly turned to Koster, who has won accolades for her pro bono legal work. She also serves on the board of directors for Hillsborough County Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division. Koster’s selection came after a vote by GOP State Executive Committee members living in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. On Twitter, incoming House Speaker Chris Sprowls praised her “great vision for Florida.”
—“Michele Rayner heads into Tuesday election with major cash advantage in what could be a tight four-way race” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics
—“Negative ads only latest stop on dark road to HD 76 GOP primary” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
—“Veterans Bryan Blackwell, Mike Giallombardo go to war in HD 77” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
“Once dormant HD 78 race takes hostile turn in final days” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — The Republican primary for House District 78 escalated into one of the most negative in the region. Fort Myers lawyer Persons and foundation leader Lolly have seen their business partnerships and models called into question in mailers and television commercials. Oddly, a few weeks ago it seemed an almost dormant race. Persons, since blasting onto the scene raising six figures in her first month running, dominated fundraising. Through Thursday, she spent more than $262,000 on the race. Her Conservative Legacy Fund political committee also spent $83,265. Lolly meanwhile held fire for the most part through most of July. He raised $48,475 in outside contributions through Thursday, though he hasn’t reported donations in the past three weeks.
“Democrat Kelly Skidmore spends another $45K in final push for HD 81 nod” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Skidmore is facing attorney Michael Weinstein in the Democratic primary. Skidmore’s campaign sent $20,000 to Impact Politics for TV advertising and nearly $20,000 more to Victory Political Mail for a direct mail campaign. Those two items made up the bulk of Skidmore’s expenditures in the final financial reporting period, covering Aug. 1-13. Weinstein spent just over $30,000, almost all of which went toward Cornerstone Solutions covering expenses for consulting, phone banking, direct mail and other last-minute spending items. Skidmore spent more than $106,000 in less than three months between her campaign and her political committee, Floridians for Early Education. Weinstein edged out Skidmore in that metric, dropping $121,000 into the race.
—“Diverse candidates seek GOP candidacy in HD 80” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
—“Skidmore hopes to return to the House with HD 81 battle against Michael Weinstein” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics
“Al Jacquet directed a homophobic slur at an opponent and spent $0 on his reelection bid. Will he hold his seat Tuesday?” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Jacquet has faced multiple controversies this campaign cycle and is facing a serious primary challenge from Lake Worth Beach Commissioner Omari Hardy. In response to those challenges, Jacquet spent a total of $0 on his reelection campaign. That’s according to the final financial reports submitted Friday and despite the fact Jacquet had close to $40,000 in his campaign account. The odd strategy comes after Jacquet faced numerous questions surrounding the location of his district office and after he faced fines over campaign violations. The incumbent also lost his status as the ranking member of the Rules Committee after he directed a homophobic slur at Hardy during the campaign. Yet Jacquet seems to be simply banking on name recognition and his ties to the House District 88 Haitian community to hold onto his seat.
—“Javier Estevez looking for another shot after razor-thin loss in HD 105” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics
—“Rosy Palomino faces Bruno Barreiro in HD 112 GOP primary, hoping for a take-three on incumbent Nicholas Duran” via Spencer Fordin of Florida Politics
— DOWN BALLOT —
“Secret money shakes up Broward State Attorney race. And even billionaire George Soros has pitched in.” via Rafael Olmeda of The South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Secret and not-so-secret donors are pouring thousands in campaign cash to the candidates who want to be Broward’s next top prosecutor, shaking up the Democratic primary in its crucial final days. Eight candidates are looking for the Democratic nomination, and four of them are being helped by political action committees — fundraising groups that can accept larger donations than individual campaigns and can make it more challenging to find out where the money is coming from. The PACs are not allowed to coordinate directly with campaigns, but they can boost candidates by praising their public stands and attacking their opponents. In a race with eight candidates, where it’s unlikely any will emerge with more than 50 percent of the vote on Tuesday, the boost may still be enough to influence the outcome, even after taking early voting and mail-in ballots into account.
“Group with ties to billionaire George Soros spends $1.5 million on last-minute ads in Orange-Osceola state attorney race” via Jason Garcia of the Orlando Sentinel — Records show that a new political committee raised more than $2.2 million and spent more than $1.5 million in the past two weeks — all of it, according to organizers, on behalf of Monique Worrell, a criminal-justice reform advocate who is one of four Democrats competing in the primary to become the local state attorney. That political committee — called “Our Vote Our Voice” — has raised most of its money from two sources: $1 million from the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, the group that spearheaded the 2018 constitutional amendment restoring voting rights to people who have completed felony sentences, and $1 million from Democracy PAC, a political committee set up by Soros, a Democratic billionaire and megadonor.
“Broward sheriff race hinges on massacre, old shooting” via Terry Spencer of The Associated Press — The two shootings dominating the Democratic primary for sheriff in Broward County, Florida, couldn’t be more different. The 2018 massacre that pushed former sheriff and current challenger Scott Israel out of office left 14 students and three adults dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, a top-tier school in the wealthy Fort Lauderdale suburb of Parkland. A former student is awaiting trial. The campaign of Sheriff Gregory Tony, appointed by DeSantis when he fired Israel in 2019, is haunted by his 1993 killing of an 18-year-old neighbor in a poverty-stricken section of Philadelphia when he was 14. A judge found he was defending himself and his brother, but he has been hammered for not disclosing the shooting to DeSantis or when applying for police jobs.
—“After multiple election mishaps, Broward voters to elect new Supervisor of Elections” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics
“Chad Chronister likely to coast to victory Tuesday despite nasty primary” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — Chronister is facing a primary challenger Tuesday in a race that has turned ugly this summer. Charles Brian Boswell, a former Hillsborough County Sheriffs detective, is attempting to paint Chronister as a corrupt cop and a faux conservative, with supporters often attacking Chronister for his past support of Democrats, including a $15,000 contribution to former President Barack Obama in 2012. Boswell served 25 years with HCSO, but was forced out of his position after disciplinary action dating back to 2014 triggered a demotion, reduction in pay, suspensions and, ultimately, his job. Chronister has raised more than $300,000 for his campaign compared to Boswell’s $45,000.
—“Hillsborough Clerk’s race pits big money against political jockeying” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics
—“Kionne McGhee and Marlon Hill lead five-man battle for Miami-Dade County Commission seat” via Spencer Fordin of Florida Politics
—“Sybrina Fulton attracts national attention in Miami-Dade County Commission battle against Oliver Gilbert III” via Spencer Fordin of Florida Politics
—“Rene Flowers, Wengay Newton to face off in nail-biter Pinellas County Commission primary” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics
“Incumbent Polk Commissioner John Hall in nasty primary race against Neil Combee” via Kevin Bouffard of The Ledger of Lakeland — Hall, seeking a third consecutive four-year term on the Commission, faces a stiff challenge from Combee, a former commissioner and state representative. Combee came under attack in a postcard mailed in early August from an unidentified source that contained his picture with the caption, “Shady’s Back. Warn your friends!” It contains several personal attacks, labeling him a “professional quitter” and that Combee is seeking a new job because “McDonald’s already has a clown.” Combee accused Hall of responsibility for the mailer, which the incumbent denied. “It is deplorable; it is despicable,” Hall said. “As a Christian, I’m not going to lower myself to that.”
—“Amy Mercado hopes to oust Rick Singh as Orange County Property Appraiser” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics
“Postal officials warn of mail-ballot problems” via Dara Kam of the News Service of Florida — Florida is among states that received alerts from U.S. Postal Service General Counsel Thomas Marshall late last month. Marshall cautioned 46 states, including Florida, that mail-in ballot policies conflict with the postal service’s delivery schedules. “This mismatch creates a risk that ballots requested near the deadline under state law will not be returned by mail in time to be counted under your laws as we understand them,” Marshall wrote to Secretary of State Laurel Lee on July 29, in a letter. Certain Florida law “requirements and deadlines appear to be incompatible with the Postal Service’s delivery standards,” Marshall noted. Under Florida law, county supervisors of elections can send mail-in ballots to voters up to eight days before an election.
“Donald Trump’s assault on the U.S. Postal Service gives Democrats a new campaign message” via Rachael Bade, Erica Werner and Seung Min Kim of The Washington Post — Democrats say that Trump’s assault on the U.S. Postal Service has handed them a new political message in the 2020 election, with a chance to make inroads with constituencies who have long favored Republicans. High-profile Democrats from Obama to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sounded the alarm Friday about the president’s moves to denigrate government-run mail services, decrying it as an assault on democracy and the needs of citizens who rely on its daily deliveries. Those most affected by reports of slowdowns in delivery services include veterans, senior citizens and rural residents who have long voted Republican, arming Democratic challengers and incumbents with a salient campaign issue.
“Tracing Trump’s Postal Service obsession — from ‘loser’ to ‘scam’ to ‘rigged election’” via Philip Rucker, Josh Dawsey and Ashley Parker of The Washington Post — Soon after taking office in 2017, Trump seized on the U.S. Postal Service as an emblem of the bloated bureaucracy. “A loser,” he repeatedly labeled one of America’s most beloved public institutions. Allies coddled Trump by telling him the reason he lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton in 2016 was widespread mail-in balloting fraud. Then Trump complained to senior White House advisers that Jeff Bezos was “getting rich” because Amazon had been “ripping off” the Postal Service. And now Trump has fixated again on the Postal Service, this time trying to make it a tool in his reelection campaign by slowing mail service, blocking an emergency infusion of federal funds and challenging the integrity of mail-in balloting.
—“State officials rush to shore up confidence in Nov. 3 election as voters express new fears about mail voting” via Amy Gardner and Seung Min Kim of The Washington Post
“Kamala Harris ‘electrifies’ West Indian voters — and gives Joe Biden a new edge in Florida” via Marc Caputo of POLITICO — Almost as soon as Harris became the first woman of Jamaican-Indian descent to be nominated for vice president, a mock White House menu of oxtail and jerk chicken cropped up on a West Indian diaspora Facebook group called Soca de Vote. Calls from Caribbean radio show hosts flooded the Biden campaign from South Florida. And a jolt of excitement shot through the crowd of early vote poll workers at the Lauderdhill Mall, in the midst of Broward County’s growing Jamaican community. That feeling stretches beyond the Jamaican-American community and the more traditional African American community, shared by those in South Florida with roots in Haiti, the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago or Guyana.
“‘It’s in our DNA’: Why Black women are an electoral force in Florida” via Margo Snipe of the Tampa Bay Times — In Florida, 57 percent of Black women are registered to vote, the highest percentage for any racial, ethnic or gender voting bloc, according to an analysis of the state’s Division of Elections data conducted by former University of South Florida Political Science Professor Susan MacManus. The analysis also shows that the greatest gender-based registration gaps falls among Black registrants. Black men’s registration rate falls at 42 percent, a figure 15 percent lower than Black women. Beyond voting behavior, the number of Black women on the ballot for Florida’s congressional and state legislative seats is on the rise this year. The upswing, said MacManus, appears to stem from a tradition of activism and organizing on the part of Black women while in college. It’s a level of participation that serves as a definitive rebuke of how Black women were treated in the women’s suffrage movement, which was aimed mostly toward securing equal rights for white women.
“Democrats head to convention united against Trump, but expecting conflict once the election is over” via Dan Balz of The Washington Post — The Democratic National Convention will open in a spirit of unity and shared purpose, with the Party’s often-warring moderate establishment and galvanized liberal wings agreeing, for now, to set aside their differences to defeat Trump and deliver the White House to Biden. That’s not to say that divisions and disagreements don’t exist. They do and probably will be back if Biden wins, potentially complicating his efforts to govern. Still, the overall mood on the eve of this year’s convention contrasts with that of four years ago when Clinton arrived in Philadelphia still dealing with the grievances of a long and rugged nominating contest against Sen. Bernie Sanders.
“Biden, often defined by words, faces his biggest (and strangest) speech yet” via Matt Viser of The Washington Post — Biden now faces the most consequential speech of his political career — Thursday’s address claiming the Democratic nomination he has sought for much of his life — and it will unfold under extraordinary circumstances, with strict social distancing and no cheering crowd in the room. It comes days after a similarly constrained speech, Biden’s introduction of Sen. Harris as his running mate. A speaker who thrives on speaking extemporaneously, often feeding off his audience and just as often frustrating his staff, is now preparing for something he’s never faced. His speechwriters are attempting to craft something entirely new — a convention speech without built-in applause lines, lacking the crowd’s appreciative laughter or adoring cheers, where any pause could look awkward or worse.
“Nikki Fried to speak at Democratic National Convention” via Steve Contorno of the Tampa Bay Times — Fried will have a speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention, the party announced Sunday. Fried will join 16 other Democratic rising stars to deliver a joint keynote address on Tuesday under the theme “Leadership Matters.” Together, they’ll speak about the Democratic Party’s vision for America and display the faces who are shaping the future of the party. As the only Florida Democrat to win a statewide race in 2018, Fried will represent the country’s largest swing state in the convention; no other Floridian currently has a speaking role in the festivities. The distinction further solidifies Fried as the de facto leader of the Florida Democratic Party.
— CORONA FLORIDA —
“New COVID-19 cases in Florida plunge before primary election” via Bobby Caina Calvan of The Associated Press — Florida reported about 3,900 new cases of the coronavirus Sunday, the lowest daily total in nearly two months. The number of Floridians dying of the disease — 107 — also took a dramatic downward turn. The lower numbers come just days before primaries across the state for congressional, legislative and other seats. More than 2.3 million people have opted to vote early, instead of braving lines and the risk of infection. Election officials have urged voters to avoid the trip to precincts on Election Day by casting ballots early, including mailing in their completed ballots. Officials, however, have assured voters who decide to show up at the polls that doing so will be safe.
“Facing massive backlog of uncounted COVID-19 deaths, FL medical examiners streamline review” via Ben Wieder of the Miami Herald — Medical examiner’s offices in South Florida have a backlog of more than 1,200 suspected COVID-19 deaths awaiting certification, according to the Florida Medical Examiners Commission. Medical examiner offices had struggled to keep up with a recent spike in COVID-19 deaths, with more than 2,300 deaths reported statewide in just the past two weeks, according to the Florida Department of Health. The health department relies on its own information in determining the number of COVID-19 deaths in the state and didn’t respond immediately to a question about whether the backlog of medical examiner cases impacts the state’s numbers. On Friday, the commission voted to streamline the review of such deaths.
“Panel mulls nursing home visits without tests” via Christine Sexton of the News Service of Florida — Members of the Task Force on the Safe and Limited Re-Opening of Long-Term Care Facilities met for about 90 minutes before agreeing to meet again to consider the details of allowing “essential” and “compassionate” visitation at nursing homes, including facilities that have residents who have tested positive for COVID-19. Under the proposal, people visiting long-term care facilities would have to wear personal protective equipment, such as face masks. Agency for Healthcare Administration Secretary Mary Mayhew, who is the task force’s chairwoman, said she wants the panel to provide short-term recommendations to DeSantis immediately. One of the suggestions would require facilities to keep records authorizing individuals to visit certain residents. Mayhew made clear that visitation shouldn’t hinge on testing.
“State official predicts bars and breweries could remain closed for six more months” via Suzy Fleming Leonard of Florida Today — With anticipated spikes in COVID-19 cases as school begins, it could be six more months before Florida’s bars and breweries are allowed to reopen. The prediction was made Friday by the head of Florida’s regulatory agency for bars and restaurants during a meeting with craft brewers in Vero Beach, said Chris Hughes, an owner of Dirty Oar Beer Company in Cocoa Village. For the past few weeks, Halsey Beshears, secretary of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, has traveled the state meeting with bar and brewery owners. He was in Brevard and Indian River counties Friday. The meetings were not open to the public, and reporters were not allowed to attend.
— BACK TO SCHOOL? —
“State won’t allow VPK enrollment for distance learning, despite ongoing COVID-19 pandemic” via TaMaryn Waters of the Tallahassee Democrat — Preschoolers flourish when they’re exposed to social and learning cues taught in classrooms that prepare them for kindergarten. Early learning, in fact, has become a political selling point for a Leon County ballot effort in the November election to create a property tax to address children’s issues. The battle over reopening schools rages on, however. In Florida, the novel coronavirus led to at least 557,000 infections and 8,900 deaths, according to the state’s Department of Health. Unlike income-based programs, the main criteria for enrollment in the state’s VPK program is that the child must be 4-years-old on or before Sept. 1 of the current school year and be a Florida resident. The free program pays for three hours of instructional time per day, offering significant savings toward the steep cost of early learning education.
“Shutdown not necessary if students get virus, Ron DeSantis says” via Zac Anderson of The Palm Beach Post — Continuing his push to reopen schools Friday, DeSantis emphasized the mental health ramifications of keeping children at home and said schools shouldn’t be quick to shut down again if they have a coronavirus infection. Schools in other states have opened and then quickly closed again because of coronavirus outbreaks among students, raising the question of how Florida districts will deal with cases of infected students and teachers. Some Florida school districts began classroom instruction this week, while Palm Beach County is reopening only for remote learning on Aug. 31.
“‘I was shocked’: Teachers protest ‘shameful’ firing of over 80 Santa Rosa County teachers” via Annie Blanks of the Pensacola News Journal — Elizabeth King stood on the sidewalk along U.S. 90 in the August heat Friday morning, along with about 50 other teachers and supporters, to demonstrate against the mass teacher layoffs this week in Santa Rosa County. King, who has worked in the Santa Rosa County School District for 13 years and was getting ready to start the school year as a teacher at Berryhill Elementary, said she spent all summer getting her classroom prepared but was informed Wednesday that her position had been eliminated. “The reason they said I was let go was because I was the most recently hired,” said King, who began working at Berryhill in January. “I’m devastated. Everything was totally ready and set up for my kids.”
— CORONA LOCAL —
“‘Herd immunity’ in Miami-Dade could be slowing virus spread” via Ben Conarck and Daniel Chang of The Miami Herald — As a deadly summer wave of virus continues to recede, Miami-Dade County officials and scientists are trying to figure out what combination of factors may have contributed to slowing a surge of COVID-19 cases that at one point threatened to topple South Florida’s health care infrastructure. Social distancing measures, face mask orders and curfews certainly helped, public health experts say, but so did other factors that they’re still working to understand.
“FAU pushes coronavirus skeptic as ‘expert’ even as scientists pan his views” via Chris Persaud of The Palm Beach Post — Florida Atlantic University this summer has promoted the contrarian coronavirus statements of a finance professor with no background in public health, drawing criticism both from alumni and independent scientists. The Boca Raton-based university has touted Rebel A. Cole as an “expert” as he echoes debunked claims made by Trump and his supporters, calls mainstream coverage of the pandemic a “false narrative” and alleges the reporters writing the stories are liars. In a news release placed on the website’s homepage last month, FAU led readers to Cole’s Twitter feed, in which he blames an increase in tests for Florida’s spike in coronavirus diagnoses, calls for the widespread reopening of public schools and shares social-media posts such as one equating a Lee County mask mandate to Nazi Germany.
— MORE LOCAL —
“Orlando airport leadership shrinks as COVID challenges grow” via Kevin Spear of the Orlando Sentinel — The three empty seats have not yet been filled with appointments by DeSantis. Asked about the vacancies, a DeSantis spokesman said, “the Governor is reviewing applications.” The beleaguered airport — which spans more land than Winter Park, has three fire stations, more than 1,200 law and security officers and hosts 20,000 workers — is not subsidized by outside governments or taxpayers. “We are out here by ourselves,” said Rafael “Ralph” Martinez, an Orlando lawyer on the authority board. The four remaining board members — Martinez, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and Carson Good — have expressed confidence in the authority’s executive staff for managing operations.
Assignment editors — Sen. Randolph Bracy will hold a joint news conference with Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill and Florida Rights Restoration Coalition President Desmond Meade to discuss possible solutions to the COVID-19 emergency in Florida’s prisons, 10 a.m., Orlando City Hall.
“2 Universal Orlando hotels will shut down on Aug. 21” via Mark Skoneki and DeWayne Bevil of the Orlando Sentinel — Two of Universal Orlando’s signature hotels — the Loews Sapphire Falls Resort and the Aventura — will close on Aug. 21 amid the tourism struggles brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. The moves comes as Loews Hotels said it “decided to consolidate our hotel operations as we manage through current conditions.” “We will be operating the Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Universal’s Endless Summer Resort — Surfside Inn and Suites and temporarily suspending operations at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort and Universal’s Aventura Hotel as of August 21,’’ a statement from Loews said Friday.
“Cocoa City Council passes mask requirement ordinance to start Saturday” via Tyler Vazquez of Florida Today — Cocoa City Council unanimously voted in favor of a mask requirement emergency ordinance at a meeting Wednesday. The ordinance will require masks or face coverings to be worn in places that are open to the public starting Saturday. City Council will review the ordinance every 30 days to determine whether it should be extended or allowed to expire based on the status of the coronavirus pandemic in the county.
“Students moving into FSU residence halls before getting COVID-19 results” via Byron Dobson of the Tallahassee Democrat — Florida State University is mandating that all students moving into residence halls first get tested for COVID-19 at the Tucker Center. But since that can take 24 hours, some parents have raised concerns students are moving in without knowing whether they have the coronavirus. The issue surfaced at the end of Thursday’s Board of Trustees meeting, when trustee Craig Mateer said he heard from parents. “I’m not sure how to handle that … I just want to make you are aware a couple of people have reached out to me and said that,” Mateer told board chairman Ed Burr during an open discussion period.
— CORONA NATION —
“COVID-19 shaping up to be battle for years even with vaccine” via Drew Armstrong and Riley Griffin of Bloomberg — The coronavirus pandemic is likely to be a challenge for years to come even with a vaccine, according to pharmaceutical and public-health experts. While a vaccine will provide some measure of protection to societies around the globe, the virus is likely to flare up from time to time and be constantly battled, much like the flu and other pathogens. “We know this virus is not going away any time soon. It’s established itself and is going to keep on transmitting wherever it’s able to do so,” said Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist for the World Health Organizations. “We know we have to live with this.”
“CDC’s chief of staff, deputy chief of staff jointly depart” via Dan Diamond of POLITICO — Kyle McGowan, the CDC’s chief of staff, and Amanda Campbell, the deputy chief of staff, both announced their departures in emails to colleagues on Friday morning. In an interview, McGowan said that the pair were starting a new consulting venture and that he wasn’t aware of other pending departures from CDC. McGowan and Campbell were two of the handful of Trump appointees currently at CDC, which employs more than 20,000 staff and contractors around the globe. The Atlanta-based CDC has been faulted within the Trump administration for its early response to the outbreak, particularly its botched rollout of coronavirus tests and its messaging differences with the White House.
“Don’t just look at COVID-19 fatality rates. Look at people who survive — but don’t entirely recover.” via Megan McArdle of The Washington Post — We’re focusing too much on fatality rates and not enough on the people who don’t die, but don’t entirely recover, either. Anecdotal reports of these people abound. At least seven elite college athletes have developed myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle that can have severe consequences, including sudden death. An Austrian doctor who treats scuba divers reported that six patients, who had only mild COVID-19 infections, seem to have significant and permanent lung damage. Now, data is coming in behind the anecdotes, and while it’s preliminary, it’s also “concerning,” says Clyde Yancy, chief of cardiology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.
“Doctors see rise in limb-threatening blood clots during COVID-19 crisis” via Mario Ariza of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Health experts are now encountering a rare and terrifying COVID-19 complication: plug-like blood clots in the limbs of coronavirus victims that strangle circulation. And that means you could lose a limb to COVID-19, even if you don’t lose your life. After querying 10 major hospital networks in Florida, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel has found 26 previously unreported examples of these coronavirus-caused limb clots. These clots contributed to the death of at least six of the patients who had them. And in at least one instance, surgeons at the University of Miami report having to amputate the leg of a Miami-Dade man in his mid-50s who lost circulation to the limb after contracting the virus.
— CORONA ECONOMICS —
“Defund the police? It’s already happening thanks to the COVID-19 budget crunch” via Rebecca Rainey and Maya King of POLITICO — Cities are slashing their police-department spending this summer — because coronavirus is ravaging their budgets. The trend isn’t likely to change soon, with Democrats and Republicans in Congress at a stalemate over how much aid to send to cities and states. President Donald Trump and the GOP have been staunchly opposed to providing “blue state bailouts” in the next pandemic aid package. Republicans are offering $105 billion just for schools, with Democrats pushing for $1 trillion for all state budgets. Nearly half the 258 police chiefs and sheriffs surveyed by the nonprofit Police Executive Research Forum in July said they were experiencing or expected to see budget cuts in the upcoming fiscal year, most in the 5-10% range.
— MORE CORONA —
“The FDA gives emergency approval for a new spit test is U.S. testing stalls” via The New York Times — The new test, SalivaDirect, was developed by researchers at Yale University with some of the funding coming from the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association, the university announced. The method, it said, was being further validated through testing of asymptomatic NBA players and staff members. SalivaDirect is not the first test of its kind to secure the FDA’s backing — a lab affiliated with Rutgers University received emergency authorization in May for a similar test. Public health officials have argued for months that to get a handle on the pandemic, the United States still needs to increase overall testing, perhaps up to four million people daily, including many who are asymptomatic.
— D.C. MATTERS —
“Nancy Pelosi shortens House vacation to deal with Postal Service concerns” via John Bresnahan of POLITICO — The House is expected to return on Saturday, Aug. 22. “That is why I am calling upon the House to return to session later this week to vote on Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman [Carolyn] Maloney’s ‘Delivering for America Act,’ which prohibits the Postal Service from implementing any changes to operations or level of service it had in place on January 1, 2020,” Pelosi said in a letter to fellow House Democrats. “House Democratic Leader [Steny] Hoyer will soon be announcing the legislative schedule for the coming week.”
Assignment editors — U.S. Rep. Crist will present a symbolic $21.8 million check to the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority at the groundbreaking of the SunRunner Bus Rapid Transit project, slated to for completion in 2022, 10 a.m., Tropicana Field, 1 Tropicana Drive, Lot 6, St. Petersburg. Then, Crist will visit Kozuba & Sons Distillery to learn about their efforts to switch production to hand sanitizer to support first responders, nonprofits, and health care workers, 10:30 a.m., 1960 5th Ave S, St. Petersburg. Later, he will visit St. Pete City Refuge to discuss COVID-19 impacts on residents experiencing homelessness and/or recovering from addiction, 11:15 a.m., 5045 38th Ave N, St. Petersburg.
— STATEWIDE —
“Tax revenue is projected to take big hit” via Jim Turner of the News Service of Florida — Economists lowered an estimate of general revenue for this fiscal year by $3.42 billion and an estimate for the 2021-2022 fiscal year by nearly $2 billion. Tax revenues began plummeting in April after businesses shut down or dramatically scaled back because of the pandemic. The drop in revenues has led to widespread speculation about whether lawmakers will have to return to Tallahassee to cut a budget that took effect July 1. But Republican leaders maintain that expanded budget reserves approved during this year’s Legislative Session, along with cash-conserving vetoes by DeSantis, will prevent the need for a Special Session before the November elections.
“How did Renatha Francis ascend to Florida’s highest court?” via Dan Sullivan of the Tampa Bay Times — DeSantis selected two justices for the Florida Supreme Court. One of them was Francis, a circuit judge in Palm Beach County. Her appointment was hailed for adding diversity to a court that lacks it. An immigrant from Jamaica, she would be the only Black justice and the only female. But as the initial praise subsided, there came whispers in Florida’s legal community: Why her? Francis was one of 32 applicants for the vacancies on Florida’s highest court. Seven were Black. Some of the others were judges with decades on the bench. Francis lacks similar experience, yet she was the only nonwhite candidate of nine final nominees submitted to the Governor.
“DeSantis names Matt Walsh as interim Clay County Sheriff” via Teresa Stepzinski and Clayton Freeman of The Florida Times-Union — A day after removing Clay County Sheriff Darryl Daniels from office, DeSantis named Walsh as interim Clay County Sheriff on Saturday. The move comes two days after Daniels was arrested in connection to a sex scandal where he had ordered deputies to arrest his mistress. Walsh, the new interim sheriff, represents the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and has 17 years of experience with the agency and 23 years total in law enforcement. Most recently, he held the title of assistant special agent in charge of FDLE’s Jacksonville Regional Operations Center and had also served as supervisor of the Public Integrity Squad. Walsh assumes the office immediately.
“Joel Greenberg’s blockchain venture used public money: county conducting audit” via Martin E. Comas of the Orlando Sentinel — Former Seminole Tax Collector Greenberg billed his own office $65,860 last year to buy computer servers for a private company he started to capitalize on blockchain technology, records show. Greenberg and his company, Government Blockchain Systems LLC, eventually returned the money to the public office through a series of checks, though it’s unclear what prompted the refunds. In an e-mail on Feb. 11, Greenberg wrote to the Tax Collector’s Office accounting supervisor, “40,860 will arrive tomorrow via check to make up the balance of 65,860 minus 25,000 already refunded.” That is the same month the office brought in Brian Bieber, a white-collar criminal defense attorney with GrayRobinson, to represent the office in a federal investigation. Greenberg was indicted in June on multiple federal charges of stalking a political opponent and using his office to steal old driver’s licenses as well as create fake identifications. He resigned from the office the next day.
“JEA will pay $1 million more per year for Plant Vogtle electricity in MEAG settlement” via David Bauerlein of the Florida Times-Union — JEA will pay about $1 million more per year to the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia, which is a co-owner of Plant Vogtle, in order to settle a lawsuit that centered on whether a 2008 agreement binding JEA to buy power from Vogtle for 20 years is valid and enforceable. JEA’s higher cost for the electricity is on top of about $10 million in legal fees that JEA piled up in a futile attempt to void the Plant Vogtle contract. If the court battle had continued, JEA would have run up millions of dollars more in legal expenses and risked the possibility that MEAG Power could have won a breach-of-contract claim adding a high-dollar damage judgment to JEA’s tab.
“East Naples man accused of yelling racist slurs on video fled at 100 mph” via Kaitlin Greenockle of the Naples Daily News — Jeffrey Adam Rouse led deputies on a chase Friday, verbally threatened someone and defaced two political signs, according to a Collier County Sheriff’s Office Facebook post. On Friday evening, Rouse led deputies on a pursuit after radar detected him driving more than 100 mph at Immokalee Road and U.S. 41, the Sheriff’s Office stated. Deputies terminated the pursuit for the safety of other drivers in the area and Rouse went to his home, the post states. Deputies took him into custody Saturday morning at his residence.
— TOP OPINION —
“The post office’s problem isn’t Trump” via The Wall Street Journal editorial board — Two months into his new job, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is being keelhauled by Democrats for alleged sabotage of the U.S. Postal Service. Nearly 200 House Democrats signed a letter this week accusing him of acting to “accelerate the crisis” at the USPS. Apparently they missed the post office’s news release last Friday when it reported losing another $2.2 billion last quarter. Congress has only itself to blame for this mess. Total losses since 2007 run to $78 billion, according to a May report by the Government Accountability Office, which said that the “USPS’s current business model is not financially sustainable.” Overall mail volume peaked in 2006, at 213 billion pieces. As of last year, it was down 33%.
— OPINIONS —
“How a vote-by-mail mixup got fixed, and more election tales” via Steve Bousquet of the Tampa Florida Sun-Sentinel — Margaret Kempel finally got her vote-by-mail ballot Friday. In a FedEx envelope. Kempel, a Democrat who lives in Dania Beach. She has spent this summer in a Chicago suburb on family business. She emailed the elections office July 22 asking to send a ballot to Illinois. The elections website says it mailed “Ballot 2″ on Aug. 3. Kempel said it never arrived. After Kempel shared her story with me, I started asking questions, and the next thing Kempel knew, she got a very welcome call from Pete Antonacci, telling her a mail ballot was being sent overnight with a prepaid return FedEx envelope. Kempel’s ballot must reach Broward by 7 p.m. Tuesday or it won’t count.
— TODAY’S SUNRISE —
Florida’s Department of Health reports 3,579 new cases of coronavirus — the lowest number of new cases reported in a single day since June.
Also, on today’s Sunrise:
— The state also reported on Sunday 107 new fatalities from COVID-19. That brings Florida’s death toll to at least 9, 587 and at this rate, the number will exceed 10,000 in just a few days.
— While casualties mount, the reopening of public schools continues; as does the lawsuit filed by the teachers’ union that accuses Education Commissioner Corcoran of violating the state constitution in his rush to reopen.
— Tomorrow is primary day, but more than 2.5 million of us have already cast a ballot, including 2 million who voted by mail. But there are just as many mail-in ballots that have yet to be returned.
— The Democratic National Convention starts today — virtually, of course — and Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried gets a chance to shine as one of the keynote speakers.
— Former U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson has been keeping a low profile since his narrow loss to Rick Scott almost 2 years ago. But he’s come out of retirement to defend Social Security and to tell reporters he actually misses them. On Sunrise, Nelson defends Social Security and predicts seniors will turn on Trump.
— And the latest with Florida Man, who crashed into an unmarked car that contained a deputy and his K-9 partner.
To listen, click on the image below:
— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —
— ALOE —
“11 supposedly fun things we’ll never do the same way again” via Bryan Pietsch of The New York Times — The tradition of singing around a birthday cake and blowing out the candles could fade. If you still smoke tobacco, you already know you should quit, but now there’s an added risk in a shared vape or cigarette. As for marijuana, more users are turning to edibles during the pandemic. Swimming around in a pool of plastic balls could become a thing of the past. Reusable samples have been replaced with single-use, disposable items at makeup counters. At crowded bars, if your group keeps social-distancing rules, talks quietly and avoids sharing drinks, you’re likely to follow suit.
“In ‘Boys State,’ American politics in a teenage microcosm” via Jake Coyle of The Associated Press — Even mock elections require wall-to-wall coverage, so when Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine set out to document Texas’ Boys State, the summer camp of civics simulation run by the American Legion since 1935, they hired seven cinematographers to stay close to a handful of the 1,100 participants — all 17- and 18-year-old boys, some with very real political ambition. In the often patient and plodding world of documentary filmmaking, it was an intense pace keeping up with the campaigns of two fictional parties — the Federalists and the Nationalists — as they picked their candidates and established a party platform. The result, “Boys State,” is one of the most acclaimed documentaries of the year. It’s an uncommonly engaging, thoughtful and often funny documentary.
“Sea turtle named for NASA-SpaceX astronauts returns to ocean in Satellite Beach” via Rick Neale of Florida Today — A juvenile green sea turtle who got tangled in braided fishing line and named for the SpaceX Crew Dragon astronauts has returned to the sea in Satellite Beach. Bob’n’Doug was rescued July 14 at Seagull Park in South Patrick Shores. Fishing line was wrapped around the ailing turtle’s right front flipper — and the line trailed into its mouth. The reptile was transported to the Brevard Zoo Sea Turtle Healing Center. Officials named the turtle in honor of NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, who launched May 30 from Kennedy Space Center aboard the SpaceX capsule. Bob’n’Doug returned to the ocean Friday.
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Best wishes to Sen. Ben Albritton and Reps. Vance Aloupis and Sharon Pritchett. Also celebrating today is photographer Kim DeFalco and the “Grim Reaper” Daniel Uhlfelder.
___
Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, A.G. Gancarski, Renzo Downey and Drew Wilson.
