Staff Reports
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
American Bridge 21st Century launched a new ad Wednesday hitting President Donald Trump on his response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The ad comes on the heels of a new book by journalist Bob Woodward that shows the President was aware of the new coronavirus’ danger and lethality well before it claimed its first victim in the United States.
As Trump was downplaying the virus to the public in February and March, he told Woodward that it was five times as deadly as the flu. Trump said the disconnect was purposeful, telling Woodward he “wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down.”
That line is the centerpiece in the new ad, bookended by comments from Anthony Fauci and footage from news broadcasts asserting that earlier action from the President could have saved lives.
“Donald Trump lied to the American people, concealing and downplaying a deadly pandemic because he thought it would damage his chances at reelection. People listened to him, contracted the virus, and died because they believed he meant what he said. Trump is a weak, failed President and responsible for one of the worst public health and economic disasters in American history,” said Kyle Morse, an American Bridge 21st Century spokesperson.
“We will make damn sure that swing-state voters know how badly Trump failed them and why we need to choose a strong leader and decent man like Joe Biden for president.”
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The Tampa Bay Times downgraded Rep. Margaret Good’s chances of ousting U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan in Florida’s 16th Congressional District.
Again.
The Times’ congressional vulnerability rankings shifted CD 16 from the No. 4 most-vulnerable seat to the No. 5.
In justifying the move, the Times cited an internal poll conducted by Buchanan’s campaign last month showing the incumbent up 16 points.
The same poll found Good was a virtual unknown in the district. Data Targeting found 58% of voters were unaware of her. In Manatee County, she was unknown to 62% of respondents. And in Hillsborough, more than four-fifths of voters said they hadn’t heard of her.
Good’s lack of notoriety could be a blessing in disguise, as many of the headlines she’s made this cycle haven’t been positive, including a recent revelation that she voted against a ban on sex dolls resembling children.
Still, her name recognition puts her well behind 2018 Democratic nominee David Shapiro, who was known to 75% of CD 16 voters at the same point in the cycle two years ago despite not having the benefit of three years in the state House.
Shapiro also fared better in fundraising. He even managed to outspend Buchanan, which is a feat Good is unlikely to match.
Coronavirus Numbers
Positive cases:
— 644,781 FL residents (+2,006 since Tuesday)
— 7,367 Non-FL residents (+50 since Tuesday)
Origin:
— 4,997 Travel related
— 221,721 Contact with a confirmed case
— 5,325 Both
— 412,738 Under investigation
Hospitalizations:
— 40,517 in FL
Deaths:
— 12,269 in FL
Evening Reads
“Joe Biden campaign outraised Donald Trump by over $150 million in August” via Fadel Allassan of Axios
“Coronavirus cases spike among school-age children in Florida, while state borders some counties to keep data hidden” via Lori Rozsa and Valerie Strauss of The Washington Post
“Joe Biden to make first visit to Florida as Democratic nominee” via Steve Contorno of the Tampa Bay Times
“White House asked Justice Dept. to take over defamation suit against Trump, William Barr says” via Katie Benner and Charlie Savage of The New York Times
“St. Pete Polls: Biden winning 50% of Florida voters” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
“Polls are good for Biden pretty much everywhere — except Florida” via Geoffrey Skelley of FiveThirtyEight
“Ron DeSantis’ COVID-19 response rating slips in new poll” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics
“Secretive group pushing Florida constitutional amendment raised money linked to big businesses” via Jason Garcia of the Orlando Sentinel
“In Miami’s tightest U.S. House race, Carlos Giménez, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell differ sharply on policy” via Alex Daugherty of the Miami Herald
“Trump told Bob Woodward he intentionally played down coronavirus threat” via Ursula Perano of Axios
“Florida reports 2,056 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday as deaths pass 12,000” via the Sarasota Herald-Tribune
“Christopher Benjamin’s late wife caught COVID-19 while in the hospital for late-stage cancer” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
“DeSantis calls attempt to block Supreme Court appointee Renatha Francis an ‘insult’” via Tiffini Theisen and Gray Rohrer of the Orlando Sentinel
Quote of the Day
“I remember growing up in this country where jobs would be advertised and there would be a note in bold, ‘Blacks need not apply.’ And I would always think ‘what about qualifications, what about preparedness, what about experience?’ I always thought that those things were paramount and you should not look at a person just based on color. I still feel that way. And what we’re talking about here is just color. Ineligible, inexperienced, unprepared. And as far as I’m concerned those things in my mind outweigh color.” — Rep. Geraldine Thompson, on her lawsuit to block Renatha Francis’ appointment to the Florida Supreme Court.
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