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Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
The DNC is welcoming President Donald Trump to the Sunshine State with an ad campaign slamming his administration’s efforts to overturn the Affordable Care Act amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Trump, who rebuffed plans for a virtual presidential debate, is instead holding a rally in Sanford Monday. The DNC said its digital campaign will target voters throughout Seminole County through Google display advertising.
The ads will direct voters to the DNC’s spot, “Samantha,” which details the story of a woman who along with her daughter and husband has had the virus.
“My daughter has chronic lung disease, so that made all of this very scary for us,” Samantha says. “What also scares me is Donald Trump trying to let insurance companies deny health coverage. We’re charged more because of a preexisting condition.”
She then turns to the confirmation hearings for Trump nominee Amy Coney Barrett, who she says will “strip away care from millions of Americans.”
In a news release, DNC Chair Tom Perez echoed Samantha’s fears, framing them for Central Florida, where unemployment is still far above the statewide average.
“The reality of Trump’s failed COVID-19 response is going to greet him in Central Florida: Thousands of Floridians working in areas like hospitality and tourism have lost their jobs, coronavirus cases are spiking — and now, in the midst of the pandemic, he’s once again trying to gut coverage protections for Floridians with preexisting conditions,” Perez said.
“Floridians won’t hear the truth from Trump, so we’re making sure they know the facts about his health care record — he’s spent years trying to spike costs and strip away coverage, and now he’s rushing through a Supreme Court nominee to try once again to overturn the Affordable Care Act. Floridians deserve a leader who will expand access to quality, affordable health care — not rip it away in the middle of a pandemic, and they’ll hold Trump accountable for his record.”
To watch the ad, click on the image below:
Coronavirus Numbers
Positive cases:
— 726,934 FL residents (+1,519 since Sunday)
— 9,090 Non-FL residents (+14 since Sunday)
Origin:
— 6,226 Travel related
— 269,628 Contact with a confirmed case
— 6,619 Both
— 444,461 Under investigation
Hospitalizations:
— 46,015 in FL
Deaths:
— 15,599 in FL
Evening Reads
“The great GOP dystopian experiment is working exactly as planned in Florida” via Adam Weinstein of The New Republic
“Ron DeSantis says Florida is ‘more inclined’ to vote for Donald Trump in 2020” via Jason Delgado of Florida Politics
“Sanford braces for Trump’s ‘crazy’ COVID roadshow” via Hunter Woodall of The Daily Beast
“Billboard campaign arrives in Florida with Republicans and independents urging voters to choose Joe Biden” via Anthony Man of the Sun-Sentinel
“Biden to campaign in Broward County Tuesday” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics
“Rick Scott says Biden is ‘wrong’ for dodging court-packing questions” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
“DCCC poll shows potentially competitive race in Florida’s CD 15” via Janelle Taylor of Florida Politics
“Bill Galvano, José Oliva join GOP legislative leaders supporting Amy Coney Barrett confirmation” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
“Florida officials warn results might not be ready on election night” via Gray Rohrer of the Orlando Sentinel
“How conservatives really feel about Barrett” via Emma Green of The Atlantic
“Karen Pence lauds Trump and his Supreme Court pick during speech in Tampa” via Natalie Weber of the Tampa Bay Times
“When it comes to COVID-19, Republicans don’t need no stinkin’ science. They invent their own” via Diane Roberts of Florida Phoenix
“Private lab absolved after data duplication froze Saturday’s COVID-19 data” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics
“DNC, Snoop Dogg encourage voters to ‘Drop It In The Box’” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics
“Positive COVID-19 tests force MAST Academy back online days after returning to campus” via David J. Neal and Colleen Wright of the Miami Herald
Quote of the Day
“We want to ensure that everything that we produce, everything that we publish is 100% accurate. We do not have the opportunity to be wrong.” — Marion County Supervisor of Elections Wesley Wilcox, warning that Florida’s presidential election results may not come on Election Night.
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