Last Call for 7.15.21 — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics

Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.

First Shot

Agriculture Commissioner and Democratic primary candidate for governor Nikki Fried announced a new campaign listening tour.

The tour, called the Nikki Escucha/Nikki Listens Tour, will have Fried travel across the state to meet with community stakeholders and concerned citizens “with a focus on connecting with and understanding the needs of Florida’s Hispanic communities,” according to a news release from Fried’s campaign.

Fried’s communications director, Max Flugrath, said Fried spent Thursday morning with members of the Cuban American community in Coral Gables.

“With 16 months until the 2022 general election, it’s crucial that we begin a tour across Florida doing something that will help us build a strong policy platform — listening. The system that Republicans built is corrupt; it helps the special interests and leaves working people behind,” Fried said in a written statement.

The listening tour kicked off Wednesday, according to the news release sent out Thursday, with a roundtable event in Orlando with Alianza For Progress, and other leaders of the Central Florida Hispanic community. The release said they discussed issues like affordable housing, economic opportunity like good-paying jobs and affordable health care.

Fried’s senior adviser on Latino issues, Evelyn Pérez-Verdía, said the tour, in part, will combat misinformation spread to Hispanic voters.

“Commissioner Fried knows what it takes to win Florida; she’s the only Democrat to win statewide since 2012. Our campaign will be active in reaching out to and listening to all communities, especially Florida’s Hispanic communities, and aggressive in combating disinformation used to manipulate voters,” said Pérez-Verdía in a written statement. “As a former small business owner, Commissioner Fried will be forceful in pushing back against the false narrative of socialism parroted endlessly by the Republican Party.”

Flugrath said future dates and locations for the listening tour will be announced at a later date.

Evening Reads

“Vaccine hesitancy morphs into hostility, as opposition to shots hardens” via Dan Diamond, Hannah Knowles and Tyler Pager of The Washington Post

“Inside the weird, thriving world of fake vaccine cards” via Yana Pashaeva of Slate

“COVID-19’s effects on kids are even stranger than we thought” via Roxanne Khamsi of The Atlantic

“Cuba’s President has made a rare mea culpa, admitting to failures that fueled unrest” via The Associated Press

“Texas should be a warning to Democrats everywhere” via Richard Parker for The New York Times

“Why hasn’t Joe Biden chosen a trust-buster yet?” via Matt Ford of The New Republic

“China buys friends with ports and roads. now the U.S. is trying to compete.” via Stu Woo and Daniel Michaels of The Wall Street Journal

“As travel rebounds, airlines are figuring it out on the fly” via Aarian Marshall of WIRED —

“Down under FL’s Wakulla County, flirting with disaster with our biggest spring” via Craig Pittman of the Florida Phoenix

“Windermere police officer arrested in Capitol riot along with ex-Apopka cop son” via Jeff Weiner and Monivette Cordeiro of the Orlando Sentinel

Quote of the Day

”It didn’t prevent an unlawful assembly from taking place, and it didn’t give law enforcement any important new tools to handle it as it was unfolding.” — State Attorney Andrew Warren, criticizing the anti-riot law after Tampa protesters were arrested.

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