Staff Reports
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
U.S. Rep. Carrie Meek died Sunday at the age of 95 after a long battle with an undisclosed illness. Reactions, remembrances and tributes have poured in across social media in the 24 hours since the news broke.
Meek, the granddaughter of a slave, was Florida’s first Black U.S. Representative in the post-Reconstruction era. The South Florida Democrat served 20 years in Congress and never lost an election — her son, former U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, succeeded her and served four terms.
Jared Moskowitz, the former Division of Emergency Management Director who was recently appointed to the Broward County Commission, described her simply: “Carrie Meek was a legend.”
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried said Meek “was a pioneer, community leader and advocate for her constituents.”
U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel said, “For more than two decades, Carrie served the people of Florida, fighting for voting rights, economic equality, health care, education, housing and more. She will be deeply missed. My thoughts are with her family and loved ones, may her memory be a blessing.”
And state Sen. Shevrin Jones described her as a trailblazer and steadfast leader.
“We all are better because of her. Thank you for paving the way for so many of us,” he said.
Condolences also came in from some of the highest-ranking elected leaders in the country, such as U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who served alongside Meek during her full tenure in the House.
“Congresswoman Meek was a remarkable, trailblazing leader who helped expand opportunity in America. At every level of her historic service — from the statehouse to the U.S. House — she not only made history but made progress for our nation,” Pelosi said.
She was fondly remembered by her Republican colleagues, too.
“Carrie was an indefatigable fighter for justice, and we were blessed to have her with us for so long,” former U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen said, describing her as “a true fighter. A gifted orator. A tremendously positive influence in our community.”
Evening Reads
“Florida House releases aggressive Republican redistricting plan for Congressional seats” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
“Florida House redistricting map targets Stephanie Murphy’s seat, gives GOP big advantage” via Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel
“COVID-19 liability protections for health care providers extended under Senate proposal” via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics
“Omicron brings COVID-19 vaccine inequity ‘home to roost’” via Maria Cheng and Lori Hinnant of The Associated Press
“Will the vaccines stop omicron? Scientists are racing to find out.” via Apoorva Mandavilli of The New York Times
“4 big questions about the new omicron variant” via Dylan Scott of Vox
“Mayors scramble for face time with Pete Buttigieg with billions of infrastructure dollars at stake” via Bryan Lowry and Douglas Hanks of the Miami Herald
“Defiant Lincoln Project lays out 2022 ‘roadmap’ for Republican defeat” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
“The inventors of America’s most dangerous idea” via Gene Slater of The Atlantic
“Workers quit jobs in droves to become their own bosses” via Josh Mitchell and Kathryn Dill of The Wall Street Journal
“Florida House offers first drafts of reapportioned statehouse districts” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
“COVID-19 again forces change for Jacksonville, Clay Christmas toy giveaways” via Beth Reese Cravey of The Florida Times-Union
Quote of the Day
“If they end up taking the crazy map, when you have four Senate drafts and one House draft that aren’t insane, how terrible does that look to the courts? … Do they just push a party-line vote and take their chances with the courts? Do they want to roll those dice?” — Matt Isbell of MCI Maps, on one of the House’s congressional redistricting drafts.
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