Winner and Loser of the Week in Florida politics — Week of 6.5.22

Turnabout is fair play, so the saying goes.

Democratic gubernatorial candidates Charlie Crist and Nikki Fried both asked the feds to watch Florida’s November election closely and, Fried said, “take appropriate federal action if necessary.”

That’s a page straight from the Republican playbook — cast doubt on the election before the first voter casts a ballot. What’s-his-name from Mar-a-Lago provided the blueprint for duping the flock into believing the faceless Deep State would steal the 2020 election long before the theft never happened.

That doesn’t mean Crist or Fried shouldn’t be concerned about possible ballot shenanigans. After all, Gov. Ron DeSantis chose Cord Byrd as Florida’s new Secretary of State.

That puts Byrd in charge of DeSantis’ ballyhooed (and unnecessary) “election security police.”

Byrd has been a champion for several of DeSantis’ most controversial moves, including the widely criticized “anti-riot” bill a court ruled is unconstitutional. DeSantis pushed for that law following protests over the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Byrd and his wife, Esther Byrd, also were photographed on a boat flying a QAnon flag.

Esther Byrd also wrote a fairly frightening post on Facebook.

“In the coming civil wars (We the People vs the Radical Left and We the People cleaning up the Republican Party), team rosters are being filled. Every elected official in DC will pick one. There are only 2 teams… With Us [or] Against Us.”

So, yeah, I wouldn’t be surprised if there are mysterious “reports” of “irregularities” in minority-dominated voting districts this fall. And no matter how unlikely it seems now, if DeSantis finally turns off enough independent voters and loses the election, buckle up.

That “investigation” could go on for years.

In her letter to the feds, Fried cited “discriminatory congressional maps, new voter suppression measures and a Secretary of State with radical far-right views.”

Crist earlier wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland, warning “Republicans in Tallahassee are doing everything they can to make it harder for Floridians to cast their ballot.”

He added, “They are even sending an elections police force out into our communities to intimidate voters — straight from the playbook of (Nicolas) Maduro in Venezuela or the Ayatollah in Iran! We can’t let that happen. It is the job of the Department of Justice to safeguard every American’s Constitutional right to vote. We need them now to stand up for the people of Florida.”

Now it’s on to our weekly game of winners and losers.

Winners

Honorable mention: Lauren Book. The Senate Democratic Leader from Miami picked up another endorsement as she tries to fend off a Primary challenge.

The Florida Planned Parenthood PAC threw its support behind Book in the Primary against former Broward County Commissioner Barbara Sharief.

“In her efforts to stop Florida’s abortion ban from passing, Sen. Book displayed courage and commitment rarely seen in the political process,” said Laura Goodhue, director of the Florida Planned Parenthood PAC.

“If there were more public servants willing to put themselves out there in the very personal ways she did in this fight, we wouldn’t be facing the loss of our personal rights and the freedom to control our own bodies.”

This followed an endorsement in March from Ruth’s List Florida, which backs Democratic women candidates who support abortion rights.

A Primary can be tricky. Book received multiple endorsements from colleagues and organizations and has lots of cash. She is highly likely to win, but Book is taking no chances.

“I have worked side by side with Sen. Book and have seen firsthand her passion, her commitment, and her effectiveness in supporting our Democratic values,” Democratic Sen. Shevrin Jones said.

Almost (but not quite) biggest winner: Marco Rubio. Things are going smoothly for Rubio as he softens up the ground for his showdown with Democrat Val Demings over his U.S. Senate seat.

Gary Fineout of POLITICO reported that the Florida First Project, a super PAC backing Rubio, attacked Demings with a $1.5 million ad buy in the Tampa Bay area.

And Rubio keeps picking up endorsements from law enforcement agencies around the state. That has to sting Demings a little since she repeatedly touts her experience as Orlando’s Police Chief.

The Demings’ campaign plans to continue that approach.

“Unlike lifelong politician Marco Rubio, she has an actual record of fighting crime and making communities safer,” Demings spokesman Christian Slater said in Business Insider. “As Florida’s next Senator, Chief Demings will always have law enforcement’s back as she works to keep the public safe and ensure law enforcement officers have the resources they need to fight crime.”

Even with the power of incumbency in an increasingly red state, Rubio shouldn’t get too comfortable. As of March 31, Demings had raised more than $30 million, a huge total for a Senate challenger.

And it remains uncertain how much Rubio’s close ties to the National Rifle Association could impact the race.

The biggest winner: DeSantis. It’s safe to say Florida has never had a Governor like him. Whether that’s wonderful or horrifying depends on your perspective, but he continues doing things his way and piling up poll numbers.

The latest example is how DeSantis, again, was the preferred choice for President in a straw poll at the Western Conservative Summit in Colorado.

DeSantis received 71% approval to be the GOP’s nominee in 2024, four points ahead of Donald Trump.

At the Wisconsin Republican Convention, a poll of 325 attendees, reported by WisPolitics.com, gave DeSantis 38% of the vote while Trump got 32%. Interestingly, only 43% wanted the ex-President to run again.

But DeSantis wasn’t just basking in the warmth of those polls. He stayed busy, using his veto pen again to sink a controversial Everglades restoration bill. Republican Wilton Simpson, who is running for Agriculture Commissioner, pushed for the bill, but DeSantis kneecapped it, saying it created too many redundant legislative hurdles.

Critics of the bill bombarded lawmakers with emails and letters, saying it favored agriculture and would further damage fragile wetlands. DeSantis said, “I want to let you know I have heard you.”

Losers

Dishonorable mention: Joseph Ladapo. Florida’s Surgeon General was at his disingenuous worst when he continued to mock the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccinations.

“The scientific studies show that at this point, at this far out, there’s basically zero protection from infection from the vaccines,” Ladapo said during a news conference.

Yes, vaccinated people can still catch the virus. That’s not the point.

Vaccinated people have a far better chance of living or avoiding serious long-term health issues from the virus than those who don’t get the shot. That’s the point medical experts continue to make.

As the state’s top doc, Ladapo’s macho man attitude toward a deadly virus is disturbing and worthy of scorn.

Almost (but not quite) biggest loser: Keith Edwards. Fried’s campaign manager admitted he blundered for sending a tweet that attacked progressive Democratic state Rep. Anna Eskamani.

Edwards tweeted, and then deleted, that Eskamani is an “off-brand AOC tampering in the dark arts of disinformation.”

Eskamani recently endorsed the centrist Crist over progressive Fried, which raised eyebrows. The heat came quickly at Edwards, and he paid his penance.

“Earlier, I tweeted at @AnnaForFlorida in a way that was disrespectful. For that, I am sorry,” he tweeted. “It’s worrying to see her support a self-described pro-life Republican, but this wasn’t the way to do it. I’ve deleted the tweet. The focus should be on exposing Charlie and beating Ron (DeSantis).”

The tweet might be deleted, but deleting the latest self-inflicted wound to the Fried campaign won’t be so easy.

Crist, by the way, picked up the endorsement of another prominent Florida lawmaker, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

The biggest loser: Dennis Ross. He was rising in the GOP congressional ranks when the Polk County Republican decided in 2018 not to seek a fifth term in the U.S. House.

He was the Deputy Majority Whip of the Republican caucus at that time. Ross had earned influence and respect but said he wanted to spend more time with his family. He added that he never envisioned making Congress a permanent career, even though he represented one of the safest seats for re-election.

His hiatus lasted four years before he decided to run again. Unfortunately for Ross, he couldn’t gain traction in what is now a heavily contested seat in a newly drawn district and dropped out of the race a few days ago.

He said he didn’t have the financial resources to compete in a full-contact Republican Primary.

His political career could be over.

It’s worth wondering where he would be now if he stuck it out.