Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 7.15.22

Good Friday morning.

Maverick PAC announced its 2022 Future40 Award honorees, and seven Floridians made the list.

The Future40 Award recognizes young conservative professionals across the country who “embody the next generation of leadership in the public and private sectors.”

The 2022 list includes Broward County Commissioner Torey Alston, Governor’s Office Press Secretary Christina Pushaw, Humana Government Affairs Director Orlando Pryor, Republican National Lawyers Association Deputy Director Christina Norton, RNC National Election Integrity Counsel Alyssa Specht, and Nick Primrose, the Chief of Regulatory Compliance at JAXPORT and the Chair of the Florida Elections Commission.

“We are excited to see where the 2022 group of honorees will lead the country and their communities over the next several years,” said Ben Proler, National Co-Chair of Maverick PAC.

“These individuals, many of whom are involved with state and local government, or have established their own nonprofits or small businesses, represent the future of the conservative movement,” added Robert Flock, who also serves as National Co-Chair of Maverick PAC.

Maverick PAC also highlighted a handful of “notable honorees.” The group included Republican U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack, representing Florida’s 3rd Congressional District.

The 2022 class will be recognized at the annual Maverick Conference, to be held July 21-23 in Tampa.

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The Florida Realtors PAC has issued endorsements in a majority of the state legislative seats on the 2022 ballot.

The list includes 38 endorsements in Senate races. Many of the endorsed candidates are incumbents and of the handful who are not, most are sitting Representatives, including Reps. Jay Trumbull, Clay Yarborough, Tracie Davis, Blaise Ingoglia, Colleen Burton, Kamia Brown, Nick DiCeglie, Erin Grall and Bryan Avila.

The lone non-lawmaker on the Senate list is Alexis Maria Calatayud, a Republican running for the open seat in Senate District 38.

The Florida Realtors PAC also made 113 endorsements in House races, including 77 incumbents. Others on the list included Republicans Shane Abbott in HD 5, Griff Griffitts in HD 6, Dean Black in HD 15, Jessica Baker in HD 17, Taylor Yarkosky in HD 25 and Berny Jacques in HD 59.

The committee evaluated candidates on numerous factors, including their voting record on issues relevant to the real estate industry.

“Florida continues to be an economic beacon of success for the nation, largely due to the perseverance and growth of its real estate industry,” said Danny Nix, chair of Florida Realtors PAC Trustees.

“This success has been driven by sound economic policy from our state leaders who understand the important link between Florida’s economy and its real estate industry. The candidates being endorsed today have demonstrated that they understand this connection and will work tirelessly to enact laws and policies that promote homeownership and protect the rights of homeowners throughout the state.”

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Conservative group “Moms for Liberty” and the Florida Democratic Party are kicking off their banner events today — in the same hotel.

Tampa’s J.W. Marriott Water Street will host the Moms for Liberty National Summit and the Democrats’ annual Leadership Blue event, each carrying on throughout the weekend.

Moms for Liberty was founded in Florida but has quickly become a prominent voice on the national level, particularly when it comes to education issues.

Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to speak at 9 a.m., as are two lawmakers who sponsored some of the most controversial bills of the 2022 Legislative Session: Rep. Erin Grall, who carried the 15-week abortion ban, and Rep. Joe Harding, who sponsored the “parental rights” bill that critics refer to as “don’t say gay.”

Later Friday, First Lady Casey DeSantis will deliver a presentation entitled “Education, not Indoctrination.” The event also features “Strategy Sessions” on topics such as gender identity in schools and parental rights.

Leadership Blue is getting off to a later start. The first scheduled block is at 4 p.m. on Black leader engagement. The meat of the event begins Saturday, with meetings of the party’s labor, Hispanic, senior, progressive and other caucuses throughout the day.

Saturday will also feature a forum for state Cabinet candidates and a gala in the evening. Tickets to the gala are sold out.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@mkraju: No comment from Rep. Andrew Clyde on whether he regrets comparing Jan. 6 to a “normal tourist visit,” declining to answer any questions about the remark

—@DKThomp: How the (Elon) Musk-Twitter showdown ends. 1. Twitter’s board has a duty to max return 2. Twitter, the firm, doesn’t want Musk 3. Musk doesn’t want Twitter Musk offered $54/share. Current price: $37. Negotiation begins by demanding $17/share for Musk to walk

—@sfdb: “A 2014 investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement ran across similar allegations that even soon after he was first elected, (Wayne) Ivey was trading his support for candidates for favors.” Sounds like an excellent case for the new Office of Election Crimes and Security!

—@Scott_Maxwell: Just now in his endorsement interview, Charlie Crist was asked what he thinks of Ron DeSantis’ Surgeon General, Joseph Ladapo: “He’s a quack.”

—@JoeMobleyJax: I realize where public opinion was 6 months ago, but, knowing what we know now, does anyone still think Novak Djokovic should be kept from playing in the U.S. Open?

Tweet, tweet:

peak male performance. pic.twitter.com/ZpZqBFuYHR

— Logan Hall (@loganclarkhall) July 14, 2022

— DAYS UNTIL —

36th Annual Environmental Permitting School — 4; San Diego Comic-Con 2022 — 5; Vote-by-mail mailing deadline for 2022 Primary — 6; 2022 Sunshine Summit begins — 7; Deadline to register for 2022 Primary — 10; Beyoncé rolls-out seventh solo studio album ’Renaissance’ — 14; MLB trade deadline — 18; The 10-day Florida Python Challenge kicks off — 21; Michael Mann and Meg Gardiner novel ‘Heat 2’ publishes — 25; Early voting begins for Primaries — 29; FBHA’s annual conference, BHCon2022, begins — 33; FRLA’s Operations and Marketing Summit — 34; ‘House of the Dragon’ premieres on HBO — 37; 2022 Florida Primary — 39; 2022 Florida Chamber Technology & Innovation Solution Summit — 47; ‘Andor’ premieres on Disney+ — 47; ‘The Lord of the Rings’ premieres on Amazon Prime — 49; NFL Opening Night: LA Rams vs. Buffalo Bills — 55; 2022 Emmys — 59; JMI’s 2022 Tech & Innovation Summit begins — 62; Vote-by-mail mailing deadline for General Election — 83; Deadline to register for General Election — 88; 22-23 NHL season begins — 88; Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum — 102; Cormac McCarthy’s ‘The Passenger’ releases — 102; Jon Meacham’s ‘And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle’ releases — 102; Early voting begins for General Election — 106; 2022 General Election — 116; ‘Black Panther 2′ premieres — 119; ‘Captain Marvel 2’ premieres — 121; FITCon 2022 begins — 125; ‘The Flash’ premieres — 125; The World Cup kicks off in Qatar — 129; The U.S. World Cup Soccer Team begins play — 129; McCarthy’s ‘Stella Maris’ releases — 130; Florida TaxWatch’s Annual Meeting begins — 138; ‘Willow’ premieres on Disney+ — 138; ‘Avatar 2’ premieres — 154; ‘Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ premieres — 217; 2023 Legislative Session convenes — 235; ‘John Wick: Chapter 4′ premieres — 252; 2023 Session Sine Die — 294; ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ premieres — 294; ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ premieres — 322; ‘Dune: Part Two’ premieres — 490; ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ Part 2 premieres — 623; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games — 742.

— TOP STORY —

“Vice President Kamala Harris slams Florida abortion law in visit to Orlando” via Skyler Swisher of the Orlando Sentinel — Vice President Harris slammed Florida’s 15-week abortion ban and called for action on guns, police reform and voting rights during a visit Thursday to Orlando. Harris criticized “so-called leaders” in Florida and other states who she said are interfering with health care decisions and making it harder to vote. She delivered a speech to about 12,000 members of the Orlando Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority meeting. “We know what we need to do,” she said. “We need to continue to fight for a woman’s right to make the most intimate, personal decisions for herself with her doctor, with her pastor, with her priests with her loved ones, but not her government telling her what she is supposed to do.”

Following the speech, Harris discussed abortion with Democratic state lawmakers, including state Rep. Anna Eskamani of Orlando, state Sens. Lauren Book of Plantation and Victor Torres of Kissimmee, and state Rep. Fentrice Driskell, the recently elected leader of the House Democrats.

Besides introductory remarks, the discussion was closed to the press. Eskamani said after the event, she asked Harris and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to continue their efforts to make the abortion pill available by mail and to consider declaring a national health emergency.

“I am encouraged by today’s conversation and will keep fighting here on the ground in Florida,” Eskamani said.

Republicans responded to Harris’ visit by saying she should emulate DeSantis’ leadership.

“Today, Kamala Harris gets to see a state succeeding by doing the opposite of everything she supports,” said Julia Friedland, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee.

“Byron Donalds, Mike Waltz talk ‘failed’ VP as Harris visits Florida” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Two Republican Congressmen fulminated about what they framed as the failures of Harris Thursday, as she prepared to visit Florida. Reps. Donalds and Waltz denounced Harris’ performance in office, offering the official Republican National Committee clap back to Harris’ two-stop Sunshine State tour. Harris was slated to discuss reproductive rights in Orlando and visit with service members at Tampa’s MacDill Air Force Base, but the Congressmen’s comments focused more on what they consider a dismal performance from the Joe Biden administration and its second-in-command.

— 2022 —

“Donald Trump looks to fall launch for 2024, potentially upending midterms” via Michael Scherer and Josh Dawsey of The Washington Post — For nearly a year, a kitchen cabinet of Trump confidants has told the former President not to announce his 2024 comeback candidacy before the midterms, arguing that he could be a drag on 2022 candidates and would be blamed if Republicans underperformed. But Trump has continued to regularly push for an early announcement in private meetings, as potential 2024 rivals become more aggressive amid signs of weakening support among his base. Trump is now eyeing a September announcement.

“‘Women get pregnant and not men’: DeSantis picks new anti-woke fight” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — DeSantis is joining the chorus of conservatives criticizing the use of gender-neutral terms like “birthing people” when describing pregnancies. The national debate on abortion spawned a secondary front in the culture war in recent weeks as some on the left ditched phrases like “pregnant mothers” to be more inclusive to transgender men and nonbinary people. In outlining Biden’s budget proposal for the 2022 fiscal year more than a year ago, the administration swapped references to “mothers” with “birthing people,” drawing criticism. And last month, the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups used gender-neutral language when describing abortion, flaring the topic up again.

“Charlie Crist regrets some past decisions. He urges voters to boot his appointees to the Supreme Court.” via Jeffrey Schweers and Anthony Man of the Orlando Sentinel — Regrets, he’s got a few, admitted Crist, who’s probably held more elective offices during nearly 30 years in public service than the other major candidates running for Governor combined. He is running against Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried for the Democratic nomination for Governor. “I’m humble enough to admit my mistakes,” said Crist, who has been a Republican state Senator, Governor, Education Commissioner and Attorney General, and currently serves as a Democratic U.S. representative for the St. Petersburg area since 2017.

“Florida Realtors back Wilton Simpson for Ag Commissioner, makes legislative Primary endorsements” via Gray Rohrer of Florida Politics — Florida Realtors, a powerhouse trade group not shy in doling out political donations, released its slate of legislative endorsements in the Primary Thursday and announced it is supporting Senate President Simpson in his bid for Agriculture Commissioner. “Florida continues to be an economic beacon of success for the nation, largely due to the perseverance and growth of its real estate industry,” said Danny Nix, chair of Florida Realtors PAC Trustees. Of Simpson, Nix said he has “made it a priority to protect Florida businesses from frivolous COVID-19-related litigation, and he has been a constant supporter of homeownership, the environment and water quality throughout his legislative career.”

“DNC launches ad highlighting GOP plans for further abortion restrictions” via Miek Memoli of NBC News — As the White House continues to grapple with what it concedes are limited tools in response to the Supreme Court’s decision striking down a national guarantee of the right to an abortion, Biden’s political allies are taking his call to make this a voting issue to the airwaves. The Democratic National Committee on Thursday is launching a new 30-second ad in crucial battleground states warning voters that Republicans who’ve spent decades working to overturn Roe v. Wade are “not done yet.”

To watch the ad, click on the image below:

“Ratings show GOP taking House control, but no red wave — yet” via Nathan L. Gonzales of Roll Call — If the election were today, it looks as if Republicans would gain seven House seats. While that would be enough for the majority, it certainly wouldn’t qualify as a red wave. Still, that doesn’t mean Democrats can rest easy, and GOP gains are likely to be higher. If you tally all the races rated as Solid Republican, Likely Republican, Lean Republican, and Tilt Republican, and split the 18 Tossup races evenly, Republicans will have 221 seats. That would be a net gain of seven seats. They need a net gain of only four for the majority. Of course, Republicans wouldn’t turn that down, but it would be a minuscule gain and a massive disappointment for the GOP because the expectations and current projections are high.

“Florida Republican dupes seniors with Trump-, DeSantis-themed emails” via Matt Dixon of POLITICO — Erick Aguilar is not Trump or DeSantis. He just wants you to think he is. In his pursuit of Florida’s 4th Congressional District, Aguilar has used WinRed, a popular platform Republicans employ to process campaign contributions, to send a flurry of fundraising emails. But the solicitations did not mention Aguilar’s campaign or his leading competitor in the Aug. 23 Primary, state Sen. Aaron Bean, who has the support of much of the state’s GOP establishment. Instead, the messages were written in a way that suggested donations would actually go toward more prominent GOP politicians, including the former President, the Governor or Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan. The move appeared to have worked — particularly among retired older donors from across the country.

Rev. Jesse Jackson endorses Maxwell Alejandro Frost — Frost, a candidate for Florida’s 10th Congressional District, announced that civil rights icon and Baptist minister Jackson endorsed his campaign. “I stand on the shoulders of giants like Reverend Jesse Jackson, a key leader in the civil rights movement and someone who has played a pivotal role in creating social change in our country,” said Frost. “It’s time that we pass the baton to the new generation of Civil rights leaders like Maxwell who are fighting for the future that we all deserve,” said Jackson.

“Anna Paulina Luna joins Turning Point USA for ‘Get Out the Vote’ in Seminole” via Kelly Hayes of Florida Politics — Luna will join conservative action group Turning Point USA this Saturday as part of their “Get Out the Vote” tour. The “Super Saturday” event will kick off at 10 a.m. at Seminole City Park (Shelter 2). At the event, the group will talk door knocking and “electing true conservatives,” a poster promoting the event states. The event is the first of a series of voter outreach by Turning Point USA throughout Florida. The next event is July 31 in Casselberry with state Rep. Anthony Sabatini.

CVA Action endorses Laurel Lee for CD 15 — Concerned Veterans for America Action is endorsing former Secretary of State Laurel Lee in the race for Florida’s 15th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. “Lee has shown a deep and empathetic understanding of the issues important to Floridians. And as the product of a proud military family herself, she has a firsthand connection to the service and sacrifice of our nation’s bravest and will bring that perspective to fight for Florida’s veterans in Washington,” CVA Action adviser David Huston said. CVA Action said that it will mobilize its “signature grassroots army” to support Lee’s campaign.

“Lee reports massive $510K haul in CD 15 contest” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Lee added more than a half-million dollars in the first six weeks of her congressional campaign. The former Florida Secretary of State announced she collected $510,143 between her May 17 campaign launch and the June 30 close of the quarter. Just as important, she didn’t spend a huge amount getting there and closed the reporting period with $487,361 in cash on hand. The fundraising totals include a $65,000 candidate loan by Lee. It’s also unclear at this point what percentage of the funding will be available in a competitive Republican Primary.

Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick makes $15K TV buy — U.S. Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick’s campaign made a $14,649 TV buy in Florida’s 20th Congressional District. According to AdImpact, the flight covers broadcast ads airing July 14-27. Cherfilus-McCormick will face state Rep. Anika Omphroy and former Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness in the Democratic Primary. Holness lost the 2021 Special Election for CD 20 by just five votes. The winner of the Primary will move on to face Drew Clark in the General Election.

— MORE 2022 —

“West Central Florida Labor Council backs Janet Cruz in SD 14 race” via Kelly Hayes of Florida Politics — The West Central Florida Labor Council is backing Sen. Cruz in her re-election campaign for Florida Senate District 14. The West Central Florida AFL-CIO comprises 116,000 active and retired union members, with the mission of representing the interests of working people at the state and local levels. “Floridians need representatives in Tallahassee like Senator Cruz who personally understand the important role labor unions play in protecting the rights of working families,” WCFLC President Shawn McDonnell of IBEW Local 915 said in a statement.

“Trump endorsed Joe Gruters, so why is his opponent under attack as a ‘MAGA clown’?” via Zac Anderson of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Few politicians are more MAGA than state Sen. Gruters, who twice gave former President Trump the Sarasota Republican Party’s “statesman of the year” award and co-Chaired Trump’s first Florida campaign. Yet it’s Gruters’ Republican Party Primary opponent who is attacked as a “MAGA clown” in a new mailer, apparently in a bid to discourage Democrats from voting for him. Mike Shlasko, president of the Venice Area Democratic Club, said, “every Democrat I know got this mailer.” The mailer illustrates the strange situation in the District 22 state Senate race, where Gruters, a Sarasota CPA and longtime local political fixture, is facing off against Michael Johnson, an Army veteran who spent years working for the federal government.

“Tina Polsky’s fundraising outpaces Broward County Republican opponent” via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics — Redistricting put Sen. Polsky in a territory with a lot less Palm Beach County and much more northwest Broward, but it looks like the Republican Party of Palm Beach County can’t forget her. The party gave $3,500 to her Republican opponent William “Bill” Reicherter, who lives in Parkland. Still, the freshman Senator, who first served in the House, is well-armed to defend a Senate seat, even if Senate District 30 is a lot less familiar to her. Between her personal account and her political committee, Americans for Progress, she has a war chest of $234,202. That compares to the $3,666 Reicherter has on hand, including a $1,800 loan to his campaign.

“Shevrin Jones debuts ad highlighting advocacy for gun safety, voter access, reproductive rights” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — A new ad highlighting Jones’ advocacy for gun safety legislation, voter access, and reproductive rights began making the rounds online Thursday to support the Democratic Senator’s re-election bid. The 30-second spot is now running on social media sites, mobile apps and ad-enabled streaming services. Jones’ campaign told Florida Politics it paid a five-figure sum to air the ad targeting voters in Senate District 34. “Our fighter. Our advocate. Our voice. State Sen. Shevrin Jones is always working for us,” the ad says before noting landmark gun legislation Jones helped pass while serving in the Florida House, his ongoing efforts to boost voter participation and access and his support of abortion rights.

To watch the ad, click on the image below:

“Alexis Calatayud again outraises, outspends Democratic SD 38 opponent with ample GOP help” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Calatayud continued closing in on Janelle Perez in the race for the open seat representing Senate District 38 in June, when she amassed double her opponent’s gains and outpaced her in spending too. Calatayud hauled in more than $111,000 last month, thanks to ample support from her party. That sum doesn’t include roughly $5,000 worth of in-kind aid the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee sent her way for consulting. As of June 30, more than four months from her Nov. 8 General Election showdown with Perez, Calatayud held $183,000 between her campaign account and political committee, Vision & Integrity for Florida.

“Former judge files elections complaints against HD 15 candidate Emily Nunez” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — Jacksonville lawyer and former Duval County Judge Jerilynn O’Hara has filed elections complaints against House District 15 candidate Nunez for not filing forms to disclose her relationship to a political committee. Nunez, a Yulee Republican, opened a campaign account in early Jan. and entered the race for HD 15 in March after the Legislature redrew it. O’Hara’s complaints, however, note that Nunez’s campaign website was paid for by a political committee known as Conservative Leadership Coalition without Nunez filing the required “statement of solicitation” form notifying the Division of Elections. State statute requires candidates to submit the form if they raise money through a political committee.

“Mike Caruso spends big in June as Primary challenger questions his conservative bona fides” via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics — Seeking new territory in a newly drawn district, Rep. Caruso had his biggest-spending month yet for this election cycle last month, but his more conservative Primary opponent’s fundraising outpaced his in June. Caruso spent $28,105 in his quest for a third term last month after averaging about $1,000 in monthly disbursements over the previous 19 months of this election season. Meanwhile, Jane Justice, a real estate agent he’s facing in the Primary, outraised the two-term incumbent in her first month as a candidate, if you don’t count Caruso’s in-kind donations from the Republican Party of Florida. She drew $10,506 in donations and the $9,000 loan she made to her campaign.

“Ashley Gantt again drubs HD 109 incumbent in fundraising, spending war” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — For the fifth consecutive month and with a Primary collision fast approaching, Gantt again outpaced Rep. James Bush III in fundraising and spending for House District 109. Gantt spent a campaign-high $18,000 in June. While $13,000 went to consulting firms MDW Communications in Plantation and Edge Communications in Miami, she poured a healthy sum, about $2,000, into buying flyers and yard signs to spread throughout the district. She also paid $400 for tickets to a Florida AFL-CIO event. Gantt and her opponent’s expenditure pages indicate both are courting the group’s endorsement.

— STATEWIDE —

Listen up — “Podcast: DeSantis took money from you and gave it to businesses. And you didn’t even notice.” via Jason Garcia of Seeking Rents — The story of how DeSantis teamed up with a bunch of business lobbyists to pull off a reverse Robin Hood and kept everyone distracted while he did it. Plus: A tax break for junk mail. A little over one year ago, DeSantis signed one of the most divisive and polarizing pieces of legislation of his first term as Florida Governor. And then, while everyone focused on that fight, DeSantis quietly signed another bill that increased taxes on Floridians by more than $1 billion a year … and gave all that money to businesses.

“State works to procure health care for medically complex children” via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics — The Department of Health (DOH) issued a request for information asking interested parties to inform the state of ways to improve and provide information to help make an upcoming procurement of a Medicaid managed care program for medically complex children. Interested parties have until 2 p.m. on Aug. 5 to provide insights on ways to improve upon the Children’s Medical Services managed care program designed to serve the needs of children who require more complex care because of chronic medical conditions. The RFI asks for insights on ways to increase pediatric specialists and clinics that provide medically complex care to participate in the CMS network; improve behavioral and mental health access and outcomes; address health inequities; and increase preventive dental visits and dental sedation access.

“Lobbyists, including former Governor staff, push client for Emergency Management warehouse contract” via Jeffrey Schweers of the Orlando Sentinel — Two of DeSantis’ former top staffers were among the lobbyists that sought to make sure their client was well positioned for a new Emergency Management warehouse and inventory control contract, emails show. The client, LifeScience Logistics of Dallas, has a 15-year history of providing health care supply-chain services, warehousing, distribution systems, vaccine storage and delivery systems to government clients, including the federal strategic stockpile.

“Report on transgender care flawed, politically motivated, Yale experts say” via Christopher O’Donnell and Kirby Wilson of the Tampa Bay Times — A report from Florida’s Medicaid agency is anticipated to be the basis for a state rule banning the use of Medicaid to pay for hormonal therapies to treat transgender people diagnosed with gender dysphoria. It concluded last month that puberty blockers and other hormones are “experimental and investigational.” But a group of seven scientists and a Yale law professor are slamming the state report as unscientific, thoroughly flawed and politically motivated. An analysis published by the group this week highlighted what it says are major deficiencies in the state’s 48-page report.

“Personnel note: Lee Constantine named Florida Association of Counties president” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — Constantine has been named president of the Florida Association of Counties (FAC). Constantine has served on the executive committee since 2019 and sat on several of the association’s policy and legislative committees, as well as its finance and audit committees. Beyond FAC, Constantine has served as City Commissioner and Mayor of Altamonte Springs, a state Representative, a state Senator, and, since 2012, a Seminole County Commissioner. He has served his community in public office for more than 40 years. The announcement came during a celebration dinner hosted during the FAC’s Annual Conference and Educational Exposition in Orange County.

“Report: Florida seaports show strong recovery, significant investments since pandemic” via Jordan Kirkland of The Capitolist — A strong post-pandemic recovery coupled with continued investments in Florida’s 15 seaports has the state well-positioned to answer supply chain demands and take advantage of a realignment in global trade routes, a new report shows. On Wednesday, the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Council (FSTED) released its 2021-2022 Seaport Mission Plan, analyzing the industry and providing a snapshot of what’s on the horizon. The Council’s report showed that the state’s cargo volume saw a solid recovery in 2021. Total tonnage (inbound and outbound) rose dramatically, with seaports seeing a 118% year-over-year increase as markets and supply chains regained stability. Additionally, Liquid bulk cargo accounted for 73% of total waterborne cargo tonnage, up 26% over 2020.

— D.C. MATTERS —

“Polls show Americans don’t care that much about Dobbs and won’t base their vote on it” via Rich Lowry of POLITICO — The historic Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, which Democrats have been hoping will stun voters into supporting them in what otherwise would be a big GOP year, hasn’t had much discernible political effect. First, the May leak of the draft opinion stole some of the thunder from the decision itself. Everyone had a chance to absorb the idea that it was indeed coming. Then there’s the fact that most people aren’t passionate about abortion one way or another.

“Democrats squabbling on economic plan as deadline closes in” via Laura Davison, Erik Wasson, and Ari Natter of Bloomberg — Senate Democrats have shown scant signs of progress on a tax and climate bill as they end their workweek in Washington, leaving them at increased risk of blowing past an early August deadline to pass the legislation. The Senate has just three more weeks to meet Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s self-imposed due date to pass a slimmed-down version of Biden’s economic agenda. The lack of momentum also risks Democrats meeting their hard deadline of Sept. 30, when their authority to pass the bill on a party-line vote expires.

“Senate plans vote focused on semiconductor portion of China bill” via Siobhan Hughes and Eliza Collins of The Wall Street Journal — Senate Majority Leader Schumer is telling colleagues to expect a floor vote as early as Tuesday on a stripped-down China competition bill that would include more than $50 billion and investment tax credits to encourage semiconductor production in the U.S. but exclude other provisions, a person familiar with the matter said Thursday. The decision to hold the vote comes after a briefing from administration officials Wednesday pushing lawmakers to pass semiconductor funding as negotiations over a larger competition bill have stalled, and it remained uncertain whether Republicans would allow a slimmed-down bill to advance in the evenly divided Senate. Republicans have demanded that Democrats end their efforts to pass a partisan prescription drug and climate bill as a condition for moving the China legislation.

“Bipartisan bill would clarify that VP role with electors is only ceremonial” via Chris Cioffi of Roll Call — A bipartisan group of Senators is expected to release a bill as soon as next week clarifying that the Vice President has only a ceremonial role when Congress tallies Electoral College votes after a presidential election. The legislation would also increase, from one each in the House and Senate, the number of lawmakers required to challenge a slate of electors from a state. The source did not disclose what the new threshold would be. The bipartisan group of more than a dozen lawmakers had been meeting to discuss election laws and broke into subgroups to handle topics such as funding for protecting poll workers and changes to voting procedures and rights, along with updating the Electoral Count Act of 1887, which governs the acceptance of presidential votes.

“‘I identify as a Cuban sandwich’: Marco Rubio riffs on Jill Biden taco trouble” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — On Thursday, Sen. Rubio had another bite of the ongoing “breakfast taco” controversy, served up by First Lady Biden in a recent speech. “Personally, I identify as a Cuban sandwich,” the Senator quipped Thursday on Fox and Friends, referring to a quote from Biden likening diversity among Latino communities to “breakfast tacos.” The Senator piled on the mockery, suggesting that speeches like Biden’s were “written probably by some young person who majored in Latinx studies at Columbia University or something.”

“U.S. approves American Airlines flights to more cities in Cuba” via The Associated Press — U.S. officials on Wednesday approved a request by American Airlines to resume flights to five destinations in Cuba that were stopped in 2019 when the Trump administration sharply curtailed air service between the two countries. The Transportation Department’s decision will let American resume flights from Miami to Santa Clara, Varadero, Holguin, Camaguey and Santiago de Cuba. American said that starting in early November, it will operate two daily flights to Santa Clara and one daily to each of the other airports. American currently operates six flights a day between Miami and Havana. JetBlue and Southwest also fly to Havana.

“Pentagon: Hill added $58 billion to current defense budget” via John M. Donnelly of Roll Call — Defense Department appropriations legislation for the current fiscal year funded more than $58 billion worth of military projects that the administration did not request. Lawmakers’ additions to the fiscal 2022 budget above Biden’s request included money to respond to disasters and the war in Ukraine and other national priorities, but the extra money also bankrolled billions of dollars in weapons the military did not seek, such as more than $4 billion worth of unrequested warships, many of them built by the constituents of senior appropriators. Now a new assessment of congressional funding hikes for fiscal 2023 would be mandated in the NDAA that the House plans to pass Thursday.

— JAN. 6 —

“Jan. 6 panel aims to “reconstruct” deleted Secret Service texts” via Andrew Solender of Axios — The chair of the Jan. 6 select committee on Thursday said the panel will try to ”reconstruct” deleted U.S. Secret Service text messages flagged by an agency watchdog. The text messages were from Jan. 5 and 6 and may have contained evidence about key events related to the Capitol attack, the focus of the panel’s hearing next Thursday. They could shed light on reported efforts to remove former Vice President Mike Pence from the Capitol and Trump’s alleged attempts to travel to the Capitol to join his supporters on that day.

“Patrick Byrne video dissociates Donald Trump from Jan. 6” via Bob Mudge of the Venice Gondolier — The Trump rally that preceded the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol wasn’t supposed to be a Trump rally, according to Byrne. Byrne, who formerly owned Overstock.com, has a local connection as a property owner in Sarasota County, including Venice, Osprey and Wellen Park. In a video blog, he states he was scheduled to be a speaker at the event initially planned for Jan. 6. The purpose of it, he says in a March 15 Rumble.com video, was to explain why the certification of state electoral votes was going to be put off for a week by Vice President Mike Pence.

“Trump called member of White House support staff amid Jan. 6 probe” via Jacqueline Alemany and Josh Dawsey of The Washington Post — Trump’s call was to a member of his support staff who worked with former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson in some capacity and can corroborate aspects of her testimony, according to these people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. The attempt at contact was considered unusual because this staffer had not spoken with Trump for some time.

“Capitol Police officer injured on Jan. 6 says Republicans ‘pretend not to see me’ in the hallways” via Natalie Prieb of Roll Call — A Capitol Police sergeant injured in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol said that Republican members of Congress ignore him when they pass him in the hallways of the building. “For some people, that day came and went, and for me, to this day, I’m still dealing with those ramifications,” Aquilino Gonell said about the riot during an appearance. “You try to adapt to your new normal, but it’s hard.” “I don’t hold any grudges. I’m still going to be respectful to them, but they don’t want to talk to me. I’m still going to do my job like I did on Jan. 6,” Gonell said.

“Niceville resident Andrew Griswold sentenced to 75 days for role in Jan. 6 Capitol riot” via Tom McLaughlin of the Northwest Florida Daily News — Niceville resident Griswold was sentenced Thursday to 75 days in federal custody for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment and serve two years on probation. The sentence is about half the five-month term of incarceration federal prosecutors had requested. Court records do not indicate whether Judge Clarence Cooper commented on the record when handing down the sentence.

— MORE LOCAL: S. FL —

“Ignoring high cost, Miami Dade Commissioners rushing to pay $134M no-bid first responder radio contract” via Brian Burgess of The Capitolist — Residents in Miami Dade County could soon be on the hook for an expensive upgrade to police and fire radio handsets, if the county moves forward with a no-bid contract proposal from Motorola Solutions, Inc. Taxpayers will not only have to foot the bill for thousands of the high-tech radio handsets, but also will be forced to pay tens of millions more for an upgrade to infrastructure and radio towers across the county to ensure the new handsets work properly across the county. Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz is sponsoring the proposal.

“Elite Broward Sheriff’s Advisory Council wrote $10K checks to spouses of murdered FBI agents, while Gregory Tony demanded to present them” via Dan Christensen of the Florida Bulldog — After two FBI agents serving a search warrant were gunned down in Sunrise on Feb. 2, 2021, the nonprofit Broward Sheriff’s Advisory Council took quick action to cut a pair of $10,000 checks to help the agents’ surviving spouses. The Council, which costs $5,000 to join plus $750 in annual dues, is separate from the Sheriff’s Office. Members get to carry BSO ID cards and gold Broward County Sheriff’s Office badges with the title “Advisory Deputy” but have no actual police powers. Members can also pay up to $50,000 to join the “Diamond Chairman’s Circle,” the top elite tier with extra Council benefits, including an opportunity to speak at events.

“Tamarac plans to review ex-leader’s dealings after his arrest in alleged extortion” via Lisa J. Huriash of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — The former Tamarac City Manager, facing felony criminal charges for racketeering, is now facing a new kind of probe on whether there was wrongdoing surrounding a city golf course. City Commissioners late Wednesday signed off on a forensic audit of Manager Michael Cernech’s financial dealings, although they acknowledge they have no evidence that he ever did anything wrong and that his pending criminal trial has nothing to do with the Colony West golf course that opened last year. Last August, Cernech, of Parkland, was charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering. Prosecutors allege he worked with real estate developers Bruce and Shawn Chait to force developer 13th Floor into paying them millions of dollars as hush money.

“Coconut Creek cop accused of using police computer to track woman down at her home” via Lisa J. Huriash of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — A Coconut Creek police officer has been criminally charged for allegedly using his police computer to track down a woman whom he wanted to meet at her house. Police Officer Scott Hysell, 41, is accused of using his police access to identify and meet the unidentified woman in October. According to the incident report, Hysell accessed the information “via a computer outside the scope of his access rights and exceeded his authorization for use as a police officer. He did this willfully and with knowledge that such access is unauthorized or the manner of use exceeded authorization.” The report also said Hysell “then used his police authority to enter a gated community and visit the victim’s home.”

“Palm Beach art dealer indicted on fraud, money laundering charges in scheme to sell forged artwork” via Jodie Wagner of the Palm Beach Daily News — A Palm Beach art dealer whose Worth Avenue gallery was raided by federal agents in December has been indicted on charges of mail fraud, wire fraud and money laundering in connection with an alleged scheme to sell forged high-end artwork. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida announced the indictment Wednesday. It alleges Daniel Bouaziz engaged in a scheme to sell paintings and other artwork that he falsely marketed for sale as original or authentic pieces by prominent artists, including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, Banksy, and Roy Lichtenstein.

“Miami-Dade has a housing crisis. Here are some innovative proposals to solve it” via Sarah Moreno of the Miami Herald — Some innovative solutions to South Florida’s housing crisis were presented at last month’s Building Blocks Housing Summit, organized by Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and the Department of Public Housing and Community Development. Modular homes of modern design that can be ready in six months, shipping containers that are recycled into homes, and 3D home design could help Miami-Dade, which has seen an increase in prices for buying and renting homes due to the scarce supply of available housing. Miami-Dade is considered “the epicenter of the housing crisis in the United States,” according to U.S. Housing Secretary Marcia Fudge.

“July 11, 2021, continues to issue a call to action for Cubans on and off the island” via Orlando Gutiérrez-Boronat of the Miami Herald — On July 11, we commemorated the anniversary of a heroic day of protests that stand out in the history of the struggle for freedom in Cuba. The myriad commemorative activities carried out in Miami and in Cuban-exile communities around the world saluted the popular resistance, which has continued after that day. In Cuba, July 11 marked a transformation of the civic struggle for democracy, the leap made from the qualitative to the quantitative. It is evidenced by the wave of signs against the Castro regime that continue to appear throughout the country, signs whose prominence testifies to the silent decision in several neighborhoods to protect those who paint them.

“This airline will restart flights from Miami to more Cuban cities” via David Lyons of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — South Floridians who plan to visit Cuba will have more options to fly there this November — the latest instance of the U.S. loosening travel restrictions to the island. American Airlines will add five cities to the Communist-run island from Miami International Airport. U.S. officials have approved the airline’s request of the U.S. Department of Transportation to resume flights to Santa Clara, Varadero, Holguin, Camaguey and Santiago de Cuba. Since 2019, air service has been limited to Havana after the Trump administration ordered new economic sanctions against the Cuban government. In May, the Biden administration reversed that decision and declared it would ease curbs on U.S. travelers going to the island.

“UM to lead Alzheimer’s study aimed at recruiting Blacks, Hispanics to help develop drugs” via Daniel Chang of the Miami Herald — Over the past two decades, as medical care has evolved to include a patient’s genetic profile in clinical decisions, researchers studying Alzheimer’s disease have become aware of a blind spot in their data. Much of the genetic information gathered in clinical studies comes from non-Hispanic white people of European descent, as genetic studies have historically excluded people of African and Hispanic ancestry, said Dr. Margaret Pericak-Vance, a geneticist and director of the John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine. Without a diverse pool of genetic data that includes people of African and Hispanic ancestry, researchers will have fewer targets for developing drugs that can treat, cure or prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

— MORE LOCAL: C. FL —

“Two candidates say Sheriff Wayne Ivey tried to get them to drop out, offered jobs in exchange” via Eric Rogers and Bobby Block of Florida Today — In at least two races this election season — one for County Commission and one for the School Board — two candidates said Ivey has been pushing for them to leave the field and throw their support behind his favored candidates. In exchange, they say, Ivey has offered them political jobs worth up to $50,000 a year. The candidates who say they were pressured by Ivey to leave their races are Chris Hattaway, who is running against Tom Goodson, and Shawn Overdorf, who is running against Courtney Lewis.

“Despite ‘taking a pause’ on class libraries, BPS assures some books will be available” via Bailey Gallion of Florida Today — Following concerns about the availability of classroom books for students in light of new legislation scrutinizing reading materials for schools, district officials reassured the public Tuesday that the district supports those classroom libraries and planned to ensure at least some books were available to students. “We have not given any directions to schools to close down their classroom libraries,” Jane Cline, assistant superintendent for elementary leading and learning, told agitated staff and parents at Tuesday’s Brevard County School Board meeting.

“Brevard Commissioners approve increase in trash disposal rates to fund landfill expansion” via Dave Berman of Florida Today — Trash disposal rates for residents and businesses in unincorporated Brevard County will be increasing during each of the next three years, under a plan unanimously approved this week by the County Commission. For residential customers, the current disposal fee of $57 a year will increase to $62.13 in the budget year that begins Oct. 1. In the following budget years, the annual fee will rise to $66.48, then to $69.80. For commercial customers, the fee will increase from $164.51 a year to $179.32, then to $191.87 and $201.46.

“St. Pete community wants Trop development to focus on residents, not investors” via Kelly Hayes of Florida Politics — Hundreds of St. Petersburg residents gave input on what they’d like to see included in development plans for the Historic Gas Plant District, which currently serves as the site of Tropicana Field, at the first in a series of “Community Conservations” hosted by St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch. One of the most common concerns, keeping development focused on residents, not investors or tourists. “The Historic Gas Plant District, current home of Tropicana Field, represents not only our city’s largest redevelopment opportunity in decades, but also represents our responsibility to fulfill long-standing promises and honor the Gas Plant community, which was displaced from their homes and businesses, and to do so in an equitable, sustainable and impactful way,” Welch said in a statement.

“Once known as the land of Hooters and ‘Magic Mike,’ Tampa has discovered its cool factor” via Amy Gamerman of The Wall Street Journal — Bryan Pascual loves his hometown of Tampa, often visiting from his current home in Puerto Rico. But the 41-year-old entrepreneur is the first to admit that for much of his life, Tampa was “an A-minus, if you will, or even a B-plus” city with a nondescript downtown and a down-market reputation. The Gulf Coast city has sparkling bays and white sand beaches within easy reach, but it didn’t have the five-star hotels, buzzy restaurants, and hip downtown districts so crucial to a city’s cool factor. For many, Tampa was best known as the birthplace of Hooters and as the backdrop for “Magic Mike,” the 2012 male-stripper movie shot in and around Tampa Bay. But lately, something has shifted.

— MORE LOCAL: SW. FL —

“Collier County felon facing probation violations attempts courthouse escape” via Stacey Henson of the Naples Daily News — A man accused of violating his probation attempted to flee a Collier County courtroom by jumping the swinging doors separating the gallery from the proceedings and landing among the audience, where three bailiffs tackled him. According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, the short-lived attempt began when Jeff Haynes, 24, a felon from Naples, went before Circuit Judge Elizabeth Krier for a hearing Wednesday on nine violations of probation from a burglary charge. He was standing at the podium before Krier when he took off running. Sheriff Kevin Rambosk praised the bailiffs — Cpl. Vincent Peteroy, Deputy Roy Jacobsen and Deputy Todd Heinle — for their swift response, calling each one to thank them for a job well done.

“No penalty for Englewood Water District sewer spill” via Steve Reilly of the Englewood Sun — Englewood Water District may not be penalized for a sewage spill in May. District staff and Florida Department of Environmental Protection officials met earlier this month to discuss the spill. On May 11, due to a break in a 12-inch sewer line along Seahorse Lane in Holiday Park, an estimated 125,000 gallons of raw sewage leaked, some of which flowed into Rock Creek. Crews recovered about 16,000 gallons and treated the ground around the spill with lime, according to a required report to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. At the time, Administrator Ray Burroughs credited David Larson, District wastewater operations manager, with keeping the spill from being much worse.

“Punta Gorda residents to see small property tax hike?” via Daniel Sutphin of the Punta Gorda Sun — Punta Gorda residents are looking at a 3% increase in property taxes in 2023 despite no change in the city’s homestead property tax rate. For a $300,000 homestead residency, a homeowner would be looking at an increase for the upcoming fiscal year — Oct. 1 of the current year through Sept. 30 of the following year — from $988 to $1,023. For a $600,000 homestead residency, a homeowner would see about a $71 annual increase. For a $1 million homestead residency, a homeowner would see a $119 increase.

“Screwy plan for a new Florida city outrages its rural neighbors” via Craig Pittman of the Florida Phoenix — The buyer of a 4,202-acre citrus grove decided to convert it to a lime rock mine. Neighbors objected to the noise and traffic, and the county said no. But now, after one legal win and the threat of another, the owners of the proposed mine have shifted gears. Corkscrew Grove has lined up a developer to build something different: a massive residential and commercial project. It’s far larger than the mine would have been — 6,676 acres or about 2,400 acres bigger. And the development density is a lot more intense. So far, the Lee County Commission is going for it, even though this land is part of Lee County’s “DR/GR,” meaning “density reduction/groundwater recharge.”

“World to return to Venice Theatre in 2024” via Kim Cool of the Venice Gondolier — Venice Theatre’s fame is growing — along with its campus. The American Association of Community Theatres brings its WorldFest to Venice for the fifth time in 2024. That week of June 17-22 also will put the festival on the new schedule — every two years instead of every four years. Venice Theatre Producing Executive Director Murray Chase has wanted to do that. That schedule would have begun in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic halted live theater. “Training volunteers would be easier,” Chase said. Many volunteers and some theater employees have been to all four of the events held at the theater since June 22-27, 2010.

— MORE LOCAL: N. FL —

“U.S. Attorney: Former SRSO lieutenant lied to FBI, pleads guilty in federal court” via Benjamin Johnson of the Pensacola News Journal — In the same week that former Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Scott Haines took a plea deal for state felony charges, he pleaded guilty in federal court to making false statements to the FBI. Haines pleaded guilty to “making material false statements” to the FBI during its investigation, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Jason R. Coody. “During his plea in federal court, Haines admitted that he became personally involved in the real property management and finances of an elderly woman in Santa Rosa County and deposited rental payments from tenants of the elderly woman into his own bank account without authority to do so,” according to the release.

“Escambia County’s 2023 $622.9 million budget includes new funding deal with sheriff” via Jim Little of the Pensacola News Journal — Escambia County Commissioners are working on a new three-year funding agreement with the Sheriff’s Office as part of its 2023 budget. Commissioners discussed the funding arrangement during budget workshops this week, where Commissioners reviewed the $622.9 million budget for the upcoming year. This year’s budget is $54.7 million more than the previous year’s budget, as nearly every department saw increased costs over last year’s budget.

“Duval school grades punctuate accomplishments; charters raise questions” via Mark Wood of the Florida Times-Union — Let’s start by applauding those in our local schools — students, teachers, parents, administrators — who have navigated all the twists and turns of recent years, from pandemic to politics, and somehow managed to thrive. The latest public-school grades only punctuated accomplishments for Northeast Florida schools, including Duval County Public Schools. When the Florida Department of Education released grades last week — because of the pandemic, the first full school grade data since 2019 — Duval schools showed an overall gain. The percentage of passing schools — with grades of A, B or C — increased to 93%, up from 88% in 2019.

“Bomb threats target Florida State along with other schools; building evacuated” via Christopher Cann of the Tallahassee Democrat — Two bomb threats were called into Florida State University Thursday afternoon and caused the evacuation of one building as authorities searched the area. One call was for the Stone Building at 1114 W. Call Street; the other was for the Panama City campus, according to a statement from university spokesperson Dennis Schnittker. He added that law enforcement searched both buildings, but nothing unusual was found.

“Tallahassee officials approve 10-year ban on corruption-related felons lobbying” via Karl Etters of the Tallahassee Democrat — Tallahassee City Commissioners approved a 10-year ban on lobbying for anyone convicted of fraud-related crimes, the latest in measures intended to stamp out backdoor dealings. The unanimous vote Wednesday came after Commissioners first weighed a lifetime ban, then 20 years, and eventually landed on a decade. The move came the day after Paige Carter-Smith, one of three defendants convicted in the FBI’s long-running public corruption probe in Tallahassee, returned home from a Marianna federal prison camp.

“Lost to family for 79 years, World War II gunnery airman coming home for Tallahassee burial” via Marina Brown of the Tallahassee Democrat — Fred Barton and his wife, Joan, have been waiting 79 years for this homecoming. Fred Barton is the nephew of the handsome young man known as Staff Sgt. On Aug. 1, 1943, William Wood perished during a bombing mission described as one of the most daring attacks of the war over Ploiesti, Romania. Barton had only met his uncle as a toddler, but he is now the oldest living relative of the U.S. Army Air Forces gunnery specialist. Because of his DNA, Barton became one of several distant kin who would help to identify Wood’s remains.

“Project Alpha revealed: North American Aerospace Industries eyeing Tallahassee airport” via Tamaryn of the Tallahassee Democrat — North American Aerospace Industries, specializing in aircraft teardown and recycling, is the mystery company behind Project Alpha. Tallahassee International Airport director David Pollard revealed the company’s name during Wednesday’s City Commission meeting, a day after the Tallahassee Democrat published an article about the project that could become the largest job creator in the capital city airport’s history. Mayor John Dailey hailed the project and other industries circling around setting up shop at Tallahassee’s airport as “phenomenal,” noting the $616 million in projected economic impact.

“Pilot from Franklin County goes overseas to help Ukrainian refugees” via Madison Glaser of WCTV — As the war in Ukraine moves into its seventh month, a pilot from Franklin County is taking to the skies to help. John Bone is a retired airline pilot and flight instructor from Apalachicola. Right now, he’s in Europe, joining forces with the Ukraine Air Rescue team to help refugees. Bone is the only American out of about 270 pilots from around the world who’ve volunteered to assist Ukrainians through the air rescue team. The private group flies in medicine and other supplies on the way in, and on the way out, they bring refugees to safety. “I got in my plane and flew from Apalachicola in five days to Germany, and here I am,” Bone said.

— TOP OPINION —

“‘Ready for Ron’ means ready for ‘Trump war’” via Myra Adams for The Hill — Last weekend, I received 26 emails from Trump or allied organizations with subject lines: “The Great MAGA King,” “Activate my Trump card” and “Brand new Trump hat, ‘Let’s go Brandon.’” Amazingly, I even qualified for “GREAT MAGA KING STATUS” (in red caps) without donating a dime.

Included in the 26 were “TRUMP WAR” emails with Drudge-Report-like red sirens spewing “news” from MAGA-world’s alternative reality. While “TRUMP WAR” calls itself the “#1 Drudge Alternative,” on Tuesday, the real Drudge Report’s headlines screamed some real-world reality, “POLL: HALF REPUBLICAN VOTERS ABANDON TRUMP,” and “DESANTIS CONVENES DONORS.”

If you ask, “Why don’t you unsubscribe?” my answer is, “I have in the past.” However, Team Trump’s emails are like COVID-19 — morphing into new strains and immune to deletion.

With Trump haunting my emails and snail mail, the explosive Jan. 6 committee hearings and polls showing 61% of Americans against the former President making another White House run, a “Ready for Ron” PAC — as in DeSantis — caught my attention.

According to the Ready for Ron committee’s news release, its purpose is “to encourage Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to run for President of the United States.” (Does the uber-ambitious 43-year-old Governor need encouragement?)

— OPINIONS —

“Which Democrat hoping to replace DeSantis is raising more money off abortion?” via the Tampa Bay Times editorial board — Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Fried has sought to paint her opponent Crist as anti-abortion. Crist, who has pledged to veto abortion restrictions as Governor, has largely ignored these attacks. The day Roe v. Wade was overturned, Fried received about 340 small (defined as under $100) donations to her candidate account, which ranked as the 20th-best small-dollar fundraising day of her campaign to date. Meanwhile, that same day was Crist’s fourth best for small donations, with about 1,120 checks written to his candidate account.

“Forget pronouns. Democrats need to become the party of building things.” via Fareed Zakaria of The Washington Post — “A new enemy has emerged from the shadows,” he continued, “that seeks to destroy and intimidate their way to a transformed state, and country, that you and I would hardly recognize.” As you might by now have guessed, “This enemy is the radical vigilante woke mob.” Some of this is a clever effort by DeSantis to tap into the base of the Republican Party and outflank Trump on the kinds of issues that propelled Trump to the Republican nomination in 2016. This also reflects the looming electoral strategy among Republicans, who believe they have found a deep vulnerability among Democrats.

“COVID-19’s not going anywhere anytime soon. Learn to live with it — and adapt” via Leana S. Wen of the Miami Herald — A new variant of the coronavirus, even more contagious than previous strains, is now dominant in the United States. But rising cases should not prompt calls for most Americans to hunker down or for policymakers to reimpose restrictions. Instead, the rapid spread of the BA.5 omicron subvariant is a window into what the future with this coronavirus looks like. We’ve seen this pattern before. The original omicron variant was more contagious than the delta variant before it and quickly became dominant last winter. There was a brief lull, after which that strain was replaced by a more contagious subvariant, BA.2. Infections caused by BA.2 have started decreasing, just in time for subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 to take over.

“Though $3 million for UF civics program is a mystery, its tie to DeSantis’ Christian agenda isn’t” via the Miami Herald editorial board — There’s a mystery surrounding the state budget’s allocation of $3 million to a new civics program at the University of Florida. The university didn’t ask for the funding. The Republican lawmaker who requested the money said he did so on behalf of an organization he doesn’t “know really much about.” But it strains credulity that no one really knows why and how the money ended up in the state budget, especially when it involves civics education, a focal point of DeSantis’ push to force a conservative Christian point of view about the nation’s founding in public education.

“How about some property tax relief from Tampa Bay cities and counties?” via the Tampa Bay Times editorial board — Government officials across the Tampa Bay area know their constituents are struggling with inflation and the resulting sticker shock. They can see the impact on the cost of gas, groceries and pretty much everything else, and they are aware many residents have had to cut back or do without. But empathy, apparently, goes only so far. Most local officials appear disinclined to lower property tax rates despite eye-popping increases in tax revenues courtesy of skyrocketing property values. Governments across the Tampa Bay area say there are too many public needs to lower property tax rates, even if that would put money back into homeowners’ pockets when they badly need it. They point to new roads, more affordable housing, and enhanced police and fire protection as areas that require greater financial support.

— WEEKEND TV —

ABC Action News Full Circle with Paul LaGrone on Channel 10 WFTS: FiveThirtyEight political writer Amelia Thomson-Deveaux, Dr. Susan MacManus, and ABC News D.C. correspondent Joe St. George.

Facing South Florida with Jim DeFede on CBS 4 in Miami: The Sunday show provides viewers with an in-depth look at South Florida’s politics and other issues affecting the region.

In Focus with Allison Walker on Bay News 9/CF 13: A discussion about encouraging fatherhood and father participation in families across Florida and what new state funding will do to help kids. Joining Walker are House Speaker Chris Sprowls; Eric Hall, Secretary of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice; and Jalem Robinson, founder and CEO of Bubba Inc.

Political Connections on Bay News 9 in Tampa/St. Pete: Rep. Michele Rayner will discuss issues to be highlighted at the LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus Summer Conference; a look at the reaction from Republicans on inflation numbers; and a look into doubts about Biden and 2024.

Political Connections on CF 13 in Orlando: Candidates Joanne Terry and Danielle Dodge will discuss their campaigns in the Democratic Primary for Florida’s 8th Congressional District, currently held by U.S. Rep. Bill Posey.

This Week in Jacksonville with Kent Justice on Channel 4 WJXT: U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz and Duval County Schools Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene.

— ALOE —

“One hotel in Miami Beach, another in the Florida Keys just named among best in the world” via Connie Ogle of the Miami Herald — Two South Florida hotels are among the best hotels in the world, according to a popular travel website. Travel + Leisure just released its 100 Best Hotels in the World list and hotels in Miami Beach and on Little Torch Key in the Florida Keys made the cut, as well as one hotel in Palm Beach. At No. 81 on the list, Nobu Hotel Miami Beach, designed to mimic a Japanese beach house, was praised for its luxuries. Travel + Leisure writes: “The list of world-class amenities at this David Rockwell-designed beachfront hotel is impressively long: exceptional epicurean delights, a beautiful 22,000-square-foot spa, three pools, a private marina, and luxurious penthouse-level villas.”

“Massive indoor water park resort coming to Florida in 2024” via Carianne Luter of News4Jax — Great Wolf Resorts, North America’s largest family of indoor water park resorts, broke ground Thursday on its newest resort in Naples — the first one to be built in the Sunshine State. Great Wolf Lodge South Florida will feature family-friendly fun with attractions and amenities for all ages. The location will become the brand’s 21st resort in North America, featuring 500 family-friendly suites and an expansive 100,000-square-foot indoor water park. The resort will sit on 20 acres of Collier County, near the I-75 and Collier Boulevard interchange and next to the Paradise Coast Sports Complex. Construction is expected to last 18-24 months. Great Wolf Lodge South Florida is expected to celebrate its grand opening in the spring or summer of 2024.

“Christopher Meloni bares all in peloton ad honoring national nude day” via Ryan Gajewski of The Hollywood Reporter — Meloni is poking fun at his own predilection for working out in the buff with a newly released Peloton spot. Timed to National Nude Day on July 14, a seemingly naked Meloni can be seen doing an assortment of different exercises, all while covered with appropriately placed pixelation. At the end of the ad, Steve Zirnkilton, known for narrating all the series in NBC’s Law & Order franchise, tells viewers in voice-over, “In the Peloton community, users are represented by two separate yet equally motivated groups: those who wear pants, and Christopher Meloni.”

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Best wishes to our dear friends Tom Piccolo and Ron Sachs, as well as former U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Rep. Michael Grant and Brigette Bello. Celebrating this weekend are former U.S. Rep. Ross Spano, former state Sen. J.D. Alexander, Alexis Lambert, former Hillsborough Commission candidate Todd Marks, Alix Miller of the Florida Trucking Association, the still handsome Ben Stuart, Victoria Zepp — and our very own ‘Burn whisperer’ Phil Ammann.

___

Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Renzo Downey, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.