Here’s Brunch, a pop-up, weekend email during the 2022 General Election — 7.24.22

Good Sunday morning, and welcome back to “Brunch,” a pop-up newsletter about the 2022 campaign cycle in Florida. Brunch will be delivered each Sunday before the General Election.

As many of you know, I have embarked on a journey to better health. A lot of what I am doing is making reasonable changes to what I eat and drink.

My favorite cocktail is the Bloody Mary, followed closely by the Dirty Martini. I’ve pretty much given up the Dirty Martini, but I still enjoy a Bloody Mary. Except I’m just not into vodka the way I once was. But I still love a spicy Bloody Mary at Brunch or when I’m out on a boat. What to do?

Well, try a Sake Bloody Mary. Sub in a couple of ounces of premium Sake for the vodka. Maybe substitute good soy sauce for the Worcestershire. And definitely use a couple of pops of Sriracha to spice it up. Here’s a simple recipe if you are interested.

As you enjoy that Sake Bloody Mary, be sure to check out Joe Henderson’s choices for Winner and Loser of the Week in Florida politics.

Another must-read, which is sure to make your blood boil, is from The Daily Beast about “How the Feds tracked down the Trump fanatic accused of bombarding Parkland dad with depraved threats.”

Also, a reminder, Monday is the last day to register to vote or change party affiliations before the Aug. 23 Primaries. I actually have to switch parties from Republican to Democrat so I can vote in the Gubernatorial Primary.

— GOP Leaders meet for Sunshine Summit —

Florida GOP leaders gathered at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino this weekend for the Republican Party of Florida’s Sunshine Summit.

— Florida Senate President-designate Kathleen Passidomo and House Speaker-designate Paul Renner greeted attendees at the start of the events with a talk on the future of Florida politics.

— The 2023 Session will need to address “attainable” housing for workers, Passidomo said. Renner talked about the effort to expand school choice. Both leaders mentioned the “Hometown Heroes” program — a $100 million program set up this year to help with down payments and other housing costs for teachers, health care workers and police officers.

— Looking forward: The talk, moderated by Dave Rubin, touched on the future of the state itself, as well as some priorities of their legislative leaders like school choice and parental control in education. The pair want to “move Florida toward greater freedom and opportunity,” Renner tweeted.

— Red wave Ron —

— It’s the thrill of the fight: Prefacing his appearance by blaring “Eye of the Tiger,” Florida’s Republican Governor delivered the convention’s opening remarks. In his speech, Gov. Ron DeSantis predicted a “red wave” in the upcoming midterms and emphasized the importance of the increasingly politicized school board races.

— Map, map: DeSantis also boasted about his congressional map, saying it will likely increase the number of Republicans in Florida’s Congressional Delegation.

— No cameras, please: In case it wasn’t obvious by the sparse media presence at the convention, DeSantis took time in his opening to slam “legacy media,” which he said won’t be part of the GOP Primary or debates.

— Didn’t you hear him? NO CAMERAS —

— While the event has traditionally been open to the media, this year’s convention was invite-only — and invites were few.

— Let me check the list: POLITICO’s Matt Dixon obtained a list of the event’s credentialed news agencies. Who could be there? Mostly conservative media, with approved agencies including Daily Wire, Florida’s Voice, and Breitbart.

— Mainstream: A select few “mainstream” publications, such as the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and The News Service of Florida were granted access, but most Florida newspapers and media weren’t credentialed.

— You can’t sit with us. DeSantis representative Christina Pushaw boasted about the exclusionary event, tweeting “It has come to my attention that some liberal media activists are mad because they aren’t allowed into #SunshineSummit this weekend … My message to them is to try crying about it.”

— Turning point —

With Turning Point USA hosting its Student Action Summit in Tampa this weekend, it looks like the kids had something to say about the critical Florida elections.

— Holy Toledo: State Rep. Jackie Toledo earned the endorsement of Turning Point Action, TPUSA’s campaign arm. That could be a significant lift in Florida’s 15th Congressional District, where she’s one of five Republicans seeking an open seat.

— Joining the company: She joins the ranks of other TP faves like Anna Paulina Luna in Florida’s 13th, Anthony Sabatini in the 7th and Rod Dorilas in Florida’s 22nd. The group also supports incumbent Reps. Matt Gaetz, Kath Cammack and Byron Donalds.

— Ron-mania: Less surprising, but the group also took the occasion of rallying in Florida to back DeSantis as he seeks a second term.

— Neo-Nazis gathered outside the event to protest and distribute flyers, one of which said, “every single aspect of abortion is Jewish.” This elected a quick response from gubernatorial candidate Nikki Fried — the first Jewish woman elected to the Florida Cabinet. She tweeted: “Let my (sic) be clear: when I’m Governor, you will not be welcome here. You will not terrorize us. And we will never back down from condemning hate and White supremacy.”

— Out of left field —

Fried is demanding an apology from her Democratic Primary opponent, U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, for “bigoted” comments he made about immigrants during their Thursday gubernatorial debate.

— Farmers only? Crist said during the debate that he supports “comprehensive immigration reform.” Pressed on what he’d do if elected Governor again, he said, “Florida would be a place where people could continue to come and work in agriculture.”

— ¡Discúlpate Ahora! Fried’s political director, Cramer Verde, quickly seized on Crist’s gaffe and said he should apologize, pointing out that many immigrants are teachers, nurses, doctors and lawyers who “are as much a part of Florida as citizens born here.” Verde, a former Chair of immigration for the League of United Latin American Citizens, added: “We know the way to victory in November is with the support of our Hispanic communities, (and culturally) disconnected comments like this do not help.”

— Red shift: Florida is home to some 775,000 undocumented immigrants, the majority of them from South America, but support for Democrats among Latino voters appears to be softening. A recent Axios-Ipsos Latino Poll found DeSantis’ favorability among Latinos improved by 7 percentage points between December 2021 and 2022, from 39% to 46%.

— Fenced in: Whether Crist’s comments — and Fried’s response to them — affects the Aug. 23 Primary Election remains to be seen. Polling and campaign finance reporting shows Crist maintaining a solid lead over the Agriculture Commissioner in voter support and funding.

— Crist adding support —

On top of that, Crist picked up a new round of endorsements following the debate, with Sen. Jason Pizzo, Rep. Kevin Chambliss and Brevard School Board member Jennifer Jenkins all throwing their support behind Crist.

— Pizzo’s praise: “Charlie is the unifier Florida needs right now to right the wrongs of Gov. DeSantis and put our state back on track,” Pizzo said. “Florida families are suffering from a lack of affordable housing, a failed insurance market, and disregard for the neighborhoods ripped apart from gun violence. I’ve been on the front lines during the pandemic, and thousands of my constituents were stranded waiting for unemployment and housing assistance — it’s time we had a governor who actually cares, and that’s why I’m proud to endorse Charlie to be Florida’s next Governor.”

— “Genuinely cares”: “I could not be more thrilled to endorse Charlie Crist to be Florida’s next Governor,” Chambliss said. “Florida is facing an affordability crisis with skyrocketing costs of living as well as a gun violence epidemic, but Gov. DeSantis continues to do next to nothing. It’s unacceptable. Charlie genuinely cares for Floridians and will always work to alleviate their burdens, not ignore them.”

— Classroom advocate: “There is no greater unifier than our children’s future,” Jenkins added. “Charlie Crist understands the value of Florida’s public education system, and he believes our schools perform when parents, educators, and students work together. By preserving instructional autonomy, providing competitive compensation, and significantly increasing funding for special programs, Charlie Crist will ensure all of our children have a classroom with a qualified teacher, equipped with resources, at the forefront.”

— “Humbled and grateful”: “I am humbled and grateful to earn the support of these incredible public servants who are working every day to build a Florida we are all proud to call home,” Crist said. “Florida deserves a governor who will work for the people, not for themselves. A Governor who will always have your back and will fight for you every single day. Let’s go win this thing and flip Florida blue.”

— Fried going on TV —

Fried is hitting the airwaves with less than a month until the Election.

— The buy: It measures at $624,220 and includes broadcast networks in most Florida media markets, although Orlando and Miami account for about two-thirds of the overall spend.

— First ad: It’s her first flight of the campaign cycle, and it was booked about a week after her chief opponent in the Democratic nominating contest, U.S. Rep. Crist, became the first Governor candidate to put ads on broadcast.

To watch Fried’s post-debate clip: click on the image below:

— Wait for it: The ad won’t land for a while. According to AdImpact, the media reservation was made for the week of Aug. 15, so Crist will hold on to air dominance for a bit longer.

Fried’s ad campaign will be a crucial part of her close. She has consistently trailed Crist in fundraising and most polls and the gap hasn’t narrowed since the Primary season entered full swing.

— Lawson stumps in Tally —

U.S. Rep. Al Lawson headlined an event for Democrats in North Florida.

— Blue breakfast: Lawson was one of the dozens of North Florida candidates to drum up support during Saturday’s “Flip Florida Blue” breakfast at Bradley’s Pond in Tallahassee. The Democratic Club of North Florida event also featured many candidates for local and statewide offices.

— Roasting Ron: Several speakers took aim at DeSantis, including Lawson. “I’ve served two years with Ron DeSantis,” Lawson told the crowd. “And all he did for two years was sit in a corner and play with his cellphone.” Surrogates for Democratic gubernatorial candidates Crist and Fried referred to the Governor as “(Donald) Trump with a brain” and “Trumpy Jr.”

— Replacing Ramon: Two Democrats running for outgoing Rep. Ramon Alexander’s House District 8 addressed the small crowd. HD 8 hopeful Gallop Franklin said, “It’s time for us to have a war on poverty.” Another candidate, former legislative aide Marie Rattigan pleaded, “The time is now for us to no longer be complacent.”

— Down on Doak: Several local candidates criticized the $27 million economic development grant to upgrade Florida State University’s Doak Campbell Stadium. Tallahassee mayoral candidate and current Leon County Commissioner Kristin Dozier was applauded when she brought up her opposition to the deal as Mayor John Dailey looked on. “That was not what we intended to use the money for,” she said. “They could have paid for it themselves.”

— AFPI to host top Florida Republicans —

Several Florida GOP officials will speak at the America First Policy Institute’s two-day “America First Agenda Summit,” which kicks off this Monday in Washington D.C. They’re set to talk gas prices, inflation, parental rights, fighting crime and securing the border.

— Monday lineup: Sen. Rick Scott, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds and former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi will be among the Day One speakers, starting at 11:30 a.m.

— Tuesday roster: U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack will speak on Day Two, which starts at 8 a.m.

— Trump returns …: The former President, who is set to deliver the event’s closing address, will be making his first visit back to Washington, D.C. since leaving office.

— … with support: AFPI CEO Brooke Rollins lauded Trump, saying, “It wasn’t that long ago that America was flourishing. Paychecks were growing. Poverty was shrinking. The price of gas was down. The stock market was up. And there were no new wars. What a difference 16 months makes.”

— Import-ant visit —

During a swing through Tampa, Sen. Marco Rubio spoke with WFLA about important issues to the port, with a bit of China-bashing on the way.

— Supply-side: He discussed the importance of imports and suggested the Tampa Port could connect to allies in Latin America. “Instead of having all the factories in China, we’d probably be better off if they were in Honduras or Haiti or Guatemala so that people there would have jobs and not have to illegally emigrate to the United States.”

— Made in America: Ideally, he’d like more goods made in the U.S. and may be shipped out. He said Congress could spur lower manufacturing costs to encourage that.

— Drawing up plays: The avid Dolphins fan compared government to a sports league. Senators don’t play on the field but can change rules and regulations to encourage a certain type of play, like when the NFL wanted more passing and made it so defense can’t rough up quarterbacks so much.

— Waste of time?: A recent comment slamming an upcoming vote on marriage equality also came up. Rubio will vote no, but said he’s upset that Congress needs to focus on this instead of inflation. “Not a single state seeks to ban it … It’s a non-issue.”

— Jones goes to Israel —

South Florida Democratic Sen. Shevrin Jones has departed from Miami to visit Israel for a trip where he hopes to connect to his faith and learn from different religious leaders.

— It’s all in the journey: Jones sees this trip as an opportunity to learn and understand a land “that holds deep spiritual value to many,” including himself. The journey is a chance to connect not just with his faith, but the land of Israel and the people who form its diverse society, he said.

— Agenda: Jones plans to walk the streets of the old city, “where the histories of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam intersect to form a Holy Land for billions of people,” he said. On the trip, Jones will meet with people of all three faiths, various races and differing political views.

— Faith: Jones’ father is a pastor, and the state Senator credits his parents for teaching him values through his Christian education. Such values, he said, continue to inform his views of the world and his public service.

— Following Biden: Jones makes the trip shortly after President Joe Biden visited Jerusalem and reaffirmed U.S.-Israel relations.

— With butter? —

It’s spiny lobster season in Florida. There are the basics: July 27 and 28 are the sport season days this year, with the regular season running from Aug. 6 through March 2023. However, it also leads to thoughts as to why some creatures get the names they do.

— Rock stars: Of course, another name for spiny lobster is rock lobster, which featured in the B-52s’ signature odd song. Why it’s not regulated as the rock lobster, who can say? It certainly looks like it has a lot of spines on it.

— Bag ‘em: Folks like to go spiny lobster fishing in the Keys, but the limits are tighter. The bag limit is six in Monroe County and Biscayne National Park, but 12 elsewhere around the state.

— Size matters: The lobsters harvested must have a carapace at least 3 inches long as measured in the water.

— The hunt is on —

If you think Tallahassee has too many taco, pizza or burger places, here’s a new venue that offers a more intriguing menu.

— Plenty of options: The Huntsman, which opened July 11 in the former home of Cypress Restaurant, features several choices of game, including antelope, black buck elk, wild boar and a few types of deer. But there are several other dining options, including duck, steaks, chops, fish and vegan dishes.

— How many courses? The 82-seat restaurant highlights a nightly five-course tasting menu, with a choice of either meat/game picks or all vegan — available with a beverage pairing.

— Restaurant vets: “We wanted to do something a little different,” said Danny Renninger, owner of The Huntsman with Ben Williamson and executive chef Skylar Stafford, who all worked together at the fine dining restaurants Sage and Il Lusso.

— The details: The restaurant has a 12-seat private room and there’s work on outdoor space. The Huntsman is found at 320 E. Tennessee St.; 850-765-1887. The dining room is only for reservation. The bar area accepts walk-ins, with full service.

— Brunching out —

It’s not just the brews. Coffee and breakfast are now daily staples at Ology’s new Northside branch

— Backstory: It’s the third location for Nick Waller, Brian Clark and Paul Woodward, owners of Ology Brewing Co.

— Setting: Owners transformed the long-vacated storefront of Beef ‘O’ Brady’s and Subway into a gleaming, 4,800-square-foot venue with a 50′ x 30′ deck and private party/meeting space.

— The menu: Breakfast choices are limited for now, but Ology serves killer burritos. We devoured the “Dirty Southwest Burrito,” made with bacon, Grady Ranch breakfast sausage, Paradise Found Farm eggs, sauteed peppers and onions, with cheddar cheese and a kicky hatch chile sauce and a dipping sauce of chipotle lime crema. The vegetarian version is equally excellent, with local farm eggs, eggplant, onions, sweet peppers, squash and zucchini. Other options: loaded Tater Tots, avocado toast and house-baked muffins. Expect a mighty good cup of joe from Jason Card, who runs the coffee operation at Northside and Ology’s original Midtown spot. The Northside branch features a full menu (breakfast, dinner and late-night choices) from experienced chef Randy Blass.

— Details: Ology Brewing (Northside) is found at 2910 Kerry Forest Pkwy., Northampton Shopping Center; 850-296-2809. Hours: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 7 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. Breakfast 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., with coffee service 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. Other locations are at 118 E. Sixth Ave. and 2708 Power Mill Ct.

— Can smell the pigskin —

The last NFL season for Florida’s three teams was a mix of good (Tampa Bay), erratic (Miami), and comically awful (Jacksonville). What does the upcoming season hold? With training camps opening around the league, there’s anticipation, expectation, and hope that springs eternal. After all, the Cincinnati Bengals made the Super Bowl last year after going 4-12 the year before.

— What’s new? The crystal ball says the Buccaneers will be good again, the Dolphins expect to compete for a playoff spot, and the Jags might be on the road to competence. We’ll get back to you on that last one. The common thread for Florida’s teams is that each has a new head coach.

— Going Bowling: Todd Bowles steps up from his defensive coordinator role with the Bucs to the head job after Bruce Arians retired. Bowles spent four seasons as head coach of the New York Jets before joining the Bucs in 2019.

— Mike in Miami: Mike McDaniel takes over in Miami after the chaotic firing of Brian Flores after last year’s 9-8 season. McDaniel’s task is to turn Tua Tagovailova into a top-level NFL quarterback, a job that should be easier considering the Dolphins sent five draft picks to Kansas City for elite receiver Tyreek Hill.

— Jacksonville’s year? And Jacksonville turned to former Eagles coach Doug Pederson to rebuild from the chaos of the Urban Meyer era (or, if you prefer, error). Pederson’s job is to restore a sense of sanity to Jacksonville and help second-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence reach his potential. It won’t be a quick fix in Jacksonville, but Pederson comes with street cred. He coached the Eagles to the 2017 Super Bowl win over New England, which was some quarterback named Tom Brady.

— He’s back: Yes, after flirting with retirement after last season, Brady is back for one more round (at least), which means the Bucs are thinking Super Bowl or bust. Are you ready for some football?