Peter Schorsch
Good Thursday morning.
The latest polling numbers from the SimilarPoll2022 Midterm Election Survey bafflingly suggest both of Florida’s highest-profile races are tossups.
The poll puts U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio in a dead heat with his challenger U.S. Rep. Val Demings, with Demings actually edging Rubio with 40% support to his 38%. Similarly, and just as laughably, the poll shows Democrat Charlie Crist leading Gov. Ron DeSantis by about the same margin.
This poll is either horribly unscientific or the numbers are just bequeathed from somewhere out in La La Land.
The poll shows 43% of respondents indicate they plan to vote on Election Day, with 24% saying they plan to vote by mail and 13% saying they plan to vote early. Let’s compare those numbers to the last Midterm Election in Florida, in 2018. We’re already seeing some major disparities here.
Then, nearly 8.3 million people cast a vote in Florida, according to the Division of Elections. Of those, only 36% voted on Election Day, while 32% voted early and 31% voted by mail.
The problem may be quite simple: It’s not specific to Florida. The poll is conducted nationwide, meaning it’s possible not everyone responding lives in or is even all that familiar with Florida elections.
Now, let’s head back over to the reality peninsula, where about every credible poll shows likely victories for both Rubio and DeSantis.
FiveThirtyEight currently puts DeSantis 7 percentage points ahead of Crist.
The Cook Political Report puts Florida’s Governor’s race in the likely Republican category.
Likewise, with Sabato’s Crystal Ball.
Suffolk University Poll: DeSantis.
Mason-Dixon Polling: DeSantis (by double digits, I might add).
And it’s not much of a different story for Rubio’s chances.
One thing the SimilarPoll gets right is this: The top issue facing voters this cycle is inflation and the cost of living, followed by the economy, issues Republicans dominate, especially when a Democrat occupies the White House. And this is super important, so I’m going to say it loud for folks in the back: THOSE WERE THE TOP TWO ISSUES FOR BOTH POLITICAL PARTIES.
Hope you’ve taken your blood pressure meds; this poll gets the whole saltshaker.
___
Annette Taddeo, who is running in Florida’s 27th Congressional District, isn’t throwing away her shot.
Later this morning she’ll rally in Miami with none other than the award-winning songwriter, actor, producer and director (have you seen “Hamilton?”) Lin-Manuel Miranda and other Democratic candidates at a Latino Victory Fund get-out-the-vote rally.
The event begins at 9:45 a.m. at an undisclosed location.
Joining the Taddeo and the Hamilton star are Democratic candidates Maxwell Frost (CD 10), Karla Hernàndez (Lt. Gov.), Janelle Perez (SD 38), A.J. D’Amico (HD 113), and Nathalie Rayes, president and CEO of Latino Victory and Laphonza Butler, president of EMILY’S List.
Democrats statewide are facing major hurdles at the polls this cycle, with recent election forecasts showing gains for GOP candidates and predictions showing a possible red wave in Florida.
Landing the creator of one of Broadway’s biggest sensations ever can’t hurt their chances to shift the tide.
___
In less than three weeks, Florida voters will decide who will serve as Governor, U.S. Senator and their representatives in Congress and the state Legislature.
But, Equal Ground contends, they’ll also be deciding the future of democracy — and they don’t mean that in the same way many other organizations do in get-out-the-vote hype videos.
They’re talking about judicial elections.
Specifically, Equal Ground and the other leading plaintiffs in the lawsuit challenging Florida’s new Congressional map are raising awareness about the five Supreme Court justices up for retention in November.
Those justices — or their replacements — will ultimately decide whether the new maps follow the letter of the law or should go back to the drawing board.
Equal Ground, Florida Rising, Black Voters Matter, the League of Women Voters and other organizations have argued that they do not, with their main concern being the dismantling of a North Florida district designed to allow Black Floridians to choose who represents them in D.C.
In a new digital ad campaign, the groups are telling voters that “We Draw the Lines.”
One static ad says, “This election isn’t just about picking our next Governor and U.S. Senator. Floridians will decide which justices remain on the Florida Supreme Court. So, remember to vote all the way down your ballot.” Another states, “These justices will decide the future of Black representation in Florida. It’s up to you.”
The campaign also includes a video laying out the same points, asking “should they stay, or should they go?”
The ad campaign will target Black and brown voters living in Florida’s 4th, 5th, 7th, 9th, 10th, 13th, 14th, 26th and 27th Congressional Districts. It will continue through Election Day.
To watch the ad, please click on the image below:
___
Other items on my radar:
📊 — Statistic of the day: About half of Americans believe votes in the Midterm Elections will be counted correctly, meaning the other half thinks they won’t. That’s according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, and it’s actually an improvement from the 2020 Presidential Election when only 4 in 10 voters believed votes would be counted correctly. But the latest poll also finds that only 9% of U.S. adults think democracy is working extremely or very well, while 52% believe it’s not working well. Those are some grim numbers no matter which side of the aisle you’re on. Read more here.
😱 — Democrats are in trouble with Hispanics: Former President Donald Trump began a trend, improving his performance among Hispanic voters at the polls from 2016 to 2022. Polls suggest the trend may yet continue, according to the Wall Street Journal. Trump earned 28% of the Hispanic vote nationwide in 2016. In 2020, he grew that number to 38%. He did even better in Florida, going from 35% in 2016 to 46% in 2020. The numbers, and the possibility that they could continue shifting in the GOP’s favor, suggest a demographic Democrats have long enjoyed as a New Democratic majority may be becoming a swing group. Read more here.
📝 — Tom Cotton’s blacklist: Because it could just as easily be DeSantis’. In his latest “Too Close To Call” observation, David Catanese describes a phenomenon too many of those in his profession have experienced: getting blacklisted. For him, it was Arkansas U.S. Sen. Cotton, or rather, his comms shop, and the impetus was a story written eight years prior that shared, not Catanese’s own opinion on Cotton, but those of Cotton’s own Republican colleagues. Yet it earned him a spot on the dreaded list of reporters without access. The words could just as easily describe reporters in Florida, where members of the media deemed friendly to the administration are rewarded with sit-downs while those who are not are relegated to delayed written comments, or none at all, or worse, fierce zingers on Twitter. Nod along with the experience here.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
—@Scott_Maxwell: For years, Ron DeSantis has staged near-daily tantrums about everything from Joe Biden to the media with fans calling his behavior courageous & proof “he won’t back down.” Yet when Val Demings dishes it out, she’s “angry” and “emotional.” This isn’t even subtle anymore.
—@fineout: The Governor’s Office filed a response in lawsuit seeking records about flights — says @FLCTRGA “has no right to leap ahead of other requesters to have its requests satisfied at breakneck speed just because it may have the resources and wherewithal to engage in litigation.”
—@Mdixon55: Crux of DeSantis legal argument is that someone suing should not “leap ahead other requesters” just because it can sue. In other words: Even if we are at times historically slow at releasing public records (they have been), there should be no recourse
Tweet, tweet:
A cop choosing not to believe evidence should probably be up higher in the AP poll story on American democracy. pic.twitter.com/ffJOG9QCKb
— Wes Wolfe (@WesWolfeFP) October 19, 2022
—@JKennedyReport:.@CharlieCrist campaign manager Austin Durrer leaving “to focus on a family matter,” spox Samantha Ramirez says. Sydney Throop, day-to-day op mgr takes over for homestretch.
Tweet, tweet:
Florida needs to work on its pumpkin ranking 🎃 pic.twitter.com/fGC8Jclg0K
— Christopher Heath (@CHeathWFTV) October 19, 2022
— DAYS UNTIL —
Taylor Swift’s ‘Midnights’ release — 1; the Gubernatorial General Election debate — 4; Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum — 5; Cormac McCarthy’s ‘The Passenger’ releases — 5; Jon Meacham’s ‘And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle’ releases — 5; City & State Florida Digital Summit — 7; Early voting begins for General Election — 9; 2022 General Election — 19; ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ premieres — 22; ‘Captain Marvel 2′ premieres — 22; FITCon 2022 begins — 28; ‘The Flash’ premieres — 28; The World Cup kicks off in Qatar — 32; The U.S. World Cup Soccer Team begins play — 35; Florida TaxWatch’s Annual Meeting begins — 44; ‘Willow’ premieres on Disney+ — 44; 2022 Florida Chamber Annual Insurance Summit — 46; McCarthy’s ‘Stella Maris’ releases — 47; ‘Avatar 2’ premieres — 57; final Broadway performance of ‘The Music Man’ with Hugh Jackman — 73; Bruce Springsteen launches his 2023 tour in Tampa — 104; ‘Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ premieres — 120; final performance of ‘Phantom of the Opera’ on Broadway — 121; 2023 Legislative Session convenes — 138; ‘John Wick: Chapter 4′ premieres — 156; American Association of Political Consultants Pollies ’23 conference begins — 180; 2023 Session Sine Die — 197; ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ premieres — 197; ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ premieres — 225; Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ premieres — 274; ‘Dune: Part Two’ premieres — 379; ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ Part 2 premieres — 526; ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ premieres — 582; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games — 645; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres — 645; ‘Blade’ reboot premieres — 687; ‘Deadpool 3’ premieres — 750; ‘Fantastic Four’ reboot premieres — 848; ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ premieres — 925. ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres — 1,114.
— TOP STORY —
“How Ron DeSantis used Disney’s missteps to wage war on corporate America” via Michael Kranish of The Washington Post — At first, DeSantis had little involvement with the bill that would lead him into open conflict with Disney and the LGBTQ rights community. The conflict also highlights the careful political calculus of DeSantis, who had previously said little publicly about gay rights issues.
Disney made a strategic decision to work behind the scenes to reshape the Parental Rights in Education Act, while declining to make its position public. Despite its army of lobbyists in Tallahassee, the company made no headway.
By March, amid rising public protests and internal pressure from employees, Disney’s executives met in to discuss whether to take a public stand against the measure.
Disney CEO Bob Chapek turned to Geoff Morrell, whom he’d had recently brought into the company as the chief corporate affairs officer. The former ABC News White House correspondent advised Chapek not to take a position on such divisive legislation.
Chapek took the advice to heart. He sent a mass email saying that Disney had no intention of making a public statement because it could “divide and inflame” the situation.
His message backfired.
Chapek called DeSantis to plead his case for a meeting and a pause on the legislation. Chapek told shareholders Disney was concerned the law could “unfairly target gay, lesbian, nonbinary and transgender kids and families.”
The day after Disney’s call to repeal the bill, Tucker Carlson’s show aired video of a Disney companywide virtual meeting about LGBTQ issues that had been held a week earlier.
DeSantis alleged that the clip showed how Disney was trying “to have transgenderism injected into kindergarten classrooms or woke gender ideology injected into second-grade classrooms.”
The Governor was ready to push his battle with Disney beyond dueling statements.
Such companies, DeSantis said, “are now exercising quasi-public power in terms of using their economic power to change policy in this country.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I’m not backing down.”
— 2022 —
“With crucial elections looming, Joe Biden breaks tradition of big campaign rallies” via Michael D. Shear, Katie Glueck and Lisa Lerer of The New York Times — Biden’s strategy is clear: He will help Democrats raise money and will continue to hopscotch the country talking about infrastructure, negotiated drug prices, student debt relief and investments in computer chip manufacturing. But his decision not to participate, so far at least, in rallies that are normally a staple of campaign season highlights how little the President can do to help his fellow Democrats, even with the megaphone of the Oval Office. Biden’s plans for the final stretch of the election season are in stark contrast with those of his immediate predecessors in both parties. Trump held 26 rallies in October 2018. Obama held 16 campaign rallies in October 2010, even though his approval rating was about the same as Biden’s is now.
“Charlie Crist Campaign Manager out 20 days before election” via Florida Politics — Veteran staffer and Campaign Manager Durrer is leaving Crist’s gubernatorial campaign with less than three weeks left before Election Day, and as Florida voters are already submitting vote-by-mail ballots. Throop, who guided Crist’s earlier congressional campaigns and has been running day-to-day operations for his gubernatorial bid, is taking the helm. “Austin Durrer has departed the campaign to focus on a family matter,” campaign spokesperson Ramirez said. Though the campaign faces long odds, the campaign insists Durrer’s departure has nothing to do with the state of the campaign.
“What are Ron DeSantis’ plans on abortion in Florida? He’s not saying as Election Day nears” via John Kennedy and Kathryn Var — After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned federal abortion rights in June, giving states full authority to create their own policies, DeSantis promised to “expand pro-life protections.” DeSantis recently signed into law a ban on most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, with no exceptions for rape or incest, reducing what had been a 24-week standard in place for almost a half-century. The Republican Governor is widely expected to seek a stricter ban, a so-called heartbeat bill prohibiting most abortions after six weeks. But as he campaigns for a second term, he’s not talking about it.
“Crist doesn’t expect Hurricane Ian response to benefit DeSantis” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — “It got him a lot of airtime,” Crist said. “We’ll see how people feel about their property insurance.” Crist rejected the proposition that Democrats aren’t enthusiastic about the ticket, pointing to a survey that shows Democratic leads in two key Florida races. “I just saw a poll that came out today that showed Val Demings and I ahead,” Crist said, referring to an outlier SimilarPoll2022 Midterm Election Survey, which showed leads within the margin of error for both. This survey result runs against the larger polling trend. FiveThirtyEight currently puts DeSantis 7 percentage points ahead of Crist.
Assignment editors — Crist will join Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, 7$ and Florida Democratic Party Chair Manny Diaz for two get-out-the-vote kickoff events: 12:45 p.m., St. Johns Democrats meet-and-greet, St. Augustine; 5 p.m., GOTV kickoff with DNC Chair Jaime Harrison, Jacksonville. Locations upon RSVP at [email protected].
Assignment editors — Hernández will take part in the following events in South Florida: 9:30 a.m., Latino Victory Fund GOTV rally with Manuel-Miranda: 5:30 p.m., CBTU Convention, Boca Raton. Location upon RSVP at [email protected].
— MORE 2022 —
“CD 9: Incumbent Darren Soto runs on record; Scotty Moore touts ‘America first’ agenda” via Ryan Gillespie of the Orlando Sentinel — In one of the state’s safest congressional districts for Democrats, a Republican former Christian missionary is hoping to topple a veteran Democrat who has comfortably won three elections in the district spanning south Orange, all of Osceola and part of Polk. U.S. Rep. Soto, a Kissimmee Democrat, was unopposed in the August Primary, while Moore, an Orlando Republican, prevailed in a four-way race to represent the party. Soto, first elected in 2016, said his time in Congress has shown he’s an effective member whether Democrats hold the majority or are in the minority and that he’s leading efforts to land federal funding for rail expansion to Orlando International Airport, to Orlando’s tourism corridor and on to Tampa.
—“Republican candidates build money edge in Central Florida House races” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
“Bernie Sanders plans Orlando stop to boost Maxwell Frost, energize progressive voters” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Sanders will visit Orlando near the end of the month to support Frost and energize young and progressive Florida voters ahead of the General Election. The stop in Orlando is one of at least 19 planned events the Independent Senator from Vermont is planning over the final two weekends before Election Day. The first begins in Eugene, Oregon, with others following in California, Nevada, Texas and Florida the first weekend and in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania the second weekend. Sanders will visit Orlando on Oct. 30. The event will take place after a stop in McAllen, where Sanders is planning to support Michelle Vallejo, the Democratic candidate for Texas’ 15th Congressional District.
Happening tonight — Spectrum Bay News 9 will air a candidate debate in Florida’s 15th Congressional District between Republican Laurel Lee and Democratic Alan Cohn at 7 p.m. Bay News 9 anchor Holly Gregory and Tampa Bay Times political editor Emily Mahoney will moderate the half-hour event, which will air on both Spectrum Channel 9 and the Spectrum News App.
“Leon Schools Superintendent becomes latest local official backing Loranne Ausley’s re-election” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — Leon County Schools Superintendent Rocky Hanna has joined the stream of city and county officials announcing their support for Sen. Ausley. Ausley is in the battle of her political life against Corey Simon in Senate District 3. Her campaign has published a series of endorsements from former and current officials in the hopes of bolstering her chances against her challenger, a former football player for Florida State University. The endorsement from Hanna, who last year supported mask mandates for county schools and who recently criticized Republican efforts to expand school vouchers in Florida, follows that of Leon County School Board Chair Darryl Jones, who endorsed Ausley last week.
“Adam Morley hopes 5th matchup with House Speaker-designate Paul Renner ends differently” via Mark Harper of The Daytona Beach News-Journal — House Speaker-designate Renner doesn’t have to turn the clock back too far, just 2014, to remember he once lost a close race for a Jacksonville-area House seat. When a seat unexpectedly opened up a month later, Renner moved to Palm Coast, campaigned and won a 2015 Special Election. That started a familiar pattern. Renner defeated the same Democrat, Morley, in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2020 for the Flagler-St. Johns-based seat. Undaunted, Morley is back for a fifth time, punching at what he calls the “Republican political machine.” Redistricting resulted in a changed district number, 19 rather than 24, but similar boundaries — all of Flagler County and coastal St. Johns County north into St. Augustine.
“In HD 37 race, candidates see each other as ‘extreme’” via Stephen Hudak of the Orlando Sentinel — The candidates for House District 37 each say the other follows an extreme agenda. In separate interviews with the Orlando Sentinel, Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, a Democrat who has served six years in the Legislature, and Republican challenger Susan Plasencia clashed with each other’s stands on abortion, gun rights and other high-profile issues. “Carlos is a paid professional agitator who is more interested in picking political fights than solving problems,” Plasencia, a first-time candidate, said of Smith, the first openly gay Latino to serve in the Legislature and special-projects coordinator for LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Florida. “Plasencia wants to ban abortion and take your freedoms,” Smith said of the challenger.
“Carolina Amesty maintains cash edge over Allie Braswell in HD 45” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Amesty still holds a cash advantage in the race for an open Central Florida House seat. But her edge over Braswell shows the race is one of the tightest contests of any of Florida’s 120 House districts. Through Oct. 7, Amesty holds about $65,466 in cash. Braswell, meanwhile, still has $47,068 in the bank. Of course, any cash comparison must also be looked at in terms of debt held by both campaigns. Braswell since Aug. 31 has added $70,000 in candidate loans on top of $5,000 he chipped in to launch his campaign in March. Amesty, meanwhile, still has $200,000 in loans she laid down when she filed in March.
“Dana Trabulsy nets nearly $100K, her biggest haul yet in re-election bid” via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics — Rep. Trabulsy raked in her biggest take yet in her current bid for re-election, raising $93,254 in 28 days against a political newcomer who’s been left in the dust when it comes to the money race. Trabulsy is up against retired hospital executive and Democrat Forest Blanton to continue representing House District 84, which supported Trump by a slim margin in 2020. The district that covers most of St. Lucie County went for the former President by 2 percentage points over Biden, according to election data expert Matt Isbell of MCI Maps.
“Veteran lawmaker vs. the professor: HD 90 voters to weigh in” via Stephany Matat of the Palm Beach Post — The House spent the past year running through hours of debate on topics like abortion, parental rights in education and immigration. Now it’s time for voters in state House District 90 to weigh in. Joe Casello, the incumbent Democrat who was a firefighter for more than 30 years, served on the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Subcommittee, the Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee, the Pandemics & Public Emergencies Committee, the Ways & Means Committee, and the Joint Select Committee on Collective Bargaining. Keith Feit brings forth his educational experience to back up his capability to hold office, saying he is no stranger to diverse opinions and can effectively collaborate to get a job done.
“Poll: A.J. D’Amico holds tentative 5-point lead over Vicki Lopez in HD 113” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — With less than a month to go before Election Day, D’Amico holds a 5-percentage-point lead over Lopez in the race for House District 113 in Miami-Dade County. That’s according to new internal polling by Impact Research. A simulated vote by Impact showed D’Amico defeating Lopez 52%-47%.
“Political insider, Republican-turned-Democrat seek South Dade HD 115 seat” via Tess Riski of the Miami Herald — The vacancy created by Republican state Rep. Vance Aloupis has drawn two candidates who hope to represent House District 115, which includes parts of Cutler Bay, Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest and West Miami. Republican Alina Garcia operates rental properties through her small real estate business. She has spent decades in political circles, including working as Chief of Staff and senior policy adviser for former Hialeah Mayor Esteban Bovo; Deputy Chief of Staff for Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo, as well as his special assistant while he was Mayor; and regional director for Jimmy Patronis, the state’s Chief Financial Officer. In 1999, Garcia worked as the first legislative aide for then-state Rep. Marco Rubio.
“As Election Day nears, candidates make pitch to voters at Palm Beach forum” via Jodie Wagner of the Palm Beach Daily News — With three weeks remaining until Election Day, candidates for county, state and federal offices made their pitches to voters Tuesday at a forum organized by the Palm Beach Civic Association. Candidates from seven races for political offices that represent the town of Palm Beach, including the U.S. Congressional District, Florida House and Senate districts, and two Port of Palm Beach Commission seats, appeared at the hourlong event at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center in Palm Beach. More than 150 people attended the forum.
— AFTERMATH —
“Weeks after Hurricane Ian, hundreds remain in shelters” via Jennifer Reed of The New York Times — As of Tuesday, 476 people remained at two public shelters in Lee County, most of them at Hertz, an ice hockey and concert arena. Sleeping side by side on American Red Cross cots and air mattresses are service-sector employees who are newly homeless and unemployed, retirees dependent on Social Security checks, and newcomers to the region with neither resources nor connections. Many were renters in North Fort Myers and other lower-income areas, barely making it even before Ian. “I’m just at a standstill,” said Kionna Tobler, a single parent of two young boys.
“Federal help continues to grow for Hurricane Ian survivors and their SW Florida businesses” via Phil Fernandez of the Naples Daily News — A key player in Biden’s Cabinet and for Southwest Florida’s future saw the enormities of what’s ahead as she toured some of Hurricane Ian’s hard-hit areas late Tuesday. “This is being called one of the most significant disasters in American history, definitely in Florida,” said Isabella Casillas Guzman, U.S. Small Business Administration head, then referencing the 2005 hurricane that clobbered the New Orleans region. “Ever since Katrina, we haven’t seen anything of this magnitude, and so obviously, it’s significant in the loss of life, and it has really impacted the community. It’s definitely a long-term build.”
“Homeless and limited affordable housing took a big hit in Collier from Hurricane Ian” via Liz Freeman of the Naples Daily News — The daily phone calls from the homeless easily doubled since Hurricane Ian cavalierly destroyed what few possessions and makeshift shelters they had. Historically it is a challenge to get a true picture of how many are homeless in Collier County or on the verge of living on the streets. Affordable rentals for low-income working people and for those getting back on their feet after a crisis were an uphill battle before Ian. What’s certain is Ian wiped out the hard-fought progress the Hunger & Homeless Coalition has made getting homeless individuals into steady housing.
“In Florida, flesh-eating bacteria follow in Hurricane Ian’s wake” via Frances Stead Sellers and Sabrina Malhi of The Washington Post — More than three weeks after Hurricane Ian sent seawater surging inland, some coastal Floridians are contending with another, less visible threat: a salt-loving microbe commonly found in warm bodies of water that has claimed 11 lives and is responsible for 64 infections so far this year. And 26 of those cases occurred in Lee County since Ian barreled ashore. The culprit’s name? Vibrio vulnificus aka the flesh-eating bacteria of the Gulf Coast. Despite the current concerns, wound infections with vibrio are not common and not contagious.
— “Bacteria outbreak after Ian tells a scary story about Florida’s broken sewage systems” via Craig Pittman of the Florida Phoenix
“Sanibel causeway open to civilian traffic three weeks after Hurricane Ian” via Gray Rohrer of Florida Politics — The bridge leading to Sanibel Island, which was broken in three places by Hurricane Ian three weeks earlier, is opening to civilian traffic. DeSantis made the announcement replete with a test run for the first civilian vehicles. Emergency workers and power restoration crews were able to access the island last week after temporary repairs were completed. “These repairs, while temporary, are really going to help the residents of this island get back on track,” DeSantis said. “When you have real significant damage like that you can’t let it toil for months without attention. We needed to get people back as soon as possible.”
“Survey: 95% of Charlotte’s traffic signals, street signs damaged by Ian” via Steve Reilly of Sun Newspapers — The task may not be herculean, but it may be close for Charlotte County Public Works crews after Hurricane Ian. “Public Works employees have been and will remain on the road repairing or replacing damaged signals, traffic signs and roads throughout Charlotte County,” Public Works Director John Elias told The Daily Sun. The absence of a stop sign due to Hurricane Ian may have led to the death of a 50-year-old Port Charlotte woman. A vehicle struck the woman riding on her scooter Monday at the intersection of Birchcrest Boulevard and Quesada Avenue. The hurricane knocked down the stop sign at the intersection, just as it did at hundreds of intersections in Charlotte, Sarasota, Lee and DeSoto counties.
— OTHER HURRICANE STORYLINES —
“Half empty? Florida homeowners facing harsh realities of FEMA’s 50% rule” via Mike Sunnucks of The Arcadian — Scores of Floridians are getting a crash course on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s 50% rule governing rebuilding homes after Hurricane Ian. And for many, the FEMA rule is an unpleasant, problematic surprise after all of Ian’s damage and traumas. The 50% rule dictates the future of hurricane-damaged homes in designated flood zones. The federal rule prohibits repairs and improvements on damaged homes exceeding 50% of their market value unless the entire residential structure is brought up to the most current building codes and flood regulations. The aim is to mitigate damage and insurance costs of future storms. But the reality for homeowners can be very tough and very expensive medicine.
“New Florida law, Lee County guidelines handcuff mold mitigation businesses” via David Dorsey of Gulf Shore Business — Mold mitigation businesses have deployed trucks that are inundating Southwest Florida roads. Hundreds of them have descended upon the area to clean up properties after Hurricane Ian wrecked the coastal areas on Sept. 28. One of the truck drivers made a 5,200-mile round trip from his home in Carlsbad, California, looking for new business opportunities. A law passed by the Florida Legislature last year, combined with the Lee County government deferring all new mold mitigation licenses to be referred to the state, made it illegal for him to work on cleanup efforts here. In mitigating mold, time is of the essence.
“How Hurricane Ian affects Florida boat sales, manufacturing, storage, insurance and more” via Ed Killer of Treasure Coast Newspapers — The property damage from Hurricane Ian’s hit on Southwest Florida is alarming. Thousands of homes and boats were destroyed in the violent storm’s wake, along with critical infrastructure. The costs and logistics of the cleanup are staggering. Boat ownership expenses were already increasing before the storm even formed. Boat owners will struggle for years with the difficulty of getting insurance and finding storage, some experts said in the wake of the catastrophic Category 4 hurricane. However, those same industry professionals say the boating lifestyle is so ingrained in Florida that it will weather any storm, as it always has done in the past.
“Still need a blue roof? SW Florida has until Oct. 23 to apply for the free federal program” via Samantha Neely of the Fort Myers News-Press — The deadline for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Operation Blue Roof program is fast approaching, with Oct. 23 as the last day to request a free blue sheeting. Since Oct. 3, crews have been installing roughly 800 to 1,000 blue roofs per day, aiming to provide Hurricane Ian-impacted homeowners a temporary solution to protect their property and allow them to remain in their home as they continue to recover. According to the Corps, there have been 5,000 blue roofs installed throughout Lee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Collier and DeSoto counties as of midnight Oct. 18. They have received more than 30,000 applications.
“Hurricane Ian wipes out famous North Fort Myers bald eagle nest, birds rebuilding” via Chad Gillis of the Fort Myers News-Press — The most devastating storm in Fort Myers history wiped out the main nesting location for Harriet and M15, the famous North Fort Myers eagle couple whose lives are streamed across the globe during nesting season. “Their nest was completely demolished during Ian — not a stick left and many of their foundational branches broke off,” said Virginia Pritchett McSpadden, whose family owns the land where the eagle nest is located. “After the storm passed, I remember having this gutted feeling that they were harmed, the trees had fallen, and they wouldn’t return to the area.”
— STATEWIDE —
“Ron DeSantis appointed more donors to political posts in first term than Rick Scott” via Sheridan Wall of The Miami Herald — DeSantis’ war chest is almost bottomless. And it’s padded with donations from officials he appointed to positions throughout the state. While it’s common for governors to stack commissions, boards and task forces with their supporters, DeSantis has done so at a significantly higher rate than his predecessor. Since assuming office in 2019, DeSantis has accepted roughly $3.3 million in campaign donations from about 250 people he selected for leadership roles — a 75% increase in the number of donors appointed compared to Scott’s first term in office, and over 10 times the amount of money.
“DeSantis administration agrees to release Martha’s Vineyard records by December” via Gary Fineout of POLITICO — DeSantis’ administration this week pushed back against a lawsuit seeking the immediate release of all records related to the flights of migrants from Texas to Massachusetts but agreed to provide them no later than Dec. 1. Lawyers for DeSantis filed a nine-page response to a demand from the open government group Florida Center for Government Accountability for records, including phone and text logs from DeSantis’ chief of staff, James Uthmeier, as well as any communication between Florida and Texas officials. The DeSantis administration said it has received more than 90 public records requests related to the flights and has a backlog of 245 overall requests that it is currently processing.
“Felon advocates demand DeSantis fix ‘broken system’ after voter fraud arrests” via Lawrence Mower of the Tampa Bay Times — A Florida voting rights group is calling on state officials to fix what it says is a “broken” Florida voting system after videos of felons being arrested on charges related to voting illegally in 2020 went viral this week. The Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, which led the 2018 effort to allow Floridians with felony convictions to vote, is also urging people to sign a petition for state and local prosecutors to “immediately stop arrests” of people with felonies on their records for voting. “What we see with these videos is a human face on a broken system,” the organization’s deputy director, Neil Volz, said during a Wednesday news conference.
“Florida teachers could lose licenses for defying ‘Don’t Say Gay,’ ‘anti-woke’ laws” via Leslie Postal of the Orlando Sentinel — Florida adopted a trio of education rules Wednesday that carry out its new culture war laws, including one that threatens public schoolteachers with the loss of state certification if they violate requirements of the state’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” and “anti-woke” legislation. More than 50 people spoke at the State Board of Education meeting held at an Orlando hotel, both to denounce and applaud the new rules, all of which were adopted. The laws were approved earlier this year by the Republican-dominated Legislature and then signed by DeSantis, who pushed for their passage. The seven members of the Board are all appointees of DeSantis or his Republican predecessor.
“Board of Education adopts bathroom, LGBTQ, book policy in blockbuster panel” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — The State Board of Education has approved an array of rule changes, including a measure requiring school districts to inform parents of the presence of student bathrooms that are not separated by biological sex at birth. The Board of Education adopted a series of rules Wednesday updating school policy to comply with recently passed laws, many of which contemplated school safety, parental rights and LGBTQ issues. One of the most contentious proposals was a rule requiring schools to notify parents of how bathrooms are designated and how locker rooms and dressing rooms are designated and supervised.
“Duped by DeSantis in Texas, he came to Florida for Ian cleanup — but was foiled again” via Ana Claudia Chacin, Sarah Blaskey, Nicholas Nehamas and Ana Ceballos of the Miami Herald — Pedro Escalona endured a grueling journey from Venezuela to Texas, made a brief stopover at a San Antonio migrant center, crossed paths with an operative of DeSantis — one who promised a free charter flight to Delaware — then learned the flight had been scuttled and caught a plane to New York City, where he ended up in a homeless shelter. And now, days later, he sat forlornly on a bench in Doral, Florida, outside a Best Western, contemplating life’s odd twists. The company he had been working for had fired him, kicking him and three others out of the hotel room they had been staying in for a week.
“As demand for medical marijuana increases, Florida regulators request more staff, money to keep pace” via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics — The demand for medical marijuana is increasing, but the fees Florida charges aren’t enough to keep up with licensure and regulatory costs, state budget documents show. As a result, the Florida Department of Health (DOH) has included a $6.2 million increase for the Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU) in its state Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-24 legislative budget request (LBR). The push to increase funds comes as DeSantis has said he doesn’t think the state has been charging enough for the medical marijuana treatment center licenses. But increasing the costs of the licenses to keep up with growing may require a statutory change and approval of a supermajority of the Legislature.
“Flu shot: Florida has country’s worst adult flu vaccination rate in 2022 WalletHub ranking” via Lindsey Leake of Treasure Coast Newspapers — Just in time for the start of another flu season, Florida’s adult flu vaccination rate has hit rock bottom. The Sunshine State ranked 51st in that category of WalletHub’s annual States that Vaccinate the Most report, which included the District of Columbia and assessed 17 medical metrics. Florida completed its journey to the bottom of the list, down from 50th in 2021 and 49th in 2020. The state in 2022 had half the adult flu vaccination rate of Rhode Island, which topped the list. “There is a lot of supply; we just don’t have a very big demand,” said Dr. Julia Fashner, a family medicine physician at HCA Florida St. Lucie Medical Specialists in Port St. Lucie.
“Department of Health wants to expand maternal telehealth, school health programs” via Christine Jordan of Florida Politics — A telehealth program to improve maternal outcomes among ethnic and minority populations in Orange and Duval counties could be expanded if state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo has his way. So could school-based health programs. The Florida Department of Health released a Fiscal Year 2023-24 legislative budget request this week that increases public health spending by tens of millions of dollars. The budget includes a $12.6 million infusion to expand to another 18 counties a program aiming to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in maternal morbidity and other maternal outcomes.
— D.C. MATTERS —
“Party gatherings give a window into Biden’s mind, from nukes to Nancy Pelosi” via Matt Viser of The Washington Post — In just the past few weeks, Biden has told donors that Trump and his followers are verging on “semi-fascism.” He warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions are risking nuclear “Armageddon.” He derided the Supreme Court as an “advocacy group.” He called Pakistan a highly dangerous country, and he suggested Italy is sliding into authoritarianism. All these colorful remarks were delivered in the cozy confines of political fundraisers, where cameras are not allowed, but reporters with notebooks are. The events, whose frequency has accelerated sharply ahead of the midterm elections, provide the closest thing to unvarnished views from the commander-in-chief.
“After raising hope, Biden still lacks climate migration plan” via Julie Watson of The Associated Press — Shortly after taking office, Biden issued what was widely hailed as a landmark executive order calling for the U.S. government to study and plan for the impact of climate change on migration. And less than a year later, his administration released the first assessment of the vast rippling effects of a warming Earth on international security and displacement of people. Advocates praised both moves as bold steps toward the world finally recognizing the need to offer refuge to people fleeing climate calamities such as drought and rising seas. Since then, however, the Biden administration has done little more than study the idea.
“Mario Díaz-Balart advocates for Vern Buchanan’s ascension to Ways and Means Chair” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — U.S. Rep. Díaz-Balart has been traveling the country working to ensure Republicans secure a majority in the House. But he’s also speaking with steering committee members about a critical leadership race that could boost Florida’s prestige in a GOP-controlled chamber. The Hialeah Republican wants Buchanan, the Longboat Key conservative in line to be the senior-most House Ways & Means Republican, to Chair Congress’ most powerful committee. “Vern has the upper hand in a big way,” Díaz-Balart, dean of the Florida delegation, told Florida Politics. “He’s been working his tail off for years.”
“As COVID-19 hit, Washington officials traded stocks with exquisite timing” via Rebecca Ballhaus, Joe Palazzolo, Brody Mullins, Chad Day and John West of The Wall Street Journal — In January 2020, the U.S. public was largely unaware of the threat posed by the virus spreading in China, but health officials were on high alert and girding for a crisis. A deputy to top health official Anthony Fauci reported 10 sales of mutual funds and stocks totaling between $157,000 and $480,000 that month. Collectively, officials at another health agency, Health and Human Services, reported 60% more sales of stocks and funds in January than the average over the previous 12 months, driven by a handful of particularly active traders.
“FDA chief on Joseph Ladapo’s vaccine advice, ‘losing the battle’ against misinformation” via Caroline Catherman of the Orlando Sentinel — In the aftermath of Florida’s recommendation against mRNA COVID-19 vaccines for men 18-39, FDA Commissioner Robert Califf is calling attention to the impact of vaccine hesitancy and misinformation as it relates to health care, particularly in the southern U.S. “The health care system is losing the battle [against misinformation],” Califf said. While Califf wouldn’t label as misinformation Florida Surgeon General Ladapo’s recommendation against mRNA vaccines issued on Oct. 7, he did say it seemed flawed. Ladapo shared an analysis by the Florida Department of Health that he claimed found an increase in cardiac-related deaths among men 18 to 39 in the month after mRNA vaccination.
— EPILOGUE TRUMP —
“Donald Trump signed legal documents that he knew included false voter fraud numbers, judge says” via Azi Paybarah and Matthew Brown of The Washington Post — Trump and his political allies understood that their allegations of widespread voter fraud in Georgia were baseless but continued to push the unfounded claims in courts and the public. The revelations came in an 18-page opinion over Trump ally and conservative lawyer John Eastman’s resistance to a subpoena for emails from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack. U.S. District Judge David O. Carter found that several documents between Trump’s allies must be made public, as they showed that the group participated in a “knowing misrepresentation of voter fraud numbers in Georgia when seeking to overturn the election results in federal court.”
“Trump should be forced to testify in public on Jan. 6, poll shows” via Billy House of Bloomberg — Most Americans think Trump should be forced to testify to a House committee investigating last year’s assault on the U.S. Capitol, and they want the questioning to be conducted in public view, a new poll showed. The survey also found that opinions about Trump’s involvement in the attack on the Capitol have not been significantly affected by the televised public hearings the committee held from June 9 to July 21.
“Trump deposed in E Jean Carroll lawsuit accusing him of rape” via Maya Yang of The Guardian — Trump answered questions under oath Wednesday in a lawsuit filed by Carroll, a magazine columnist who says Trump raped her in the mid-1990s in a department store dressing room. The deposition gave Carroll’s lawyers a chance to interrogate Trump about the assault allegations as well as statements he made in 2019 when she told her story publicly for the first time. “We’re pleased that on behalf of our client, E Jean Carroll, we were able to take Donald Trump’s deposition today. We are not able to comment further,” said a spokesperson.
“John Durham’s investigation proved Trump wrong, not right” via The Washington Post editorial board — At what might be the end of his tenure as Justice Department special counsel, Durham has failed to fulfill Trump’s prediction that he would unveil “the crime of the century” in his investigation into the FBI’s 2016 Russia probe. Instead, the lawyer mostly confirmed, as others had already concluded, that there was no crime of the century at all. Then-Attorney General William P. Barr tapped Durham 3½ years ago to look into the Justice Department’s hunt for links between Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and Russian President Putin’s government.
“State Attorney predicts Trump indictment after elections” via Wes Wolfe of Florida Politics — Before Trump eyes 2024, perhaps he should have his attention on matters more pressing. A South Florida prosecutor believes the Justice Department will up its game on indictments, after Election Day, related to Trump’s handling of confidential government documents. “We have reports that involve nuclear materials, we have reports that involve foreign spies, but we don’t know (those allegations) for sure,” said Dave Aronberg, State Attorney for the 15th Judicial Circuit. “And that’s where I’m guessing (the documents do) involve that, and I think he will be indicted after the midterms.”
— LOCAL: S. FL —
“Gregg Weiss holds decisive cash advantage over PBC Commission challenger” via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics — A Republican challenger’s campaign to unseat Democratic Palm Beach County Commissioner Weiss from his seat representing District 2 seems to have gone dark. Jeffrey Skene has not spent anything since the period that ended July 15 and hasn’t raised any money since the reporting period that ended Sept. 9. Meanwhile, Weiss’ campaign has barely touched the six-figure kitty for his re-election to a second term. He holds $171,000, after raising $212,587 and spending $41,566 for this election cycle. Skene, in contrast, has raised a total of $13,595 and spent $12,840. That leaves him with $755 in campaign funds.
“Broward Schools asks parents to vote on next year’s calendar” via Lisa J. Huriash of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Do you want to start the next school year as early as possible because your little one can’t wait to get started? Or do you want to soak up as much summer as possible for vacation or sleepaway camp plans? You’ll now at least get a vote: Parents of children in Broward public schools are getting a say in next year’s calendar. Parents with children enrolled in Broward’s K-12 schools have been emailed a survey link with three choices for the first and last days: Start school Aug. 15, 2023, and end June 4, 2024; start school Aug. 16, 2023, and end school June 5, 2024; or start school Aug. 21, 2023, and end school June 10, 2024.
“With boosting teacher pay on ballot, Miami-Dade teachers union president takes back seat” via Sommer Brugal of the Miami Herald — In 2018, United Teachers of Dade President Hernández played a pivotal role in getting a referendum passed to boost teacher pay and school safety — standing alongside former Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho at news conferences, knocking on doors and spearheading fundraising. But ahead of November’s Midterm Elections, where the school district is asking Miami-Dade voters again to increase their property taxes for teacher pay and safety, Hernandez is seemingly absent from referendum-related events. The referendum is on the Nov. 8 ballot. Instead, she’s campaigning across the state with Crist, the Democratic nominee for Florida Governor, as his running mate. Crist and Hernández are running against DeSantis and Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez on the Republican ticket.
___
“Push to expand Miami-Dade’s Urban Development Boundary kept alive by last-minute offer” via Douglas Hanks of the Miami Herald — A proposal to expand the Urban Development Boundary was kept alive on Tuesday when the Miami-Dade Commission voted for the fourth time to delay a final vote on converting hundreds of acres of farmland into a warehouse complex northeast of Homestead. The deferral decision gave developers another chance to secure the eight votes needed to expand the Urban Development Boundary (UDB) for the first time since 2013. Their hopes rest on a proposal to purchase more than 300 acres of wetlands and other environmentally sensitive lands for a county preservation program in exchange for Commissioners approving the development of the 380-acre South Dade Logistics and Technology District south of Florida’s Turnpike. Developers revealed the offer as the debate began Tuesday.
“For Miami STEM students, new college scholarship fund may help pay for schooling” via Clara-Sophia Daly of the Miami Herald — Spurred by his vision of a technologically-centric Miami, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez has teamed up with the Miami Foundation and local universities and tech leaders to fund scholarships for Miami students accepted into a STEM program at one of several South Florida universities. The Venture Miami scholarship program has raised $4.1 million, with $500,000 from the City of Miami; $2 million, cumulatively, from the University of Miami, Florida International University, Florida Memorial University and Miami Dade College; $1 million from Ken Griffin, CEO of Citadel LLC, the hedge fund that is moving to Miami from Chicago; and around $600,000 from other philanthropists, said Lindsey Linzer, vice president of community investments at the Miami Foundation.
“Broward school district readies for potential recession and sets aside millions” via Lisa J. Huriash of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — The Broward County school district is preparing for a recession. Citing an NPR story that said the country’s top executives are prepping for an economic downturn in the next 12 to 18 months, district staff requested for $7.7 million to be “realigned” from the general fund into the unassigned fund. A larger pot of emergency reserves would help the district make do during a period of drought with less cutting, they reasoned. The money is a “one-time funding into a rainy-day fund in anticipation of harder days to come,” said Judith Marte, Deputy Superintendent. According to district documents: “Financial experts are predicting a slowdown in our economy that may impact the district’s future revenue.
“Broward company ‘ignored safety standards and a young worker has died,’ OSHA says” via David J. Neal of the Miami Herald — A Davie company that describes itself as providing “alternative erosion prevention and restoration services along shorelines and waterways” is accused of willfully not providing a safe workspace, resulting in the drowning death of a 22-year-old. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety Health Administration has made accusations against Marthinus Le Roux and Marysia Le Roux’s Erosion Barrier Installations. OSHA proposed $46,409 in fines on 16 citations, eight of which are classified as serious and two of which are classified as willful. OSHA defines a willful violation as “a violation in which the employer either knowingly failed to comply with a legal requirement (purposeful disregard) or acted with plain indifference to employee safety.”
“Miami’s favorite outdoor holiday light show is coming back. Here’s how to get tickets” via Connie Ogle of the Miami Herald — Miami holidays will light up again this fall as the NightGarden returns to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. The family-friendly outdoor light experience by Kilburn Live in partnership with Fever is in its fourth year at the 83-acre Fairchild Garden. The event started in 2018, took a year off during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and returned in 2021. The 2022 version will cover 23 of those acres with light displays, animation, special effects, motion-sensing technology, holograms and shadow sculpture. Fan favorite Archie the Talking Tree, who famously beatboxed with Kanye West in 2018, will patiently answer questions from even the most unruly of children. There will be new features this year, too, promises Nannette Zapata, the garden’s chief operating officer.
“Spirit shareholders approve $3.8B JetBlue takeover” via David Lyons of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — The marriage proposal that Spirit Airlines originally rejected from JetBlue Airways was approved by the South Florida carrier’s shareholders on Wednesday. Spirit announced the outcome after a brief meeting, which was held online Wednesday. Spirit said only that the JetBlue deal was supported by a majority of shares voted; it promised an exact count within four business days. Two shareholder advisory services, Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass, Lewis & Co. had recommended that investors accept JetBlue’s $3.8 billion offer. “I would be very surprised if the majority of Spirit stockholders vote to reject,” said Henry Harteveldt of Atmosphere Research, an industry consulting firm in San Francisco.
— LOCAL: C. FL —
“Citing his own ads, consultant wants prosecutor removed in ‘ghost’ candidate case” via Jeff Weiner of the Orlando Sentinel — Eric Foglesong, the political consultant accused of falsifying records to help a “ghost” candidate in 2020, wants State Attorney Phil Archer’s Office removed from the case — citing attack mailers he produced against the prosecutor while working for a rival’s campaign. Foglesong, 45, was campaign manager for Democrat Ryan Vescio in 2012 when Vescio sought election as state attorney for the 18th Judicial Circuit, losing to Archer, a Republican, in the General Election. Eight years later, Foglesong participated in helping launch the campaign of Jestine Iannotti, an independent candidate for Senate District 9 in 2020. GOP consultants later organized an advertising blitz promoting Iannotti in an apparent vote-siphoning scheme.
“Florida Republican Party Chair condemns ‘hate speech’ remarks by Indialantic candidate” via Rick Neale of Florida Today — Rep. Randy Fine is calling for state and Brevard County Republican officials to drop their support of Indialantic Town Council candidate Mel Chang, citing antisemitic remarks Chang wrote in emails and on Facebook. In a Monday letter to Republican Party of Florida Chair Joe Gruters, Fine referenced written remarks where Chang called Indialantic Mayor Dave Berkman “Mayor Jew Berkman,” a “Jew piece of (expletive),” called the town “Jewlantic,” and called other Town Council members Jews. Chang said he was repeating terminology that Berkman, who is Jewish, previously said to him in emails years ago — and the topic is only resurfacing as a political issue because of the upcoming General Election.
“4 candidates vie in 2 runoffs for Orange School Board” via Leslie Postal of the Orlando Sentinel — A crowd of 15 candidates wanted seats on the Orange County School Board this year as hot-button political issues sometimes overshadowed typical board business. But the two incumbents up for re-election won their seats easily in the August Primary. In the two districts where incumbents chose not to seek another term, no one got more than 50% of the vote in the Aug. 24 Primary, so the top two finishers will face off on the Nov. 8 ballot. Only residents of those districts can vote in the races. School Board members serve four-year terms and set policy for the district, which enrolls more than 200,000 students and has more than 24,000 employees.
“Pasco School Board hopeful loses another round in fight to stay on ballot” via Jeffrey S. Solochek of the Tampa Bay Times — Pasco County School Board hopeful Al Hernandez has suffered another legal blow in his fight to remain on the Nov. 8 ballot. Days after circuit court Judge Susan Barthle declared him ineligible for the general election, Hernandez hired new high-profile Tallahassee lawyers who made an immediate request. They wanted Barthle to put a stay on her order while he appealed. The judge ruled Oct. 10 that Hernandez did not live in the district he sought to represent at the time of qualifying. A stay would have had the effect of allowing Hernandez, who placed first in the August primary, to remain on the ballot and continue campaigning while attorneys debated the legalities in the 2nd District Court of Appeal.
“Two teachers will face off for final Brevard School Board seat contested this year” via Bailey Gallion of Florida Today — The Brevard School Board District 2 race started with three Republicans and one Democrat. But, in November, one Republican and one Democrat will face off in a runoff election for one of five seats on the School Board. The two candidates are both teachers and parents. With two other Republican contenders out of the way, Erin Dunne might face an uphill battle for election, as conservative voters could unite for Gene Trent. In addition, the district leans Republican. Of the registered voters in District 2, 43.6% are Republicans, 28.9% are Democrats, 25.3% are not members of any political party and 2.2% are members of a minor political party.
“Meet the candidates for Deltona City Commission District 1: Tom Burbank and Brandy White” via Katie Kustura of The Daytona Beach News-Journal — In the race to represent District 1 on the Deltona City Commission, voters will choose between two newcomers: Burbank and White. Loren King, the current District 1 Commissioner, isn’t seeking re-election. Commissioners serve four-year terms as one of seven votes on legislative and policy matters. They receive an annual salary of $10,520. The General Election takes place on Nov. 8. Burbank, 71, is retired. He previously served on the Volusia Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors. White, 43, owns a party entertainment services business and is new to politics.
___
“Pair of Disney World annual passholders sue over the company’s reservation policy” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — A pair of Florida residents are suing Disney, claiming the company is unfairly treating its annual passholders who cannot get reservations into the park. Annual passholders must make advance reservations, even if their passes have no blackout dates. But the lawsuit filed anonymously by an Orange County resident “M.P.” and Palm Beach County resident “E.K.” says on some days, reservation slots are full for passholders while Disney continues to sell single-day tickets to welcome in other guests. Disney was sued in a similar fashion by unhappy Disneyland annual passholders in 2021. The lawsuit is still ongoing.
“‘This means a lot to me’: Vietnam veteran honored at medal pinning ceremony in Viera” via Finch Walker of Florida Today — Retired Col. E. Kirby Lawson III rested beneath a blanket with pillows propping him up in bed as about two dozen emergency responders, deputies, hospice staff members and family members gathered at his Viera home. The 85-year-old Vietnam Army veteran’s polo shirt collar slowly filled with medals over the course of about an hour during a medal-pinning ceremony organized by Wuesthoff Brevard Hospice and Palliative Care. During the medal pinning — a ceremony honoring a veteran by acknowledging their service and sacrifices — Lawson was presented with more than a dozen medals. During his time in the Army, he earned numerous accolades, including a Silver Star, two Legions of Merit, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Bronze Stars, and 54 Air Medals.
— LOCAL: SW. FL —
“PBS ‘Frontline’ documentary highlights Michael Flynn’s involvement in Sarasota politics” via Zac Anderson of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Flynn’s involvement in the Sarasota County School Board races and the Sarasota GOP is highlighted in a new PBS “Frontline” documentary about the retired General’s life and political activities. Titled “Michael Flynn’s Holy War,” the hourlong program aired Tuesday evening nationwide, including on WEDU in Sarasota. It included an extensive part on Flynn’s political activities since moving to Sarasota, much of which was first reported by the Herald-Tribune. The joint investigation by “Frontline” and The Associated Press traces Flynn’s life from his Catholic upbringing in Rhode Island and early involvement in the anti-abortion movement through his mother, a political activist, to his high-level military service overseas and work on Trump’s campaign.
“Sarasota Republican Party targets Democrat in Venice Council race with two mailers” via Earle Kimel of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — Democrat Ron Smith said he has been targeted by attack mailers from the Republican Party of Sarasota because he refused developer Pat Neal’s demand that he drop out of the Venice City Council Seat 5 race. The Sarasota Republican Party recently paid for three mailers critical of Smith, taking aim at his character. The ads offer no substance to back up the prominent headline text. Smith said he had anticipated negative publicity after he called out Neal, a one-time state Senator and president of Neal Communities, for repeatedly trying to get him to drop out of the race for the three-year Council seat so his opponent, Republican Rick Howard, could win unopposed.
___
“Sarasota County School Board convenes for first meeting since Hurricane Ian” via Steven Walker of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — At its first full meeting back after Hurricane Ian slammed the southwest coast of Florida, the Sarasota County School Board convened to discuss damage from the storm, along with regularly scheduled district business. The Board reflected on the hurricane and recognized those who worked during the storm. Members also voted to approve policies to conform to new laws, such as the Parental Rights in Education Act. Many changes were minor, with updated wording to keep the district in line with current Florida law. One policy on suicide prevention was moved to a future agenda. District officials gave a presentation on how the transportation department coordinated with the county’s emergency operations center to move medically dependent shelter residents from North Port.
“Red tide arrives at Sarasota County beaches” via Steve Reilly of the North Port Sun — State and county officials issued a health advisory for beaches in Sarasota County due to the presence of red tide. The beaches with elevated levels of red tide algae — K. brevis — include Nokomis and North Jetty beaches on Casey Key, and Venice Beach, Service Club Park, Venice Fishing Pier, Brohard Beach and Caspersen Beach in Venice. The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County issued the warning Wednesday, three weeks after Hurricane Ian drenched the area with rain. Scientists studying red tide have not made a definitive co-relation between stormwater runoff and algae blooms.
— LOCAL: N. FL —
“Builders association backing Daniel Davis for Jacksonville Mayor” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — A key industry group is the latest to endorse the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce CEO in the 2023 mayoral race. The Northeast Florida Builders Association (NEFBA) rolled out its endorsement of Davis, the latest sign of establishment support for the former state legislator and City Council member on the crowded ballot next March. “Daniel has proven himself as a person of profound character and integrity — consistently, over my 20 years of knowing him,” said Josh Garrison, 2022 president of NEFBA.
___
“Escambia County had 25 homicides already in 2022. Sheriff calls for community action.” via Benjamin Johnson of the Pensacola News Journal — In the wake of multiple shootings in Escambia County that included a shooting death near a middle school-aged football game, 14 leaders and elected officials met Tuesday night in the Brownsville Community Center to discuss gun violence. During the “Gun Violence Roundtable” called by Escambia Sheriff Chip Simmons after the shooting death on Oct. 1, Simmons told those in attendance that the purpose of the meeting was to begin an open forum on protecting the community. “What I hope to get out of this is a conversation, a dialogue where we can identify where we are right now and also identify maybe some strategies we learn from other communities, and then we’ll let you know what the situation is,” Simmons said.
“Whiting Aviation Park money diverted to Ian recovery. What that means for park’s future?” via Jim Little of the Pensacola News Journal — Millions of dollars from the state originally slated to go toward local projects across Florida have been put in limbo after DeSantis failed to release the funding by the Sept. 30 deadline. In Santa Rosa County, that could set back plans for the Whiting Aviation Park by about a year. There has been no official update on the status of the funds. “Now, I’m just going back to the drawing board and checking to see if the (U.S. Economic Development Administration) can help fund it or other programs and see if there are other programs out there,” said Santa Rosa County’s Economic Development Director Shannon Ogletree.
“Charged in U.S. Capitol riot, lawyer says First Coast man was entrapped after phone stolen” via Steve Patterson of the Florida Times-Union — A Northeast Florida man charged with assaulting police during the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol is arguing he was entrapped, his attorney told court officials in Washington. Daniel Paul Gray was indicted last year on nine counts, with penalties that legally could top 20 years, after being accused of shoving police and causing a female officer to fall down a flight of stairs in the Capitol’s rotunda. But defense attorney John M. Pierce wrote in a court filing over the weekend that his client will argue the officer created the situation so it’s not Gray’s fault.
— TOP OPINION —
“Debates are revealing the parties aren’t in the same political universe” via Jennifer Rubin of The Washington Post — Recent midterm debates prove it: This election cycle is not about competing policy ideas or agendas. It’s about two parties operating in entirely different political worlds.
Judging by the debates, Republicans want to dispense with much of the federal government and repeal virtually every Biden achievement (including the bipartisan ones). They are determined to upend, upset and uproot workable government without offering any problem-solving ideas of their own. They have no alternative plan for health care. They have no solutions to address inflation. So, what do they do after carving up the federal government?
The answer is likely to cut taxes for the rich, but they cannot say so. The result is a void where a governing agenda normally would be. Watch the debate performances by Republican Senate candidates … including Rubio, and you’ll be hard-pressed to name a policy solution they offered.
Republican candidates have good reason to eschew concrete policy ideas. When Sen. Rick Scott, the Chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, rolled out an 11-point agenda for the party — including tax increases for the poor, abortion bans, pandering on “critical race theory” and sunsetting entitlement programs such as Social Security — virtually every other Republican ran from it.
While midterm debates rarely offer competing ideas to address real issues, they can serve a critical purpose. At the very least, Democrats can use them to expose Republicans’ extremism. Put differently, debates allow Democrats to present themselves as a legitimate party trying to fashion rational solutions to real problems. Meanwhile, Republicans show they couldn’t care less about all that governing business.
— OPINIONS —
“Florida’s anti-vax Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo finds ally in convict podcaster Steve Bannon” via Frank Cerabino of the Palm Beach Post — Ladapo squeezed in a disinformation session on the podcast of Steve Bannon earlier this month, days before the election denier and border-wall-donation thief is likely to trade his podcast microphone for an orange jumpsuit, or in Bannon’s sartorial style, perhaps several layers of orange jumpsuits. Bannon is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday for criminal contempt of Congress. Ladapo appeared on Bannon’s show to complain that Twitter had temporarily removed the Florida Surgeon General’s account because he advised young men in Florida not to get vaccinated for COVID-19. “It’s almost criminal, really, in terms of how much disregard that they have for human rights,” Ladapo told the guy who knows a thing or two about being criminal.
“Stacey Abrams challenges the pro-democracy left” via David French of The Dispatch — Her continued viability in Georgia and American politics is living proof that a true pro-democracy movement will always face partisan challenges. Abrams’ election denial was less dangerous than Trump’s. She didn’t inspire a violent attack on the Georgia Capitol. Yet we cannot paper over the reality that Abrams is the highest-profile and most relentless election denier in today’s Democratic Party. She refused to concede her race. She has denied she lost and denied the Georgia election was “free and fair” again and again and again. She has rallied leading Democrats to join her cause. Abrams now claims she never contested the outcome, only the process. And while Abrams’ argument strained credulity when it was first made, it now has no credibility whatsoever.
— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —
— ALOE —
“World War II veteran Bill Keegan honored with Vero Beach City Hall lobby artifacts display” via Janet Begley of Treasure Coast Newspapers — When U.S. Army veteran Keegan looked at the display of his service awards in the lobby of Vero Beach City Hall Tuesday, the 98-year-old World War II veteran almost had tears in his eyes. The display, which is a collection of Keegan’s artifacts from his time serving in the European conflict during World War II, will now become a permanent display for generations to come. He was clearly touched by the display, which was put together with the help of members of the Military Officers of America and the American Legion. The surprise unveiling in the lobby brought out an overflowing of military pride for those soldiers known as the “greatest generation.”
“The end of Netflix password sharing is coming” via Joan E. Solsman of CNET — Netflix is ratcheting up its efforts to get freeloading viewers to pay up and will start charging accounts for password sharing early next year, instituting a system that adds fees to your plan for “extra member” subaccounts when people outside your household use your membership. The company didn’t specify the price of these new fees when it confirmed the plan Tuesday. But this scheme is already being tested in a few Latin American countries and charges a fee for each extra member worth roughly one-quarter the price of a “standard” Netflix plan. If Netflix sticks to that practice, then each extra member subaccount in the U.S. would cost between about $3.50 and $4.
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Happy birthday to former First Lady Carole Rome, Dustin Daniels, Katie Gannon, and attorney Bruce Denson.
___
Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Renzo Downey, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.
