Staff Reports
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott is gearing up for his 2024 re-election bid with a statewide tour.
According to a news release, the former Governor will be traveling across all 67 counties to meet with Floridians as he seeks a second term in the Senate.
The first stop is Miami, where he will hold a roundtable on Wednesday. Scott, a Republican, also announced a Thursday roundtable in Tampa and a Friday appearance in Jacksonville.
“Joe Biden and Democrats are endangering Florida’s future with their reckless spending, open borders, and woke socialist policies. If we continue down this path, the future of Florida and the country will be filled with high prices and woke socialism,” Scott said in a news release.
“I will never stop fighting to keep Florida free from Democrats’ crazy socialist agenda and look forward to talking to Floridians about how I can continue to advocate for them in Washington.”
Scott has won three statewide elections so far, but his 2024 re-election campaign will coincide with a Presidential Election, a first for the Senator.
Despite Florida voting Republican in the past two Presidential cycles, he said during a recent TV interview that the convergence presents a challenge.
“I think it’s a minus,” he said. “I think that if you look at ’10, ’14, ’18, my two Governor’s races, (my) Senate race, I was the top of the ticket. So, all of us will be subject to whatever our presidential candidates are doing.”
Currently, no prominent Democrat is challenging Scott’s re-election bid.
Evening Reads
—”Legislative leaders line up behind anti-woke banking bill championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
—”DeSantis’ name brought up in celebrity wedding lawsuit” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics
—“Florida Chamber targets lawsuit abuse, housing costs, school choice in 2023 agenda” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics
—”School choice expansion bill moves through first Senate committee” via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics
—”Senate panel considers vote-by-mail concerns” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
—”Why isn’t Joe Biden getting credit for the economic recovery?” via Christian Paz of Vox
—“Most Americans think House Republicans aren’t investigating real problems” via Amelia Thompson-DeVeaux of FiveThirtyEight
—”Supreme Court considers Google’s liability in a case that could transform the internet” via Cat Zakrzewski and Robert Barnes of The Washington Post
—”This is how Tampa lost a historic Black cemetery to a property flipper” via Paul Guzzo of the Tampa Bay Times
—“Every coastal home is now a stick of dynamite” via Jack Bittle of The Atlantic
—”In a tiny Florida park, a ‘wind phone’ connects callers to lost loved ones” via Lane DeGregory of the Tampa Bay Times
Quote of the Day
“Imagine being strapped to the side of a rocket — it’s literally like that most days.”
— Florida Chamber President and CEO Mark Wilson, on the state’s economic boom.
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Last Call is published by Peter Schorsch, assembled and edited by Phil Ammann and Drew Wilson with contributions from the staff of Florida Politics.
