Staff Reports
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
On Saturday, Florida Democrats will decide whether former Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried or former Sen. Annette Taddeo is the best woman to lead the party out of political Siberia.
While Fried and Taddeo are not the only candidates for the job — Progressive Caucus Chair Carolina Ampudia and Broward County Democratic Chair Rick Hoye are also running — their campaigns are the most visible and appear to have the most traction.
Both claim to have the advantage, and the rhetoric has become increasingly heated ahead of the vote.
Taddeo’s campaign has said Fried is “pretending to win” a la the final weeks of her bid for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Fried’s campaign last year cited polling showing she was closing the gap with eventual nominee Charlie Crist, but she lost 60%-35% in the Primary Election.
Taddeo also ran for Governor but hovered in the low single digits in most polls and ultimately dropped out of the race to challenge Republican U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar in Florida’s 27th Congressional District. She lost the CD 27 contest by 15 points.
In a Thursday news release, Taddeo didn’t dish out any barbs but did add another name to her list of backers: Washington County Committeewoman Maggie Jackson.
The endorsement was described as “critical” and the news release went on to tout the former Senator’s Operation R.E.S.E.T. plan for the party. The acronym stands for register, engage, strong fundraising, earn trust, targeted communication.
The news release then enumerated about 100 other endorsements, with Democratic U.S. Reps. Kathy Castor, Lois Frankel, Maxwell Frost, Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Darren Soto topping the list.
Fried, meanwhile, announced endorsements from 10 county party leaders as well as Ione Townsend, who chairs the Florida Democratic County Chairs Association. Townsend and the other additions make for 70 public endorsements from voting members.
“No FDP Chair can succeed without the help and counsel of party leaders from every region of the state. We are ready to get to work and to re-establish Florida Democrats by winning at the local level, rebuilding our local infrastructure, and by doing it together,” Fried said in a statement thanking her latest backers.
She added, “To have the support of the Florida Democratic County Chairs Association means the world to me, because I know that with this endorsement comes not only their support, but their commitment to work side by side to rebuild our Party from the ground up.”
Fried pointed to a public spreadsheet of voting members that shows her leading the race 521-297 as of Thursday afternoon.
The Florida Democratic Party will be meeting for the Chair election on Saturday, with the public portion of the event beginning at 1:30 p.m. and concluding with the new Chair being gaveled in.
Evening Reads
—“Gov. Ron DeSantis’ anti-illegal immigration push includes repeal of tuition law backed by Jeanette Nuñez” via Gray Rohrer of Florida Politics
—“Florida bill would end diversity programs, ban majors, shift power at universities” via Divya Kumar of the Tampa Bay Times
—“DeSantis wants to roll back press freedoms — with an eye toward overturning Supreme Court ruling” via Matt Dixon of Politico Florida
—”Chamber poll: DeSantis above water, Joe Biden below” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics
—”Chamber poll: Voters say Florida is headed in the ‘right direction’” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics
—“The overlooked message behind Republicans’ response to the Ohio train derailment” via Ben Jacobs of Vox
—“School choice expansion bill advances as cost disagreements emerge” via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics
—“Blaise Ingoglia bill sets 8-year terms for School Board, County Commission” via Mike Wright of Florida Politics
—”Florida wants to put more EV chargers on the roads” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics
—“‘He loved what he did’ | News 13 reporter, UCF alum Dylan Lyons killed in Orlando shooting” via Desiree Stennett, Richard Tribou and Jeff Weiner of the Orlando Sentinel
—“The puzzling gap between how old you are and how old you think you are” via Jennifer Senior of The Atlantic
Quote of the Day
“It was a bill I was proud to sign, I believe in it. I believe these individuals ought to have the opportunity to live the dream of this country. It’s a bill I would sign again today.”
— U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, defending a bill he signed as Governor that DeSantis wants to repeal.
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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.
