Staff Reports
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
More members of the 2022 freshman class are lining up behind Lakeland Rep. Jennifer Canady’s bid to become House Speaker for the 2028-30 term.
Florida Politics previously reported that Canady, the director of a science-based program at a private Christian school in Polk County and the wife of a Florida Supreme Court Justice, had secured the necessary votes to win the Speaker race.
Canady’s main rival in the race is Northeast Florida Rep. Jessica Baker, with Dade City Rep. Kevin Steele also vying for the job earlier on in the process. When Steele exited the behind-the-scenes race last month, many of his backers joined Canady’s camp.
On Wednesday, Steele himself joined Team Canady, issuing a public endorsement on social media.
“In my heart, I have and will always be a Tampa guy. To that extent, I want to make sure everyone in my class knows, I’m standing with my region in support of Jennifer Canady for Speaker of our class,” Steele tweeted.
“I want to end any doubt or confusion on the issue and add some finality to the rumors that have persisted since the end of Session. I know our class can work together for the better of the state now that the Speaker’s race is over.”
Rep. Jeff Holcomb, who was previously thought to be firmly behind Baker, flipped to Canady shortly after, sources close to the Spring Hill Republican said.
Florida Politics currently places Canady at 20 votes and growing — sources say one more member of the first-term class is preparing to flip to her side and that an additional member from South Florida has privately given his pledge to the presumptive winner.
With the Speaker’s race over, this likely means Canady will become the first woman Speaker of the House in Florida history.
Evening Reads
—”Why 2024 is shaping up to be the most online election ever” via Kaleigh Rogers of FiveThirtyEight
—“Donald Trump can’t bluster his way through court” via Quinta Jurecic of The Atlantic
—“In the fray with hundreds of pro-Trump streamers” via Alexander Sammon of Slate
—“An all-Trump news diet could swallow the Summer, denying attention to other Republican candidates who need it.“ via Jonathan Swan and Jonathan Weisman of The New York Times
—”How Republicans and big business broke up” via Brody Mullins of The Wall Street Journal
—“Ron DeSantis’ campaign launch fizzled” via Philip Bump of The Washington Post
—“Poll: 5 in 6 GOP women don’t want DeSantis to be President” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
—”A timely warning: Florida courts becoming victims of groupthink as DeSantis shifts justice to the right” via Michael Moline of the Florida Phoenix
—“How a plush St. Petersburg neighborhood had a drug lab and half-naked man in a canal” via Emma Uber of the Tampa Bay Times
—“Donna Deegan’s top team puts more women in power than any previous administration” via Nate Monroe of The Florida Times-Union
—”Wouldn’t it be odd if ‘smart’ drugs made you less productive? Well …” via Oshan Jarow of Vox
Quote of the Day
“I’ve never heard from this Governor, and it’s not because I’ve never called him. We’ve never spoken.”
— Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on how Gov. Ron DeSantis is not returning his calls.
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Breakthrough Insights
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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.
