Last Call for 12.21.23 — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics

Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.

Ed. Note — As a surprise to the Florida Politics staff, Peter is giving Sunburn the night off. Our last email of 2023 — Takeaways from Tallahassee — will be in your inboxes early Saturday. After that, Sunburn will return on Jan. 2, 2024.

During the holiday week, reporter extraordinaire A.G. Gancarski will be among our staff available to cover all the action with Gov. Ron DeSantis and more!

To all of our loyal fans and readers, have a wonderful holiday season, a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.

See you next year — and please, stay safe!

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First Shot

Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly this week made the first appointments to a new board charged with leading the state’s international commerce functions under FloridaCommerce.

The board was created as part of the bill approved by lawmakers last Session that rearranged Florida’s economic development programs, reverting the Department of Economic Opportunity back to its old name as the Department of Commerce and shuttering Enterprise Florida, the public-private business development group.

The bill also shifted VISIT FLORIDA, a public-private tourism marketing group, under the Department of Commerce as a direct support organization but left its governing structure intact.

Kelly, a former Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, was tapped to lead the newly renamed department in May. Seven months later, he announced seven appointments to the SelectFlorida Board of Directors.

Florida Small Business Development Center Network Director Greg Britton will serve as the inaugural Chair of the board. The Vice-Chair role goes to Jennifer Conoley, the President and CEO of Florida’s Great Northwest, a regional economic development organization for a 13-county stretch of Florida’s Panhandle.

Some other familiar names made the cut: HNTB Vice President Beth Kigel, former DeSantis General Counsel and current JAXPORT Chief of Regulatory Compliance Nick Primrose, Florida Council of 100 President and CEO Michael Simas, Business Development Board of Palm Beach County President and CEO Kelly Smallridge, and Florida Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Mark Wilson.

Evening Reads

—“The lives upended by Florida’s schoolbook wars” via Reshma Kirpalani and Hannah Natanson of The Washington Post

—“Donald Trump vows to amp up the Hitler talk” via Asawin Suebsaeng and Tim Dickinson of Rolling Stone

—“Ron DeSantis suggests Florida’s medical marijuana law is used as ‘pretext’ for recreational use” via Kyle Jaeger of Marijuana Moment

—“DeSantis says Trump’s indictments ‘sucked out all the oxygen’ from Primary” via Maya King of The New York Times

—“The Colorado Supreme Court decision is true originalism” via Kimberly Wehle of The Atlantic

—“Big box retailers seeking to shift their costs and handicap small competitors” via Joel Griffith of The Heritage Foundation

—“‘Potentially disastrous:’ Florida lawmakers confront AI political ads” via Skyler Swisher of the Orlando Sentinel

—“Proposal bans traffic light camera fines across Florida” via Eric Daugherty of Florida’s Voice News

—“Florida colleges’ presidential searches would need more than one finalist, under new bill” via Scott Travis of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

—“Miami’s political godfather Joe Carollo, unfazed by $63M beating, can’t wait for next fight” via Linda Robertson of the Miami Herald

—“Hatch Act questions arise over Richard Del Toro fundraising email” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics

—”Florida State University calls emergency board of trustees meeting” via Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times

—“The year of Ozempic bodies and Barbie Botox” via Constance Grady of Vox

Quote of the Day

“I don’t know how you can just flip on something that fundamental, but that’s what he’s done. And he’s provided a lot of aid and comfort to people who are not supportive of the right to life.”

— Gov. Ron DeSantis, questioning whether former President Donald Trump was ever “sincere” about wanting to end legalized abortion.

Put It on the Tab

Look to your left, then look to your right. If you see one of these people at your happy hour haunt, flag down the bartender and put one of these on your tab. Recipes included, just in case the Cocktail Codex fell into the well.

DeSantis admits he has a rough time figuring out when and where to use a screwdriver when he’s putting together his kids’ toys, so we’d recommend a drink that no self-respecting bartender could mess up: a Screwdriver!

Maybe Tito’s Terror-Tini is meant for the Halloween season, but repurposing it to toast Sen. Blaise Ingoglia is a no-brainer — just like his new bill asking the feds to designate drug cartels as terrorist organizations.

What happens to a law enforcement officer who gets caught riding dirty, a la former St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar? They get off Scot Free, apparently.

U.S. Sugar has a sack full of goodies for communities in the Glades and elsewhere. After a long day delivering joy, a nice Christmas-themed Sugar Cookie Martini would hit the spot.

Breakthrough Insights

Tune In

Playoffs on minds of Jaguars, Bucs ahead of Sunday’s meeting

Two Florida teams with playoff hopes meet in Tampa on Sunday when the Jacksonville Jaguars visit the Buccaneers (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS).

The Buccaneers (7-7) have won three straight games to climb into a tie for the NFC South lead with the New Orleans Saints. Last week’s 34-20 victory over the Packers in Green Bay was the best offensive performance as the Buccaneers piled up 452 yards of offense in the win. Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns in the game.

It was the second time Mayfield had thrown more than two touchdowns in a game this season. His resurgence has triggered the Bucs’ run into contention.

While Tampa Bay has been winning, the Jaguars (8-6) have been losing. Jacksonville has lost three straight games for the first time this year. The Jaguars should be pleased to see an NFC South team. Each loss in the current losing streak came against AFC North opposition (the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, and Baltimore Ravens).

The Jaguars still lead the AFC South because they hold tiebreakers over the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans. However, the Jaguars once controlled their destiny for the top seed in the AFC playoffs. Now, they are playing for their playoff lives with three games to play.

A big question for the Jaguars is the availability of quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who was placed into the league’s concussion protocol after the Sunday night loss to the Ravens. His availability could be in question right up until game time.

ALSO THIS WEEKEND

TONIGHT

6:30 p.m. — NCAAM: JU Dolphins @ Purdue Boilermakers

7 p.m. — NCAAM: Florida A&M Rattlers @ UCF Knights

7 p.m. — NCAAM: Maine Black Bears @ Florida International Panthers

7 p.m. — NCAAW: Southern Miss Lady Eagles @ Florida Gulf Coast Eagles

7 p.m. — Vegas Golden Nights @ Tampa Bay Lightning

7 p.m. — St. Louis Blues @ Florida Panthers

8 p.m. — NCAAM: Stonehill Skyhawks @ Miami Hurricanes

8 p.m. — Orlando Magic @ Milwaukee Bucks

FRIDAY

1 p.m. — NCAAW: Florida A&M Rattlers @ Michigan Wolverines

2 p.m. — NCAAM: UAlbany Great Danes @ South Florida Bulls

3 p.m. — NCAAM: North Florida Ospreys @ Georgia Bulldogs

4 p.m. — NCAAM: Grambling Tigers @ Florida Gators

7 p.m. — NCAAM: Stetson Hatters @ Cincinnati Bearcats

7 p.m. — NCAAM: Florida Memorial Lions @ Florida Gulf Coast Eagles

7 p.m. — NCAAM: Winthrop Eagles @ Florida State Seminoles

8 p.m. — Atlanta Hawks @ Miami Heat

SATURDAY

3 p.m. — NCAAM: Arizona Wildcats @ Florida Atlantic Owls

3 p.m. — Vegas Golden Nights @ Florida Panthers

7 p.m. — Tampa Bay Lightning @ Washington Capitals

7 p.m. — Orlando Magic @ Indiana Pacers

SUNDAY

4:25 p.m. — Dallas Cowboys @ Miami Dolphins

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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.