Takeaways from Tallahassee — Qualified opportunity

If you want to run for the Legislature, you’ve got less than a week to file your paperwork with the state.

Qualifying week opens Monday at noon and ends Friday at noon this upcoming week. By the end of the week, we’ll know who’s facing a Primary challenge, which races are poised for a General Election showdown and who is essentially already in their seat in the House and Senate.

But until then, there’s likely to be plenty of surprises — hopefully not like the 2002 kind. That year, a FedEx plane carrying qualifying papers crashed on the last day of qualifying, sending prospective candidates scrambling and leading then-Gov. Jeb Bush to extend the qualifying period by another day.

Even without such disasters, political gamesmanship can be in the air. During the qualifying period for federal races in April, for example, former state Senate President Mike Haridopolos qualified for a U.S. House seat held by U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, who announced his retirement from Congress shortly afterward and endorsed Haridopolos.

For latecomers who haven’t filed to run yet and haven’t had time to collect petitions and qualify for the ballot that way, they’ll likely need a $1,781.82 check for qualifying fees to run for the House or Senate. (That amount is 4% of a legislator’s salary, which is the prescribed qualifying fee amount in state law).

If a candidate doesn’t want to leave the handling of their papers to chance, they can drop them off in person at the Department of State’s headquarters in the R.A. Gray building at 500 South Bronough Street in Tallahassee.

As of Friday evening, there were 10 candidates without an opponent filed to run against them who would automatically retain their seat if a challenger doesn’t appear before the end of next week.

Former Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, an Orlando Democrat running for the Senate District 17 seat, and House Democratic incumbents Allison Tant of Tallahassee, Anna Eskamani of Orlando, Kelly Skidmore of Boca Raton, Christine Hunschofsky of Parkland, Dan Daley of Coral Springs, Lisa Dunkley of Sunrise, Hillary Cassel of Dania Beach, Felicia Robinson of Miami Gardens and Dotie Joseph of North Miami do not have opponents yet.

___

Coming up, the usual assortment of news, intel, and observations from the week that was in Florida’s capital city by Peter Schorsch, Drew Wilson, Christine Jordan Sexton, Gray Rohrer, Robert Haughn and the staff of Florida Politics.

But first, the “Takeaway 5” — the Top 5 stories from the week that was:

— Take 5 —

Do it again: Circuit Judge John C. Cooper this week ordered state economists to draw up a new financial impact statement that will appear on the November ballot alongside a proposed constitutional amendment that will guarantee access to abortion in the state. Floridians Protecting Freedom, the group behind the amendment, challenged the wording of the impact statement that had been drawn up months ago by the Financial Impact Conference. Cooper agreed with the group that the statement was “misleading” and “inaccurate” since it reflected the status of abortion laws before the state’s six-week ban on abortions took effect.

Still suspended: The Florida Supreme Court rejected suspended State Attorney Monique Worrell’s bid to overturn Gov. Ron DeSantis’ decision to remove her from office. The court ruled by a 6-1 margin that DeSantis justified his reasons for suspending Worrell in August 2023. The Governor at the time contended that Worrell’s handling of criminal cases was endangering the public. Worrell, who was first elected in 2020 for Florida’s 9th Judicial Circuit, is running for another term this fall. Worrell, who represented Orange and Osceola counties, has maintained her removal was politically motivated, and she said justices had “rubber-stamped a political stunt.”

It’s a small world after all: The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District — the Board picked by DeSantis to oversee the area where Disney World is located — this week took the first of two votes on a new development agreement with Disney that includes a commitment by the entertainment giant to spend $8 billion in the Orlando area over the next 10 years. It’s part of an expected $17 billion to $20 billion investment over the next two decades that could include a fifth Disney theme park. The new deal represents the latest evidence of a reset of the relationship between Disney and DeSantis.

Here comes Joe: Most pols are focused on the upcoming 2024 Elections but State Sen. Joe Gruters made it official and jumped into the 2026 race for Chief Financial Officer. Gruters’ candidacy wasn’t a big surprise since former President Donald Trump had urged him to run for the job a few months ago. Still, Gruters, who is an accountant, quietly filed his paperwork and opened his campaign account to begin his quest for a spot on the Florida Cabinet.

Sympathy for DeSantis: Rolling Stones lead singer Mick Jagger gave DeSantis a slightly sarcastic shoutout at Monday night’s performance in Orlando, but Bryan Griffin must not be a Stones fan. The representative for DeSantis took to X to criticize a Newsweek reporter for seeking comment from the Governor’s Office after a story about the Jagger comment had been posted. Griffin said “zero journalistic integrity: got this email today. The article was already out. Newsweek’s standard operating procedure is to publish a story without comment, reach out, and then update later. So, all of the people who read the article when it first runs only get Newsweek’s leftist bias without any balance. Remember this when you read anything from Newsweek.” Jagger has poked at Governors from other red states. In Louisiana, after a rendition of “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” Jagger talked about “inclusion” and how that extended to Republican Gov. Jeff Landry. “We want to include him too. Even if he wants to take us back to the Stone Age,” the 80-year-old singer said.

— Cashback —

No matter what NerdWallet says, the Florida Department of Transportation runs the best cash-back program out there.

In a news release this week, DeSantis announced that the toll rebate program he backed has saved SunPass users nearly $42 million during its first month in operation.

“In the first month of the program alone, we saved Florida commuters nearly $42 million. We are on track for another great year of significant relief for Florida commuters,” DeSantis said. “I am proud to offer these savings to Florida’s families, enabling them to retain more of their hard-earned money during times of persistent high inflation caused by Washington.”

The Toll Relief Program isn’t new — the DeSantis administration pushed a similar program, overseen by FDOT, last year. The initial iteration delivered $500 million in toll rebates to 1.2 million Florida drivers last year, which works out to about $400 per person.

Under the Toll Relief Program, drivers with a SunPass or other Florida-based transponder who have 35 or more toll transactions per month were eligible for a 50% rebate, which appeared as a credit to their account. Drivers with a Florida-based transponder are automatically enrolled.

“What started as a successful SunPass Savings Program has turned into a Toll Relief Program for a second year in a row, further reinforcing our state’s commitment to offering direct, immediate relief to Florida’s families,” said Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez. “This support goes a long way for commuters, and I am proud to stand alongside Gov. DeSantis in helping Floridians get this much-needed relief.”

— School’s in for Summer —

It’s Summertime but school’s not out for everyone.

This Summer, law enforcement agencies, departments, and offices are slated to receive training on First Lady Casey DeSantis’ Hope Florida program.

Training will focus on connecting a Hope Florida Navigator through the Hope Line.

“Florida law enforcement works tirelessly to protect Floridians,” the First Lady said. “Today, we are equipping them with resources to do even more good by referring those in need to Hope Florida.”

Hope Florida utilizes Hope Navigators to guide Floridians on an individualized path to prosperity and economic independence. It focuses on community collaboration between the private sector, faith-based communities, nonprofits, and government entities.

Hope Navigators help individuals identify their needs, develop long-term goals, map out a path forward, and work to ensure all sectors of the community have a ‘seat at the table’ to be part of a lasting solution.

Hope Florida serves families, foster youth, veterans, individuals with unique abilities, vulnerable women, those facing crisis and other Floridians in need.

“A common denominator among many who answered the call to become a law enforcement officer is a strong desire to help people,” said Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Dave Kerner.

“We at the Florida Highway Patrol are honored to work directly with First Lady Casey DeSantis through Hope Florida to amplify our community and faith institutions and uplift those in need. Through the distribution of the Hope Florida resource cards, law enforcement officers across the state will have the ability to bridge this gap by connecting those in need of hope to resources through the help of Hope Navigators.”

— Florida revival —

Attorney General Ashley Moody spoke at Florida’s first Revive Awareness Day on Thursday.

Revive Awareness Day, held at Seminole County, is meant to raise awareness about the dangers of opioid misuse and how naloxone, a drug that is used to treat fentanyl overdose, can help save lives. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 7,000 Floridians died from overdoses last year, and Florida leads the nation in fentanyl seizures.

Moody spoke at the event and said that her initiative, Helping Heroes, had seen a participation boost. Helping Heroes was a program created last year that gives Florida first responders and officers free naloxone at 106 Walmart centers in the state.

Moody has also secured more than $3 billion from various pharmaceutical companies for efforts to reduce fentanyl in Florida and launched both the “One Pill Can Kill” website to raise awareness of fentanyl mixing with other substances, such as marijuana and methamphetamine, as well as the “Dose of Reality Florida” website, which educates people on where to receive support for fentanyl addiction.

“Revive Awareness Day shines a light on the dangers of opioid misuse and the power of naloxone to save lives,” Moody said. “One year ago, we launched Helping Heroes as part of our historic multibillion-dollar opioid litigation efforts to provide first responders access to free naloxone at more than 100 participating locations throughout the state.”

— Medicaid fraud crackdown —

Bluestone Physician Services of Florida, Bluestone Physician Services, P.A., and Bluestone National have agreed to pay millions of dollars to Florida, Minnesota, and the federal government for allegedly defrauding Medicaid.

More than $593,038 is being returned to Florida’s coffers as a result of action taken by Attorney General Moody, the federal government and Minnesota.

“This chronic disease management health care provider sought payments from Medicare and Medicaid for higher, more expensive levels of medical services than those actually performed and payments for medically unnecessary services,” Moody said.

“This type of activity results in the overpayment of taxpayer funds through these programs. Thanks to the hard work of our Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, we have secured a nearly $600,000 payment to Florida Medicaid for these fraudulent claims.”

The multistate action resolves allegations that Bluestone submitted false claims for two evaluation and management codes, the domiciliary rest home visit code for established patients and the chronic care management code. The services billed did not conform with Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE requirements.

This action results from a whistleblower lawsuit originally filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit is jointly funded by the federal and state governments. Housed in Moody’s office, it has a budget of $29.7 million. The majority of those funds — 75%, or $22.3 million — come from the federal government.

— Instagram of the week —

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jimmy Patronis (@jpatronis)

—The week in appointments —

Florida Council on Arts and Culture — DeSantis this week announced the appointment of Ashley Gibson Barnett, Lauren Sarah Carpenter, Sofia Diaz, and Beverly Frank and the reappointment of Lisa Burgess, Carroll Hanley Goggin, and Frank Gromling to the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. Gibson Barnett is the owner of Barnett Creative and earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Florida Southern College and a master’s and law degree from Emory University. Carpenter is the co-founder and Executive Director of Salome Chamber Orchestra Inc. and the co-founder and COO of Carpenter Fine Violins and Collectables. Carpenter earned her bachelor’s degree in politics from Princeton University. Diaz is a client services analyst at Bank of New York Mellon. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Miami. Frank is the principal and architect at BFRANK Studios. Frank earned her bachelor’s degree in art education and her master’s degree in architecture from the University of South Florida. Burgess is the founder of Burgess Modern + Contemporary and President of New River Fine Art. She earned her bachelor’s degree in communications from Southern Methodist University. Hanley Goggin is the CEO and COO of DBG Promotions. She earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Rollins College. Gromling is the owner and director of Ocean Art Gallery and U.S. Air Force veteran. He earned his bachelor’s degrees in history and education from Rhode Island College and his master’s degree in international relations and national security studies from George Washington University.

— Treasure Hunt —

Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis announced that $32 million in unclaimed property was returned to Floridians in May.

Patronis said in a statement that $32 million in unclaimed property was returned to Floridians in May, and $2.4 billion has been returned since Patronis took office in 2017.

“As inflation continues to squeeze the wallets of Floridians and the price of gas and groceries continues to rise, every dollar counts,” Patronis said.

Unclaimed property is a financial asset that has been lost or inactive, including dormant bank accounts and stocks. They are usually held by business or government entities for a period before being remitted to the Florida Department of Financial Services.

Miami saw the most unclaimed property returned among Florida regions, with about $10 million worth of returns. The Tampa and St. Petersburg area saw $6.2 million worth of returns, and Orlando saw $5.3 million worth of returns. Several other regions saw more than $1 million in returns, including Tallahassee, Jacksonville and Fort Myers.

In the statement, Patronis urged Floridians to go to FLTreasureHunt.gov to see if they had unclaimed property.

“An estimated one in five Floridians has unclaimed property waiting to be claimed, with the average claim being about $825,” Patronis said. “That’s extra cash for folks that may be on a fixed income or families who need just a little more money to pay the light bill.”

— No license? No problem —

Summertime is here, and this weekend is another opportunity to go freshwater fishing if you don’t have a license.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is hosting another license-free recreational fishing weekend across Florida. Residents and visitors alike are encouraged to cast a line.

The FWC publishes resources for new anglers on where to fish and how to fish.

Not only is fishing fun but contests exist for the competitive folks out there. So if that describes you, make sure to submit certificates and catches to FWC’s Big Catch and TrophyCatch programs.

Largemouth bass are Florida’s most popular freshwater fish and if you catch one 8 lbs. or heavier, submit it to TrophyCatch. This season, there is a special promotion where pink-tagged bass swim in five waterbodies across the state — snag one of them and you’re in for some extra prizes.

During the license-free fishing weekend, all other rules, such as seasons, bag, and size limits, apply.

Upstart anglers who discover a love of fishing this weekend can keep the fun going year-round by purchasing a recreational freshwater fishing license at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.

— Electric boogaloo —

There’s a sales tax holiday for outdoor goods and event tickets starting July 1 and lasting the entire month, but one other particular item could be zooming down the aisles.

Sen. Linda Stewart, an Orlando Democrat, helped insert a provision to also exempt electric scooters selling for $500 or less.

“This tax exemption can help personal autonomy in transportation, reduce our overall emissions, and help close the transportation access gaps experienced by many Floridians,” Stewart said in a released statement. “There are countless examples I could give where one of these devices could transform someone’s life and unlock opportunities in employment, education, and access to greater transportation resources.”

Scooters must have two or fewer wheels, an electric motor weighing less than 75 pounds and measuring less than 2 feet wide, with a maximum speed of 35 miles per hour.

Other items that will be sales tax-free during the holiday include tickets to sporting events, museums, plays, operas, ballets, fairs, and festivals, as well as fishing and outdoor recreation equipment.

“By providing this sales tax break over the course of a month we give people the chance to save a good amount of money on these sometimes-expensive purchases and grant them greater access to opportunities through expanding their mobility,” Stewart said.

— Check him out —

State Rep. Daryl Campbell is taking his message to the streets of the districts he represents with a series of legislative update events.

Each legislative update will provide information on bills passed by Rep. Campbell and ballot initiatives in the upcoming election cycle. Community Resource Officers from Hazel Health, Broward Health, and the Urban League of Broward County will attend each event to further assist community members.

Here’s a rundown of the event schedule:

— 6 p.m. June 13: Lauderhill Town Hall @ Sadkin Center, 1176 NW 42nd Way, Lauderhill, 33313.

— 6: p.m. June 18: Fort Lauderdale Town Hall @ Broward Urban League, 560 NW 27th Ave., Fort Lauderdale, 33311.

— 6 p.m. June 20: Lauderdale Lakes Town Hall @ Multipurpose room at City Hall, 4300 NW 36th St., Lauderdale Lakes, 33319.

— 6 p.m. June 27: Plantation Town Hall @ Plantation City Hall 400 NW 3rd Ave., Plantation, 33317.

For more details, reach out to Amber Morris at [email protected].

— Franklin joins the fray —

State Rep. Gallop Franklin says Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds is glorifying the Jim Crow era.

“Congressman Byron Donalds is talking like he would be perfectly happy if he woke up tomorrow and it was the 1950s again with segregated schools, separate accommodations, and a justice system that was severely tilted against Black people,” Franklin said.

“In the 21st century, I never thought I would see a member of Congress glorify Jim Crow policies. Thanks to the work of civil rights heroes, all Americans are clearly better off now without divisive Jim Crow policies.”

Franklin, a Democrat from Tallahassee, issued the statement following reports of comments Donalds made at a Black GOP outreach event in Philadelphia.

At the event, Donalds said, “During Jim Crow, the Black family was together.” Donalds also criticized policies from former Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Lyndon B. Johnson for promoting a culture of dependence.

“During Jim Crow, more Black people were — not just conservative, because Black people always have always been conservative-minded — but more Black people voted conservatively.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries condemned Donald’s remarks on the House floor, noting that during the era, there were lynchings and organized efforts to suppress Black voters.

“How dare you make such an ignorant observation? You better check yourself before you wreck yourself,” Jeffries said.

Donalds posted a video on X accusing Democrats and the Biden campaign of “gaslighting voters.”

— Storm chasing hotline —

With the arrival of the 2024 Hurricane Season, the Florida Bar has activated its Disciplinary Hotline for members of the public to use if they are being inappropriately solicited by lawyers following a hurricane.

Bar rules preclude storm chasing or soliciting clients in person, by phone, via cold call, or through third parties unless the client is a family member or someone with whom the lawyer has a prior professional relationship. Lawyers are also prohibited from sending direct mail solicitations to prospective clients within 30 days of an incident, including a hurricane or tropical storm.

Floridians who encounter such issues can report them by calling the hotline at 833-979-8225.

“As the official arm of the Florida Supreme Court, we take very seriously our responsibility to ensure that our members are operating within the guidelines put forth by our disciplinary system,” said Scott Westheimer, Florida Bar President. “We are committed to protecting the Florida public, especially in times of stress or crisis, and enforcing our rules to ensure that citizens are not being taken advantage of during a vulnerable time.”

In addition to re-establishing the hotline the Floria Bar updates its Hurricane Information Page with information on court closures throughout the state. It also makes available the following public resources.

— Florida Free Legal Answers, a 100% online advice clinic that matches low-income Floridians with licensed attorneys who can answer basic legal questions online.

— Legal Aid Assistance, which provides civil legal assistance for low-income Floridians.

— Mass Disaster Consumer Pamphlet, providing guidance on who to contact for legal assistance and how to protect legal rights during and after a mass disaster.

— Information for consumers on who to contact about price gouging, unlawful solicitations, unlicensed practice of law, and legal complaints.

The Florida Bar is responsible for enforcing professional conduct rules for the state’s more than 112,000 lawyers. The Bar’s Division of Lawyer Regulation oversees the statewide disciplinary system, investigating all legitimate allegations of fraud and misconduct.

— So what rules ARE followed? —

You learn something new every day.

The Florida Board of Medicine does not follow “Robert’s Rules of Order,” according to the state Attorney General staff who provide legal guidance to BOM.

Board members had a lively debate at their Tallahassee board meeting Friday on a petition to lift restrictions that were placed on Dr. Nimesh A. Dayal’s license. During the debate, a motion was made (but never seconded) to deny the petition. After continued discussion, a subsequent motion was made to table the petition and not deny the petition.

That motion was also briefly discussed.

Dr. Amy Derick, who was chairing the meeting, ultimately called a vote on the motion to table the petition, which surprised Board of Medicine members Hector Vila and David Diamond. Derrick advised the members that, per Robert’s Rules of Procedure, the motion to table supersedes a motion to deny.

But Donna McNulty, legal counsel to the BOM, quickly added “We don’t follow Robert’s Rules of Order.”

Longtime BOM followers maintain that the board hasn’t adopted any parliamentary procedure rules, mainly in part because it has not been required to. The rules are meant to keep order, but insiders say the board has never had to worry about keeping order among the members.

Robert’s Rules is the most widely used manual of parliamentary procedure in the U.S., employed by organizations ranging from Congress and state Legislatures to homeowners associations.

U.S. Army officer Henry Martyn Robert published four editions of the manual before his death in 1923, the last being the thoroughly revised and expanded Fourth Edition published as Robert’s Rules of Order Revised in May 1915.

— All-Star alumni —

The Florida A&M University National Alumni Association honored 22 Distinguished Alumni at their 17th annual convention last week.

Distinguished Alumni are recognized for their “success in business, education, health care, public service and community service,” as well as contributions made to the university.

Honorees include current and former members of FAMU staff: Elaine Armster, a member of the FAMU Foundation Board of Directors; Torin P. Goodrum, a member of the Broward County FAMU NAA Chapter; Mildred Graham, executive director of Community Relations and staff member of FAMU College of Law; Patrick Gray, the President of FAMU NAA Greater Orlando Chapter; and William L McCray, former FAMU administrator and FAMU Sports Hall of Fame inductee.

Honorees also included politicians such as Stanley Campbell, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, and Willie Miller II, a retired state politician. Two Air Force veterans were also honorees: Dolph Howard III and Terry G. Coney.

Other honorees included Dr. Leonard Badger, dentist; Gerald Brown, informatics analyst; Bettye Jean Muse Bryant, mathematics professor; Torn Goodrum, pharmacy manager; Jana Johnson-Davis, educator and activist; Dr. Anita Petteway-Tyler, clinical professor and investigator; Pierre Rutledge, chair of Miami-Dade County Black Affairs Advisory; Rashan Ali Smith, multimedia personality and anchor; James Summers, Texas college basketball and track coach; Madetric Wood, nurse; Keenan Wooten, educator and athletic director; and Herbet Lee Woodard and his wife Betty Woodard, both educators.

— Noles lend a hand —

Student volunteering from Florida State University has made a major contribution to Tallahassee’s economy.

According to FSU, 4,250 students volunteered around 236,000 hours of community service, resulting in $7.5 million worth of benefits for nonprofit organizations. The agencies that FSU students contribute to include Second Harvest of the Big Bend Food Bank, the region’s largest anti-hunger charitable organization.

“The value that Florida State students bring to Second Harvest is immeasurable,” said Ashleigh Wilson, communications coordinator at Second Harvest. “Students at FSU often help coordinate food drives, help with our daily operations and commit to consistently serving our community directly.”

Multiple FSU programs engage students in community service, such as The Center for Leadership and Service, which helps students develop leadership and other skills while benefiting the greater Tallahassee community. EngageTLH is another program that takes students on service trips and connects them with community members.

Additionally, students find ways to impact their community through their studies by focusing their research on community impact. Alycia Drapcho, an FSU senior, focuses her research project on community wastewater spills, using geographic information to examine where contaminants of spills can impact local areas.

“I think it means focusing on how the bigger, general issues like pollution are affecting us on a smaller, local scale and presenting that in an effort to raise awareness,” Drapcho said. “I was drawn to this project because, like I said, hearing how big issues affect us and not really being able to see it on a small scale, made me more interested to better grasp those concepts.”

More information about FSU’s service-learning opportunities can be found at studentsuccess.fsu.edu.

— Capitol Directions —

RON DESANTIS — Up arrow — Sorry, you can’t have Air DeSantis’ black box.

RON DESANTIS, PART 2 — Up arrow — It’s easier to be elected State Attorney than it is to beat RDD in court.

RADIO RON — Down arrow — It’d be like flushing $160M down the toilet to score a Nielsen 1.

FDLE — Down arrow — It’s make-work season for the Thinkpol

MICK JAGGER — Down arrow — Here’s something nobody has ever said before: We’d rather hear him sing ‘Cherry Oh Baby.’

AMENDMENT 4 — Up arrow — Without FIS trickery on the ballot their odds only go up.

THE MOUSE — Up arrow — The best way to destroy an enemy is to make them a friend.

CENTRAL FLORIDA TOURISM OVERSIGHT DISTRICT — Down arrow — That said … what exactly is Glen Gilzean doing to earn $20K a month?

PAUL RENNER — Up arrow — It’s no surprise when the QB on the title team gets an award, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t earn it.

BRUCE ANTONE — Crossways arrow — Maybe it’s Primary challenger sour grapes, but the UF J-school alums on staff won’t bet against Fresh Take Florida’s reporting.

SHEV JONES — Up arrow — Um, either someone is a Photoshop wizard, or that really was a Democratic event without any empty seats.

COREY SIMON — Up arrow — It was a coup in 2022, but now he’s playing with home-field advantage … oh yeah, and more than $1.5M raised.

GERALDINE THOMPSON — Up arrow — Whoa! If we knew she was showing up, we would have been there for the fireworks.

HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES — Crossways arrow — Hey, you wanna see the new Tweeder end zone dance? That’ll be $20.

HOAS — Down arrow — To be fair, there’s no world in which they’d ever get an up arrow.

FL HEMP — up arrow — DeSantis loves farmers & jobs almost as much as he hates marijuana trying to call the shots.

LIFE SCIENCE LOGISTICS — Crossways arrow — In Florida, it’s more profitable to not sell legal drugs than it is to sell illegal drugs.

WILL WEATHERFORD — Up arrow — The former House Speaker may not be in office, but he’s making some big time moves.

CHRISTIAN CABAN — Up arrow — Unopposed!

ALEX ALVARADO — Up arrow — Well, he’s not wrong.

ALEX HALEY — Up arrow — His promotion at FDACS proves that sometimes nice guys finish first.

JACK IN THE BOX — Crossways arrow — Could we get one of the good West Coast fast food chains instead?

DREW MCLEOD — Up arrow — … meanwhile a restaurateur with a proven track record of delivering great hospitality had to close one of his shops.

EDDIE JACKSON — Halo or prayer hands — He may have been the “Ultimate Rattler,” but he was also a truly great man.