Staff Reports
Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
Vice President Kamala Harris has selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.
According to recent polling, the vast majority of voters outside of his home state are asking one question: Who?
A recent ABC News/Ipsos survey found few Americans knew enough about Walz to have an opinion about him – just 6% said they had a favorable view compared to 7% who viewed him unfavorably. The other 87% were unfamiliar with the 60-year-old Democrat.
While none of Harris’ finalists were particularly well known, Walz still offers a stark contrast. The poll found Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro at plus-4 favorability, 17%-13%, while Arizona U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly was the best known and scored a plus-10, 22%-12%.
Still, all three were substantially more liked than former President Donald Trump’s historically unpopular pick. The same poll found Ohio U.S. Sen. JD Vance at minus-15, 39%-24%, making him more disliked than President Joe Biden, whose approval ratings have been in the gutter for months.
Whether Walz will boost, tank, or have no impact on Harris’ polling momentum probably won’t be clear for a few weeks, but he is arguably the most left wing of major veepstakes contenders, which Florida Republicans seized upon following the announcement.
Gov. Ron DeSantis described the pairing as the “most left-wing ticket in U.S. history.” Another avenue of attack the Governor previewed: “Minnesota was ground zero for the Black Lives Matter riots of 2020. Harris egged it on and Walz sat by and let Minneapolis burn.”
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott’s take was largely similar.
“Today’s pick of Tim Walz as the Democrat Vice President nominee solidifies the most radical ticket in U.S. history,” he said minutes after the selection was reported.
“Kamala Harris and Walz believe in a Green New Deal, open border, defunding the police, letting children change their gender without their parents knowing, and destroying the middle class.”
Evening Reads
–”10 thoughts on Kamala Harris’ dark horse Veep” via David Catanese of Too Close To Call
–”Five ways Tim Walz’s entry shapes the 2024 Election.” via Dave Trotter of Voting Trend
–“Harris blinks” via Chris Cillizza of So What
–“Walz is a Minnesota Nice choice” via Nate Silver of the Silver Bulletin
–”Donald Trump thinks Harris’s vice-presidential pick, Walz, will unleash HELL ON EARTH” via Charles P. Pierce of Esquire
–”The number of political committees aimed at defeating abortion rights amendment in Florida is growing” via Mitch Perry of the Florida Phoenix
–“First day of early voting canceled in some Florida counties due to Hurricane Debby” via Mitch Perry of the Florida Phoenix
–”Jacksonville ends Debby state of emergency as city services try to return to normal” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics
–”Florida voters may embody ‘Olympic Truce’ better than we realize” via Karen Cyphers for Florida Politics
–”What online porn can teach us about ourselves” via Chris Cillizza of So What
Quote of the Day
“If you have to virtue signal to the Hamas caucus to win an election, you should not win that election.”
– Gov. Ron DeSantis, on Harris not picking Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro as her running mate.
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.
Like the average voter, we don’t know enough about Walz to have an opinion (or a drink suggestion). Maybe the Democratic ticket would enjoy one of these “Cocktails You’ve Never Heard Of.”
Mike Haridopolos was already a Gimme to succeed U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, but he’s even more so now that he has Gov. Ron DeSantis’ endorsement.
Order up 50 Unemployment Benefits for the Axios employees chopped in the recent round of layoffs, which may have been avoidable.
Breakthrough Insights
Tune In
Sailing toward history
A Florida Olympian is scheduled to go for gold on the water on Wednesday in the mixed multihull sailing competition (6 a.m. ET, Peacock).
Sarah Newberry Moore (Miami) helms the two-person crew along with David Liebenberg.
Newberry Moore, 36, is a two-time TEDx speaker and podcast host who caught the sailing bug at a young age. She began competing at the age of 12 and last year, with Liebenberg, finished second in the Pan American Championships in Chile.
Newberry is one of the few female helms at the top level of competition. She has won five National Championships, two North American Championships, and the ISAF World Cup Miami.
Sailing has been in the Olympics since the first modern games in 1896, although the competition was canceled due to poor weather at the first Olympiad. The sport’s competitive debut came at the 1900 games in Paris. The United States has won 19 gold medals and 62 total medals in sailing all-time. That includes a bronze in women’s skiff earlier in The Games. It was the first Olympic medal in sailing for the United States since The Games in Rio in 2016.
The last time the U.S. won gold in sailing was in 2008.
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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.
