Sunburn – The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics – 8.14.24

Good Wednesday morning.

Stop what you’re doing, go outside and look up.

That’s not just any blob hovering in the eastern sky, it’s a “double planet.” Well, technically it’s a “planetary conjunction.”

Still, Mars will cross in front of Jupiter, giving the appearance that the two orbs are next-door neighbors despite them being separated by more than 350 million miles.

Consider this the makeup date for those of you who missed the May 2022 show, but if you choose to hit snooze, don’t expect another chance anytime soon — according to NASA, the next conjunction isn’t until 2033.

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Florida GOP sets date for ‘Victory Dinner’ — The Republican Party of Florida will hold its “Victory Dinner” on Sept. 7 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood. According to an event flyer, Gov. Ron DeSantis will be one of the headliners at the fundraiser. RPOF hasn’t named any other details or confirmed speakers, but prospective attendees can sign up for updates online.

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The Sunshine State will be as red as ever in November according to new polling from Associated Industries of Florida.

The survey, conducted Aug. 6-8, found former President Donald Trump eight points up over Vice President Kamala Harris in a three-way race, 52%-44% with 3% saying they plan to cast a ballot for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

While Trump’s numbers are good, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott is doing even better.

According to AIF, the first-term Republican and holds a double-digit lead over Democratic former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, 52%-42%, with the remainder telling AIF they were on the fence.

Scott’s lead, if accurate, indicates Florida’s rightward shift isn’t slowing down.

The gap looks even starker when compared to the last time Scott was on the ballot — six years ago, the former Governor ousted won the election over incumbent Bill Nelson by just two-tenths of a percent.

AIF’s poll bodes well for down-ballot Republicans as well, with likely voters saying they prefer a generic Republican candidate over a generic Democratic candidate by eight points, 50%-42%.

McLaughlin & Associates conducted the poll on behalf of AIF. It surveyed 800 registered likely General Election voters via a mix of landlines, cellphones and text messaging. The margin of error is +/- 3.4% at a 95% confidence interval.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@realJennaEllis: Yesterday was the single best day for the Trump campaign since the Trump/(Joe) Biden debate. Trump returned to X on message and had a great two-hour discussion with Elon. No one can rationally claim we’re better off today than we were four years ago. More of this, less of the LaCivita/Wiles vulgarity/stupidity.

—@JeffJarvis: What “press?” The broken and vindictive Times? The newly Murdochian Post? Hedge-fund newspaper husks? Rudderless CNN or NPR? Murdoch’s fascist media? No. She can choose many ways to communicate her stands with others outside the old press and with the public directly. The old press can and should be bypassed.

—@MappingFL: As I’ve written about like 5000 times by this point, 2022 was driven by a massive turnout collapse. Florida leans Republican to be sure, but it was Trump +3, and if turnout is more balanced, it’s hardly the deep red state folks think it is.

—@SteveSchale: For FL Pol watchers: The 13m+ in TV spending in the FL SD 7 Primary would make it the 4th most expensive U.S. House Primary in the country this cycle, beating out Oklahoma’s CD 4 Primary When you add in other paid programs, it will likely surpass the 3rd: Virginia’s CD 5 Wild.

Tweet, tweet:

Tweet, tweet:

—@JoshCeb: Miami feels like Dune in this heat. I’d preserve my sweat in the sacred pool if I had any left

Tweet, tweet:

— DAYS UNTIL —

Brandon Chamber Hob Nob Event – 1; ‘Alien: Romulus’ premieres – 2; Democratic National Convention begins – 5; ‘Homicide: Life on the Street’ begins streaming on Peacock – 5; Florida Primary – 6; FBHA’s annual conference, BHCon, begins – 7; second Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday begins – 10; Florida Lineworker Appreciation Day — 12; Georgia Tech to face Florida State in 2024 opener in Dublin – 12; UCF opens the season by hosting New Hampshire at FBC Mortgage Stadium – 14; Tool Time Sales Tax Holiday begins – 19; 2024 NFL season kicks off – 24; Packers will face Eagles in Brazil – 24; Trump/Harris debate – 27; ‘The Old Man’ season two debuts – 29; ‘The Penguin’ premieres – 36; the Laver Cup begins – 37; Vice-Presidential Debate – 43; Jason Reitman’s ‘Saturday Night’ premieres – 58; Lin-Manuel Miranda’s concept album based on the cult movie ‘The Warriors’ drops – 65; Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour stops in Miami – 67; 2024 Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum – 74; Florida TaxWatch’s 45th Annual Meeting – 82; 2024 Presidential Election – 83; second half of Yellowstone season five premieres – 87; Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Landman’ premieres – 95; Legislature’s 2025 Organizational Session – 97; Las Vegas Grand Prix – 97; ‘Moana 2’ premieres – 105; 2024 Florida Chamber Annual Insurance Summit begins – 110; MLS Cup 2024 – 116; ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ premieres – 128; College Football Playoff begins – 130; ‘Squid Game’ season 2 premieres – 134; Fiesta, Peach, Rose & Sugar Bowls – 140; Orange Bowl – 148; Sugar Bowl – 150; ‘Severance’ season two debuts – 156; ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ premieres – 184; the 2025 Oscars – 205; Florida’s 2025 Legislative Session begins – 202; 2025 Session ends – 261; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres – 348; ‘Fantastic Four – First Steps’ premieres – 348; ‘Blade’ reboot premieres – 455; ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ premieres – 492; ‘Avengers 5’ premieres – 629; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 646; FIFA World Cup 26™ final – 666; FIFA World Cup 26™ final match – 704; ‘The Batman 2’ premieres – 783; Another untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 857; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres – 997; 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Opening Ceremony — 1,430; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres – 1,956; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres – 2,677.

— TOP STORY —

“Ron DeSantis in good shape in poll with bad news for other Florida Republicans” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — In the latest USA Today/Suffolk University/WSVN-TV phone poll of 500 likely voters conducted between Aug. 7 and Aug. 11, DeSantis enjoys 52% approval against just 43% disapproval.

He derives particular strength from male voters, with a strong 57% favorable rating, which puts him 20 points above water.

But DeSantis is also close to even with female voters, of whom 46% regard him favorably and 48% disapprove.

He’s also strong in three of four regions of the state.

While DeSantis is only at 42% approval in South Florida, he enjoys 62% approval in North Florida, 52% in West Florida and 53% in what pollsters call East Florida.

DeSantis’ 89% approval rating inside his own party makes up for being underwater with independents (with 50% disapproval against 43% approval), and with his predictably paltry approval numbers among Democrats (13% approval, 81% disapproval).

Despite no-party voters and the opposition party opposing DeSantis, the GOP composition of the state means that he’s at or above 50% with every age cohort considered. He’s at 51% with voters under 35, 55% with those 35-49, 51% with those between 50 and 64 and 50% with senior citizens.

While he has a meager 20% approval rating with Black voters, meanwhile, he’s at 52% with Hispanics and 59% with White voters.

—2024 — PRESIDENTIAL —

“Kamala Harris-sponsored Google ads put news outlets in a tough spot” via Sara Fischer of Axios — The Harris campaign has been editing news headlines and descriptions within Google search ads that make it appear as if the Guardian, Reuters, CBS News and other major publishers are on her side. It’s a common practice in the commercial advertising world that doesn’t violate Google’s policies, but the ads mimic real news results from Search closely enough that they have news outlets caught off guard. The Trump campaign isn’t running these types of ads, but this technique has been used by campaigns before. The ads say that they are sponsored, but it’s not immediately clear that the text that accompanies real news links is written by the campaigns and not by the media publication itself.

“The beats go on: Donald Trump keeps dancing as artists get outraged over his use of their songs” via Jonathan Limehouse of USA Today — The Village People’s “YMCA” can be heard blaring at Trump’s rallies causing attendees to dance. Still, while the disco group has not voiced discernment for using their hit song, other artists have not been shy about condemning their music being played on the former President’s 2024 campaign trail. Issac Hayes’ estate threatened to sue Trump over the Republican presidential nominee using Sam & Dave’s “Hold On, I’m Comin,” a song that the singer helped write. Hayes’ son, Isaac Hayes III, shared a copy of a copyright infringement notice, filed by attorney James Walker and issued to Trump, demanding his campaign pay $3 million in licensing fees.

“What we know about suspected Iranian cyber intrusion in the U.S. Presidential race” via Ali Swinson of The Associated Press — Details emerged over the weekend of a suspected Iranian cyber intrusion into the campaign of Trump, potentially resulting in the theft of internal campaign documents. The FBI is investigating the matter as well as attempts to infiltrate Biden’s re-election campaign, which became Harris’ campaign after Biden dropped out of the race. Trump’s presidential campaign said Saturday that it had been hacked and that sensitive internal documents were stolen and distributed. It declared that Iranian actors were to blame.

“Inside the tax battles Tim Walz fought — and won — in Minnesota” via Brian Schwartz of CNBC — Six years before Walz was tapped to be Harris’ running mate, he was busy running for Governor of Minnesota. Shortly before Election Day, Walz huddled with dozens of business leaders at a luxurious hotel off the shores of Gull Lake. Eric Gibson, then president of Ultra Machining Company, recalled asking Walz whether the Democrat believed that high corporate and state taxes hurt workers. “We’re not taxing people,” Walz replied, according to Gibson. “We’re taxing businesses.” For Geoff Baker, “it was a bit of an ‘oh s—’ moment,” he recalled to CNBC, confirming Gibson’s account. “That’s not what I wanted to hear,” said Baker, president of McFarland Truck Lines. Minnesota currently taxes corporate income at 9.8%. The nonpartisan Tax Foundation says that’s the highest corporate tax rate of any state in the nation.

“Walz flames Vance for pushing stolen valor claims” via Mini Racker of The Daily Beast — Walz laced into his Vice-Presidential opponent Vance over claims he lied about his military service in a full-throated defense of his record. Vance and other Republicans accuse Harris’ Democratic running mate of lying that he did not know he was about to be deployed to Iraq when he retired from the National Guard after 24 years in uniform and of saying that he carried a gun “in war.” But in his first solo appearance on the campaign trail, at a union event in Los Angeles, Walz hit back, making clear that he is willing to make the issue a central part of his expected debate with Vance, which has still to be scheduled. “These guys are even attacking me for my record of service, and I just want to say, I’m proud to have served my country, and I always will be,” Walz said. “With my dad’s encouragement, a guy who served in the Army during the Korean War, I signed up for the Army National Guard two days after my 17th birthday. I served for the next 24 years for the same reason all my brothers and sisters in uniform do: We love this country.”

— 2024 — FLORIDA —

“Social Security Works backs Debbie Mucarsel-Powell on popular program’s anniversary” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — On Social Security’s 89th anniversary, the Social Security Works PAC said the Miami-Dade Democrat will be the best person to challenge U.S. Sen. Scott’s record on the issue. Jon “Bowzer” Bauman, President of the PAC, took a shot at the Republican incumbent, decrying him as an opponent to the popular program. He referenced Scott’s private sector record when he led Columbia/HCA at a time when the company received a $1.7 billion Medicare fraud fine. “Rick Scott is a thief who came up with a specific plan to end Social Security and Medicare as we know them,” Bauman said.

“Florida GOP boosts hunting and fishing amendment” via Bruce Ritchie of POLITICO — The Republican Party of Florida is up with a new television ad boosting a ballot proposal to place a right to hunt and fish in the state constitution, the first broadcast ad in the fight over the amendment. Party Chair Evan Power told POLITICO on Monday the new spot began airing on Saturday in some regional TV markets, and is the start of a campaign from the party dealing with constitutional amendments. Floridians in November will vote on Amendment 2, which would codify a “right to fish and hunt” in the state constitution. It needs 60% support to pass.

— 2024 — DOWN-BALLOT —

“Florida Future Leaders PAC reports $325K raised, new Advisory Board with three Dem Senators” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Florida Future Leaders, a Generation Z-led political action committee dedicated to flipping elected Sunshine State seats blue, has empaneled a new Advisory Board featuring three sitting Senators. The group says it’s also now raised $325,000 since forming in January, thanks to more than 2,600 individual donors. More than half that haul came in July and August. According to Chair Jayden D’Onofrio, the fundraising makes Florida Future Leaders the most well-financed student effort in Florida history. “After raising more than a quarter of a million dollars in just seven months and giving students opportunities to organize their peers, Florida youth are energized to an extent we have never seen before,” he said in a statement Tuesday.

“Planned Parenthood backs Whitney Fox to ‘fight tirelessly’ for reproductive freedom in CD 13” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the funding arm of the reproductive rights advocacy group, is endorsing Fox for Florida’s 13th Congressional District. While the group only mentioned the incumbent Republican Fox hopes to unseat — U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna — the endorsement comes as a last-minute boon to Fox in her Primary race, in which she faces four other Democrats. All of her Primary challengers support reproductive rights. The endorsement indicates that Fox stood out among the crowd, and perhaps signals that the national organization sees a glimmer of hope in CD 13 to flip a red seat blue. “Planned Parenthood Action Fund is proud to endorse Whitney Fox, who will fight tirelessly to protect reproductive freedom,” Planned Parenthood Action Fund President & CEO Alexis McGill Johnson said.

“DeSantis says CD 15 voters should stick with Laurel Lee” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — U.S. Rep. Lee was the only member of Florida’s congressional delegation to endorse DeSantis for President this cycle. Now, the Governor is returning the favor. DeSantis is backing Lee for re-election to Congress ahead of an Aug. 20 Republican Primary. “I am happy to endorse Congresswoman Laurel Lee, our former Secretary of State in Florida, in her re-election campaign for Florida’s 15th Congressional District,” DeSantis said. “Congresswoman Lee was a valued member of my administration and worked tirelessly to advance election integrity in our great state. She’s stood up for our families and small businesses and cares deeply about the people of Florida’s 15th Congressional District. We need Laurel Lee back in Congress so she can continue fighting for our conservative values and principles in the nation’s capital.”

—2024 — DOWN-BALLOT 2 —

FMA endorses Randy Fine for SD 19 — The Florida Medical Association PAC is backing Republican Rep. Fine in the race for Senate District 19. “The Florida Medical Association PAC enthusiastically endorses Randy Fine for Senate District 19. Having served on multiple health care Committees, we have worked very closely with him, and he has a unique understanding of the issues physicians are facing today. We hope to continue our efforts with him to help our patients and the health care of all Floridians,” FMA PAC President Charles Chase said. Fine is up against Robyn Hattaway and Chuck Sheridan in the Aug. 20 Primary.

“Chris Hall says Greg Folley has the conservative record to represent HD 81” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Folley has secured the support of the current Collier County Commission Chair. County Commissioner Hall is endorsing the Marco Island City Council member in House District 81. “Greg is a dedicated and principled leader who truly understands the needs and concerns of our community,” said Hall. “His commitment to conservative values, fiscal responsibility, and strong advocacy for parental rights makes him the ideal candidate to represent us in the State House. Greg’s proven track record of service, combined with his clear vision for the future of our district, demonstrates that he has the integrity, honesty, and determination required to effectively serve our community.”

“DeSantis backs ‘fighter’ Anthony Aguirre over Trump-endorsed opponent in HD 94” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — DeSantis isn’t jumping on the MAGA train in House District 94. He’s backing business owner Aguirre over another Republican candidate who has been racking up endorsements from notable Trump supporters. “Anthony Aguirre is a strong conservative who has my support and endorsement for the Florida House of Representatives and I look forward to working with him in the Legislature,” DeSantis said in a statement. “His opponent and her husband have donated money to Democrats like Hillary Clinton, Biden and my former opponents, Andrew Gillum and Charlie Crist. Anthony will be a fighter for the values that we champion — lower taxes, law and order, and putting our families first.”

Loreal Arscott picks up FMA endorsement in HD 107 — FMA PAC also endorsed Democratic candidate Arscott in House District 107. “The FMA PAC is pleased to endorse Loreal Arscott in HD 107. We look forward to partnering with her on the important issues our physicians and their patients are facing,” FMA PAC President Chase said. HD 107 covers part of Miami-Dade County and is currently represented by Democratic Rep. Christopher Benjamin, who is forgoing a third term to run for a judgeship on the Miami-Dade Court. Arscott is one of six Democrats competing for the seat.

— STATEWIDE —

“Florida’s ban on cultivated meat is being challenged in federal court” via Mitch Perry of Florida Phoenix — Upside Foods, one of only two companies in the country authorized to sell cultivated meat, is suing over Florida’s recently enacted ban on its product, which went into effect last month. The new law (SB 1084) makes it illegal to sell, manufacture, or distribute cultivated meat in Florida, with penalties including up to 60 days in jail and fines of up to $500. The company, represented by the Institute of Justice, a public interest law firm, filed its lawsuit on Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida in Tallahassee. It alleges that the ban violates the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition of protectionist measures favoring in-state businesses at the expense of out-of-state competitors. Upside Foods is based in Berkeley, California.

— D. C. MATTERS —

“Joe Biden awards $150 million in research grants as part of cancer ‘moonshot’” via Zach Montague of The New York Times — Freed from the campaign trail and the grinding pursuit of another term, Biden traveled to New Orleans to focus on a project close to his heart: the “moonshot” effort to sharply cut cancer deaths in the United States that he carried over from his time as Vice President and has become a hallmark of his presidency. Speaking at Tulane University, Biden and the first lady, Jill Biden, announced eight research centers, including one at Tulane, which will collectively receive $150 million in research awards aimed at pioneering new methods of precision cancer surgery. Before addressing a crowd on campus, the President and the first lady met with a team of researchers who demonstrated the technology under development at Tulane. It uses imaging of cells on tumor sites to verify for surgeons that cancer cells have been fully removed and to reduce the need for follow-up surgeries.

“U.S. plans to send $20 billion in weapons to Israel over several years” via Kyle Melnick of The Washington Post — The United States plans to send roughly $20 billion worth of weapons to Israel over the next several years, the Biden administration announced Tuesday, amid intraparty tension over rising deaths in the Gaza strip. The deal includes F-15 fighter jets, 120 mm tank ammunition, tactical vehicles, AMRAAM anti-aircraft missiles and high-explosive mortars. The tactical vehicles and about 50,000 mortar cartridges are expected to be delivered to Israel starting in 2026. The following year, more than 32,000 120 mm tank ammunition cartridges are estimated to arrive in Israel. Roughly 50 F-15 fighter jets, along with supplies to modify Israel’s own fighter jets, are expected to start arriving in 2029 — supplies that will cost about $18.82 billion.

“GOP prepares scapegoat in case Trump loses” via Joe Perticone of The Bulwark — It’s a story we’ve all heard before: The House Freedom Caucus is using the threat of a government shutdown to force their fellow lawmakers to make concessions to their legislative demands. But this script comes with a couple new details: The threatened shutdown would come in the final weeks of the election cycle, potentially upending the campaign. Beyond that, one of the caucus’s demands is to establish a pretext to deny the election results if Trump loses. In a statement aimed squarely at House Speaker Mike Johnson on Monday, the Freedom Caucus declared that if all 12 appropriations bills are not passed on time, Congress should pass a continuing resolution to fund the government all the way into the next year to avoid a “lame duck omnibus that preserves Democrat spending and policies well into the next administration.”

— LOCAL: S. FL —

“Sheriff candidate Mike Gauger claims FOP endorsement; FOP says nope” via Tracy Caruso of the Florida Jolt — PBSO Lodge #50 posted a graphic on social media showing that Palm Beach County Candidate for Sheriff Gauger was endorsed by the FOP (Fraternal Order of Police), which was great news until some started questioning it. Republican congressional candidate Deb Adeimy says her name was removed, and someone put Gauger’s name in her spot instead. Adeimy, who is counting on winning her Primary to oust Democrat Congresswoman Lois Frankel, was endorsed by FOP. She says that the graphic has been altered to erase her name. Gauger’s name has been put on it instead. Jim Sniffen, who serves on three FOP Boards, confirmed exclusively with Florida Jolt that the Adeimy graphic is correct.

“Broward Schools Superintendent clarifies cellphone ban exceptions, consequences” via Alecia Taylor of the Miami Herald — Broward Superintendent Howard Hepburn said during a news conference that the district wants to work with students as they get used to the new cellphone policy which is being implemented this year. Broward School Board members adopted the new policy last month that expands on the current state statute which prohibits students from using cellphones during class instruction time unless given permission by teachers. Broward’s policy pushes the restrictions a step further by requiring that students either turn their phones off or leave them on airplane mode. “We don’t want it to end up in a suspension,” said Hepburn during the news conference.

“Army Corps finally signs historic new Lake O management plan” via Jack Lemnus of Treasure Coast Newspapers — The new plan to regulate Lake Okeechobee’s level and curb harmful discharges to the St. Lucie River took effect after five years of work, officials announced. The Army Corps of Engineers signed the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual, which determines how, when, and how much water the agency can release from the 730-square-mile lake to prevent water from breaching the Herbert Hoover Dike. “This is an awesome milestone,” said Mark Perry, Executive Director of the Florida Oceanographic Society in Stuart. “It’s great that this is immediate because we’re still in the storm season, and we need a new schedule as soon as possible.”

“Stuart OKs land lease with Brightline, moves closer to bringing train station to the city” via Keith Burbank of Treasure Coast Newspapers — The city took another step forward in its quest to bring back passenger rail service. City Commissioners unanimously approved — with Commissioner Christopher Collins absent — a land lease with Brightline for the previously announced train station on Southeast Flagler Avenue. The lease is conditional upon approval by the Martin County Commission, which may consider it on Aug. 27. “Today’s unanimous vote on the Stuart station lease agreement by the city of Stuart Commission is one of the final steps necessary to deliver a station to Martin County,” Brightline officials said in a statement. “We are thankful for the support and partnership of the Commission and city staff and look forward to officially getting started.”

— LOCAL: C. FL —

Breaking late Tuesday — “Orange voters to decide if county can veto rural annexations” via Ryan Gillespie of The Daily Beast — Orange County voters will decide in November whether to give county leaders the power to veto attempts to annex rural lands into cities. County Commissioners unanimously approved the ballot measure. The newest proposed amendment to the county’s governing document would grant it the “authority to approve or deny voluntary annexations,” and approval would require a supermajority of the Board of County Commissioners. Hal Coats, of Christmas, a small unincorporated community about 25 miles east of downtown Orlando, believes the amendment will rein in growth cities would otherwise allow. “Frankly, we don’t want the city coming through the back door and annihilating our way of life and our community,” said Coats. “We’re counting on you to support us. The battle is not over, and this is the big one.”

“Audit: Visit Orlando bends rules in spending millions in public money” via Stephen Hudak of the Orlando Sentinel — A new audit of Visit Orlando, conducted at the urging of Orange County Commissioners, found the destination marketing agency again failed to provide details of how it spends millions in public money, engaged in lobbying activities without county permission and did not follow rules as it promised five years ago, according to a memo issued by Comptroller Phil Diamond. In the three-page missive to Commissioners, Diamond listed “significant issues” identified by his auditors and questioned some of the agency’s financial practices, while also alleging Visit Orlando wrongly treats interest earned from millions in tourist-tax money as if it were privately donated. He termed the audit an interim report which is not finished.’

“A Florida first: Orange County hopes to erase medical debt for thousands” via Lauren Brensel of the Orlando Sentinel — Putting leftover pandemic relief funds to use, Orange County will spend $4.5 million to wipe medical debt for thousands in a move that county leaders believe to be a first in Florida. County Commissioners voted 5-2 to partner with a national nonprofit that intends to buy the debt for pennies on the dollar and then forgive those who owe it. The aid will go to residents whose medical debt constitutes 5% or more of their annual household income or who are living in households earning a salary four times below the federal poverty line. In the U.S. that line is $31,200 for a family of four.

“Wes Hodge wins Orange County Black Caucus support for Elections Supervisor bid” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — Orange County Elections Supervisor candidate Hodge has won the support of the county’s Democratic Black Caucus in a straw poll. Hodge’s campaign said the victory gives him momentum going into the Aug. 20 Primary for the open position as he wants to become the state’s first open LGBTQ+ constitutional officer. Hodge is gay and is married to his partner. “First, Hodge won the straw poll with 51.3% of all votes cast in the race, which is the first time any of the four Democratic candidates was able to secure a majority vote during a straw poll event,” his campaign said. “Second, this vote served as an official recommendation from the caucus to Orange County voters, clinching a clean sweep for Hodge with endorsements and recommendations from Democratic caucuses.”

“DeSantis appointment, safety, special education big topics in Osceola School Board races” via Lauren Brensel of the Orlando Sentinel — Ten candidates are vying for three seats on the Osceola County School Board, among them parents, teachers, a school administrator — and one candidate appointed by DeSantis to fill the last few months of an open seat. In all three races, a candidate must earn more than 50% of the vote in August to win the election. If no one does, the top two vote-getters face off in November. Julius Melendez, 46, was elected to the District 2 seat in 2020 and is running for a second term. He faces two challengers: Bethzaida Garcia, 50, an educator for Osceola County Fire Rescue, and Diana Graniela, 33, an entrepreneur and author.

“Current, former state legislators face off in GOP Primary for County Commission seat” via Tyler Vazquez of Florida Today — Brevard County Commission District 5 will see a Primary race between two Republicans long active Florida politics. Rep. Thad Altman, who has served in both the House and Senate, is no stranger to the County Commission, either, representing District 5 from 1984 to 1992. Altman currently represents House District 32 but cannot seek re-election to that seat because of term limits. Ritch Workman, who is also vying for the County Commission seat, succeeded Altman for a seat in the House in 2008, when Altman moved on to the Senate. This won’t be the first time the two have faced each other in a Republican Primary.

“Kim Adkinson, John Dittmore will face off in District 3 Brevard County Commission GOP Primary” via Tyler Vazquez of Florida Today — A former Republican State Committee member and a current West Melbourne City Council member will face off in a GOP Primary to determine the Republican nominee for the Brevard County Commission District 3 seat. Dittmore, who has served as West Melbourne City Council member since 2018, will face Adkinson, who served as the Republican Party’s State Committee member for Brevard County from 2020 until this year. Both conservative Republicans are hoping to win the Aug. 20 Primary to face Democrat Yvonne Minus, a Melbourne City Council member, in the Nov. 5 General Election. District 3 includes much of South Brevard, including South Melbourne, West Melbourne, Palm Bay, Grant-Valkaria, and the south beaches.

“County Commissioner John Tobia seek to unseat Tim Bobanic in Brevard Supervisor of Elections race” via Dave Berman of Florida Today — Term-limited Brevard County Commissioner Tobia is seeking to unseat Brevard County Supervisor of Elections Bobanic in a Republican Primary that has been marked by political sparring and legal issues. The winner of the Aug. 20 Primary will be in line to be the next Supervisor of Elections because the Primary winner’s only opponent in the Nov. 5 General Election will be write-in candidate Sandra Cottrell. Her name will not be on the ballot, and she is not actively campaigning or raising money for her campaign. Bobanic was appointed by DeSantis to the Supervisor of Elections position in September 2022.

— LOCAL: TB —

Save the date — The Greater Tampa Realtors is hosting a Hillsborough County congressional candidate forum on Friday, Aug. 16, featuring (from Florida’s 14th Congressional District) Republicans Rocky Rochford, Neelam Perry and Ehsan Joarder, as well as Libertarian Nathaniel Snyder. From Florida’s 15th Congressional District, it will be Democrat Pat Kemp, and Republicans Jennifer Barbosa and James Judge. Event begins at noon at The Cuban Club, 2010 N. Avenida Republica de Cuba, Ybor City. Tickets are free for members, and $40 for nonmembers. Register here.

— LOCAL: N. FL —

“Walton County Commissioners under fire for racist text messages as local elections loom” via Tom McLaughlin of the Pensacola News Journal — A pair of blatantly racist text messages sent from the then-Chair of the Walton County Commission to a fellow Commissioner and two other county employees have captured the attention of prominent Black leaders and could impact the outcome of two local political races. The offensive text messages were sent by Trey Nick to fellow County Commissioner Tony Anderson in July 2021 while the two were attending a conference in Washington, D.C. Laura Eckstrom, Anderson’s administrative assistant, and Heather Maxwell, an Assistant County Attorney, also received them. The first text message, which read “Plenty of (N-word) out this evening” was accompanied by a photo of two Black men seated in a vehicle.

“PAC paints Walker Wilson Black in race-baiting mailer” via Rick Outzen of Rick’s Blog — Wilson is in a very tight Republican Primary race for the Escambia County District 4 seat. He faces Buck Mitchell and Ashlee Hofberger. Wilson has attracted the attention of the Committee to Protect Florida, which is run by the Tallahassee-based political consultant Mark Zubaly, who owns Direct Response Campaigns. Committee to Protect Florida has sent a flyer to District 4 voters that darkly colors Wilson and calls him out for being friends with Lumon May.

Kiyan Michael endorses Rebecca Nathanson for Duval School Board — Rep. Michael announced support for Nathanson’s bid for the District 3 seat on the Duval County School Board. “Rebecca Nathanson will fight for Duval County students and defend the rights of parents,” said Michael, a Republican. “It’s my pleasure to join our Governor in endorsing her campaign for our School Board because she’s the candidate we can trust to keep our kids safe, support our teachers, and advocate for curriculum transparency.”

— LOCAL: SW FL —

“Sarasota to begin transition process after City Attorney announces retirement” via Christian Casale of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — The city of Sarasota will begin a transition to secure new legal counsel after City Attorney Robert Fournier announced he will retire in February 2025 after more than 20 years in the role. Deputy City Attorney Mike Connolly also plans to retire on the same day as Fournier — Feb. 28, 2025. However, Fournier wrote that if more time is needed for the transition, his departure date would be flexible under the right circumstances. He also said the other partners at his firm — Fournier, Connolly, Shamsey, Mlandinich, & Polzak, P.A. — were willing to continue to work for the city.

“Change of command at Army Corps comes during critical time for Everglades restoration” via Chad Gillis of the Fort Myers News-Press — Col. Brandon Bowman is taking over the world’s largest ecological restoration project and is now in charge of the Jacksonville headquarters of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the cost share federal partner for the multibillion-dollar Everglades restoration. The Everglades restoration is the nation’s most extensive regulatory program, and the hundreds of water projects that make up the restoration effort will take decades to complete. Bowman will oversee Lake Okeechobee operations during a critical phase as the agency is adopting a new lake management plan, which will guide how and future lake discharges to the Caloosahatchee River and south through a series of water treatment areas and, finally, Everglades National Park and Florida Bay.

— TOP OPINION —

“Ben Sasse’s reckless UF spending shows greed at the heart of ‘education reform’” via Nate Monroe of The Florida Times-Union — The University of Florida Board of Trustees orchestrated Sasse’s ascendancy to the presidency in secret, and in secret is how Sasse set about doing his work — the scope of which remains unclear — for the meager 17 months or so he was on the job.

Sasse, a former Republican U.S. Senator from Nebraska, had only previously run a microscopic college somewhere back in his home state, which is to say he was obviously not qualified to lead one of the nation’s preeminent public universities with an enrollment that tops 50,000. Armed with little more than a thin file of glib essays on education reform, Sasse spoke like a dilettante hiding behind buzzwords more than he presented as any kind of competent big-school administrator.

To justify hiring this neophyte, the UF Board had to concoct a version of Sasse as a disrupter, a change agent, an innovator, someone who was coming in with an “audacious” vision. These are insipid business-school weasel words, the language of scammers. No one bothered explaining why UF, one of the top public universities in the nation, needed a disrupter.

But dripping with hubris, Sasse — who ran a college smaller than some Florida high schools — described himself as uniquely clear-eyed while “most of higher education doesn’t understand the pace of what’s coming.”

That the Governor and other powerful leaders placed one of Florida’s most valuable assets in the hands of this charlatan should stir outrage. That he then plundered it for the benefit of his buddies should deepen the anger. That he did it all, though, was not shocking.

In Florida, that’s nothing new.

— OPINIONS —

“Paying the bills is harder than ever. Are voters supposed to feel joy?” via Byron York of the Washington Examiner — Even as the rate of inflation has gone down from its peak in 2022, people have learned an unhappy lesson. When the rate of inflation goes down, prices still go up. They are building upon all the price increases before but at a somewhat slower rate. Yes, very few things go down, but at the same time, others keep rising at a high rate. There’s no relief. It’s no surprise that 65% of people believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, according to the Real Clear Politics average of polls. Harris and Biden took office in a moment of relative optimism for the country, when just 49% thought the country was on the wrong track. (That’s a pretty low number for the last 20 years.) By mid-2022, with inflation raging, 74% felt the country had gone astray — higher than at any point in the Trump presidency. Now, it’s 65%.

“Moms for Liberty. Are they hiding in Florida school races this year?” via Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel — Not surprisingly, SAT scores in Florida — which were already among the lowest in America — continue to drop. This is what happens when you focus more on culture wars than academia. You fail students. And public education. That’s why, if you care about public schools, you should vote accordingly in next week’s Primary. Two years ago, it was easy to spot candidates more interested in culture wars than education. They proudly wore their “Moms for Liberty” labels. But over the past two years, that group knows it has become a bad joke. So now, fewer candidates are running openly as Moms for Liberty candidates in Democratic strongholds like Orange County. And DeSantis — one of the few remaining vocal advocates for the Moms — hasn’t endorsed any School Board candidates in Orange. They know where their brand is toxic. So how are you supposed to know who the candidates are? Maybe censorship and culture-war crusades are what some people are looking for. But I think most are tired of theatrical absurdities.

“Is blowing up Florida condo associations the only solution to preventing condo collapses?” via Jeff Brandes for Florida Politics — The tragic collapse of the Champlain Towers South condo in Surfside in June 2021 was a defining moment for Florida. Ninety-eight lives were lost, and the devastation rippled across communities throughout the nation. A few days following the collapse, I visited the site with my young son and Sen. Jason Pizzo, who had been tirelessly meeting with families and coordinating with the state since the collapse. We stood together outside the security perimeter, looking at the makeshift memorial that had been set up along a chain-link fence — a poignant reminder of the lives cut short and the gravity of what had occurred.

— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —

— ALOE —

“Epic peek: Universal exec previews new park, rides” via Dewayne Bevil of the Orlando Sentinel — Jeff Polk walks the construction site of the Epic Universe theme park frequently. He’s an executive vice president at Universal Orlando and Epic’s general manager. Progress is visible from afar as the company builds toward an announced 2025 opening date. “I’m sure you’ve seen it just coming out of the ground rather rapidly,” Polk told participants at an International Drive Resort Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon recently. “I’ve been living in that bunker for about seven years now working on this project. … It has been the joy of a lifetime,” he said. “We are, I would say, putting everything that we’ve learned to do well in one place at one time,” Polk said.

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Happy birthday to Rep. Shane Abbott, John Konkus, Wilton Simpson, Jr., and Meredith Stanfield.

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Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.