Peter Schorsch
Good Thursday morning.
Let’s start with a welcome to the world — Public affairs pro Liz Underwood of Moore and Derek Underwood of the State Board of Administration welcomed Emma Jeannette Underwood on Sunday. Emma was born at 10:52 p.m., weighing 6.5 lbs. Mom and baby are happy, healthy and excited to be home. Congratulations to the Underwood family!
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A top-of-the-‘burn birthday shoutout to the great Melanie Brown-Woofter, president and CEO of the Florida Behavioral Health Association.
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Progress Florida and the group Florida Watch have released an “Informed Voters” guide to amendments on the ballot in Florida this General Election.
The guide outlines six proposed constitutional amendments, including information about what the amendments would do, recommendations from participating civic engagement and advocacy organizations on how to vote on each initiative and links to more information.
The guide includes recommendations on how to vote on each amendment from several organizations, including the League of Women Voters of Florida, the NAACP Florida State Conference, Mi Familia en Acción, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Florida, ACLU Florida, Florida For All, Common Cause Florida, Equality Florida, the Florida National Organization for Women, Equal Ground, and the National Council of Jewish Women.
Not every organization offers the same voting recommendation in the guide. Each amendment in the guide contains a brief description of the initiative. Next to that, boxes correspond to each organization, with a “no” in red to indicate opposition to the amendment, a “yes” in green to indicate support, or a blank box to indicate no position taken.
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The Associated Industries of Florida released a bulk endorsement covering about a dozen open seats in the Legislature.
“These endorsements build on the slate of strong candidates we have already announced our support for this election cycle — candidates who will fight for the best interests of Florida’s job creators and to lower costs for hardworking Floridians,” AIF President and CEO Brewster Bevis said. “We know that, if elected, these individuals will work day in and day out to keep our state free and thriving, so voters can feel confident supporting them at the polls this November.”
In the Senate, AIF is backing Democrat Kristen Arrington in SD 25 and Barbara Sharief, also a Democrat, in SD 35. Both districts are drawn to favor Democratic candidates, and they became the presumptive winners after winning their Primary contests last month.
AIF’s new House endorsements went to Republicans running in districts across the state. The list: Kim Kendall for HD 18, Nan Cobb for HD 26, Richard Gentry for HD 27, Monique Miller for HD 33, Jon Albertfor HD 48, Bill Conerly for HD 72, Yvette Benarroch for HD 81, Meg Weinberger for HD 94 and Omar Blanco for HD 115.
The candidates were selected for endorsement by AIF’s Center for Political Strategy, which launched last year to ensure pro-business candidates — both Republicans and Democrats — are elected to the Florida Legislature. The Center has announced several volleys of endorsements this cycle, with prior batches focusing on incumbents and sitting lawmakers running for seats in the other chamber.
“AIF’s Center for Political Strategy is elevating the business community’s involvement in Florida politics, ensuring it takes a more active role in recruiting and supporting candidates on both sides of the aisle who will be important advocates for Florida employers in the legislature,” Bevis said. “Whether a candidate has an R or a D behind their name makes no difference — it’s their commitment to supporting our shared principles of free enterprise and economic prosperity that earns them the support of the business community.”
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Tampa Bay-area lobbyists, lawmakers, and staffers have something on the horizon to look forward to.
Tampa International Airport announced Wednesday that it will add daily direct service to Tallahassee starting Oct. 7, just in time for the upcoming interim Committee Weeks and the 2025 Legislative Session.
Florida-based Silver Airways will operate the twice-daily route. Sure, Silver isn’t known for white-glove service or luxe accommodations, but that’s hardly worth mentioning for a 45-minute stint in a puddle jumper … especially when the alternative is an (at best) four-hour trek on the interstate.
In addition to the new TPA-TLH run, the carrier bolsters its offerings with three daily flights from TPA to Key West and one daily to Nassau. Those routes will also come online on Oct. 7.
If you can’t contain your excitement, there’s more information on Silver’s website. You can snag a seat on the maiden flight if you’re quick.
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Is breakfast the most important meal of the day? No, not really. Unless that day happens to be Sept. 27 and it’s a “Power Breakfast” served by the fine folks at the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
BizJournals didn’t announce the menu for the third quarter edition of its ongoing speaker series. Still, it guaranteed attendees would be treated to a breakfast of champions by locking down former House Speaker Will Weatherford as the headliner.
It’s been a decade since Weatherford wielded the gavel — time flies — but even in 2024, he’s one of the most relevant figures in Florida politics.
In addition to his day job as Managing Partner of Weatherford Capital, which includes his brothers, Sam and Drew, Will Weatherford serves as the current Chair of the University of South Florida Board of Trustees.
In that position, he’s spearheading the university’s effort to bring a football stadium to campus and working to ensure the university continues rocketing up the academic rankings. And there are some things to cheer about on that front.
Most recently, Weatherford led the committee that brokered an agreement allowing Tampa General to invest $162 million in strengthening its bonds with USF’s Morsani College of Medicine.
The Q3 Power Breakfast will be held Sept. 27 at 7:30 a.m., with Weatherford’s remarks expected to begin at 8 a.m. Individual tickets run $84, with a 10-pack and table reservation priced at $750. Registration is available online.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
—@POTUS: We must ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines again, require safe storage of firearms, enact universal background checks, and end immunity for gun manufacturers. Thoughts and prayers are not enough.
—@KamalaHQ: Vice President (Kamala) Harris: It is outrageous that every day in our country, parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive. It’s senseless. We have to end this epidemic of gun violence in our country once and for all. It doesn’t have to be this way
Tweet, tweet:
—@SenRickScott: It’s a disgrace that our brave military members were attacked during a port call in Turkey. This should never have happened, and it wouldn’t have happened if America’s enemies had actually respected (President Joe) Biden. If this is what we can expect, the U.S. should stop going to Turkey and instead stick with our friends in Greece or Cyprus.
—@SmartandSafeFL: It’s puzzling why our opponents, who claim to stand for freedom, are rallying for continued prohibition laws restricting adults’ individual rights … In reality — passing Amendment 3 is the last piece of the puzzle toward making Florida truly FREE!
Tweet, tweet:
Tweet, tweet:
— DAYS UNTIL —
Packers will face Eagles in Brazil – 1; GOP Victory Dinner — 2; Apple is expected to announce new iPhones and Apple Watch models — 4; Donald Trump/Harris debate (maybe) – 5; ‘The Old Man’ season two debuts – 7; ‘The Penguin’ premieres – 14; the Laver Cup begins – 15; JD Vance/Tim Walz Vice-Presidential Debate – 26; ‘Chef’s Table: Noodles’ premieres — 27; Las Vegas’ Tropicana resort implosion — 34; Jason Reitman’s ‘Saturday Night’ premieres – 36; Lin-Manuel Miranda’s concept album based on the cult movie ‘The Warriors’ drops – 43; Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour stops in Miami – 45; 2024 Florida Chamber Annual Meeting & Future of Florida Forum – 46; Florida TaxWatch’s 45th Annual Meeting – 60; 2024 Presidential Election – 61; second half of Yellowstone season five premieres – 65; Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Landman’ premieres – 73; Legislature’s 2025 Organizational Session – 77; Las Vegas Grand Prix – 77; ‘Moana 2’ premieres – 83; ‘Chef’s Table’ returns to Netflix — 83; 2024 Florida Chamber Annual Insurance Summit begins – 89; Florida Chamber 2024 Florida Transportation, Growth & Infrastructure Solution Summit — 89; MLS Cup 2024 – 94; ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ premieres – 106; College Football Playoff begins – 108; ‘Squid Game’ season 2 premieres – 112; Fiesta, Peach, Rose & Sugar Bowls – 118; Orange Bowl – 129; ‘Severance’ season two debuts – 134; ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ premieres – 162; the 2025 Oscars – 178; Florida’s 2025 Legislative Session begins – 180; 2025 Session ends – 239; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres – 326; ‘Fantastic Four – First Steps’ premieres – 326; ‘Blade’ reboot premieres – 433; ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ premieres – 470; ‘Avengers 5’ premieres – 607; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 624; FIFA World Cup 26™ final – 644; FIFA World Cup 26™ final match – 682; ‘The Batman 2’ premieres – 761; Another untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 835; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres – 975; 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Opening Ceremony — 1,408; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres – 1,934; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres – 2,655.
—TOP STORY —
“CNN polls across six battlegrounds find Georgia and Pennsylvania are key toss-ups” via Jennifer Agiesta, Ariel Edwards-Levy and Edward Wu of CNN — Harris holds an advantage over Trump among likely voters in Wisconsin and Michigan. At the same time, Trump has the edge in Arizona. The two split likely voters almost evenly in Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania, the state with the largest electoral vote prize that’s widely seen as up for grabs.
Across each of them, an average of 15% of likely voters say they have not yet firmly decided their choice, suggesting a sizable share of voters could shift their views on the race as attention to the campaign rises and campaign activity, especially in these states, hits a fever pitch in the final nine weeks before Election Day.
Likely voters in Wisconsin break 50% for Harris to 44% for Trump, and in Michigan, it’s 48% Harris to 43% Trump. In Arizona, Trump lands at 49%, while Harris’s is 44%. In Georgia and Nevada, 48% back Harris to 47% for Trump, and in Pennsylvania, the candidates are tied at 47%.
The findings suggest an Electoral College landscape in which Pennsylvania and Georgia are central to each candidate’s path to the White House.
Harris’ emergence as the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, replacing Biden atop the party’s ticket this Summer, has altered some dynamics in the race but left others intact. Economic issues, which posed a notable weak point for Biden, remain the topic most often chosen by voters when asked what matters to their choice for President; an average of 39% of likely voters across states choose the economy as their top issue, with protecting democracy next at an average of 25%. However, Harris now trails Trump on trust to handle the economy by relatively smaller margins than Biden did; across the current polls, Trump is more trusted than Harris on the economy by eight points on average.
—2024 — PRESIDENTIAL —
“Donald Trump campaign says it raised $130M in August” via Brett Samuels of The Hill — The Trump campaign said Wednesday it raised $130 million in August, a haul fueled almost entirely by donations of less than $200. The campaign said its August fundraising total left it with $295 million cash on hand entering the final two months of the General Election campaign as Trump attempts to keep pace with Harris’ fundraising juggernaut of a campaign. The Trump campaign said 98% of its donations received in August were less than $200, with an average amount of $56. “With Republicans united and a growing number of Independents and disaffected Democrats crossing partisan lines, the Trump-Vance campaign has momentum for the final stretch of the race,” senior Trump campaign adviser Brian Hughes said.
Is it, though? — “Trump’s campaign in chaos as infighting among ‘grifters,’ ‘hucksters’ and ‘profiteers’ on his team threatens his presidential bid” via Ken Silverstein of the Daily Mail — The former President’s camp are now quaking in their collective boots after realizing Harris is not quite the pushover they expected she would be. The chief target of the complaints are ‘grifters,’ ‘hucksters,’ ‘profiteers,’ and ‘cranks’ – to use a few of the colorful terms dropped by GOP officials and operatives during interviews last week. They are accused of damaging his campaign with their incompetence and crude efforts to exploit their close ties to him, whether real or imaginary, for personal profit. The problem has been compounded by the former President’s deep loyalty to his closest associates, typically a positive quality in friendships but less often the case with political relationships.
“These pollsters were right in 2016 and 2020 — and they think Kamala Harris has already lost her mojo” via A.G. Gancarski for the New York Post — The polling by InsiderAdvantage and Trafalgar in seven battleground states finds Trump on a path to 296 electoral votes — suggesting that Harris has already lost her momentum. Matt Towery of Georgia-based InsiderAdvantage found Trump ahead in Arizona, Nevada and North Carolina (down by 0.4% only in Georgia). He noted that both he and Robert Calahy of Trafalgar (which handled Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan) were both in the top three pollsters in the ‘16 and ‘20 cycles because their methodology allows them to “pick up some Trump vote that some of the other pollsters might not be able to get.” All of Trump’s leads are narrow and within the margin of error — meaning the states could still very well go either way on Election Day.
“Poll: Half of Gen Z voters support Harris, one-third back Trump” via Stephanie Perry and Marc Trussler of NBC News — The results of the NBC News Stay Tuned Gen Z Poll, powered by SurveyMonkey, come as young voters grapple with new economic and cultural challenges in 2024, including rising costs and concerns about debt that are prompting delays to some critical life events. Another one in 10 respondents to the poll said they would not vote in the presidential election. Harris is backed by 60% of young voters who say they’re almost certain they will cast a ballot in the presidential election. According to NBC News exit poll results, that figure aligns with the 60% of 18- to 29-year-olds who Biden won in the 2020 Election against Trump.
Anti-Psychopath PAC launches six-figure multistate ad campaign — George Conway’s Anti-Psychopath PAC is running a 60-second ad featuring clips of Trump’s own allies calling him a narcissist who is unfit for office. The commercial will run on cable and digital for the next week in Bedminster, New Jersey, and Palm Beach, around Trump’s homes, as well as in the swing states of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. It will also run in Tallahassee, with the version airing in Florida markets featuring snippets from Marco Rubio.
To watch the ad, please click the image below:
“The Democrat who’s not that worried about Trump” via Russell Berman of The Atlantic — If you’ve gone to a Democratic campaign rally recently, chances are you’ve heard a version of the following sentence: This is the most important election of our lifetime. Jared Golden isn’t buying it. The third-term House Democrat from Maine thinks America will be just fine if Trump returns to the White House. “No matter who wins the presidency,” Golden told me last month at a Dunkin’ in his district, “the day after the election, America is going to get up and go to work.”
“Harris pushes 28% capital gains tax rate on $1 million earners” via Akayla Gardner and Jennifer Epstein of Bloomberg — Harris called for a 28% capital gains tax rate on people earning $1 million or more, touting it as a measure that would ensure the wealthy paid their fair share as she sought to detail her economic agenda and draw a contrast with Republican rival Trump. The Democratic presidential nominee’s proposal falls short of the 39.6% rate that Biden has embraced, marking her efforts to chart an economic vision separate from the sitting President in an election in which voters’ skepticism of the administration’s handling of the economy threatens to weigh down her ticket. The current capital gains tax rate is 20%. Her proposals have included calls for expanded tax credits for parents and $25,000 down-payment assistance for first-time homebuyers. Harris plans to pay for those tax cuts by increasing the corporate tax rate to 28% from 21%, imposing a minimum income tax on billionaires and quadrupling a levy on stock buybacks, according to a campaign official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“How Democrats made Project 2025 one of their top anti-GOP attacks” via Ashley Parker and Maeve Reston of The Washington Post — No one expected the 922-page policy document to go viral. The conservative Heritage Foundation quietly began working on Project 2025 in 2022, pulling together a wish list of far-right policy proposals the group hoped Trump would enact if he won back the White House. The report was published with little notice in 2023. Then, in March, the Biden-Harris campaign began attacking the conservative initiative through a coordinated push on social media timed to Biden’s State of the Union address, warning the public that Project 2025 was a blueprint for the extreme and dangerous agenda a second Trump term would usher in. In June, comedian John Oliver devoted an entire episode of his popular HBO show to the policy initiative, and actress Taraji P. Henson used her high-profile role as host of the BET Awards to raise alarms about it.
— 2024 — FLORIDA —
Smart & Safe Florida launches law enforcement ad — The committee backing the recreational marijuana amendment is rolling out a new ad titled “Generations,” featuring Tim Hightower, a 30-year veteran of Florida law enforcement. In the spot, Hightower says marijuana arrests have put an undue burden on individuals and law enforcement officers and that he believes legalizing adult use of recreational marijuana will make Floridians safer by giving adults access to safe, tested products and by allowing officers to spend more time and resources on serious crime. “Generations” will air statewide across broadcast, cable, streaming, radio and digital platforms.
To watch the ad, please click the image below:
“Top Senate Democrat backs recreational pot amendment” via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics — A top Senate Democrat and member of criminal justice policy and spending Committees says he’s supporting Amendment 3 this November, a proposal to make recreational use of pot legal for adults. “I have seen too many lives ruined by the simple possession of small amounts of marijuana. Aggressive, unfair marijuana laws hurt too many people and destroy too many lives,” Sen. Bobby Powell Jr. said in a statement Wednesday. “I proudly endorse Amendment 3, a measure to allow adults to consume or possess limited amounts of marijuana — a right that over half of America now already enjoys,” Powell said. “Marijuana is here and isn’t going anywhere. We should work hard to make it safe and make sure no one is in jail for personal use of this plant that is, frankly, saving lives.”
Hmmm … “Yes, marijuana laced with Fentanyl is causing fatal overdoses“ via Kerry Nenn of Addictions.com — It was hard for authorities to believe. They had just revived a patient using CPR and several doses of Narcan … after the patient overdosed from smoking pot. But it was true. And they soon discovered why. Vermont police tested the marijuana and found it contained a frightening amount of fentanyl. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 100 times more potent than morphine, is increasingly showing up in unexpected places, including marijuana. This creates a life-threatening risk of accidental overdoses, even for people who don’t usually use illicit drugs.
“Meet the conservative women voting ‘yes’ on Florida’s abortion amendment” via Romy Ellenbogen and Alexandra Glorioso of the Tampa Bay Times — As the women trickled into the community clubhouse late last month, each grabbed a red flyer printed with a message: “Pregnancy is personal, not political.” That was the resounding theme at the Bradenton mixer hosted by a group of conservative women who plan to vote “yes” on a ballot question that could undo Florida’s six-week abortion ban. Over snacks and small glasses of wine, the hosts informed other mostly conservative women about the November ballot question and let them know that they weren’t alone.
— 2024 — DOWN-BALLOT 1 —
“AFP Action FL announces 10 more House endorsements” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Americans For Prosperity’s political arm announced a new round of endorsements, including support for three candidates in open seats. Americans for Prosperity Action Florida (AFP Action FL) announced 10 endorsements, bringing its total this cycle to 39. The center-right group’s support is going to Republican candidates. Open seat endorsements went to Chad Johnson in House District 22, Bill Partington in House District 28 and Meg Weinberger in House District 94. Incumbents landing endorsements include state Reps. Adam Anderson, Adam Botana, Linda Chaney, Tiffany Esposito, Juan Porras, Will Robinson and Kevin Steele.
— 2024 — DOWN-BALLOT 2 —
Save the date:
“Alexcia Cox leads Palm Beach State Attorney’s race by double digits” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Deputy Chief Assistant State Attorney Cox should make easy work of her two opponents for Palm Beach County State Attorney, new polling suggests. A survey of likely General Election voters in Palm Beach found Cox, a Democrat, leads both foes by double digits. She holds a 16-percentage-point lead over her closest competitor. That’s higher than the 13-point margin by which Biden carried the county in 2020. Democratic consultant Christian Ulvert’s firm, EDGE Communication, polled 1,630 Palm Beach voters online Aug. 26-29. He modeled the poll with a +8 Democratic turnout, with the makeup being 40% Democratic, 32% Republican and 28% no party affiliation (NPA).
— STATEWIDE —
“Ron DeSantis again urges Floridians to ‘knock on wood’ as hurricane season heats up” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — The Governor told a crowd in Central Florida regarding hurricane season that “it doesn’t even matter if it’s active or not terribly active, it’s really what hits us or doesn’t hit us.” “I mean, that’s what we’re concerned about. So, you can have a very active season. Maybe we don’t get impacted or you can have a mild season, but if we get impacted by just one big one, it does that. So, knock on wood. We’re in the high season right now,” he said at the JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes. If the comment sounds familiar, that’s because it is. He used it during a Boston radio interview during his presidential campaign last year as he courted New Hampshire voters.
“More than 63,000 Florida workers have lost union representation due to new law” via Daniel Rivero of WLRN — More than 63,000 public employees across Florida have had their labor unions fully decertified and shuttered by the state since a sweeping anti-union law went into effect last year. Fifty-four public sector unions have been legally terminated explicitly because they do not meet the new law’s requirements. The staggering blow to labor in Florida has quietly impacted workers’ ability to collectively bargain in every corner of the state. Everyone from municipal employees of the small city of Defuniak Springs in the Florida Panhandle to custodial staff and adjunct professors at large state universities and Orlando airport workers has lost their union representation.
“Over $39 million in unclaimed property returned to Floridians in August” via C.A. Bridges of USA Today Network-Florida — The state of Florida returned more than $39 million in unclaimed property to residents last month, according to a release from the state’s Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, part of nearly $2.5 billion that has been returned since 2017 through FLTreasureHunt.gov. All you have to do to get yours (if you have any) is ask. “It’s estimated that one in five Floridians has unclaimed property just waiting to be claimed, with an average claim of $825,” Patronis said. “Don’t delay – start your treasure hunt today!”
“Why thousands of Florida students are not being taught sex ed” via Judd Legum of Popular Information — In May 2023, DeSantis signed Florida House Bill 1069, a law that requires sex education classes in the state to conform to right-wing ideology. Specifically, the law requires all sex education classes to teach students that sex is binary, “either male or female,” even though that is inaccurate. It also mandates that students are instructed that sex is defined exclusively by “internal and external genitalia present at birth,” and these sex roles are “binary, stable, and unchangeable.” This requirement erases the existence of trans and nonbinary people. Schools also must “teach abstinence from sexual activity outside of marriage as the expected standard for all school-age students” and “the benefits of monogamous heterosexual marriage.”
“Florida wildlife experts say more young manatees are dying, but that could be a good sign” via Molly Duerig of WFSU — More perinatal, or baby, manatees were found dead so far this year than in the five previous years. On average, since 2019, 70% of all manatee deaths recorded in Florida are perinatal, with carcasses less than 5 feet long. So far in 2024, 130 of the 435 dead manatees were perinatal: that’s about 30%, based on preliminary FWC data through August 23. But “it is not necessarily bad news,” according to Martine de Wit, a veterinarian with FWC who oversees the agency’s manatee health research program. The numbers underscore one key, positive point: more manatee babies are also being born after 2021’s starvation event, which killed off manatees in record numbers.
“Joe Biden’s asylum restrictions were meant to be temporary. That could change.” via Hamed Aleaziz of The New York Times — The move would essentially turn a short-term fix into a central feature of the asylum system in America. And it would be yet another sign that the country is moving away from the traditional American practice of allowing anyone who steps foot on U.S. soil the opportunity to seek protection. The changes under consideration would build on the executive order Biden issued in June, which blocked most asylum claims at the Southern border and allowed agents to turn people back quickly. U.S. officials have said that the order has deterred migrants from making the dangerous trip north, resulting in a dramatic drop-off in asylum claims.
— LOCAL: S. FL —
“‘The candidate we can trust’: Ana Maria Rodriguez backs Sherri Hodies for Monroe Supervisor of Elections” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Hodies, Executive Chair of the Southernmost Republican Club, is now running for Monroe County Supervisor of Elections with support from state Sen. Rodriguez. Rodriguez said Hodies has demonstrated “time and again that she understands the importance of every vote” and will make sure “our electoral process remains strong and that the voices of all citizens are heard.” “Sherri Hodies has demonstrated a deep commitment to ensuring the integrity of our electoral process. With years of experience in public service and a dedication to transparency, Sherri is the candidate we can trust to oversee our elections with fairness and accuracy,” Rodriguez said.
“Poll: Trump underwater in Miami-Dade as Harris enjoys positive net favorability” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — A survey conducted late last month by Sarasota-based SEA Polling & Strategic Design found Harris at 50% favorability and 40% unfavorability. For Trump, it’s 50% unfavorable and 46% favorable. Pollsters asked about DeSantis, too. The result: Florida’s Governor is at an even 46-46% in voter sentiment. SEA surveyed 400 Miami-Dade voters by phone, text, and email from Aug. 27-30. The firm modeled the poll with a turnout of 41% Democrat, 36% Republican, and 23% NPA and a racial breakdown of 58% Hispanic, 20% White, 17% Black, and 5% Other. The poll had a 4.9% margin of error.
“Poll: Annette Taddeo is 12 points ahead of incumbent in Miami-Dade Clerk’s race” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — New polling shows that former state Sen. Annette Taddeo has expanded her lead even further over incumbent Miami-Dade Clerk and Comptroller Juan Fernandez-Barquin. A late August survey found Taddeo, a Democrat, now enjoys a 12-percentage-point advantage over Fernandez-Barquin, a Republican — up from 10 points in early August and eight points in May. Notably, the two earlier polls were conducted internally by Taddeo’s campaign adviser, Christian Ulvert, and Plantation-based MDW Communications. The new numbers are from Sarasota-headquartered SEA Polling & Strategic Design, which in October 2022 determined Taddeo was in a “statistical tie” in a congressional race with incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar. Salazar went on to win by a landslide.
“Coral Gables Mayor cleared of assaulting City Manager in ‘incident’ at City Hall” via Catherine Odom of the Miami Herald — A Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation has found that Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago did not assault City Manager Amos Rojas Jr. during an “incident” between the two men at City Hall in June. The FDLE had been investigating a complaint by Rojas, a retired FDLE agent, that Lago assaulted him during a meeting. In the memo, signed last week, prosecutors agreed with the FDLE’s conclusion that “the facts did not meet the elements of an assault” and said the matter was now closed. The memo indicates that the incident was at one point being investigated as a second-degree misdemeanor assault, a crime in Florida that can carry a fine of up to $500 and up to 60 days in jail.
“‘How many more families have to be heartbroken?’: Federal and local officials decry gun violence in Fort Lauderdale, announce revamped police unit” via Shira Moolten of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — At Fort Lauderdale’s Lincoln Park, U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and state Sen. Rosalind Osgood joined Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis and local NAACP President Marsha Ellison to discuss the four shootings that have taken place in the city’s streets and at playgrounds not too different from where they stood, leaving multiple innocent bystanders injured or killed. Among the dead are three men, a 3-year-old boy and a 28-year-old woman whose 2-year-old son has been hospitalized in a coma. “How many more deaths do we have to hear about? How many more families have to be heartbroken?” asked Cherfilus-McCormick in response to questions about preventing the proliferation of guns in areas like Fort Lauderdale. “To be honest with you, I’m tired of crying with families about this issue. And I’m tired of having to fight our colleagues on the other side because they want to have this imaginary conversation about protecting Second Amendment rights.”
“Miami Beach apologizes for posting docs with sensitive info. How long were they public?” via Aaron Liebowitz of the Miami Herald — Miami Beach issued an apology after removing documents from its website Tuesday containing residents’ unredacted personal information, including Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers and federal tax identifications. A folder within the city’s portal for archived public documents was removed hours after a Miami Beach resident flagged the problem to city officials. However, the folder, which contained about 10,000 records related to utility billing, may have been publicly available for decades. It was created in 2001 and last modified in 2007. In a Wednesday response to the Miami Herald, Miami Beach spokesperson Melissa Berthier said the city was investigating how the situation occurred.
“Court rules in favor of Florida hotel developer accused of fraud by his investors” via Antonio Maria Delgado of the Miami Herald — A Miami judge overseeing a lawsuit against hotel developer Rodrigo Azpurua has ruled in favor of the Venezuelan-American business owner, saying that the two dozen investors who filed the claim against him failed to prove any wrongdoing. Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Lisa Walsh on Tuesday denied the investors’ motion to reconsider her previous ruling, which tossed aside claims introduced by investors accusing Azpurua and his wife, Dania Carmela Azpurua, of deliberately misappropriating funds provided by them for the development of a La Quinta hotel and a Tryp hotel in Orlando. Describing the accusations against him as slanderous, Azpurua insisted from the beginning that the coronavirus pandemic caused the hotel group’s woes. The judge ratified her previous ruling, concluding that the plaintiffs “have not met their burden to ‘clearly prove’ fraud,” she ruled. The investors had asked the judge to name a receiver — a court-appointed expert to oversee the property.
“Florida Supply Chain Summit to draw dozens of state leaders in port operations to Miami” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — Executives and administrators from Florida’s five main ports will gather in Miami Sept. 9 through 11 for the fifth Supply Chain Summit. Port officials will organize the event, which will be held at the PortMiami cruise terminal and the Marriott Biscayne Bay, where dozens of leaders in the industry will engage in panel discussions on global influences and their impact on transportation and logistics. “By facilitating and strengthening partnerships within the trade and logistics industry, the Florida Supply Chain Summit provides an invaluable platform for collaboration among key representatives from industry, government, and academia,” said Hydi Webb, director and CEO of PortMiami, the event’s business sponsor. “The summit is crucial for addressing industry challenges, embracing emerging trends, and fostering workforce development.”
— LOCAL: C. FL —
“Graphic death threats against Randy Fine lead to arrest” via Eric Rogers of Florida Today — A Massachusetts man is facing eight felony charges after making a series of graphic, antisemitic death threats against Rep. Fine, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said. Edwin Guerro was arrested at Boston Logan International Airport by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Massachusetts State Police and FDLE agents after returning from outside the county, Fine said Wednesday in a news release. An FDLE spokesperson confirmed the details of the arrest and charges. No other information about Guerro or any charging or booking documents was immediately available. FLORIDA TODAY was unable to determine whether Guerro has retained an attorney. Fine’s release said he was being held without bond Wednesday and is awaiting extradition to Florida.
“Fine faces contempt hearing over ‘offensive conduct’ during online court appearance” via Eric Rogers of Florida Today — State Rep. Fine will face a contempt of court hearing next month after allegedly making obscene gestures and other “offensive conduct” during a recent online court appearance. Screenshots taken during Fine’s appearance in an Aug. 19 hearing over a now-dismissed lawsuit against Brevard County Supervisor of Elections Tim Bobanic show him giving the middle finger and gesturing at the camera. An order filed late Tuesday from Circuit Judge Scott Blaue also highlights a courtroom dress code outlined in a list of best practices distributed by the Florida Bar. Fine was wearing a T-shirt advertising his State Senate campaign during the appearance.
“Sebring airport officials pulled a fast one on public with shady land sale” via Bob Norman of the Florida Trident — Without properly notifying the public of the proposed sale or opening it up for competitive bids, the city-appointed Sebring Airport Authority sold the land to a partnership that included local developer Mark Gose, who has private business ties to several Board members, and former Board member John Haviland. The price for the land was $325,000, an amount the Board was informed of before the sale was grossly under market value. A rival developer, Bruce Ledoux, who owns land bordering the 17-acre tract and was excluded from bidding on it, warned the Board the land was likely worth twice that amount. Less than eight months after the property deal closed came hard proof the public was severely shortchanged — insider Gose flipped the land for $800,000, at more than 150% profit.
“Seth Hyman quits State Attorney’s race in Orange, Osceola” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — In the State Attorney’s race in Orange and Osceola counties, media and the public have focused chiefly on Monique Worrell, the state attorney whom DeSantis removed from office, and Andrew Bain, her DeSantis-appointed replacement. In the drama, it was easy to overlook Seth Hyman, the Republican on the ballot who won his August Primary. Even though he is running as an independent, Bain had significant Republican support, joining the Governor at news conferences. Now, Hyman has announced he is dropping out. That leaves Bain and Worrell, a Democrat, to battle alone in the November General Election for the 9th Judicial Circuit state attorney in Orange and Osceola counties. Hyman, who is endorsing Bain, cited his opponents’ better-funded campaign finances as the reason he withdrew.
“Linda Stewart’s opponents back her for Orange County Commission bid” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — Sen. Stewart picked up a pair of endorsements from her former opponents who had been running against her for the Orange County Board of Commissioners. Stewart is challenging incumbent Commissioner Mayra Uribe for District 3. Neither Uribe nor Stewart got at least 50% of the vote in the August Primary, so the two are headed for a runoff in November. First elected in 2018, Uribe received about 45% of the vote versus Stewart’s 35%. Also running for District 3 was Delila Smalley, who withdrew from the race, and Gus Martinez, who received about 21% of the vote in the Primary. Now Smalley and Martinez said they are backing Stewart.
— LOCAL: TB —
Hmmm … “Big Storm Brewing investor throws out money laundering claims after settlement” via Christina Georgacopoulos of the Tampa Bay Business Journal — An investor who accused the owners of Big Storm Brewing of money laundering in a lawsuit earlier this Summer has agreed to throw out his claims. Attorneys for the Tampa craft beer brewery and the investor, David Wenk, reached a confidential settlement agreement at a mediation conference last week. Wenk filed to voluntarily dismiss his lawsuit with prejudice the next day. Wenk had demanded Big Storm owners Leo “LJ” Govoni and his father, Leo Joseph Govoni, return a $3 million investment he made in 2021 and asked a judge to appoint a receiver to stop what he alleged was an ongoing criminal enterprise.
What Mike Griffin is reading — “USF to add Publix logos to field at Raymond James Stadium” via Breanne Williams of the Tampa Bay Business Journal — The University of South Florida will be one of the first schools in the nation to add on-field sponsorship logos following the announcement of a new partnership with Publix. The Publix logo will appear during all USF home games at Raymond James Stadium this Fall. It will be at the stadium’s northwest and southeast corners near the 35-yard line. “We are continuing to make South Florida a model athletic department for modern times, and on-field commercial logos give us a unique opportunity to further provide for our student-athletes and athletic programs,” USF’s Vice President for Athletics Michael Kelly said.
— LOCAL: N. FL —
“Here’s how Duval County’s School Board is trying to prevent teacher misconduct” via Steve Patterson of The Florida Times-Union — Duval County’s School Board approved changing school district policies Tuesday night to tighten protections against sexual misconduct or child abuse involving district employees. However, school officials have been talking about controlling misconduct for more than a year, and another Douglas Anderson School of the Arts teacher was just reassigned last week as the district investigated claims of “inappropriate communication” with a student two school years ago. The scattered, incremental way information about misconduct claims trickles out can make it harder to keep each new piece of information in perspective. It’s definitely not just an issue at Douglas Anderson, but it’s hard to be sure how often this happens in other schools.
“Two student protesters arrested at UF accept plea deals in criminal cases” via Fresh Take Florida — Two University of Florida students arrested earlier this year during pro-Palestinian protests on campus have accepted plea deals to misdemeanor criminal charges and will pay a small fine with no jail time. Keely Nicole Gliwa, 23, of Gainesville, and Roseanna Yashoda Bisram, 20, of Ocala, pleaded no contest to a single count of resisting an officer without violence. Under a deferred prosecution agreement, the cases against them would be dropped in six months if they are not arrested again, pay $150 in court fees and donate $150 to specific children’s charities. They remain suspended from enrolling at UF and are banned from campus for three years.
“DeSantis appoints Tracy Smith to Bay County Court” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Assistant State Attorney Smith will soon don a Judge’s robe on the Bay County Court, courtesy of a DeSantis appointment. DeSantis named Smith, a prosecutor with the 14th Judicial Circuit since 2020, as the replacement for Judge Joe Grammer, who retired Aug. 31 after 15 years on the bench. Smith earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and her juris doctor from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. Before joining State Attorney Larry Basford’s Office, she was an insurance and risk manager for the Bay County School Board.
— LOCAL: SW FL —
“Beautiful but highly destructive: On the hunt to kill elusive, invasive lionfish on Florida’s reefs” via Fresh Take Florida — Drifting in the slight chop of the Atlantic Ocean a mile off Florida’s eastern coast, small groups of divers armed with spears and a purpose tumbled deliberately backward off the boat into the sea so deeply blue it was the hue of ripe blueberries. Diving as deep as 100 feet below the surface, they scoured rocky and coral outcroppings for elusive, invasive lionfish to kill as many of them as possible. With venomous, featherlike spines, the beautiful fish – distinguished by their red, brown and white stripes – threaten Florida’s reef ecosystems so dangerously that the state’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has organized contests to reward recreational and commercial divers who kill and remove them. Monday was the final day for this year’s statewide contest.
— TOP OPINION —
“Trump can’t decide if he dislikes abortion or DeSantis more” via Nate Monroe of The Florida Times-Union — On abortion, Florida resident Trump is a man of selfish and often conflicting impulses: his desire for power, particularly to insulate himself against legal consequences for his felonious past; his lack of conviction and attendant willingness to be transactional on issues many find deeply rooted in their morality; his aversion to the religious, including and especially his evangelical supporters, despite his electoral dependence on them; and above all else, his trollish desire to embarrass DeSantis, that most ungrateful Trumpian squire.
It could have only been this toxic stew that led Trump last week to bungle his response to what should have been an easy question: How does he plan to vote on the abortion rights amendment on Florida’s November ballot? The New Yorker-turned-Floridian can cast a ballot, his recent conviction and raft of other legal troubles notwithstanding.
Perhaps in some alternate universe, this would have been a parochial issue that was not likely to alter the presidential race’s outcome. In any case, it would have been a question an old-guard Republican nominee could have answered with faithful conviction.
Florida is no longer the crucial swing state of elections in the past. Still, Trump’s Floridafied political movement has warped the presidential race, elevating the very distinctive Floridian eccentricities of its leader and placing his home state — its present a glimpse of the country’s potential future — at the center of the conversation.
His response signaled his unmistakable discomfort with his hard-line religious base. He had telegraphed this kind of reaction for weeks, having already criticized Florida’s draconian six-week ban — a convenient proxy for DeSantis, whose presidential Primary campaign stirred a deep well of anger in Trump.
— OPINIONS —
“As groups have shifted, has it become a ‘normal’ election?” via Nate Cohn of The New York Times — Labor Day usually marks the start of the heart of campaign season, but this year it felt like a lull — a brief respite after two tumultuous months. At the end of it all, the presidential campaign almost feels like it’s back to “normal.” The candidates fought over the issues and their agendas. There were no questions about whether a candidate was going to drop out. And if the polls are any indication, public opinion is finally settling into something more like normal as well. In short, the polls finally show the close election analysts expected a year ago before Biden’s candidacy went off the rails. If anything, it’s even closer than expected: Today’s polling averages are closer than the final pre-election polling in any presidential election in the era of modern polling — closer than 2000, 2004 or 2012, let alone 2016 or 2020.
“Harris, reparations, and guaranteed income” via Byron York of the Washington Examiner — Now that Harris is running for President, there hasn’t been much talk about reparations. Zero, actually, at least from Harris herself. For Harris, questions about reparations would be similar to questions about taxes, health care, energy, and other issues on which she appears to have changed positions from 2019: Do you still believe what you said then? A related issue has also not received much attention, and that is Harris’s position on the idea of a guaranteed income. A few weeks before she announced her presidential campaign in January 2019, Harris introduced a bill she called the “LIFT the Middle-Class Act.” (“LIFT” stood for “Livable Incomes for Families Today.”) The LIFT Act would have sent a monthly payment of up to $500 to married couples who work and have incomes above $6,000 a year and below $100,000. The money would be in addition to any other government transfer payments they might receive.
“Will North Carolina’s MAGA extremists doom Trump?” via Frank Bruni of The New York Times — Of those seven states (North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona and Nevada), North Carolina is the only one that Trump won — by less than 1.4 percentage points — in 2020. But he can’t be remotely confident about it this time around. And that’s not just because Harris’ replacement of Biden on the Democratic ticket has palpably reanimated the party here or because her campaign is making significant investments in the state, where the latest voter surveys suggest that she and Trump are effectively tied. It’s also because of how miserably the state’s Republican Lt. Gov., Mark Robinson, has been polling in his race against the state’s Democratic Attorney General, Josh Stein, to become the next Governor. The Real Clear Politics average of recent surveys gives Stein an 8.7-point advantage over Robinson.
“Florida’s abortion referendum showcases Trump’s ignorance on one of his signature issues” via Frank Cerabino of The Palm Beach Post — Trump’s depth of knowledge on an issue that he has profoundly affected seems to be casual at best. This has been glaringly evident during his recent floundering on the question of how he, as a Florida voter, will vote in the upcoming election on Amendment 4, the Right to Abortion Initiative. Trump’s cable-TV-news level of understanding has given him an inkling that his party’s position on abortion is a political liability for him. And so he has done his best to avoid answering questions about the subject, particularly Florida’s six-week ban. Then he displayed just how unprepared he was to formulate a coherent answer to address the mayhem he had unleashed two years before that.
“It’s time for Mike Norvell, Florida State football to take a risk, just like Bobby Bowden” via Skip Foster for the Tallahassee Democrat — Bowden once said: “A moral victory to me is like a 6-foot man drowning in 3 feet of water — he’s still dead.” But the legendary Florida State football coach knew that there ARE moral victories. He had one, back in 1976, that I think can be instructive for FSU as it copes with a stupefying 0-2 start on the heels of an undefeated regular season and ACC championship. It was Bowden’s first year taking over a program that had won four games in the previous three years. Ironically, the Noles lost their opener to the present-day Noles’ next opponent, Memphis, then got destroyed by Miami on the road, 47-0. So, 0-2 and headed nowhere. What to do? As Bowden did so many times in his career, he took a risk. He changed.
— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —
— ALOE —
“A Florida county’s plan to turn a historic ship into the world’s largest artificial reef hits a snag” via Kate Payne of The Associated Press — A Florida county is in talks to acquire a storied but aging ocean liner in a proposed deal that could create the largest artificial reef in the world. However, the plan hit a snag Tuesday after local officials in coastal Okaloosa County in the Florida Panhandle postponed a vote on the plan to buy and purposefully sink the SS United States. The largest passenger ship ever built in the U.S.; the SS United States shattered a record for the fastest trans-Atlantic crossing by a passenger liner on its maiden voyage in 1952. Now the historic vessel is in a race against time to find a new resting place after a court set a Sept. 12 deadline for the ship to vacate its current home at a pier in Philadelphia, following a yearslong legal dispute over rent and dockage fees.
“Autonomous vehicle manufacturer picks Jacksonville for new plant” via David Bauerlein of The Florida Times-Union — After taking the lead in the testing and development of self-driving vehicles for public transit, Jacksonville is set to land a new manufacturing facility for rolling out those shuttles. Officials will gather Wednesday for the announcement regarding the company, which is code-named “Project Link” by city and state economic development officials. Holon previously confirmed it is the global company in the code name. The plant has been described as a $100 million facility that could employ 200 people and would be the company’s first in the United States. The city and state combined to offer up to $15.7 million in financial incentives.
“FSU football ‘sensitive to wishes’ of fans amid criticism of DJ music, game day experience” via Jim Henry of the Tallahassee Democrat — Florida State football has plenty to fix on the field after consecutive defeats to open the season. However, off-the-field adjustments are also in the works. While the debate isn’t new, many fans voiced their displeasure on social media with the game day experience at Doak Campbell Stadium Monday against Boston College. They pointed to the malfunctioning video boards and scoreboard clock, questioned the choice of music and audio level of DJ-spun tunes and piped-in songs, and wondered if the Marching Chiefs were being deliberately silenced on third downs. In a statement released to the Tallahassee Democrat Tuesday, FSU athletics leadership said it appreciates feedback from fans and takes their concerns seriously. The department said there’s ongoing assessment during and following games to provide a positive fan experience.
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Happy birthday to Valerie Wickboldt of Avail Strategies. I think we got that right.
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Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.
