Takeaways from Tallahassee — Senate slam soon

Conspiracy theories are afloat, pumpkin spice is more popular than water, Twitter (or “X” if you’re an Elon sheeple) is overflowing with more garbage tweets than usual, Late Night Hosts are actually relevant for the first time in three-and-a-half years, and fun-to-say words like “gubernatorial” are being floated left and right. This can only mean one thing: election season is here.

It’s the time of year when everyone is excited that a pharmaceutical commercial broke up the monotony of seeing the same political ad over and over. It’s like a marathon run and Florida citizens are rounding mile 24 — meaning one is either exhausted by now or experiencing the “runner’s high” — and two candidates running for Florida Senate District 3 are hoping to cross the finish line before the other collapses.

On Oct. 15, twenty-one days out from the General Election, starting at noon at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center, Daryl Parks and Republican Sen. Corey Simon will face off in a debate hosted by the Capital Tiger Bay Club with Gary Fineout serving as the moderator.

Chances are you didn’t even know this debate was happening, and, well, it’s because the man who’s been running for president the last 9 years isn’t involved.

In 2022, Simon beat then-incumbent Sen. Loranne Ausley by 13,000 votes — a huge upset at the time considering Senate District 3 had been under Democratic control since 2012. Democrats had been averaging 65% of the vote over that 10-year stint. Simon played for the Seminoles, winning a national championship with Bobby Bowden in 1999, when Simon had 44 tackles in one season behind the line of scrimmage — a tie for the most in FSU’s program at the time. He was drafted by the Eagles with the 6th overall pick in the 2000 NFL draft and reached two Super Bowls with the Eagles and Colts, respectively. The Democrats have been pushing Simon as being an extremist pro-lifer to try to gain ground.

Parks hopes to be the dark horse to best the FSU legend. Parks is a small-business owner, a father, and a graduate of FAMU, where he was the SGA President, all while working in fast food to pay his tuition. Parks is known for being friends with nationally recognized civil rights lawyer Ben Crump. Parks is a lawyer in practice, having earned his JD from FSU, and is also known for representing the Martin family in the infamous slaying of Trayvon Martin, the 17-year-old who was fatally shot by George Zimmerman in Sanford in 2012. The case was a fixture in national headlines for around two years and was even a talking point in the 2012 election owing to Zimmerman’s controversial acquittal via the state’s “Stand Your Ground” law.

Both candidates are hoping to get the best of the other in the debate to convince District 3 voters who are still on the fence. Simon’s election was arguably the Florida GOP’s biggest win in 2022. Parks hopes to ride the wave of youth enthusiasm from the somewhat newly formed Harris-Walz ticket.

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

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

—Take 5—

The impending hurricane Session: With parts of Florida’s Gulf Coast still reeling from Hurricane Helene and much of the state girding for Hurricane Milton, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo said Tuesday that storm-related issues likely “will dominate” the next Legislative Session. “Frankly, although (Gov. Ron DeSantis) didn’t talk about this now, once we’re through this cycle, we’re going to have to start looking at … a whole new — this is my feeling — a whole new philosophy of reconstruction and resilience and resiliency in our state,” Passidomo, a real estate attorney, said. “A lot of these little homes, they’re going to be destroyed. Some of them already have been, in Helene. And how are we going to rebuild? It’s going to be a challenge. I think that’s going to dominate our next Session.”

Looter crackdown: State officials this week warned of severe consequences for looters in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. “We are going to come down hard on you,” Gov. DeSantis said during a briefing Wednesday morning at the state Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee. “We need to maintain law and order.” DeSantis said 500 law enforcement officers from out of state were being deputized and 300 “auxiliary” state troopers, supplementing the 2,000 troopers already deployed, were being used to help in the storm preparation and recovery efforts, but also to guard against the possible pillaging of homes and businesses once Milton clears the state. “There is no escape from the resources of the state of Florida,” said DaveKerner, director of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, which oversees the Florida Highway Patrol. “The state of Florida is not going to give you an opportunity to take advantage of Floridians.”

No Milton insurance disaster: State officials are confident that Hurricane Milton won’t be a crushing blow to Florida’s recovering insurance market, despite analysts’ predictions. Although the state is still assessing the destruction from the Category 3 storm — which includes at least four people killed — property damage didn’t appear to be as severe as many people were expecting. “It appears that the once-in-a-lifetime catastrophe event was largely avoided,” Office of Insurance Regulation Commissioner Mike Yaworsky said in a statement Thursday. “The marketplace is poised to weather the impacts of these storms effectively,” he added, pointing to recent reforms that include making it harder to sue insurance companies.

High Court on abortion: The Florida Supreme Court denied a petition accusing DeSantis and other state leaders of abusing their power to interfere with the Amendment 4 abortion rights initiative. Palm Beach County lawyer Adam Richardson filed his petition against the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) after a state website began attacking Amendment 4, claiming it was harmful to women and kids. But the court rejected Richardson’s petition, saying he “seeks relief far afield of the traditional scope of mandamus. He challenges a fundamentally discretionary exercise of executive power on the ground that it transgresses a criminal or regulatory prohibition.”

Shenanigans: The Department of Health (DOH) has fired off a cease and desist letter to WCJB-TV and other stations for airing pro-Amendment 4 advertisements. The advertisement in question: A woman with brain cancer is shown in a 30-second ad describing how she found out she had a brain tumor while pregnant with her second child. “The doctors knew that if I did not end my pregnancy, I would lose my baby. I would lose my life. And my daughter would lose her mom. Florida has now banned abortion, even in cases like mine. Amendment 4 is going to protect women like me. We have to vote ‘yes,’” the Tampa woman says in the ad. DOH General Counsel John Wilson sent a letter last week to the Gainesville station General Manager Alan Chatman and Vice President of Gray Television Mike Jones warning about the potential of criminal charges, saying the ad contains false information.

— Rule change —

Now that two deadly hurricanes have roughed up Florida within as many weeks, state officials want to ensure residents don’t get roughed up by insurance companies in the aftermath.

State Fire Marshal and Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis issued an emergency rule this week that requires more transparency by insurance adjusters reporting insurance claims after Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

“This emergency rule allows the Florida Department of Financial Services to hold insurance adjusters who provide contracted services to insurance companies to the same accountability standards that apply to an insurance company’s in-house adjusters,” a news release from Patronis’s office said.

Patronis also issued an emergency order which lifts restrictions on insurance customer representatives that largely limited them to the office, freeing them up to work more in the field after the disasters.

“During disasters, it’s imperative that our insurance professionals and consumers have the tools they need to file insurance claims accurately and quickly. By cutting through red tape before the storm hits, we can give vital guidance that will lead to a smoother claims process for policyholders,” Patronis said.

—Building bridges—

As Florida digs out and assesses the damage from Hurricane Milton, FloridaCommerce officials are urging small-business owners to apply for state-sponsored loans to help them offset any losses due to the monster storm.

Some $50 million is now available for small businesses in the state as FloridaCommerce activated the Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program Thursday.

Small-business owners adversely impacted by Milton need to go to the website FloridaJobs.org/EBL to apply for the loans, which have 0% interest and are designed to act just as the title says: a bridge to keep businesses afloat so they can reestablish revenue, ultimately repaying the loans.

Small-business owners may be bogged down in the cleanup process and other tasks immediately after Milton, which is why FloridaCommerce keeps applications open until Dec. 4 or until funds are exhausted.

Most small businesses in the state can apply for up to $50,000 in bridge loans. Agriculture and aquaculture businesses can apply for loans up to $100,000. Citrus and cattle businesses can seek up to $150,000 in loans.

—Instagram of the Week—

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A post shared by Governor Ron DeSantis (@flgovrondesantis)

—Full steam ahead—

One of only two Democrats from North Florida still in the House of Representatives, Allison Tant is not taking her incumbency for granted and is campaigning full force in the final weeks before the Nov. 5 election.

Tant, who holds the House District 9 seat for the area of Tallahassee, is holding a “Get Out The Vote” meeting for campaign volunteers Wednesday Oct. 16 in the state’s capital city.

“We’re entering the homestretch, and with Election Day less than a month away, I need your help now more than ever! The next few weeks will be crucial in making sure we get out the vote and share our message with as many people as possible,” Tant said in an email message to her supporters.

Tant nearly made it to another term without any competition as she was also unopposed in 2022. But Republican Spencer Brass entered the race in June.

Brass is a real estate and development professional who also lives in Tallahassee.

—At the ready—

While Tallahassee may be the capital of Florida, public safety and emergency response crews in that city aren’t going to sit by while the rest of the state needs help recovering from the brutal pounding by Hurricane Milton.

Personnel from the Tallahassee Police Department and the city’s fire department Urban Search and Rescue Team were deployed to Southwest Florida Thursday to assist with recovery efforts there.

Tallahassee wasn’t really impacted by Milton, but officials said they have a kinship with the rest of the state and couldn’t ignore assisting in the post-hurricane recovery.

“Tallahasseeans know the exceptional citizen service provided by our skilled teams, and during times of crises, we are proud to be able to extend that same level of commitment to fellow Floridians in need,” City Manager Reese Goad said.

“As I have said before, this is what strong communities do – join together and lift each other up.”

—Eyebrow raiser—

A political donation to Tallahassee City Commissioner Curtis Richardson’s campaign raised some eyebrows in the Capital City.

Adam Corey, a key figure in an infamous FBI investigation of corruption at City Hall, donated $250 to the incumbent on Oct. 4. Richardson faces challenger Dot Inman-Johnson in a runoff next month. Through Oct. 4, Richardson had raised nearly $185,000 to keep his seat on the Commission.

The last day before the last reporting deadline, Corey donated, listing his current occupation as “insurance.” He is best known, however, is best known for his lobbying and political work, including raising money for former Tallahassee Mayor and gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum.

He became a focal point of an FBI investigation of Gillum and other Tallahassee officials, which showed Corey in 2016 introduced Gillum to men who turned out to be FBI agents posing as developers in an undercover operation.

Gillum was later indicted but ultimately found not guilty of wrongdoing. But the investigation also targeted then-Commissioner Scott Maddox, who ultimately pleaded guilty to corruption charges.

—Multistate effort—

While powerful Category 4 Hurricane Milton knocked out miles and miles of power lines and supplies when the storm slammed Florida, The Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) positioned thousands of linemen to get to affected areas restored with electricity as soon as the tropical blast moved on.

Amy Zubaly, the Executive Director of FMEA, said the trade organization was positioned to provide relief and restoration. The group brought in 2,500 linemen and support positions from 22 states to assemble and prepare to move in and restore electrical operations as soon as possible.

“Crews across Florida’s public power communities will work throughout the day and night to restore outages as long as conditions permit, and they will resume restoration efforts as soon as it is safe to do so. While Florida public power utilities are prepared, customers across the state should prepare for extended power outages,” Zubaly said.

—Ron Book, Nobel nom—

Prominent South Florida lobbyist, philanthropist and nonprofit leader Ron Book can add another title to his growing list: Nobel Peace Prize nominee.

Book was recommended for the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of decades of advocacy and nonprofit work. His nominator: U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a fellow Broward Democrat.

Book has served for more than 30 years as Chair of the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust, which helped reduce the county’s homeless population from 8,000 in 1993 to just over 1,000 unsheltered people today.

He also chairs and is pro bono General Counsel of Lauren’s Kids, a nonprofit he co-founded in 2007 with his daughter, Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book, to combat childhood sexual abuse. Lauren is a survivor.

“I’ve always believed that we have an obligation to leave the world better than we found it,” Book said in a statement.

The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded yearly to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the promotion of peace.

The prize ultimately went to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese movement that has long represented survivors of the U.S. atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The group works to prevent and raise awareness about the consequences of nuclear warfare.

—Regional aid—

To help those struggling in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, Regions Bank on Friday announced numerous disaster-recovery financial services to help Florida residents and businesses. In impacted areas, Regions is:

— Waiving all surcharges at its ATMs for non-customers.

— Waiving fee charges for its customers who use other banks’ ATMS.

— Providing mortgage disaster relief purchase and renovation loan programs.

— Removing check-cashing fees for checks issued from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

— Offering personal and business loan payment assistance, payment deferrals and penalty-free CD withdrawals for qualified customers.

— Offering disaster response interest rates discounts of 0.5% on new personal unsecured loans, standard rates for new business loans or lines of credit of up to $1 million, new unsecured business term loans of up to $50,000 with up to 36-month terms, and non-business auto loans.

“Our hearts are with everyone who’s been affected by Milton,” John Jordan, head of Retail for Regions Bank, said, “and in the days, weeks and months to come, our teams stand ready to help people assess their financial needs and build a plan to confidently move forward.”

—Rattler rock star—

Florida A&M University Interim President Timothy Beard put a familiar face into the university’s C-suite office this week.

Jamal Sowell is joining the FAMU team as Vice President of government relations, where he will be responsible for leading FAMU’s government relations strategy and promoting the university’s interests and conveying the President’s strategic vision at local, state, and federal levels.

“Jamal Sowell brings a wealth of experience in Florida public policy and regulatory matters that will greatly benefit our FAMU leadership team,” Beard said. “I look forward to working together to strengthen our relationships with policymakers to advance our strategic priorities and ensure that FAMU is represented in legislative developments affecting higher education, economic development, and workforce integration.”

A native of Orlando’s Pine Hills neighborhood, Sowell is the former Secretary of Commerce and CEO of Enterprise Florida, where he led the state’s economic development strategy, managed the state’s 14 international trade offices and oversaw $250 million in assets. In 2023, Florida Trend recognized him as one of the 500 most influential business leaders in Florida.

“I am honored to serve FAMU and return to higher education where I started my career. Interim President Beard has the experience and vision for a time such as this,” Sowell said. “As the son of two Rattlers who met at FAMU, and the husband of a FAMU graduate, I cannot understate the important role that FAMU has played in my life and its historic impact on the state of Florida and the world.”

Sowell has been the chief of staff for Port Tampa Bay and worked as special assistant to the University of Florida president. He is a member of the Florida Council of 100 and has served as a division president of Indelible, a national management consulting firm, providing audit, regulatory compliance, health, transportation, infrastructure, and technology advisory services.

Sowell holds a Bachelor of Arts in religion from UF, where he was student body President, a member of the Board of Trustees, and was chosen as the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity National Undergraduate Student of the Year. He obtained a Master of Education in higher education administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with coursework in 19th Century American Literature at Amherst College while working at both institutions.

Sowell also earned a law degree from Indiana University Bloomington, where he was a Pat Tillman Scholar. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at Hampton University and was a Historically Black College and University Fellow with the Higher Education Leadership Foundation.

Sowell’s parents, James and Lutricia Sowell from Jasper and Leesburg, respectively, met at FAMU and graduated in 1968. His father was member of the Beta Nu Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, and Army ROTC, while his mother was a member of the Beta Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Sowell has been a monthly donor to FAMU for over a decade and established a FAMU scholarship in his father’s name to support students from rural communities. His wife, Karen (Johnson) Sowell (’07), is a FAMU alumna and was an educator at James S. Rickards High School for 15 years and has previously been honored as Teacher of the Year.

Sowell enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and is a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan. He currently serves in the U.S. Navy Reserve.

—A well-funded liftoff—

Palm Harbor Republican Rep. Adam Anderson made the launch of Florida State University’s (FSU) second annual Discovery Days conference a memorable one by delivering giant-sized $5 million check to the school.

The ceremonial presentation at the event’s Pediatric Rare Disease Symposium on Monday was meant to mark new state funding for FSU’s College of Medicine.

For Anderson, it had deep personal significance.

In 2019, Anderson’s 4-year-old son, Andrew, died from Tay-Sachs disease, a rare genetic disorder that causes neurological problems due to the destruction of nerve cells. The tragedy ignited in Andreson a desire to advance research in the disease and others affecting children, which led to a meeting with FSU President Richard McCollough 18 months ago and the rapid development of the college’s Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases.

Now even more development is possible in the areas of gene sequencing, gene therapy and molecular medicine — all topics discussed and presented at Discovery Days — due to the new funding.

“This has moved lighting-fast,” Anderson was quoted by FSU News as saying. “We have this group of industry leaders and brilliant researchers from all over the country here. That’s a big deal. There’s nothing like this in the entire country.”

—Capitol Directions—

Floridians — Up Arrow — We survived another one.

FEMA — Crossways arrow — Yeah, this is a “glass half empty” situation.

Stapler jokes — Down arrow — Proud Gator grad and Sarasota native Stephen Root does not think your tired, lame red stapler joke is funny.

DeSantis’s call — Up arrow — His spidey sense works!

DeSantis’s spat — Up arrow — When did the VP become the Disaster Czar?

DeSantis’s whataboutism — Down arrow — When you start talking about paleolithic weather patterns, you’ve lost the plot.

Jimmy Patronis — Up arrow — Don’t worry, he’s not going to let insurers get any funny ideas.

Wilton Simpson — Up arrow — If it helps farmers, you can bet FDACS is already on it.

Kevin Guthrie — Up arrow — The quick Helene cleanup made Milton a million times easier.

FHP — Up arrow — Thank you for saving the pup. Can you please televise a public flogging of whoever tied him to the pole?

Christina Pushaw — Up arrow — Excuse me, miss, may I pet your dog?

Citizens — Dollar sign — STR check: Passed.

Jay Collins — Up arrow — He can serve a hot meal, toss sandbags and anchor a news conference — a real triple threat!

Blaise Ingoglia — Up arrow — For fast and accurate storm updates, follow and click that bell.

Danny Alvarez — Up arrow — Side-by-side with the state guard, farmers and ranchers. He’s going beyond the call of duty.

Lindsey Cross and Ed Montanari — Up arrow — Yes, they’re running against each other, but their recovery efforts mean everyone is winning.

Anheuser-Busch — Up arrow — Whether you’re looking for water, or a low-risk way to practice shotgunning, they’ve got your back.

Florida Sheriffs Task Force — Up arrow — Through Helene and now Milton, they’ve been putting boots on the ground.

Jack Campbell — Up arrow — We’re big fans of his chainsaw-wielding alter ego.

Chad Chronister and Jane Castor — Double up arrow — We normally don’t give arrows for non-Tally related stuff, but we’re happy to make an exception.

Gougers — Double down arrow — You know what they say … pigs get fat, hogs face civil penalties of $1,000 per violation.

Home Depot — Up arrow — Not only do they have yard trash bags, they’ve got volunteers on the ground helping to fill them.

Taylor Swift — Up arrow — Superstar. That’s all.

TGH — Up arrow — Milton did its worst, and Tampa General didn’t flinch.

Trump National Doral — Up arrow — Linemen have a tough job, but there are perks.

Verizon — Down arrow — Screw it. Where’s the nearest AT&T store?

Robert Hinkle — Up arrow — If you hadn’t registered to vote by Oct. 7, you weren’t going to by Oct. 17.

Dep’t of Health — Down arrow — First Amendment, Schmerst Amendment.

New College of Florida — Up arrow — One day they survive a Category 3 hurricane, the next day, they host the First Lady Casey DeSantis for a Hope Florida food distribution.

Florida Cattlemen’s Association — Up arrow — Our farmers and ranchers are in good hands.

Ron Book — Up arrow — When’s the Oslo office opening?

Northern Lights — Up arrow — Sure beats gray skies.