Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 10.30.24

Good Wednesday morning.

The presidential race is neck-and-neck nationally, but according to new polling from Florida Atlantic University, it won’t be close in Florida.

FAU’s PolCom Lab and Mainstreet Research USA found Vice President Kamala Harris leading former President Donald Trump by 2 points nationally, 49%-47%, which falls within the 3.2% margin of error. Likewise, voters say Harris “best understands the challenges facing average Americans” by a two-point margin.

Both candidates outperformed their party in the generic ballot test, with 46% saying they would vote for a Democratic congressional candidate and the same number planning to vote for a Republican. The gap by gender was minimal, with Democrats leading among women 47%-44% and the GOP holding a 48%-45% advantage among men.

“This race continues to be highly competitive,” said PolCom co-director Kevin Wagner. “Turnout or a late movement of voters could be the difference.”

In Florida, the poll expects Trump to win by 9 points, 53%-44%. If that comes to pass, it would be the widest margin by which a presidential candidate has won Florida since 1988, when George H.W. Bush carried Florida with 61% of the vote in a national landslide.

The outcome for Amendments 3 and 4 is less certain.

Amendment 3, which would legalize recreational pot, is faring better. It has 60% support, 34% opposed and 6% undecided. Constitutional amendments must cross 60% to pass. For Amendment 4, which would expand abortion rights, the split is 58%-32%, with 10% undecided.

PolCom’s national survey was conducted Oct. 20-27 and has a sample size of 937 U.S. voters. The Florida results are based on a separate poll PolCom conducted Oct. 19-27, which had a sample size of 913 Florida voters.

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New polling from Cygnal shows a closer topline but still gives Trump an outside-the-margin lead in Florida.

The poll, conducted Oct. 26-28, shows the former President leading Harris 48%-43%, with 5% of voters undecided. Cygnal also found U.S. Sen. Rick Scott up 5 against Democratic challenger Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. In both races, strong Hispanic support is boosting Republican Scott.

Inflation is the top issue for voters overall, as well as among Hispanic, independent and undecided voters. Illegal immigration follows at No. 2. Abortion rights, which Democrats have been focusing on this cycle, is in a distant fourth — just 14% say it’s their top concern.

“What we’re seeing among Hispanic voters in the Sunshine State is a death knell for Democrats’ political hopes in Florida. Among Hispanics, Trump leads Kamala Harris by 10 points, Rick Scott leads by 8 points in the U.S. Senate race and Gov. (Ron) DeSantis has a plus-14 net image,” said pollster John Rogers.

“This was supposed to be the year that national Democrats expanded the map and put Florida back in the swing state column — but Kamala Harris is underwater, and the top concern for swing voters is inflation and the economy, followed by illegal immigration. The Democrat standard-bearers aren’t popular with key voter groups, and neither are the left’s core policy proposals.”

More than half (52%) of respondents said they had already voted, while 23% said they planned to vote early in-person, 19% on Election Day and 6% via absentee ballot.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

Tweet, tweet:

Tweet, tweet:

Tweet, tweet:

—@StuPolitics: I’m starting to think Kamala may/will win. Tonight is a big deal.

—@JoeRogan: Also, for the record, the Harris campaign has not passed on doing the podcast. They offered a date for Tuesday, but I would have had to travel to her and they only wanted to do an hour. I strongly feel the best way to do it is in the studio in Austin. My sincere wish is to just have a nice conversation and get to know her as a human being. I really hope we can make it happen.

—@SonnyBunch: Things I think: Harris needs (Joe) Rogan more than Rogan needs Harris. Doing Rogan is a medium-risk, medium-reward move for Harris. No other event/interview will get Harris the exposure of a Rogan interview. Therefore, Harris should go to Rogan and do three hours.

—@JoshKraushaar: (Nikki) Haley: The Trump campaign “needs to look how they’re talking about women. This bromance, masculinity stuff borders on edgy to the point that it’s going to make women uncomfortable.”

Tweet, tweet:

—@DanaTrabulsy: To my opponent … When you stop telling lies about me, I will stop telling the truth about you! ~ It’s really just that easy.

—@AGGancarski: 7 more days … and then the 2026 cycle officially begins!

—@MelBrooks: So very sorry to hear about Teri Garr’s passing. She was so talented and so funny. Her humor and lively spirit made the YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN set a pleasure to work on. Her “German” accent had us all in stitches! She will be greatly missed.

— DAYS UNTIL —

2024 Presidential Election – 6; second half of Yellowstone season five premieres – 7; USF stadium groundbreaking — 9; Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Landman’ premieres – 16; ‘Dune: Prophecy’ premieres on HBO — 18; News Service of Florida’s Above & Beyond Awards, honoring women in government and public service — 20; Legislature’s 2025 Organizational Session – 22; Las Vegas Grand Prix – 22; ‘Wicked’ premieres — 23; ‘Moana 2’ premieres – 28; ‘Chef’s Table’ returns to Netflix — 28; 2024 Florida Chamber Annual Insurance Summit begins – 34; Florida Chamber 2024 Florida Transportation, Growth & Infrastructure Solution Summit — 34; MLS Cup 2024 – 38; Army-Navy game — 45; ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ premieres – 51; College Football Playoff begins – 53; ‘Squid Game’ season two premieres – 57; Fiesta, Peach, Rose & Sugar Bowls – 63; Orange Bowl – 71; ‘Severance’ season two debuts – 86; Super Bowl LIX — 102; ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ premieres – 114; the 2025 Oscars – 123; Florida’s 2025 Legislative Session begins – 125; Tampa Bay Rays season opener — 148; 2025 Session ends – 184; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres – 184; Epic Universe grand opening — 204; ‘Karate Kid: Legends’ premieres — 212; ‘Fantastic Four – First Steps’ premieres – 268; ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ premieres – 415; ‘Avengers 5’ premieres – 552; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 569; FIFA World Cup 26™ final – 590; FIFA World Cup 26™ final match – 628; ‘The Batman 2’ premieres – 707; Another untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 780; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres – 920; 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Opening Ceremony — 1,353; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres – 1,879; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres – 2,600.

— TOP STORY —

“Florida stopped being a swing state slowly, then all at once” via Patricia Mazzei of The New York Times — Florida’s days as a presidential battleground are bygone. Candidates no longer drop in every few days during campaign season. Voters no longer get bombarded with their ads. Nor is there more than a whisper of doubt that the state will vote Republican.

Presidential Elections in Florida used to be decided by the slimmest of margins — none slimmer than the 537 votes that, after an infamous recount, won George W. Bush the White House in 2000. Republicans and Democrats waged fierce campaigns during the two decades that followed as Florida, rich in electoral votes, became the largest swing state.

In the past four years, the Florida Democratic Party has withered and struggled to rebuild. Democrats have lost their edge in registered voters and are now outnumbered by more than 1 million Republicans. They have not won a statewide seat since 2018, and national fundraising has all but dried up.

The loss of Florida as a source of electoral votes looms large as Democrats scrap for every last vote across seven swing states in the 2024 Presidential Election.

The reasons are, in some cases, structural and long-standing: demographics, partisan gerrymandering and legislative term limits. But others are of Democrats’ own making: an unwillingness to invest enough in the nuts and bolts of winning elections; fundraising divisions; and flawed assumptions about the growing Hispanic vote, according to an examination of voter registration numbers, campaign spending and more than two dozen interviews with political operatives from both parties.

— 2024 — PRESIDENTIAL —

“Kamala Harris reaches for a big moment in her closing argument for ‘turning the page’ on Donald Trump” via The Associated Press — One week out from Election Day, Harris was to use her 7:30 p.m. ET address from the grassy Ellipse near the White House, to pledge to Americans that she’ll work to improve their lives while arguing her Republican opponent is only in it for himself. She hoped to sharpen that contrast by delivering her capstone speech from where Trump, on Jan. 6, 2021, spewed falsehoods about the 2020 Presidential Election that inspired a crowd to march to the Capitol. With time running out and the race razor-tight, Harris and Trump both have been looking for big moments to try to shift the momentum one way or the other. But after her speech in the nation’s capital, Harris will be back to furiously scouring for votes at one rally and one event after another in the battleground states.

—“Bloomberg, after months of pressure, donates $50 million to help Harris” via Theodore Schleifer of The New York Times

—”‘Makes me fearful’: Minnesota woman whose attacker freed by Harris-supported bail fund speaks out” via Brooke Singman of Fox News

—”George W. Bush’s daughter Barbara breaks silence on election to campaign for Harris” via Daniel S. Levine of People

“How the Trump campaign’s gamble on a provocative comic backfired” via Natalie Andrews and Vivian Salama of The Wall Street Journal — The campaign didn’t know everything he would say, according to a campaign aide. So, when Tony Hinchcliffe likened Puerto Rico to a garbage dump, Trump’s team was caught off guard and jumped into damage control, releasing a statement that Hinchcliffe’s remarks Sunday did “not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.” But the comment about Puerto Rico has taken on a life of its own, receiving sustained criticism from Democrats and even some Republican allies of Trump. The comments largely overshadowed the former President’s desire to wind down his 2024 campaign with an unrivaled spectacle at the Garden. Sunday’s event — during which some speakers, including Hinchcliffe, at times made racist, sexist, or otherwise derogatory comments about Harris, Democrats and immigrants — illustrates Trump’s enduring struggle to appeal to the political center, something his opponent has made a priority in the closing days of the election.

“Harris, Trump locked in close races in Arizona and Nevada as pool of persuadable voters shrinks” via Jennifer Agiesta, Ariel Edwards-Levy and Edward Wu of CNN — In the critical Southwest battlegrounds of Arizona and Nevada, Harris and Trump run near even in the race for the White House, according to new CNN polls conducted by SSRS. The findings come as large numbers of voters report having already cast ballots and the pool of those open to changing their minds shrinks. Harris holds 48% support among likely voters in Arizona, according to the poll, to 47% for Trump. In Nevada, 48% of likely voters support Trump, and 47% back Harris. Those one-point margins fall within each poll’s margin of sampling error, finding no clear leader in either state. The surveys find voters’ views largely set on who would better handle top issues, while on a range of key attributes, neither candidate has convinced a critical mass of voters that they’re the better choice.

“Trump makes false claims about ballots in Lancaster County in Truth Social post” via Katie Bernard of The Philadelphia Inquirer — Trump, who has a long history of spreading false information about Pennsylvania elections, took aim at Lancaster and York counties, both of which have reported encountering voter registration applications that showed signs of fraud. But Trump’s post drastically overcounted the affected documents and went beyond reality to falsely claim that Lancaster County had encountered “Fake Ballots.” Last week, Lancaster County officials announced they were reviewing two batches of voter registration applications, totaling 2,500 registrations, which had been turned in right before the registration deadline. The batches had been turned in by a voter engagement group that paid workers to gather applications, but officials did not name the group.

“How Trump exploits divisions among Black and Latino voters” via Jennifer Medina of The New York Times — Trump’s social media posts warn Black and Latino voters that immigrants are coming for their jobs. His promises to save cities that have been “invaded and conquered” are a feature of his rallies, including Sunday’s in New York, a city where politicians have long stoked racial divisions to win elections. In many ways, these appeals to Black and Latino voters are not markedly different from those aimed at white voters: Your problems can be blamed on illegal immigration. Lack of affordable housing? Stagnant wages? Struggling schools? Urban crime? Mass deportation is a single, seemingly simple, solution, the argument goes. Trump has been far more direct than any recent presidential candidate in inviting Black and Latino voters to be part of the “us,” so long as they acknowledge that there is a “them.”

“In a race they cast as good vs. evil, Christian hard-liners are fired up for Trump” via Hannah Allam of The Washington Post — An electric anticipation coursed through a church outside New Orleans where hundreds gathered on a recent night to pray for a victory they saw as just over the horizon, in a President who could bring them one step closer to their vision for a Christian homeland. Covenant Church was already in celebration mode. A light show flashed stars on the ceiling, and the pews filled with people dressed in red, white and blue. In a nod to local tradition, some carried parasols as they paraded down the aisle to a live jazz band. Part revival, part rally, the Louisiana stop of the Rescue America Tour reflected the mood inside a powerful MAGA voting bloc in the countdown to Election Day.

“Why some Black men won’t vote for Harris” via Brian Broome of The Washington Post — If my father were still alive, he would never vote for Harris. He would think the very idea preposterous and wonder out loud how we ever got to this place where a woman, let alone a Black woman, might become President of the United States. For my father, this would have been taking things a bit too far. Because my father was a righteous man. A biblical man. A man who believed that women, especially Black women, had a place. And that place was behind him or beneath him but never beside him. For my father, a woman was an accessory to his manliness, not a human being in her own right. There’s something about the sexism of men who have been held down or disenfranchised that can seem more virulent. It’s as if the performance of masculinity becomes more important to them than any other issue.

“Lincoln Project hitches Trump to Puerto Rico ‘island of garbage’ remark in new ad” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics — The Lincoln Project is out with a powerful new digital ad seizing on a vitriolic, profanity-laden rally in New York City over the weekend that has drawn sustained criticism after an invited speaker compared Puerto Rico — a U.S. territory — to an island of garbage. The one-minute creative opens with a stern-sounding narrator with a Puerto Rican accent declaring, “We are Puerto Ricans and we are Americans,” over an image of the Puerto Rico flag and a (presumably) Puerto Rican woman gazing out a window with a cup of tea in hand. The ad goes on to tie Trump to comments made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at the rally, harkening back to Trump’s response in 2017 to Hurricane Maria, which claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 people in Puerto Rico. The narrator claims Trump doesn’t see Puerto Ricans as Americans.

To watch the ad, please click the image below:

—”‘Very mad’ Puerto Ricans react to horrific ‘island of floating garbage’ comment at Trump MSG rally” via Yelena Mandenberg of The Mirror

—“House 2024 forecast & predictions” via Race to the White House

“This year’s vote count will be faster, but it still might take time to know who won” via Zach Montellaro of POLITICO — Ballots will be counted faster this year than in 2020 — but everyone should still be prepared for a long night, if not a couple of days of waiting. Fewer votes will be cast by mail compared with during the pandemic, and some states have tweaked their laws to speed up the count. The single most significant factor determining when Americans know the winner is, however, out of the control of election workers: the margin of victory in key states. And this year’s close election means the last ballot could be determinative — which means waiting.

“On Elon Musk’s X, Republicans go viral as Democrats disappear” via Drew Harwell and Jeremy B. Merrill of The Washington Post — The top political accounts on X have seen their audiences crumble in the months before the election, a signal of the platform’s diminishing influence and usefulness to political discourse under Musk. Politicians on both sides of the aisle have struggled to win the attention they once enjoyed on the platform formerly known as Twitter, according to The Post’s review of months of data for the 100 top-tweeting congressional accounts, including Senators, Representatives and Committees, equal parts Democrat and Republican.

Meanwhile … “‘There’s people that are absolutely ready to take on a civil war’” via John Hendrickson of The Atlantic — Trump maintains that he’s running for President a third time to restore and unite the country. But many Democrats and even some Republicans have expressed profound concern for democracy and overall safety if the former President wins this election. Last night at the Gwinnett County event, sponsored by Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point Action, I asked Trump’s supporters to consider the inverse: What do you think will happen if Trump loses? Rank-and-file Trump supporters had varying opinions on the matter. Many of the Trump supporters I interviewed sounded worried about future political violence. Some identified as pacifists. Others believed that unrest was almost a given. A 23-year-old named Ben told me he had skipped his classes at the University of Georgia to attend yesterday’s rally. I asked him if he thought Jan. 6 could happen again in the event of a Trump defeat. “Yes,” he said. “I think it’ll be real this time.”

— 2024 — FLORIDA —

Byron Donalds stumping for Trump in GA — The race for Georgia’s electoral votes is expected to be close and both campaigns have surrogates helping them make their closing arguments in the Peach State. Among those making the final push for Trump is U.S. Rep. Donalds, who represents Southwest Florida’s 19th Congressional District. The second-term Republican is considered a potential 2026 candidate for Florida Governor. According to a news release from the Trump campaign, Donalds will deliver remarks at a Team Trump on Tour event in Atlanta on Thursday. The event will be held at the Trump 47 Office, 6849 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd. Bldg. B-3, in Atlanta, starting at 6 p.m.

“Will legal pot stink up Florida? Bipartisan pair of Senators seek to clear the air” via Skyler Swisher of the Orlando Sentinel — A Trump-loving state Senator and a Harris-supporting one pushed back on DeSantis’ assertions that Florida lawmakers would be powerless to regulate legal pot if voters approve Amendment 3 next week, saying they’ll be able to pass laws banning smoking weed in public. In Orlando, Sens. Joe Gruters, a Sarasota Republican and Shevrin Jones, a Miami Gardens Democrat, said they don’t agree on much. Still, they back legalizing marijuana and think a bipartisan coalition in the Legislature would pass common sense regulations if the ballot amendment passed. The unlikely pair was joined by Kim Rivers, CEO of Trulieve, the medical marijuana company that has put more than $140 million into supporting Amendment 3.

Meanwhile … “FAU study finds teens are using pot less frequently” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — Marijuana has long been an illicit drug of choice among many young people in America, but a new study by Florida Atlantic University (FAU) shows teens and youth are bypassing weed more and more these days. The FAU Schmidt College of Medicine this week released the findings of a recently completed study that shows young people have “dramatically” fallen off the use of pot as more states are legalizing cannabis for recreational or medicinal purposes. “In 2011, 23.1% of adolescents indicated they were current users, but by 2021, this figure had dropped to 15.8%. Additionally, the percentage of adolescents trying marijuana for the first time before age 13 also saw a notable decline, from 8.1% in 2011 to 4.9% in 2021,” the FAU report on marijuana use found.

— 2024 — MORE FLORIDA —

“DeSantis is going all in to defeat the abortion amendment. Is Iowa the reason?” via Kirby Wilson of the Tampa Bay Times — The effort to crush Amendment 4 is likely to continue beyond Nov. 5 even if voters approve it. After the state released a mathematically flawed report claiming widespread fraud in the amendment’s signature-gathering work, a mystery donor funded a lawsuit from anti-abortion activists seeking to invalidate the entire effort. The lawsuit is based on the state’s report. For a Republican with national political ambitions, there is significant electoral upside to leveraging the state’s power against political foes. DeSantis has sought the presidency once. Should he do so again, he could trumpet his work against the abortion amendment to conservative Christians — particularly in the early Primary state of Iowa.

“Judge continues to block Joseph Ladapo from threatening TV stations over abortion ads” via Kate Payne of The Associated Press — A federal Judge who recently chastised Florida officials for “trampling” on free speech rights continued to block the head of the state’s health department from taking any more steps to threaten TV stations that air commercials for an abortion rights measure on next week’s ballot. U.S. District Judge Mark Walker extended a temporary restraining order, siding with Floridians Defending Freedom. This group created the ads promoting the ballot question that would add abortion rights to the state constitution if it passed on Nov. 5. Walker handed down the decision from the bench after hearing arguments from attorneys for the campaign and state officials.

“Former NFL coach Tony Dungy, father of eight adopted children, shares emotional opposition to Amendment 4” via Amber Jo Cooper of Florida’s Voice — Dungy, former NFL coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and national spokesperson for All Pro Dad, joined DeSantis at a news conference at the Clearwater Central Catholic High School to oppose pro-abortion Amendment 4 Tuesday morning. The Governor and First Lady have been making stops all across the state over the last few weeks, encouraging Floridians to vote “no” on marijuana Amendment 3 and abortion Amendment 4. Dungy, a father of eight adopted children, gave an emotional speech and said when he goes home every day, he doesn’t “see eight choices.” “I’m sorry, those are eight lives,” Dungy said. “I happen to believe that these babies in the womb are lives, and I know everybody doesn’t believe that, but I happen to believe it. My Bible tells me that they are,” Dungy said.

Happening today — Sen. Scott will be joined in West Palm Beach by Hispanic leaders to encourage Floridians to get out to vote: 2:35 p.m., address provided upon RSVP at [email protected].

— 2024 — DOWN-BALLOT 1 —

“Cory Mills flipped CD 7 red in 2022. Can Jennifer Adams win the seat back this year?” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Redistricting in 2022 turned Florida’s 7th Congressional District from a Democratic jurisdiction to an easy Republican flip. Republican Mills ultimately won the district with nearly 59% of the vote. As the New Smyrna Beach Republican runs for re-election, he faces a spirited challenge from Adams, a business owner who said the incumbent had pushed an extreme agenda in Washington. “My values represent those of my hometown district where I grew up,” Adams said. “My life has been here; I know the people, what we need to get done, and I am raising my family here. Mills doesn’t live here and is Missing in Action.”

“Whitney Fox, national Democrats hope for underdog victory in Florida’s best shot at a flip against Anna Paulina Luna” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — It took Luna two tries to win a seat in Congress. The Republican’s 2022 victory in her second try came mainly as a result of redistricting following the 2020 Census, which shifted north the boundaries of Florida’s 13th Congressional District, carving out the liberal areas of parts of downtown St. Pete and the southside and drawing in more conservative parts of northern Pinellas County. Now facing her first re-election bid, Luna is facing a tough challenge from Democrat Fox despite Luna defending her seat in a district that is now rated at R+6. The battle could serve as a bellwether of sorts for future election cycles.

“Laurel Lee won swingy CD 15 easily two years ago. Will she do as well against Pat Kemp?” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Lee left her position as Florida’s Secretary of State to run in a divided congressional district last cycle. The Republican in 2022 won handily in Florida’s 15th Congressional District, where voters were more divided in the 2020 Presidential Election than any other district in Florida. Now she’s running for a second term and faces Hillsborough County Commissioner Kemp, a Democrat with a longer history winning elections in most of the district. The Thonotosassa Republican’s campaign says Lee, in her first term in the House, has already shown prowess on the job and has earned the trust of leadership at a tumultuous time.

—“Firefighter unions rally around Laurel Lee’s re-election effort” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics

“Dan Franzese hopes the second time’s the charm against Lois Frankel in CD 22” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — For the second cycle in a row, former congressional aide Franzese is taking on Democratic U.S. Rep. Frankel in Florida’s 22nd Congressional District. Franzese, 62, hopes that a two-year difference, a stronger campaign this time, and shifting voter dynamics in Palm Beach County will close the 10-percentage-point gap that separated them in 2022. Frankel, 76, who in 2013 parlayed her record of service in the Florida House and as Mayor of West Palm Beach into a lawmaking career in Washington, seeks to repel him again. Franzese, in August, handily outpaced two Primary foes with 52.5% of the vote.

“Phil Ehr again in an uphill battle for a Washington job, this time against Carlos Giménez in reddening CD 28” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Retired U.S. Navy pilot Ehr doesn’t lack determination. After back-to-back losses in a deep red Panhandle district, the Republican-turned-Democrat is aiming for a seat representing Florida’s southernmost area, which has grown redder over the past few election cycles. Standing in his way in Florida’s 28th Congressional District is Republican U.S. Rep. Giménez, who, unlike Ehr, has deep roots and a long history of service in the area he represents. In terms of fundraising, they’re about tied, according to incomplete campaign finance records. But carry-over funds have the incumbent far flusher than his challenger.

— 2024 — DOWN-BALLOT 2 —

“Democrats fielded candidates for every legislative seat; some live hundreds of miles from districts where they’re running” via Fresh Take Florida — Florida’s Democratic Party boasted in this year’s election it was contesting every seat in the GOP-dominated Legislature for the first time in decades. In at least eight House races and two Senate races statewide, those Democratic candidates don’t live in the legislative districts where they are running, according to recent voter registrations, candidate filings and other government records. In some cases, they live hundreds of miles away from the voters they are courting, and many have struggled to raise enough money to compete credibly against Republicans. Joel Vodola, 45, of Orlando, is running for House District 118 — in Miami, more than 200 miles away.

“Trans candidates demand their seat at the table in the Legislature” via Jacob Ogles of The Advocate — Under DeSantis, the Sunshine State in recent years saw a rapid slate of anti-trans policies implemented. Now, three transgender candidates are pursuing seats in the Florida legislature. Trans-female Ashley Brundage and trans-male Nathan Bruemmer, both Democrats, are taking on Republican incumbents in the Tampa Bay area. Meanwhile, trans-woman Vance Ahrens, also a Democrat, will challenge one of the most significant sources of anti-transgender rhetoric in the state, running against Florida Rep. Randy Fine for an open seat in the Florida Senate.

“Democrat Daryl Parks rallies at FAMU, urges students to mobilize and get out the vote” via James Call of the Tallahassee Democrat — Parks said he is in a “dogfight” to reclaim Florida Senate District 3 seat for the Democrats. And he kicked off the final full week of the campaign with a get-out-the-vote rally at Florida A&M University, where he urged students to help a fellow Rattler and vote – then get 10 of their friends to vote too. “You got to get all your frat brothers, all your sorority sisters, all your teammates, all your home girls, all your home boys, all your study mates. You got to get the people at the bus stop,” he said.

“Incumbent Tom Keen focusing on property insurance, abortion, in rematch with Erika Booth” via Jay Waagmeester of Florida Phoenix — Keen and Booth face off to represent HD 35 in Central Florida 10 months after a special election that determined the same race. This time, the race will appear down-ballot, overshadowed by higher-profile votes like the presidential and U.S. Senate elections, plus highly funded and hard-fought constitutional amendment campaigns. Still, the race seems likely to feature a higher turnout than in the special election, which saw just over 22,000 voters. Now-Rep. In January, Keen won the district, which spans parts of Orange and Osceola counties, 51.3%-48.7%. Keen, a Democrat, took the seat after Republican Fred Hawkins left to assume the presidency of South Florida State College, prompting the Special Election. Hawkins won the first race for the redrawn seat by nearly 11% in 2022 following reapportionment. The Special Election flip to a Democrat did not deter Booth from running for the spot again. She won the August Republican Primary with 63% of the vote.

“Carolina Amesty faces Disney-tied Leonard Spencer in fight to represent most magical district on earth” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — The most magical place on earth has become one of the most contentious political battlegrounds. Rep. Amesty, a Windermere Republican, faces a challenge by Spencer, a Democrat with a professional history at Disney. With more than 52% of House District 45 voters backing Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 Presidential Election, political observers always predicted a brutal re-election campaign for Amesty. That was before a grand jury indicted her on four felony counts, all connected to her prior work as an administrator for her father’s Central Christian University. Amesty wants voters to look past that and focus on her legislative work.

“Race for open HD 89 seat pits nonprofit executive against education administrator” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — With Democratic state Rep. David Silvers moving on to other endeavors after reaching term limits this year in House District 89, Palm Beach County voters must choose a new person to serve their interests in the Legislature. They have two choices: Democrat Debra Tendrich, the founder and CEO of a childhood nutrition nonprofit called Eat Better Live Better and Republican Daniel Zapata, a private school administrator who unsuccessfully challenged Silvers two years ago. The candidates agree that improving education, addressing Florida’s affordability issues and supporting small businesses are vital for HD 89’s next Representative. Tendrich is also running on a promise to fight for abortion protections and tackle gun violence and criminal justice reform.

“Race for open HD 115 seat pits well-funded GOP firefighter against underdog Dem educator” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Miami Republican state Rep. Alina Garcia is vacating her House District 115 seat after just one term to run for Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections. Competing to replace her are GOP firefighter Omar Blanco, who extinguished two Primary opponents in August, and Democratic education nonprofit director Norma Perez Schwartz, whose passion for civic engagement grew out of the pandemic. Blanco, 52, carries a larger war chest, more business-related endorsements and the benefit of a long tenure in a hero’s profession. He is a past firefighters’ union President and was recognized in 2021 as the Florida Professional Firefighter of the Year. It’s also not his first rodeo.

— STATEWIDE —

“Hurricanes and Florida’s messy insurance market” via Tracy Alloway and Joe Weisenthal of Bloomberg — Florida has been struck by two big hurricanes this year, setting off a wave of damage and new insurance claims. Insurance rates in places like Florida, Louisiana and California have jumped in recent years thanks to more natural disasters, higher replacement costs, and other factors. But Florida has become a particularly expensive market, with roofing scams supposedly pushing up rates for everyone and a string of private insurers exiting the market. Jerry Theodorou, policy director of finance, insurance, and trade at R Street Institute, said, “Insurance companies are getting sued in Florida more than anywhere else in the country.”

“Condo crisis: Florida condominiums sales slow as sellers flood market following new law” via J. Kyle Foster and Mark Harper of USA Today Network — Florida has seen tremendous population growth in the past 50 years, drawing Baby Boomers and retirees, people leaving the northern U.S. and others coming from South America and Caribbean countries. Their arrival spurred a rush to build homes, and now, Florida has close to 1.5 million condominiums. However, many of those structures are starting to show significant wear and tear, while the finances set aside for maintenance — the reserves — are proving insufficient. Condo boards are racing to meet higher state standards for budgeting, all while insurance premiums on these structures are skyrocketing. Also, the state is recovering from a spate of devastating hurricanes. All this leaves condo dwellers watching a financial crisis unfold.

“Hurricane strikes sow doubt among Florida consumers in October” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — Following a Summer of upbeat news and rising consumer sentiment in Florida, University of Florida (UF) researchers say October’s economic analysis shows a drop in consumer confidence for the first time in five months. Overall sentiment among Florida consumers fell from 78.3 in September to 77.4 this month. UF researchers blame the drop on major hurricanes that hit the state in the Fall. Hurricane Helene pounded Florida’s Big Bend area on Sept. 26. Less than two weeks later, Hurricane Milton crashed into Florida’s west coast, leaving a trail of massive destruction in its wake. Both storms had significant economic impacts, as new unemployment filings spiked in the weeks after both storms, and there were huge numbers of insurance claims filed in the state, prompting an estimated damage tab of more than $4 billion and counting.

“Floridians who lost jobs after Helene can get additional help from state” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics —Helene and Milton hit Florida so hard that thousands of workers lost their jobs. Now, the state is seeking to help the unemployed impacted by the storms. FloridaCommerce officials announced that Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is now available for many counties in the state that were affected by Helene. “Eligible Floridians whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a direct result of (hurricanes) are encouraged to submit a claim at FloridaJobs.org,” a FloridaCommerce news release said. After Helene struck the Big Bend area on Sept. 26, followed by Milton plowing into the west coast on Oct. 9, thousands of Floridians filed for unemployment benefits.

Morning must-read — “When a Florida farmer-legislator turned against immigration, the consequences were severe. But not for him.” via Seth Freed Wessler of ProPublica — Rick Roth is a staunch Republican and a conservative member of the Florida Legislature, but he’s quick to point out that he’s first and foremost a farmer. And because the farm relies on a steady stream of laborers, Roth spent substantial time over the last three decades trying to stop lawmakers from messing with his workforce. A big part of that fight was against legislation making employers verify their workers’ immigration status. Such laws, Roth once said, would bankrupt farmers like him. But by 2023, when Florida was again considering such a bill, Roth’s convictions had grown shaky. Roth knew that the legislation might hurt many farmers — not to mention landscapers, contractors, hotels, and a slew of other employers in Florida. But it was good politics. As workers scrambled to protect themselves from what they saw as a coming crackdown, phone calls flooded into Roth’s legislative office. The farmers, contractors, and landscapers were complaining that this law Roth had supported was going to wreck their businesses. It was exactly the kind of fallout Roth had long warned of when he’d fought measures like the one he’d just helped to pass. As one nursery owner who called into Roth’s office asked: “What have you done?”

— D.C. MATTERS —

“Joe Biden announces $3B to reduce carbon emissions at U.S. ports, ‘the linchpin to America’s supply chain’” via Matthew Daly of The Associated Press — Biden announced the federal funding Tuesday during a visit to the Baltimore port, saying the money will improve and electrify port infrastructure at 55 sites nationwide while supporting an estimated 40,000 union jobs, reducing pollution and combating the climate crisis. The presidential visit, a week before Election Day, was intended to highlight efforts by Biden and Harris to promote clean energy while protecting and creating jobs. “Ports are the linchpin to America’s supply chain,’’ Biden said in a speech at Dundalk Marine Terminal, near the March 26 bridge collapse site that closed commercial shipping traffic for nearly three months. A small blue and white sign near the site reminded passersby, “Project funded by President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act,’’ the 2022 law approved with only Democratic votes.

“Trump judge rejects concerns over impartiality, declines to recuse herself from Ryan Routh case” via Hannah Phillips of the Palm Beach Post — Despite concerns over her impartiality, the federal Judge who dismissed Trump’s classified documents case will not hand off the case against Routh, the man accused of trying to kill him. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon issued an order rejecting Routh’s request that she recuse herself from his case. In the order, she maintained that she has no relationship with Trump and no intention of letting accusations to the contrary undermine her ability to oversee the proceedings. Her order dismissed concerns raised two weeks earlier by Routh’s team of public defenders, Kristy Militello and Renee Sihvola. In their motion, the attorneys said they believed Cannon would act impartially but feared members of the public may think otherwise.

— LOCAL: S. FL —

“Miami-Dade elections worker fired after ballots fell off a truck. Passing car found them” via Douglas Hanks of the Miami Herald — Containers with Miami-Dade ballots were found on the side of a road overnight after they fell out of a county truck, the Elections Department confirmed. “The worker forgot to lock the back of the truck and as they drove off, one sealed bin and one sealed bag fell out,” Christina White, the county’s Elections Supervisor, said. She said the containers remained sealed, and the ballots inside had already been scanned and tabulated at the South Dade Regional Library’s early-voting site. According to a video posted by Only in Dade, a passing driver retrieved the crate and the satchel with the ballots on the road near Florida’s Turnpike in Cutler Bay.

To watch the video, please click the image below:

“Fort Lauderdale Commission race pits incumbent against past opponent, new rival” via Susannah Bryan of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — As Fort Lauderdale’s District 2 Commissioner, Steve Glassman has been the voice for a high-profile district that includes the beach, downtown and Las Olas Boulevard since his election more than six years ago. Glassman may well serve another four years should he win a third and final term in the city’s Nov. 5 election. But first, he’ll need to declare victory over two challengers: Charlotte Rodstrom, a former Fort Lauderdale Commissioner who beat him in 2009 and Chad Van Horn, a bankruptcy lawyer making his first run for office. Glassman has won key endorsements from the police union and the Sierra Club. The fire union has endorsed Van Horn.

“Plan already in place for new PSL Police Chief if Richard Del Toro wins Nov. 5 election for Sheriff” via Wicker Perlis of Treasure Coast Newspapers — The city plans to move quickly to name a new Police Chief if Acting Police Chief Del Toro is elected St. Lucie County Sheriff next week. It even has a replacement waiting in the wings. The plan would see Assistant Chief Leo Niemczyk sworn in as Chief on Nov. 6, the morning after the election, if Del Toro, the Republican nominee, defeats Steven Giordano, the Democratic nominee, the night before. Though the Sheriff is not sworn in until Jan. 7, Del Toro would step down as Acting Chief almost immediately after the election. Del Toro already defeated incumbent Keith Pearson in the August Republican Primary, by a nearly 2-to-1 margin.

“West Palm Beach man accused of racist threats, voter intimidation at Loxahatchee polling site” via Hannah Phillips of the Palm Beach Post — Deputies arrested a man accused of yelling antisemitic and racial slurs at a woman campaigning outside of an early-voting site in Loxahatchee, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. Nicholas Farley, 30, faces up to 10 years in prison on two charges related to voter intimidation and interference. According to his arrest report, Farley yelled obscenities while circling the parking lot of the Acreage Branch Library in a white van on Thursday, Oct. 24. When questioned by deputies, Farley denied knowing that early voting was taking place. He then volunteered the name of a pro-Nazi website and launched into a racist lecture, repeating and supplementing the slurs witnesses accused him of using in the library’s parking lot.

“Critics oppose JD state park golf course plan at Toby Overdorf’s meeting in Palm City” via Jack Lemnus of Treasure Coast Newspapers — Turnout was slim during a workshop in Palm City that local lawmakers organized to discuss one of the largest controversies in the state this year: plans to build three golf courses in Jonathan Dickinson State Park. Rep. Overdorf, a Stuart Republican, spearheaded the Oct. 28 workshop because he expects more recreational development will be proposed for state parks in the future, even though the golf course plans were tabled for now. “I have every confidence that something will come forward in some way, shape, or form on how we use our state parks,” Overdorf said, referring to the Department of Environmental Protection, which the Governor’s Office oversees.

“Audit finds flaws in Broward school discipline reporting” via Scott Travis of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — An audit found several shortcomings in how Broward schools have reported student discipline cases in recent years, raising questions about whether the district appropriately intervenes with troubled students. Broward school administrators say they believe students, in most cases, are still getting the proper discipline, even if the incidents weren’t always correctly recorded. However, the internal audit doesn’t list specific schools, so administrators could not say how they handled individual incidents. District administrators say they have improved training and procedures. “The Teaching and Learning Division recognizes the critical importance of ensuring student discipline is handled with fidelity and accuracy,” Deputy Superintendent Angela Fulton wrote in a Sept. 19 letter to Chief Auditor Dave Rhodes.

“Miami-Dade halted weed prosecutions, but thousands were jailed anyway. Most were Black” via Aaron Leibowitz and Madeline Everett of the Miami Herald — Fred Johnson was 33 years old when he was arrested for the first time. Johnson’s marijuana arrest came nearly four years after Miami-Dade’s top prosecutor, State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle, in 2019 vowed to stop prosecuting such cases after hemp — a substance that looks and smells like marijuana — was legalized in Florida. But police departments across the county continued to make arrests anyway, locking up more than 4,200 people on misdemeanor marijuana charges over the past five years. Nearly 60% of those cases were brought against Black defendants like Johnson, despite Black people making up just 18% of Miami-Dade’s population.

“Long-delayed public corruption trial of suspended Miami-Dade Commissioner, set to begin” via Charles Rabin of the Miami Herald — After repeated delays since last Thanksgiving, the public corruption trial of one of Miami-Dade County’s longest-serving public servants is set to begin with opening statements Wednesday morning. The trial of Joe Martinez was most recently delayed during his Summer run for county Sheriff and as the court considered accusations of a possible conflict of interest related to the Judge overseeing the case. Martinez failed to make it through the August Republican Primary in the Sheriff’s race. And though an appeals court denied the suspended County Commissioner’s request to remove Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Lody Jean, Associate Administrative Judge Miguel M. de la O will preside over the case.

— LOCAL: C. FL —

“Milton’s damage tally: $47M in Central Florida” via Ryan Gillespie of the Orlando Sentinel — Though it was no Irma or Ian, Milton still brought tens of millions of dollars in damage to Central Florida, county reports indicate. In the days after a hurricane has passed, county officials fan out to document damage to report to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. While not precise, this snapshot of a storm’s impact helps federal officials determine if an area qualifies for disaster assistance. Here, officials found Milton’s bluster left about $47 million in its wake across Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties. Lake County did not respond to an inquiry from the Orlando Sentinel. Much of the tally was in Seminole, which documented about $30 million after suffering the most significant flooding in the region.

“Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer’s PAC gifts campaign cash to developer-friendly Republicans running for Orange County Commission” via McKenna Schueler of Orlando Weekly — With several contentious races on the ballot for Orange County voters this year, Orlando Mayor Dyer, the region’s most high-profile Democrat, appears to be throwing financial support behind two Republicans gunning for local office, including a challenger to an incumbent Democrat. Earlier this year, Dyer publicly came out in support of developer Steve Leary, a Republican and former Winter Park mayor who’s vying for the open District 5 seat on the Orange County Commission that will soon be vacated by term-limited Commissioner Emily Bonilla. Facing off against Leary for the seat is Dr. Kelly Semrad, a hospitality and tourism studies professor at the University of Central Florida, an environmental activist and a Democrat.

“Orange County OKs deal that blocks Deseret Ranch annexation” via Stephen Hudak and Ryan Gillespie of the Orlando Sentinel — Orange County Commissioners unanimously backed a deal Tuesday that effectively kills an annexation of 80 square miles of ranch land into Orlando’s city limits, rejecting a last-minute effort by the landowner to relax its terms. The deal between Orlando and Orange County governments calls for the county to drop its opposition to a smaller but still substantial annexation of Tavistock’s planned Sunbridge development and the city to drop consideration of the enormous annexation of Deseret Ranch. Such annexations are usually a precursor to urban development on rural lands, which has made both proposals hotly controversial. The county would also approve over $600 million for city-owned Kia Center and Camping World Stadium upgrades, funded with Tourist Development Tax dollars.

Not a campaign stunt — “Andrew Bain forming hate crimes task force with $1M federal grant” via Cristóbal Reyes of the Orlando Sentinel — The Orange-Osceola State Attorney’s Office announced it will expand efforts to tackle hate crimes through a newly created task force funded by a federal grant as civil rights groups warn of a rising number of incidents and organized hate groups. The $1 million grant is one of 11 awarded to law enforcement agencies nationwide — and the only one of its kind issued this year to a Florida agency. The State Attorney’s Office said the grant will fund training programs for police officers and prosecutors investigating hate crimes while creating an online reporting system in partnership with the Stono Institute for Freedom, Justice and Security.

“Deltona City Commission race gets testy” via Mark Harper of the Daytona Beach News-Journal — Deltona politics has always been a rough-and-tumble affair, but the nearly two-year City Commission District 6 fight stands out. There have been lawsuits, vile social media posts — even a lawsuit about a vile social media post. The race pits Nick Lulli against incumbent Jody Lee Storozuk, first elected in 2022. Lulli says his opponent is a “bad guy.” Storozuk, who has run-ins with the law and an ethics violation on his record, dismisses Lulli as “a nice kid.” Regardless of the bizarre nature of the race, both candidates say they are in it to do good things for the city.

“Voter referendum would give Brevard Commissioners 70% pay raise if approved” via Tyler Vazquez of Florida Today — Brevard County voters will be able to cast their ballot on a proposed charter amendment to give County Commissioners a $40,000 pay raise in a referendum up for a vote in the Nov. 5 General Election. This amendment would increase salaries for Brevard County Commissioners by setting the salary at 90% of what is set forth in Chapter 145, Florida Statutes for County Commissioners in Florida. The current salary for Brevard County Commissioners is $60,272.98. If the amendment is approved, the salary would increase to $102,509.10, based on that formula. Under the current system, Commissioners vote on their pay every two years.

— LOCAL: TB —

“PSTA drivers helped save thousands of lives during storms” via Mark Parker of St. Pete Catalyst — Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority drivers completed nearly 570,000 emergency trips before and after Helene and Milton devastated the area. The organization celebrated its unsung first responders as typical service resumed Monday after back-to-back storms. Connie Stein, a lead Jolley Trolley driver, said it felt rewarding to transition from a recreational service into a vital community asset. She also noted it was “sad and emotional” to witness the devastation before many regular customers returned home to pick up the pieces. “After Helene, they were told to evacuate for Milton, but many of them had lost their cars,” Stein said. “Roads were flooded, neighborhoods were isolated, and many people were left wondering how they would reach safety. Yet, through the chaos, we stood ready. We didn’t just do our jobs — we helped the community.”

“Pinellas school board approves hurricane makeup days” via Jeffrey S. Solochek of the Tampa Bay Times — Despite some complaints about extending the last day of classes by two hours, the Pinellas County School Board on Tuesday approved a proposal to make up about 50 hours of lessons lost to hurricanes Helene and Milton. The plan includes having students attend Jan. 6 and Feb. 17, which had been scheduled as non-class days. It also calls for a full day on May 29 rather than letting students leave early as has been past practice. Students will see their first semester exams canceled, except in specific circumstances such as dual enrollment requirements, as a way to recover additional instructional time. In addition, high school graduations will take place at the end of May instead of in the middle of the month, as had been anticipated.

“Town hall looks to soothe frayed nerves of Pasco residents still recovering” via John C. Cotey of the Tampa Bay Times — Pasco County residents, many of them displaced by significant flooding following back-to-back hurricanes and others who say they have lost everything, packed the Dade City Courthouse for a town hall with government officials looking for help. With a team of county employees, including County Administrator Mike Carballa and Commissioners Seth Weightman, Jack Mariano and Ron Oakley and other department heads, on hand to provide those answers, many got what they were looking for. While most of the two-hour meeting was devoted to debris pickup and flooding issues, many residents questioned whether the accelerated development of Pasco County, especially on the east side, deserved some of the blame for removing barriers to flooding produced by Helene and Milton.

— LOCAL: N. FL —

“City Council member wants ‘full audit’ of Mayor Donna Deegan’s trip to London and Italy” via David Bauerlein of The Florida Times-Union — After City Council member Terrance Freeman said an outside audit is needed to learn whether taxpayers footed any costs of Deegan’s vacation in Italy this month, Deegan’s office said she paid for the expense of the vacation out of her own pocket. Deegan went to Italy during an overseas trip that started with a stop in London, where she joined the JAX Chamber on its annual trade mission to drum up business from the United Kingdom. Her spokesperson said she then went from London to Italy for a previously planned vacation. Freeman said he wants a “full audit” of Deegan’s trip and will file legislation to set up a process where an entity outside City Hall conducts the review.

“Will Florida-Georgia stay in Jacksonville? Mayor says announcement could come ‘very soon’” via Garry Smits of The Florida Times-Union — Deegan said she was “extraordinarily optimistic” that the city will sign a new contract with the University of Florida and the University of Georgia to keep the rivalry game in the city from 2028 and beyond, following the completion of the EverBank Stadium renovation project that will send the game to two other neutral sites in 2026 and 2027. During a news conference at City Hall on Tuesday, Deegan said that the city and the two universities had “made great progress in several months of meetings” and that she anticipated an announcement “very soon.”

— LOCAL: SW FL —

“Former teacher and tech executive face off in Manatee District 1 School Board election” via Victoria Villanueva-Marquez of the Bradenton Herald — A former Manatee County schoolteacher and a former tech executive are set to compete for the School Board’s District 1 seat in the General Election. School Board member Gina Messenger has represented District 1, representing parts of Ellenton, East Bradenton and Parrish, since 2016. After serving two terms, she is not seeking re-election in November. Heather Felton, a mother and former Manatee County teacher, said she is running to advocate for teachers and parents. Her opponent, Mark Stanoch, a grandfather and former tech executive, said he wants the job because he wants to give back to the community.

“Fort Myers voters will get a say on potential $75M green space project” via Chad Gillis of the Fort Myers News-Press — Does Fort Myers need more parks and open space for residents and visitors? City leaders think so, and voters will decide whether to plunk down up to $75 million to spruce up the City of Palms. “Some of the projects could be land purchases and park development,” said City Manager Marty Lawing. “I think it’s more than about just downtown. We’re trying to be a high-quality city and a place where people want to live and do business. “And when we look at where we are compared to other cities our size, we have less parklands and green space than other cities do,” Lawing said.

— TOP OPINION —

“DeSantis dishonestly casts Florida doctors as villains in abortion-rights fight” via Nate Monroe of The Florida Times-Union — It’s lose-lose for doctors in DeSantis’ Florida: Perform a medically necessary abortion past the state’s draconian six-week limit and risk future prosecution; decline to do so and face a massive medical-malpractice lawsuit should something go awry with the patient.

That is DeSantis’ view of Florida’s abortion policy, at least taken at his word.

Don’t say he banned it, but don’t say he didn’t ban it, either.

This incompatible slop is DeSantis’ latest effort to contort the state’s near-total abortion ban into something that sounds more supportive of women: the point being to undermine a proposed constitutional change, called Amendment 4, on the November ballot that would restore the more expansive Roe-era reproductive rights he and his legislative allies deleted last year.

During a news conference Tuesday — the latest in an unprecedented multi-million-dollar political campaign sponsored by taxpayers — DeSantis rejected arguments raised by Amendment 4 supporters that the narrow medical exceptions to the state’s six-week ban were not enough to assuage doctors.

It’d be one thing if DeSantis were going around the state telling people to vote against Amendment 4 because he is a practicing Christian and believes abortion is a sin — long the animating motivation for anti-abortion advocates.

Instead, he’s had state agencies essentially and temporarily, rewrite the law to make it sound as if women can obtain abortions more or less whenever they need one, the six-week ban notwithstanding.

This interpretation will, of course, expire at midnight Nov. 6 should Amendment 4 fail: Florida law will revert back to its antediluvian spirit in short order and DeSantis, still harboring presidential ambitions, will cast himself as an anti-abortion champion. All that deceptive claptrap (which you paid for) about Florida government support for women and their health needs will vanish from the airwaves.

— OPINIONS —

“Trump long ago crossed the line from propriety to profanity. Then came the Garden.” via Peter Baker and Dylan Freedman of The New York Times — Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday was a cornucopia of crudeness, punctuated by the kind of language that once would have been unthinkable for a gathering held to promote the candidacy of a would-be President of the United States. But among the many lines that Trump has obliterated in his time in politics is the invisible boundary between propriety and profanity. What minimal self-restraint Trump once showed in his public discourse has evaporated. A recent analysis of his public comments this year showed that he uses such language 69% more often than he did when he first ran for President in 2016. He sometimes acknowledges that he knows he should not but quickly adds that he cannot help himself.

“‘Stop counting votes, or we’re going to murder your children’” via Matteo Wong of The Atlantic — When Melissa Kono, the town clerk in Burnside, Wisconsin, began training election workers in 2015, their questions were relatively mundane. But over the past few years, everything has changed. Kono now finds herself fielding questions about what to do when approached by suspicious voters who ask provocative questions or gripe about fraud. She’s added an entire training section dedicated to identifying threats and how to report them. “I never in a million years imagined that would be part of my curriculum,” she said. Kono has yet to receive any direct threats herself — perhaps, she thinks, because Trump won the popular vote in her area in 2016 and 2020 — but she fears that things may be different this time around.

“Did the media do its job this election cycle?” via Dana Milbank of The Washington Post — The election is a week away, and Americans are divided right down the middle. But on one thing, everybody can always agree: The media has done a terrible job. I discussed this truism with my Post colleagues, Catherine Rampell and Megan McArdle. Catherine: Voters even today seem to have little to no idea what the candidates would actually do as President. In most elections, policy gets subordinated to horserace coverage. But this time around, the issue is that every news cycle is about some crazy or horrific thing Trump says. Much of which is worth covering, to be clear, but not to the exclusion of what either candidate would do if they won office. McArdle: I think the media’s performance has been much worse than usual this year, in part because too many reporters treated their job as getting the Democrat elected. How did the media manage to leave the country in the dark about Biden’s obvious decline until it was too late to do anything except nominate a weak Vice President who is — optimistically — tied with Trump?

“A Harris presidency will help Miami-Dade” via Oliver Gilbert of The Miami Herald — I come from a middle-class family, worked to put myself through college, went to law school, and served as a prosecutor before entering elected office. Her story is my story; it is an American story. But it’s not just who she is that moves me; it’s what she wants to do to move America forward that compels my support. Money matters. Harris is proposing a middle-class tax cut as opposed to Trump, who, as President, gave the middle class a temporary tax cut and gave corporations a permanent tax cut. Harris is proposing to strengthen labor rights and raise the federal minimum wage, while Trump is largely looking to deregulate and let corporations have their way. Harris believes in rebuilding America’s infrastructure. This includes rapid mass transit, which we all know is critical to our future as a county.

“The key question: Are you better off today? ” via Kevin Marino Cabrera of The Miami Herald — James Carville, lead strategist for Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign, famously and succinctly explained to campaign workers what voters were really interested in: “It’s the economy, stupid.” I agree. It’s the food missing from your plate, the lights you struggle to keep on, your child’s college tuition you can’t save for, and the home you can no longer afford. Voters nationwide, especially in Miami-Dade, feel this more than ever. The Biden-Harris administration has driven up inflation, ruined our economy and failed American families. Now, let’s recall the Trump years, when unemployment hit record lows, wages grew and the stock market soared, boosting millions of retirement accounts. Despite what you hear from the mainstream media, Trump’s chances in 2024 are stronger than ever.

“A new low for Florida: Secret votes from public Board” via Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel — Yes, a public agency conducted public business and refused to tell the public. A few years ago, if you’d told me such a thing could happen, I would’ve called you a damn liar. This is the United States of America, not North Korea. But over the last few years, under DeSantis, Florida has taken a dark turn toward secrecy. This state has tried to keep secrets about what it does with public resources time and again. This time, the secrecy seems meant to protect an embattled state legislator, Rep. Carolina Amesty, who was recently indicted on four felony charges and is struggling to keep her seat in next week’s election. Florida’s Licensing Board for private colleges and universities voted last week on whether to renew the license for Orlando’s Central Christian University, run by Amesty’s family, after state authorities reported that Amesty “defrauded” the state to get the license in the first place. So, did the state let the school keep its license? It won’t say.

“In hurricanes’ wake, Florida schools make up for lost learning” via the Tampa Bay Times editorial board — The question now: How to recover lost instructional time? School closures during the COVID-19 pandemic sparked an academic slide educators rightly want to avoid in our seasonal exposure to hurricanes. The debate is not whether students should make up lost time — but how. And the education department is helping by allowing Florida’s individual school districts to recoup the time as they see fit. The state acted responsibly by making one thing clear: It would not waive the statutory requirement that students get a minimum of 900 hours, or 180 days, of instruction for the academic year. Florida’s class time mandate sits at the low end nationally already; Alabama, Louisiana and North Carolina, for example, require more than 1,000 hours a year. Making up the time is critical to preventing a backslide and making Florida schools competitive with other states.

— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —

— ALOE —

“Former Disney animator’s dark COVID-19 art appearing in Orlando Film Festival” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — Orlando artist Thomas Thorspecken once drew the animations for Disney’s “The Lion King” and “Lilo & Stitch.” The sketch Thorspecken painted in March 2020 was something far darker — sick people being treated down Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom before the theme park officially shut down during the pandemic. Every day during the pandemic, Thorspecken painted a new piece depicting his disgust, anger and horror based on what he saw from the public and the government. “It became an obsession, and I just did it every single day because I was listening to the news every day. And there’s always something more absurd that would happen every day,” Thorspecken said. “I’d go to sleep, and essentially, in the morning, I would wake up with a new idea.”

“Disney Cruise Line fleet officially grows to six with delivery of Disney Treasure” via Richard Tribou of the Orlando Sentinel — Disney Cruise Line now has a fleet of six ships after taking delivery of the Florida-bound Disney Treasure at a ceremony in Eemshaven, Netherlands. The line took possession of the 144,000-gross-ton sister ship to 2022’s Disney Wish from the Meyer Werft shipbuilding team after it completed sea trials this month in the North Sea. Its next trip will be a trans-Atlantic voyage with an arrival at Port Canaveral expected Nov. 12. It will then head to New York for a christening ceremony before returning to Florida for a series of preview sailings ahead of its maiden voyage on Dec. 21 as it begins alternating seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries.

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Celebrating today are Chief Inspector General Melinda Miguel, Aubrey Fay and Tyler Winik. Belated best wishes to former U.S. Sen. Connie Mack.

___

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