Ryan Nicol
The holiday season is finally here.
Normally, that’s reason for joy (and we still think it is). But with Thanksgiving this week following just after a highly contentious election, there is worry that there could be tension at tables this year.
Some women Kamala Harris supporters are reportedly boycotting Thanksgiving, while Fox News host Jesse Watters, a Donald Trump supporter, said his Harris-loving mom didn’t invite him for dinner.
And let’s not kid ourselves. Had Harris won, there would have been some conservative crazies upset about another “stolen” election that would have been just as intolerable.
But how many of us are really encountering this type of animosity within families? While we don’t deny these types of rifts exist over politics, it’s important to point out that this behavior is getting attention because it’s the exception.
Most Americans actually aren’t showing up to these gatherings with a desire to talk politics at all. Most of the remaining minority can talk issues with their family with the respect they would show their kin in any other conversation. And most of those who can’t coexist are probably dealing with a rift that goes well beyond politics.
That respect for family members, of course, flies out the window when arguing with strangers online or yelling at the TV over some exaggerated story designed to rile you up, and that’s part of the problem with our fractured political culture. But we should resist dragging those worst impulses to the dinner table this Thursday.
Look, as we said just after the election, there is a moment here to put down the pitchforks and start building a more nuanced and less hyperbolic political culture. If you want to argue that shouldn’t — or can’t — take place under a Trump presidency, fine. But to start that process at some point down the line, we need to make sure we’re practicing that respect and decency that we’d like to see nationwide with our close family and friends first.
So don’t let the hype about political fights make you start believing there’s reason for mudslinging in your own household this holiday season. Enjoy the second and third helpings, take a nap on the couch, and if needed, stick to lighter topics — like sports, maybe the performance of Florida’s football teams this season.
OK, maybe that’s a bad example (unless you’re a Canes fan).
Happy Thanksgiving to all. Now, it’s onto our weekly game of winners and losers.
Winners
Honorable mention: Ballard Partners. Is the talent-packed firm operating a side hustle as the human resources agency to the Trump White House.
First, it was Susie Wiles being named Chief of Staff. Now, after the withdrawal of Matt Gaetz from consideration as Attorney General (more on that later), Trump turned to Ballard lobbyist and former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi (more on that later as well).
The Chief of Staff position is considered by some to be the No. 2 position in the White House, ahead of even the Vice President. And for Trump, the AG role, normally already vital, is of outsized importance due to his frustration with his previous Attorney General picks.
Now, Ballard has alums in both roles. And with founder Brian Ballard having a strong relationship with Trump, the firm is positioned to dominate D.C. for the next four years.
Almost (but not quite) the biggest winner: Daniel Perez. The now-House Speaker delivered his first-ever speech as leader of the chamber during this week’s Organization Session, and got rave reviews.
Perez promised to focus on Floridians above special interests and avoid playing political games that are standard in Tallahassee.
Perez and his cohort, Senate President Ben Albritton, are talking up a priority on insurance and other affordability issues. And with all of Florida’s successes in recent years, this really should be the top focus right now. People are struggling to live here, and if people can’t stay, that’s going to have a lot of ripple effects down the line when it comes to employment, education quality and other areas.
And lest you think this is empty tough talk from the top, Perez was direct during his Tuesday speech.
“In my experience, Floridians are realistic. They understand that there are trade-offs. They understand that in a state battered by hurricanes, insurance will be a challenge. But they need to know that our state’s insurance laws are not being written by and for the insurance companies,” he said as his fellow House members applauded.
Lawmakers have tried appeasing insurance companies to entice them to come back. There has been some small progress, but not nearly enough for most Floridians. Maybe it’s time to try a new approach. But frankly, we don’t care what mechanisms lead to a fix so long as it happens. And Perez seems primed to lead that charge.
The biggest winner: Bondi. Florida’s former AG is headed to Washington to lead the U.S. Justice Department.
Hours after Gaetz announced his withdrawal, Trump swooped in and plucked Bondi, a longtime ally who helped represent Trump during his first impeachment trial. She also campaigned for Trump this year and is Co-Chair of the America First Policy Institute, a pro-Trump think tank.
“Pam was a prosecutor for nearly 20 years, where she was very tough on Violent Criminals, and made the streets safe for Florida Families. Then, as Florida’s first female Attorney General, she worked to stop the trafficking of deadly drugs, and reduce the tragedy of Fentanyl Overdose Deaths, which have destroyed many families across our Country,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post boosting Bondi.
“For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans — Not anymore. Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again. I have known Pam for many years — She is smart and tough, and is an AMERICA FIRST Fighter, who will do a terrific job as Attorney General!”
The question is: Will Bondi be able to navigate the Senate confirmation process in a way Gaetz could not?
The answer is almost certainly yes.
Bondi is an open Trump backer, and that could cause hesitation for Democrats in Congress. But Republicans control the Senate. And while they tanked Gaetz’s nomination, they are unlikely to go against the President-elect for a second straight time, especially for someone with Bondi’s substantial résumé.
A Florida Man is out, but it looks like a Florida Woman is in.
Losers
Dishonorable mention: Frank Artiles. Artiles may have dodged a more severe prison sentence, as he faced up to 15 years in his “ghost candidate” trial, but this week’s sentencing nonetheless underscores the seriousness of Artiles’ crime and again spotlights his fall from grace.
A Judge sentenced Artiles to 60 days in jail on Monday after he was found guilty in September on three felony counts. But that includes credit for time served. Artiles also got hit with 500 hours of community service and five years of probation for each of three counts.
A refresher: Artiles paid $50,000 to spoiler candidate Alex Rodriguez, as former Democratic Sen. José Javier Rodríguez sought re-election to the Senate in 2020. Alex Rodriguez gained nearly 6,400 votes while the race between the incumbent and Republican candidate Ileana Garcia was decided by a mere 32 votes out of more than 216,000 votes cast. Garcia won.
Propping up no-name candidates can be scummy, but it’s not illegal. What is illegal is funneling cash that far exceeds the legal limits on individual donations to a candidate, and that was Artiles’ downfall.
Driven out of the Senate by scandal, we hoped that would be the last we heard of Artiles. Hopefully this is the final straw for his fledgling political career.
Almost (but not quite) the biggest loser: Gaetz. Yes, we slotted Gaetz in the winner’s list last week after Trump indicated his intention to nominate Gaetz for Attorney General.
And while Gaetz was flying high then, he crashed down to Earth just a week later, forced to withdraw his bid after meeting with Senators and reportedly being told by Trump himself that the votes were not there to confirm Gaetz.
This is a weekly column, and fortunes can change significantly in one week’s time, as we see here. Gaetz is now out of Congress as well, and said he’s not seeking to return after his AG bid fell flat.
So he deserves his spot on the loser’s list this week. As for what’s next: We are sticking by our longer term analysis last week that this could still end with him in the Governor’s Mansion.
As we mentioned last week, that would likely hinge on Trump deciding to endorse Gaetz in the 2026 GOP Primary. As more revelations have come out this week about Gaetz’s past, including multiple allegations that he slept with an underage girl (allegations for which he was investigated but never charged), that of course puts a damper on anyone’s likelihood of earning a significant position of public trust.
But justified or not, with a fast-moving news cycle, might enough GOP Primary voters forgive and/or forget by 2026? Again, probably not without a Trump endorsement. But if the President-elect decides to play in the race, then who knows?
For now, Gaetz is already teasing the move. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
The biggest loser: Tampa Bay Rays. Our opening line in last week’s column was: “Did a freak natural disaster derail the Tampa Bay Rays’ new stadium deal?”
After this week, it sure seems like it! But things moved quicker than even we expected.
To be clear, legally, the deal isn’t dead yet. Maybe Rays’ ownership and local officials find a way to salvage this thing.
But as of this week we have confirmed:
— A delay due to Hurricane Milton in an otherwise procedural Pinellas County vote on bonds to fund the project has now led to a second postponement of that vote. And with the County Commission makeup changed following the election, with more members now opposed to the deal, that delay could end with the Commission shooting down the deal.
— The freak damage caused by the storm, which ripped the roof off the Trop, has now led to wobbling at the city level as to whether they’ll even repair the stadium, causing more friction.
— The Rays’ owners say these delays already mean a new stadium can’t open in time for the 2028 season, making the team question the path forward entirely.
This thing was supposed to be a done deal in the Summer. Now, odds may be tilting toward the Rays leaving town, almost wholly due to the whims of Mother Nature.
Maybe cooler heads will prevail when looking at the ripple effects of the deal collapsing. But things will need to change, and fast.
