Staff Reports
Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
The Florida Chamber of Commerce Annual Insurance Summit’s speaker list keeps growing.
A week before the two-day Summit in Orlando, the Florida Chamber announced that Sen. Blaise Ingoglia will speak about his priorities as Chair of the Senate Banking & Insurance Committee and offer insights into the legislative outlook for both industries.
Ingoglia joins a lineup of elected officials and policymakers who have been confirmed as speakers, including Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky, Citizens Property Insurance Corp. President and CEO Tim Cerio, Florida Division of Emergency Management Executive Director Kevin Guthrie, and Florida State Board of Administration Executive Director Chris Spencer.
Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis is also a confirmed speaker, although that could change now that he is running for Florida’s 1st Congressional District. If he does take the stage, it will be as the former CFO, as he announced his resignation shortly after President-elect Donald Trump endorsed his bid on Monday.
This year’s summit comes nearly two years after the enactment of insurance legislation meant to stabilize the state’s market. The market had been in a tailspin, with many well-known insurers exiting the Florida market and several small — to mid-size carriers going belly up.
House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton also signaled the possibility of more insurance legislation in their swearing-in speeches. Albritton said, bluntly: “I want to make sure that impacted Floridians and insurance companies hear me loudly and clearly — we are watching.”
The Summit will be held at the JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek. There will be an opening reception on Dec. 3 at 6 p.m., with the main program beginning at 8:30 a.m. the following morning. A full agenda and registration information can be found on the Florida Chamber website.
Evening Reads
—”Why Donald Trump keeps insisting that his policy proposals are wildly popular” via Philip Bump of The Washington Post
—“Christopher Rufo has Trump’s ear and wants to End DEI for good” via Douglas Belkin of The Wall Street Journal
—“Special Counsel moves to dismiss two felony cases against Trump” via The New York Times
—“Elon Musk and the age of shameless oligarchy” via Whizy Kim of Vox
—”The Democrats’ billionaire mistake” via Caitlin Flanagan of The Atlantic
—“How Democrats lost their base and their message” via Nate Cohn of The New York Times
—“Jimmy Patronis officially resigns as Chief Financial Officer” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
—“Trump endorses Patronis to succeed Matt Gaetz in Congress” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
—”How Florida’s anti-pot legalization campaign rode the populist wave” via Gary Fineout and Kimberly Leonard of POLITICO
—”Lobbying compensation: Top 15 firms clear $1M+ in Q3” via Drew Wilson and Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics
Quote of the Day
“Jimmy Patronis has my Complete and Total Endorsement.”
— Trump, pre-endorsing Patronis with his signature phrase.
Put it on the Tab
Look to your left, then look to your right. If you see one of these people at your happy hour haunt, flag down the bartender and put one of these on your tab. Recipes included, just in case the Cocktail Codex fell into the well.
Mix yourself and the fam a Peach Blossom Elixir this weekend in honor of this year’s pardoned turkeys. Just be sure to add vodka, club soda and peaches to your last-minute Thanksgiving shopping list.
We’re not trying to jinx him, but with a Trump endorsement in hand and a thinning Primary field, it’s probably safe to order Jimmy Patronis a Congressman’s Lunch.
There’s no nice way to put it: Stanley Gray, or any other Democrat, has a snowball’s chance in the CD 1 special election. Perhaps a Lamb To The Slaughter will help ease the pain.
Breakthrough Insights
Tune In
Magic try to stay hot in Charlotte
The Southeast Division-leading Orlando Magic will try to stay undefeated against division opponents as they travel to Charlotte to face the Hornets tonight (7 p.m. ET, FanDuel Sports Network-Florida).
Orlando (11-7) overcame a slow start to the season, winning eight of their last nine games to take control of the division. Franz Wagner has been the catalyst. With Paolo Banchero sidelined with a torn oblique injury, Wagner has led the Magic in scoring in each of the team’s past eight wins, including topping 30 points five times in the stretch.
Orlando has been dominant at home, winning all eight games at Kia Arena, but they have struggled on the road, losing seven of 10 games.
Charlotte (6-10) enters the game four games behind the Magic in the Southeast Division standings. The Hornets dropped a 125-119 decision to the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday despite a career-high 50-point performance by LaMelo Ball. Ball averages 30.2 points per game, the third-best in the NBA this season.
In the first meeting of the season, the Magic beat Charlotte 114-89 in Orlando behind Wagner’s 32-point, 8-rebound, 5-assist game. The two teams are not scheduled to meet again until February.
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Last Call is published by Peter Schorsch, assembled and edited by Phil Ammann and Drew Wilson, with contributions from the staff of Florida Politics.
