Peter Schorsch
Good Monday morning.
A top of Sunburn birthday shoutout to our friend, the great Carol Dover of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association.
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As many of you on my USPS mailing list are aware, I love Christmas cards! I especially enjoy a smart, politically themed Christmas card. Pat Bainter’s team at Data Targeting is always good for such a delivery. This Season, one card that really stands out is the one from the award-winning political consulting firm Consensus Communications.
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Who are Central Florida’s Most Powerful Politicians?
Many of you are familiar with our annual list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians, a rundown of the region’s 25 most influential elected officials, plus a couple of honorable mentions.
Now, prepare yourself for our new list of Central Florida’s Most Powerful Politicians.
Like our Tampa Bay iteration, the list will be derived from stakeholder input through a panel and our unique scoring methodology. But we need our panel before we can assign points and start the ranking.
That’s where our politically savvy readers come in.
We are looking for individuals with insider knowledge of Central Florida politics — from lobbyists to campaign managers to comms professionals, previous officeholders and members of the media. Ideally, we’d have at least a couple dozen on the panel, more if there’s the appetite.
And if you’re on the fence, don’t fret. This is not a huge time obligation; you can participate from the comfort of your home, office or local watering hole. All we require of panelists is a ranked list of 25 elected officials — only elected officials — you think are deserving of the “most powerful” crown for 2025.
If you’d like to participate, please email me at [email protected]. We look forward to seeing who you think has the power and who’s left wanting.
P.S. Thank you to the sponsors of this feature, GrayRobinson.
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Shutts & Bowen’s Ben Gibson is making big moves, becoming the next General Counsel for the Republican National Lawyers Association (RNLA).
Gibson is the Managing Partner of Shutts & Bowen LLP’s Tallahassee office. And he has experience with the RNLA, serving on the Board as National Secretary for the past two years and as the Florida Chapter Chair for the last four years.
In addition to taking over as General Counsel, Gibson has also been elected to the RNLA Board of Governors for a three-year term.
“It’s an honor to serve on the RNLA Board of Governors,” Gibson said. “The RNLA is a vital organization in advancing the principles of our political system, and I look forward to contributing to its continued success alongside such an accomplished group of leaders.”
Gibson has a wealth of experience in law, government and politics. He joined Shutts & Bowen in 2018, taking over as Managing Partner in 2023.
He also worked as Deputy General Counsel and Assistant General Counsel to former Gov. Rick Scott, where he worked on various agency issues. Gibson then served as General Counsel to Ron DeSantis’ transition team, where he worked on legal issues and the search for Florida Supreme Court Justices.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
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—@RepLoisFrankel: Big congratulations to West Palm Beach’s own @TravisHunterJr on winning the Heisman Trophy last night! This incredible young talent has made history, and all of us at home couldn’t be prouder to see what’s next in his career.
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— DAYS UNTIL —
‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ premieres – 2; College Football Playoff begins – 4; ‘What If …?’ season three premieres — 6; Squid Game’ season two premieres – 10; Fiesta, Peach, Rose & Sugar Bowls – 16; Orange Bowl – 24; House single bill drafting submission deadline for 2025 Session — 39; ‘Severance’ season two debuts – 39; Special GOP Primary to replace Matt Gaetz in Florida’s 1st Congressional District — 43; DNC Chair election — 47; Super Bowl LIX — 55; Florida Chamber’s 2025 Legislative Fly-In — 56; ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ premieres – 67; 2025 Session single bill filing deadline — 74; the 2025 Oscars – 76; Florida’s 2025 Legislative Session begins – 78; 10th annual Red Dog Blue Dog charity event — 93; Tampa Bay Rays season opener — 102; Special Election for CD 1 — 103; ‘Andor’ season two premieres — 124; 2025 Session ends – 134; ‘Thunderbolts’ premieres – 137; Epic Universe grand opening — 157; ‘Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning’ premieres — 158; ‘Karate Kid: Legends’ premieres — 165; ‘Fantastic Four – First Steps’ premieres – 221; ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ premieres – 368; ‘Avengers 5’ premieres – 505; Untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 522; FIFA World Cup 26™ final – 543; FIFA World Cup 26™ final match – 581; ‘The Batman 2’ premieres – 655; Another untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie premieres – 733; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres – 873; 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Opening Ceremony — 1,306; 2028 U.S. Presidential Election — 1,422; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres – 1,822; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres – 2,553.
— TOP STORY —
“Could the deal to give protected Florida forest land to a golf company be dead?” via Max Chesnes and Emily Mahoney of the Tampa Bay Times — Gov. DeSantis, along with the three members of the Florida Cabinet, spent less than 30 seconds in June discussing the swap before voting to move it forward. The deal meant the state would give the forest land to Cabot Citrus Farms, a luxury golf resort in Hernando County looking to expand its neighboring operation, in exchange for 861 acres of timber land in Cedar Key.
Environmental groups have decried the proposal, saying the state forest is home to fragile habitat needing protection.
After the vote, responsibility fell to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to grant final approval to the project. It remained virtually unknown to the public until the Tampa Bay Times revealed the deal in August when DeSantis was already contending with widespread outrage over a separate proposal to add golf courses to state parks.
In the months since, there have been no signs of movement.
According to the June Cabinet meeting agenda, four requirements would have to be met for the trade to materialize: the Florida Forest Service would have to sign off, Cabot needs to buy the Cedar Key land and the golf company has to submit two separate applications to the state.
None has happened. The agenda does not list any deadlines.
The idea for the swap was initiated by Cabot when company representatives approached the state with a desire to “expand their current operation.” The idea that a developer could be granted public forest land on demand has alarmed environmentalists, who warned that this deal would shatter precedent for land conservation in Florida. Multiple observers, including Eric Draper, who worked under the DeSantis administration as the parks director, have also said the state has deviated from normal procedure in advancing the swap.
— LEGISLATIVE —
“A billionaire is showering cash on Florida politicians” via Jason Garcia of Seeking Rents — With an estimated net worth of more than $40 billion, Ken Griffin, the hedge-fund manager who moved to Miami in 2022, is the 22nd richest person in America, according to Forbes — and the second-richest in Florida, after Amazon founder and tax-avoiding transplant Jeff Bezos. Griffin is now Florida’s largest individual campaign donor, too. Records show the ultrarich investor spent more than $28 million on state and local elections in Florida during the 2024 Election cycle. Griffin also gave $7 million to the Republican Party of Florida in the closing days of the 2024 campaign. And he gave $4 million each to Republican leaders in the state House and Senate — money that helped the GOP strengthen its legislative supermajority in Tallahassee.
“Will Florida end in-state tuition for thousands of ‘Dreamers’?” via Jeffrey Schweers of the Orlando Sentinel — For a decade, children brought into the country illegally by their undocumented parents could enroll in a state college or university for the same fee as in-state residents, if they attended a Florida high school for three years. But now, Sen. Randy Fine, a Brevard County Republican who plans to resign mid-Session to run for Congress, wants to repeal that law and end the educational benefit designed to help young immigrants known as “Dreamers.” Fine wants to end “sweetheart deals for college degrees to those who should not even be here,” he said in an email from his Senate aide.
Happening today — Legislative delegations host their annual pre-Session public meetings: Sarasota County; 9 a.m., Administrative Center Commission Chambers 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota; St. Lucie County, 10:30 a.m., William and Helen Thomas STEM Center, Indian River State College, Pruitt Campus, 500 NW California Blvd., Port St. Lucie; Bay County, 5 p.m. CT, Bay County Government Building 840 West 11th Street, Panama City.
“Bryan Ávila to helm a pared-down, South Florida-flush Senate Tax Committee” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Sen. Ávila was named Chair last month of the Senate Finance and Tax Committee, a pivotal panel that will consider many possibly boring but certainly important proposals in the coming Legislative Session. The rest of the Committee’s members have been announced, and more than half of them hail from South Florida. Aside from Ávila, who in 2023 carried legislation to rework Florida’s homestead exemption formula for seniors, the Committee also includes Democratic Sens. Shevrin Jones and Mack Bernard. Jones is the immediate past Chair of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party. Bernard, a former House member, returned to the Legislature this year after eight years on the Palm Beach County Commission.
“Nick DiCeglie will head an expanded Appropriations Committee on transportation, economic development” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — Last month, Sen. DiCeglie was named Chair of a key Senate Committee. Now, it seems like he’ll oversee an expanded Committee. Senate President Ben Albritton named DiCeglie head of the powerful Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development. The Committee, in recent cycles, has had 12 members, including the Chair and Vice Chair. This year, the Committee will have 15 members. Leading alongside DiCeglie will be Sen. Tina Polsky as Vice Chair. Other members on the Committee include Sens. Kristen Arrington, Bryan Ávila, Mack Bernard, Jay Collins, Erin Grall, Blaise Ingoglia, Tom Leek, Jonathan Martin, Stan McClain, Barbara Sharief, Carlos Guillermo Smith, Keith Truenow and Tom Wright.
“Fiona McFarland aims to streamline child care regulations” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — New legislation filed by Rep. McFarland aims to streamline child care regulation in Florida. The Sarasota Republican said policies impacting families will be a top priority this Session. This bill, McFarland’s first for the upcoming 2025 Legislative Session, signals that focus. The legislation (HB 47) will revise licensing standards for child care facilities and personnel, along with minimum standards, industry regulations and rules for large-family child care homes. She noted a couple of key parts of the bill. “First is an abbreviated inspection protocol for providers who have shown a record of safety/quality,” she said.
— SPECIALS —
“Donald Trump wants his daughter-in-law in the Senate. Ron DeSantis may defy him.” via Hannah Knowles and Michael Scherer of The Washington Post — DeSantis is seriously considering Lara Trump and cares about the President-elect’s view, according to one person familiar with his thinking who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private deliberations. But the person believes DeSantis is more likely to pick someone who has held public office in Florida and said other contenders include the state’s Attorney General, Ashley Moody, and former statehouse Speaker José Oliva. DeSantis has his own future to consider, too. He is interested in serving as Defense Secretary and would likely be open to other high-level positions in the Trump administration down the line, a second person familiar with his thinking said. He may run for President again in 2028, the person added, but he’s unlikely to challenge a well-positioned JD Vance and has mentioned that — if he left public office — he would enjoy having his own TV show or radio show discussing politics.
— TRANSITION —
“NYT’s Maggie Haberman: Not a ‘single person’ wanted DeSantis to replace Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary” via Will Neal of the Daily Beast — Haberman was on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360° on Friday when she told guest host John Berman that Trump had indeed wavered on Hegseth due to all the bad press surrounding his alleged drinking habits and alleged sexual assault. However, Haberman claimed, “Trump could not find a single person in his orbit, or even really outside of it, who liked this idea of making Ron DeSantis — the Governor of Florida — the Defense Secretary choice.” Haberman’s comment backs another report by The Wall Street Journal that also said Trump was thinking of swapping Hegseth with DeSantis — a prospective move Haberman described at the time as “mind-boggling.”
“Trump taps top ally Richard Grenell as envoy for ‘special missions’” via Eric Bazail-Eimil of POLITICO — Trump on Saturday announced that former Ambassador to Germany and top loyalist Grenell will serve as a presidential envoy for “special missions,” ending weeks of speculation about the bombastic ally’s role in the second Trump administration. In a Truth Social post, Trump said that his former acting director of national intelligence and special envoy for dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo “will work in some of the hottest spots around the World, including Venezuela and North Korea.” The scope of the newly created position is unclear, and the Trump transition team did not respond to a request for further details. Given the apparent focus on global flashpoints, Grenell’s portfolio could include Iran, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Haiti or other crises.
“Trump’s CDC pick wouldn’t let go of false theory vaccines cause autism” via Lena H. Sun, Fenit Nirappil and Aaron Schaffer of The Washington Post — The world’s most respected infectious-disease agency needed a new leader. Anti-vaccine activists knew just the man: Dave Weldon, a Florida physician and former seven-term Republican Congressman who had for years expressed concerns about the safety of vaccines. The year was 2017. Weldon didn’t get the job then, but seven years later, Trump tapped the 71-year-old former Army doctor to run the CDC. Weldon’s record of promoting the disproven link between vaccines and autism in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence attesting to the safety and efficacy of vaccines raises concerns among some public health experts about his ability to run the CDC. If confirmed, Weldon could undermine confidence in the lifesaving shots when infectious-disease threats such as measles and whooping cough are on the rise, they say.
“Trump allies fear watered-down deportation efforts” via Michelle Hackman and Tarini Parti of The Wall Street Journal — Trump ran for President on a bold promise: to carry out the largest mass deportation in U.S. history. Now, a little over a month before he takes office, some allies are worried that a shift in rhetoric from the President-elect could portend a watered-down removal effort and are urging him not to scale back his plans. In the weeks since the election, and even in some rally speeches toward the end of the campaign, Trump and his incoming advisers have alluded to a mass removal effort of immigrants with a criminal record, a far narrower set of people than the 15 million to 20 million Trump pledged to deport earlier in the year. Tom Homan, the President-elect’s incoming border czar, has said Trump’s team isn’t planning to perform mass raids in immigrant enclaves — the worst fear of immigrants-rights activists.
“The Trump Show is returning. Will it be triumph, tragedy or farce?” via James Poniewozik of The New York Times — When I say that Trump, in his first term, was a “TV President,” I mean something different than when we used the phrase for, say, Richard M. Nixon or Bill Clinton. It isn’t just about his having been a politician who “used the medium” to send a message, though he was that. It isn’t just about his having been a reality TV star and decades-long media gadfly who instinctively thought like television, who craved the same types of conflict and provocation that the cameras do, who was always on, who, for all practical purposes, was as much TV character as man — though he was that too. Trump was more than that: He was the No. 1 TV show in America. The news also became a show produced either by the President, about him or for him. The news media can’t avoid covering the President. But will it, can it, be as uncompromising and even adversarial as it was in 2017?
— D.C. MATTERS —
“Joe Biden grants clemency to infamous UM booster and Ponzi schemer Nevin Shapiro” via Michael Wilner of the Miami Herald — Shapiro, a convicted Ponzi schemer whose entanglement with the University of Miami blemished the institution’s reputation and dragged its football team into scandal and NCAA sanctions, was granted clemency by Biden this week as part of a sweeping list of commutations. Shapiro, convicted in 2010 on federal charges of securities fraud and money laundering in New Jersey after overseeing a $930 million Ponzi scheme, was sentenced in 2011 to 20 years in prison. He had spent the last four years in home confinement after being released from prison during the COVID-19 pandemic. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the decision to commute the final years of Shapiro’s sentence, which was expected to end in June 2026.
“RFK Jr.’s hopes of having daughter-in-law at CIA hit roadblock” via Marc Caputo of The Bulwark — Kennedy’s daughter-in-law faces long odds in winning a top job at the Central Intelligence Agency amid mounting criticism from members of Trump’s transition team and Senate Republicans. In recent weeks, Kennedy personally asked Trump to appoint Amaryllis Fox, a former CIA officer, as the agency’s deputy director. Though an unconventional pick, the President-elect was favorably inclined to name Fox to the post, primarily because he likes her, according to multiple high-level sources familiar with the discussions in the transition who spoke to The Bulwark on condition of anonymity for this account. But so far, Trump has made no decision, and others on the transition team have grown annoyed by the process.
“No women will lead House Committees for first time in two decades” via Lauren Peller, Arthur Jones II, and Stacey Dec of ABC News — No women will lead a House Committee for the first time in two decades after House Republicans revealed their list of Committee leaders for the 119th Congress on Thursday. The 17 standing Committees, whose leaders were selected by the House Republican Steering Committee, will be dominated by White men when the new Congress is seated on Jan. 3. No people of color were selected, either. The last time there was not at least one woman leading a standing Committee in the House was the 109th Congress, from 2005 until 2006. “From securing our Southern border to unleashing American energy to fighting to lower Bidenflation, and making our communities safe again, our Committee Chairs are ready to get to work fulfilling the American people’s mandate and enacting President Trump’s America-First agenda,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said in announcing the list of Chairs.
— STATEWIDE —
“Florida to spend up to $15 million on school material review technology for DeSantis laws” via Douglas Soule of USA Today Network — To support some of DeSantis’ most prominent and controversial K-12 education laws, Florida has agreed to spend millions of dollars on a service it says is a tool for transparency. However, free expression advocates warn that it could be a vehicle for censorship. In a contract signed this September, the Florida Department of Education agreed to pay up to $15.6 million to Maryland-based education technology company Trinity Education Group over four years. The company has been tapped to develop a “statewide, centralized, easily accessible” system for people to review and even object to instructional materials and library books in Florida school districts.
“Florida Sheriff’s Academy prepares 10 new sheriffs in Florida to take over agencies” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — Fresh off November’s vote, 10 newly-elected sheriffs in Florida underwent extensive training on how to run their county’s law enforcement offices last week. The Florida Sheriff’s Association held its 2024 Florida Sheriff’s Academy to teach first-time sheriffs from across the state how to handle their agencies. The association established a specialized course to guide those new sheriffs on integrity, fairness, commitment and accountability to the taxpayers who voted to put them in office. The Sheriff’s organization provided the course from Dec. 8 through Dec. 13. The instructional training provided insights on how to run a law enforcement department, provided networking opportunities with other elected leaders around Florida, and provided insights on best practices as provided by sheriffs from across Florida.
“Evan Power says Florida GOP successes show why he deserves full term as Chair” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — Power took over the state party in January after a period of unquestionable disarray. But in November, the party enjoyed its strongest election performance since 1988. As he seeks election to a full two-year term, the Tallahassee Republican has yet to draw serious opposition to continue as Chair. But he doesn’t plan to take it easy before a new election on Jan. 11. Power promises continued growth and outreach at the state level. “I think the Republican Party story in Florida has just started,” Power said. The GOP in November not only helped deliver Florida’s electoral votes to Trump for a third straight election but retained a supermajority in the Florida Senate and expanded one in the Florida House.
— LOCAL: S. FL —
“Palm Beach County GOP elects Carl Cascio as Chair, picks new Vice Chair, Secretary” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — The Republican Party of Palm Beach County replaced three of its Executive Board members in its recent election, signaling a shift in leadership heralded nearly a year ago by reported division within the organization’s ranks. Members of the Palm Beach Republican Executive Committee (REC) picked Carl Cascio, a Florida-born real estate and probate lawyer who has lived in the county since 1988, as their new Chair. Cascio, who mounted an unsuccessful bid for the Florida House in 1994, has been a REC Committee member since 2019 and the party’s General Counsel since June 2023, a press note from the party said.
— LOCAL: C. FL —
“‘The future is uncertain’: State Attorney Monique Worrell triumphs in election but will DeSantis accept it?” via Skyler Swisher of the Orlando Sentinel — Worrell triumphed in the November election, but one potential obstacle remains as she prepares to reclaim her job next month: DeSantis and his battle against progressive prosecutors. DeSantis hasn’t ruled out suspending the Democratic state attorney again, and a leaked email titled “The future is uncertain” has sparked speculation that her political path forward might not be clear. In the email, Orange-Osceola State Attorney Andrew Bain, a DeSantis appointee, told his staff on Monday that he didn’t think he could legally help Worrell take over his seat. He wrote that the Governor’s 2023 suspension order could block Worrell from taking office on Jan. 7, calling the situation an “unprecedented legal event without clear answers.”
“Glen Gilzean’s lawsuit likely won’t get day in court before term ends, Orange County says” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics — The Orange County government doesn’t expect Elections Supervisor Gilzean’s lawsuit to get a hearing before his term expires, a county official said. An Orange County judge ruled that Gilzean’s lawsuit could move forward and said Gilzean had made a “facially sufficient claim” in his suit. But Judge Luis Calderon’s order did not go as far as to require Comptroller Phil Diamond to immediately pay Gilzean before the Elections Supervisor’s term ends on Jan. 6. “The court provided us 20 days to respond to the Amended Complaint, which we estimate will be Jan. 2, 2025, a few days before the end of his term,” the County Attorney’s Office said. “It is unlikely a hearing on the merits of the case will be heard before his departure.”
“Orlando Board falls short of year-end goal for Pulse memorial design” via Silas Morgan of the Orlando Sentinel — An Orlando Citizen’s Advisory Board will fall short of its year-end goal to recommend a design for the long-sought permanent memorial to the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting, as disagreement lingers among its members about key aspects of the project. The Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee sometimes held heated discussions to discuss a favored design for the memorial, which will sit on the nightclub site. The latest sketches incorporate elements of earlier approaches, some drawn from the dramatic but costly design favored by the now-defunct onePulse Foundation. A key point of contention remains an issue that seemed solved at the last meeting: How much of the nightclub building will be preserved. The latest design includes only small portions.
“First Amendment or threat? Florida woman’s arrest after CEO shooting sparks online uproar” via Douglas Soule of USA Today Network-Florida — The arrest of a Lakeland woman accused of threatening her health insurance provider following denied claims has sparked a national debate about when First Amendment-protected speech veers into illegal threats. “Delay, deny, depose. You people are next,” said Briana Boston, a 42-year-old mother of three, during a call with Blue Cross Blue Shield, police records show. The “delay, deny, depose” phrase was marked on bullet casings recovered from the scene where UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was killed in New York City. The words evoke the title of a book critical of the insurance industry published in 2010: “Delay Deny Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It.”
“Hooligans terrorize motorists, target car with baby on board in chaotic Florida street takeover” via Shane Galvin of The New York Post — Hooligans in Florida terrorized motorists, including one with a baby on board, and set a fire in a chaotic street takeover last month. Sports car drivers accompanied by dozens of belligerent spectators took over the intersection of the South John Young Parkway and Central Florida Parkway on Nov. 30, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said — turning the roadway into a hellscape for innocent passersby. Video posted by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office shows fire set to the road right outside the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, with flashy coupés performing smoke-laden donuts and fiendish hangers-on attacking cars as they attempt to escape the madness.
“With fees rising and upkeep lagging, Osceola homeowners blast back at their HOA” via Natalia Jaramillo of the Orlando Sentinel — When retirees Becky and James Turner moved into Parkview at Lakeshore six years ago, they hoped they had found their dream: A home they could enjoy in their twilight years, then pass on to one or more of their four children and 11 grandchildren. It hasn’t turned out that way, and they blame poor management and escalating fees on the elected Board that oversees their private community. Their annual charge has skyrocketed from $2,800 in 2021 to $4,650 this year, forcing the couple — who live on a fixed income — to sell their second car, spend their days triple-checking for the best grocery deals, and make fewer trips to see the grandchildren. Built-in an unincorporated part of Osceola County near Kissimmee in 2005, Parkview is governed as a community development district, or CDD, which under state law is responsible for maintaining the over-500-home community and its amenities with fees paid as part of tax bills. While the higher fees ought to ensure a well-maintained community, the Turners and many of their neighbors say, the playgrounds, the pool and lawns at Parkview have never looked worse.
“Lake Wales Commission approves red-light cameras, speed-detection in school zones” via Gary White of the Lakeland Ledger — Lake Wales is poised to become the sixth city in Polk County to install cameras to catch red-light runners. The City Commission unanimously approved an ordinance allowing the city to employ red-light cameras at unspecified locations. Commissioners also authorized a program to place speed-detection systems in school zones. Lake Wales follows Bartow, Haines City, Lake Alfred, Lake Hamilton and Lakeland, which already use fixed cameras to detect drivers passing through red lights, according to a report in the agenda package. Lake Wales City Clerk Jennifer Nanek said the city has not yet installed cameras or sought bids from companies to operate the systems.
“UCF breaks ground on Roth Tower expansion project” via Matt Murschel of the Orlando Sentinel — The words “2017 National Champions” glistened in the pale blue Florida sky as the sun beat down on the Roth Tower at FBC Mortgage Stadium. The sign symbolized accomplishment and pride at UCF and one of the football program’s landmark moments. Another instrumental moment occurred Thursday, symbolized by five shovels glistening in the mid-morning sun with their golden blades. It was all part of a groundbreaking ceremony for the $90 million expansion of the Roth Tower. “This is going to help level-set our athletics program and the community, but it’s also going to create a lot of tourism,” said UCF athletic director Terry Mohajir. “We’re already a huge player in Orlando tourism, which will enhance it even more.”
— LOCAL: TB —
“Former Hillsborough GOP Treasurer arrested on grand theft charges” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics — Patrick Bailey, the former Treasurer for the Hillsborough County Republican Party, has been arrested on charges of third-degree grand theft and false entry in books of business. Bailey is accused of illegally transferring funds and writing himself personal checks from the GOP’s business account. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office’s Economic Crimes Section arrested him Thursday in Brandon. Hillsborough Sheriff’s detectives discovered Bailey had written himself checks from the Hillsborough GOP’s business account and electronically transferred funds to his personal bank account. Bailey is accused of stealing $14,400 from the Hillsborough GOP. “When someone exploits their position to take what doesn’t belong to them, it hurts the organization and the people who trusted them,” said Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister.
— LOCAL: N. FL —
“Will Florida buy land slated for oil, gas exploration along the Apalachicola River?” via James Call of USA Today Network — Environmentalists may have scored a victory Friday to prevent oil and gas drilling along the environmentally fragile Apalachicola River in Calhoun County, 60 miles west of Tallahassee. The Florida Acquisition and Restoration Council voted to study a proposal to buy 18,854 acres, including the site where Clearwater Land & Mineral wants to put a 12,000-foot-deep exploration well. The ARC comprises four state agencies that purchase and manage land for preservation. However, It is unclear what effect Friday’s vote will have on the Clearwater project.
“After hurricane onslaught and job cuts, Florida city on the brink. Can a lobbyist save it?” via Ana Goni-Lessan of the Northwest Florida Daily News — John Hart hates politics. But now he has to play the game to save Perry. After three hurricanes in a little over a year and the closing of the Georgia-Pacific cellulose plant – which was the county’s largest employer – the “Tree Capital of the South” is broke, said Hart, the city manager. About eight months ago, Hart spoke to Sen. Corey Simon and Rep. Jason Shoaf about Perry’s troubles. Both represent Taylor County, of which Perry is the county seat. “At the end of our conversation, I asked both of them, ‘What’s the best thing the city can do to get some appropriation …?’ And they both answered, ‘You really need a lobbyist up here in Tallahassee, letting us hear your side of the story because you don’t have anybody on staff that can do it.’ And I’ve been fighting with my Council trying to get a lobbyist ever since,” Hart said.
— LOCAL: SW FL —
“If Sheriff Carmine Marceno goes, these two lawmen are considered front-runners to replace him” via Bob Norman of the Florida Trident — As Lee County awaits a decision by the federal grand jury on whether to indict Sheriff Marceno, speculation in law enforcement and political circles has centered on who will replace him if he’s removed from office. Should DeSantis take that step, sources with knowledge of the investigation say two potential appointees appear to be at the top of the pecking order: North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison and Florida Department of Law Enforcement Deputy Commissioner Matt Walsh. Both are former Lee County deputies. Garrison retired from LCSO in 2018 as a Major after 24 years at the agency to become Police Chief in nearby North Port, where he continues to serve as the town’s top cop.
— TOP OPINION —
“Florida voters divided over high-profile CEO murder, other acts of ‘vigilante justice’” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics — Floridians are divided in their emotional and philosophical reactions to the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson by accused killer Luigi Mangione, according to Sachs Media’s latest survey, exposing deep generational and political rifts in attitudes toward vigilante justice.
According to the poll, conducted via a random sample of the Florida Voter File on Dec. 12-14, nine out of 10 Florida voters are aware of Thompson’s assassination. While various emotions were expressed, the majority were negative, with 57% reporting feelings of anger, sadness or fear. Yet, 6% of respondents expressed gratification, a sentiment disproportionately shared by younger voters and Democrats — 14% of those under 45 and 11% of Democrats admitted to this reaction.
Public opinion is split on the potential fallout from the assassination. While about 28% said they think it could lead to a “revolution” of sorts where the public demands changes (28%), and 17% believe it could lead to positive changes in the health insurance industry, nearly half (46%) fear it could inspire copycat attacks. Others predict stronger legal consequences for vigilantes (23%), negative impacts on the health care system (7%), or no significant change at all (31%).
What if this execution somehow led to positive changes in the health insurance industry? If that were the case, 17% would say the ends would have justified the means. In other words, if killing this CEO resulted in something good for others, nearly 1 in 5 believe the killing would be therefore justified. Indeed, only 63% said “definitely no” – that the ends would NOT justify the means regardless of what comes of it.
Again, there are differences between parties and age groups in these responses: 24% of Democrats believe the ends would justify the means if good things did come out of the murder, compared with 6% of Republicans. Similarly, 39% of those under age 45 feel this way compared with just 8% of those ages 45 and older.
— OPINIONS —
“Trump is about to betray his rural supporters” via Ronald Brownstein of The Atlantic — Agricultural producers could face worse losses than any other economic sector from Trump’s plans to impose sweeping tariffs on imports and to undertake what he frequently has called “the largest domestic deportation operation” of undocumented immigrants “in American history.” Hospitals and other health providers in rural areas could face the greatest strain from proposals Trump has embraced to slash spending on Medicaid, which provides coverage to a greater share of adults in smaller communities than in large metropolitan areas. And small-town public schools will likely be destabilized even more than urban school districts if Trump succeeds in his pledge to expand “school choice” by providing parents with vouchers to send their kids to private schools.
“DOGE’s best idea yet is permanent daylight saving time” via Mary Ellen Klas of Bloomberg Opinion — Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the two billionaires tasked by Trump to find ways to make government more efficient, have hit upon one good idea: ending the obnoxious and inconvenient twice-a-year clock change between daylight saving time (in the Summer) and so-called standard time (in the Winter). “Looks like the people want to abolish the annoying time changes!’’ Musk declared on X in response to a poll from a user that found that 82% of the 38,000 respondents supported abolishing the semiannual ritual. “It’s inefficient & easy to change,” Ramaswamy replied, evidently unaware that if it were easy, it would have already happened.
“Kamala Harris campaign remains in denial” via Karl Rove for The Wall Street Journal — Harris’ effort had four great flaws. First, while her campaign Chair, Jen O’Malley Dillon, claimed that the Vice President “created differentiation” from Biden, the rest of us know better. Harris came across as more of the same. The second big flaw was Harris’ presentation of her message. One of her better lines: “If elected, Donald Trump would walk into that office with an enemies list. When elected, I will walk in with a to-do list.” It was undermined by her campaign’s paucity of events in which voters could learn more about that list or her. Her third shortcoming: Disaffected voters didn’t feel she related to them. Finally, Harris failed to sway enough undecided voters who were hesitant to support Trump. Many wondered up until Election Day if she was a moderate Democrat or a California progressive with all that element’s weird cultural baggage. The Vice President didn’t run as a radical. But she failed to reassure enough Americans that she rejected the woke culture that dominates the Democratic Party.
“Why Democrats got the politics of immigration so wrong for so long” via Rogé Karma of The Atlantic — For more than a decade, Democrats have struck an implicit electoral bargain: Even if liberal immigration stances alienated some working-class White voters, those policies were essential to holding together the party’s multiracial coalition. That bargain now appears to have been based on a false understanding of the motivations of Latino voters. How did that misreading become so entrenched in the first place? Part of the story is the rise of progressive immigration-advocacy nonprofits within the Democratic coalition. These groups convinced party leaders that shifting to the left on immigration would win Latino support. The Democratic Party’s embrace of these groups was based on a mistake that, in hindsight, appears simple: conflating the views of the highly educated, progressive Latinos who run and staff these organizations and who care passionately about immigration policy reform with the views of Latino voters, who overwhelmingly do not. Avoiding that mistake might very well have made the difference in 2016 and 2024. It could, therefore, rank among the costliest blunders the Democratic Party has ever made.
“My last column: Finding hope in an age of resentment” via Paul Krugman of The New York Times — What strikes me, looking back, is how optimistic many people, both here and in much of the Western world, were back then and the extent to which that optimism has been replaced by anger and resentment. And I’m not just talking about members of the working-class who feel betrayed by elites; some of the angriest, most resentful people in America right now — people who seem very likely to have a lot of influence with the incoming Trump administration — are billionaires who don’t feel sufficiently admired. Why did this optimism curdle? As I see it, we’ve had a collapse of trust in elites: The public no longer has faith that the people running things know what they’re doing or that we can assume that they’re being honest.
— INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY —
— ALOE —
“UF to get new supercomputer to advance Artificial Intelligence education” via Drew Dixon of Florida Politics — The University of Florida (UF) will soon possess one of the most powerful supercomputers on the planet now that the school’s Board of Trustees approved funding to purchase the machine. The UF Board of Trustees approved the $24 million purchase of the enhanced version of the UF HiPerGator supercomputer. The new supercomputer will make UF one of the first colleges in the county to possess such a machine, which involves technology not available to consumers. The supercomputer is manufactured by NVIDIA, which will deliver the machine in early 2025. Chris Malachowsky, a UF alum, co-founded that company. The new supercomputer is designed to enhance the HiPerGator machine, which involves Artificial Intelligence (AI) and was operational at UF in 2021. At the time, it was billed as one of the fastest supercomputers in higher education.
— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —
Celebrating today are former Rep. and Monroe County Commissioner Holly Raschein, Alex Dominguez, Caleb Hawkes, and Jessica Hunter
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Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.
