Last Call for 1.22.25 – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida

Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.

Ed. Note — Call it an Inauguration Day hangover.

Or that Tallahassee was just hit with a freakin’ blizzard.

Either way, Sunburn is taking the night off to recuperate and/or dig out from the storm.

Don’t worry; the morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics will return to your inboxes on Friday — after we thaw out. Thanks again for your support, and please stay safe.

First Shot

The 2025 Legislative Session is just around the corner, which means the Florida Chamber of Commerce is bringing a crowd to the capital city for a briefing on this year’s legislative priorities.

The 2025 Legislative Fly-In, set for Feb. 10-11 at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center, will feature remarks from some of the state’s most relevant policymakers. This includes Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Daniel Perez, who are gearing up for their first Legislative Session as leaders of their respective chambers.

Albritton is expected to speak on the various facets of his policy goal, the “rural Renaissance” initiative. He and Perez are scheduled for the morning block of the Fly-In’s second day.

In addition to the presiding officers, the Chamber has also booked Commerce Secretary J. Alex Kelly and House Rules & Ethics Chair Sam Garrison, a future House Speaker. They are also slotted on the Feb. 11 agenda. 

Day one highlights include updates from top Florida Chamber officials on the state budget, what to expect regarding labor regulations under the Trump administration, and the 2026 election season — yes, it has already started.

The Chamber will also examine its “Where We Stand” report, an annual release outlining the top priorities for the business community ahead of the Legislative Session. According to the Chamber, the agenda “seeks to unify the Florida business community and legislative priorities around key issues impacting Florida’s job creators.”

The full 2025 Legislative Fly-In agenda is available here.

Evening Reads

—“‘The Return of the King’: Donald Trump embraces trappings of the throne” via Peter Baker of The New York Times

—”Convicted U.S. Capitol rioter turns down Trump pardon” via Robert Plummer of BBC News

—“Trump’s perceived enemies worry about losing pensions, getting audited and paying steep legal bills” via Byron Tau of The Associated Press

—“Trump demands bishop apologize for asking for mercy for the marginalized” via Nikki McCann Ramirez of Rolling Stone

—“Trump’s second term might have already peaked” via Jonathan Chait of The Atlantic

—“What Kash Patel doesn’t want the Senate to know about the ‘J6 Prison Choir’” via Thomas Joscelyn and Norman Eisen of The Bulwark

—”Disagreements with Elon Musk prompted Vivek Ramaswamy’s ‘DOGE’ exit” via Faiz Siddiqui, Elizabeth Dwoskin and Jeff Stein of The Washington Post

—”Elon Musk and Bernie Sanders are both right about immigration” via Eric Levitz of Vox

—”Let’s talk about your (media) diet!” via Chris Cillizza of So What

—”Pam Bondi likely won’t be confirmed as Attorney General before February. Here’s why” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics

Quote of the Day

“Anybody who ever disagrees with Trump has to worry about retribution. It’s a pretty long list.”

— Former National Security Adviser John Bolton, on some public servants’ fears they will be targeted by the new administration.

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.

Marco Rubio has already been sworn in, but Pam Bondi’s confirmation will likely not arrive until next month. Order her a Wait For It to help pass the time.

Still worn out from the 2024 Elections? Too bad, because there’s a Senate District 19 Special on the horizon. Shake up a Ready Set Go to help get back in the swing of things.

Tourism may get the most attention, but that’s not the state’s only economic engine. Another big one: Military installations. What better excuse to break out the gin for a classic Army & Navy?

Breakthrough Insights

Tune In

U.S. face Costa Rica in Orlando

The US Men’s National Team faces Costa Rica tonight in an international friendly in Orlando (7 p.m. ET, TNT).

The USMNT beat Venezuela 3-1 on Saturday with a host of players who have not regularly featured on the national team. With this camp not coinciding with a FIFA international break, players like Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie are playing for their club teams in Europe, and several players have taken advantage of the opportunity to impress head coach Mauricio Pochettino.

On Saturday, Jack McGlynn, playing in just his second game for the U.S., scored his first goal for his country. Patrick Agyemang and Matko Miljevic, two other players making their national team debuts, also scored.

One of the biggest concerns for the team heading to next year’s World Cup is who will play in goal. Matt Turner had been the mainstay, but Pochettino has said that he prefers players who are in form for their clubs, and Turner has been relegated to backup duty at Crystal Palace in England.

Patrick Shulte, who played for the U-23 team in the Olympics, got his third start with the senior squad and allowed one goal.

The USMNT is ranked 16th in the FIFA World Rankings, while Costa Rica is 54th.

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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.