Staff Reports
Good Sunday morning and welcome back to “Brunch,” a pop-up newsletter about the 2025 Legislative Session and more.
We are in Miami for the Grand Prix. Last night, Fatima Perez, Will Rodriguez of Corcoran Partners, and Scott Shelley were spotted at the IQOS launch party, where Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean performed.
Of course, my bet at yesterday’s Kentucky Derby was on Publisher, but like the favorite Journalism, it was bested by Sovereignty.
Happy birthday to Sen. Tina Polsky, my friend Dave Aronberg, Candice Ericks, former scribe Brandon Larrabee, and Susannah Randolph.
Check out our choices for the Winner and Loser of the Week in Florida Politics by clicking here.
Now, please enjoy Brunch.
—MAL fundraiser —
Byron Donalds’ campaign and Friends of Byron Donalds PC held a sold-out fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago Thursday night, declaring the event raised over seven figures.
— Donald Trump had endorsed Donalds’ run for Florida Governor in February, writing on Truth Social: “As Governor, Byron would have a BIG Voice, and would work closely with me to advance our America First Agenda. He will fight tirelessly to Secure our Border, Stop Migrant Crime, Strengthen our Military, Protect our Vets, Restore our Economic Power, Advance American Energy DOMINANCE, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment. RUN, BYRON, RUN!”
— Spotted at the event were: Reps. Kat Cammack, Randy Fine, Brian Mast and María Salazar; Chris Applegate; Baiju Bhatt; Tony Fabrizio; Barbara Feingold; Clive Fields; Rabbi Yeuhuda Kaploun; Jay and Karen Kemmerer; Adam and Cris Kidan; Debby Magowan; Thomas Petterfy; Harry Sargeant; and Eric Weinberger.
— Event pricing, shared via X, was $3,000 per person for the Donalds cocktail reception and $50,000 for the reception plus dinner. The Friends of Byron Donalds committee’s expenditure report lists a payment of $68,929.40 to the Mar-a-Lago Club dated April 21.
— Byron bash —
Who knows whether Sen. Jason Pizzo will run for Governor? While it may be hard for him to win a statewide race as an independent, he’s definitely in the mix as the #1 trash talker, as recent comments about Donalds show.
— Background blues: On a recent appearance on Gabe Groisman’s podcast, Pizzo alluded to issues in the Donald Trump-backed gubernatorial candidate’s past, discussing “people they wouldn’t make it past the first round of a job interview with a background check, you know, at a local credit union. But all of a sudden, you know, people think that they’re eligible to run for Governor. It’s wild.”
— DeSantis diss: The Ron DeSantis squad got its own serving of invective, however, with the Senator talking about “one party control for three decades.” He added this: “It’s supposed to be the party of fiscal conservatism. Meanwhile, we’re bloated and have all kinds of extra layers of bureaucracy, and we find tens of millions of dollars to blow on weird political wishes and whims.” He also noted that deficits start to kick in hard in the next few years unless spending is cut.
— Trump thump: Pizzo also suggested POTUS endorsed too soon, saying the following: “Trump didn’t want DeSantis going ahead and fundraising for a yet-to-be-named candidate of his own. And Trump wanted to establish that he would be the kingmaker in Florida and not DeSantis. And that’s caused a big rub. And DeSantis announced that he would be reopening his PAC to go ahead and start fundraising so they can go ahead and select and recruit, a principled conservative, (not) Donalds. And to stave off and slow down the momentum on DeSantis, fundraising for somebody else or something else.”
— Polling plunge —
Yet another poll of Republicans shows Florida’s Governor with a lot of ground to make up if he runs for President in 2028.
— Room to grow? The Daily Mail poll shows that whether Donald Trump runs for an unconstitutional third term or not, DeSantis is in single digits.
— The scenarios: If Trump runs, he takes 39% support. Vice President JD Vance draws 19%. And DeSantis is at 6%, doubling up another Florida man: Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has 3%. Without Trump in the field, Vance takes 48%, with DeSantis at 8%. Rubio is further back, with 5% support.
— Best case: One scenario shows DeSantis at 10%, however, and that’s if Donald Trump Jr. runs. Vance would take 40%, with Trump Jr. 11% and Rubio at 3%.
— Wilton’s a winner —
That dog will hunt! To borrow a phrase from the great Lawton Chiles, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson has been named the International Order of T. Roosevelt 2025 Conservationist of the Year for his work to pass Amendment 2 last year. That means no one will infringe on the right to hunt or fish in this state.
— The Commish’s take: “Teddy Roosevelt’s legacy endures in each and every one of us if we dare to stand in the arena and take action on behalf of future generations. From our Rural and Family Lands program that has permanently preserved more than 180,000 acres, to forever protecting the rights to fish and hunt in Florida’s Constitution, I am incredibly proud of the work we are doing to advance true conservation here in Florida.”
— More to come: IOTR notes that as they “take this fight to the next dozen states, Wilton Simpson will stand as the first leader to personally and financially invest in not just Florida’s rights, but ultimately the rights of millions of Americans across the country.”
— How the war was won: 4.5 million text messages and 500,000 mail pieces went to sportsmen and women. That led to 25,000 additional anglers and hunters registered to vote for the first time. Meanwhile, six times that many pledged to vote. With something they cared about on the ballot, low-propensity voters were brought to the polls.
— More winners: Sen. Jason Brodeur and Rep. Lauren Melo also got recognition for helping to get the measure through the Legislature. And they got all but one vote.
— Rouson Center? —
The final week of a testy Session may have reached its hottest point when the House killed an addiction research center to be named for Sen. Darryl Rouson, himself a recovering addict. While the lower chamber won the battle, here are some of the key quotes from Senators ensuring the war isn’t over.
— Sen. Ed Hooper: “We discussed this bill several days ago. I might have used the words ‘or else. I still mean ‘or else,’ and ‘or else’ does not have an expiration date.”
— Sen. Kathleen Passidomo: “I’m just really glad that in a year and a half, we’re going to have another Speaker who will hopefully support the naming of the program after you.”
— Sen. Jim Boyd: “The Florida Senate will make this right. At some point.”
— Sen. Shevrin Jones: “It’s unfortunate that we are in a position now to where politics has gotten involved against someone who walks with such grace.”
— Sen. Blaise Ingoglia: “From this year out, someone should file a bill, cross-co-sponsored by all 40 people, naming it after you, sir, and we will get this done come hell or high water.”
— Sen. Jonathan Martin: “Everybody in here wants to be a part of your success, bringing more people to the other side.”
— Sen. Tracie Davis: “This is a prize that’s deserving a legend, icon, and we are going to get this done.”
— Road recognition —
Army Specialist Nicholas Panipinto will be memorialized Tuesday with a road designation in Palmetto.
— His story: Panipinto died during a training exercise on Nov. 6, 2019, at Camp Humphreys, South Korea. Now, parts of U.S. 19 in Palmetto between Palm View Road and Terra Ceia Road will be known as “Army Specialist Nicholas Panipinto Memorial Highway.”
— Bill background: Republican Sen. Jim Boyd and Republican Rep. Will Robinson worked on legislation establishing the designation in the 2024 Session (HB 389).
Honoring a hero: A ceremony will take place Tuesday at 9 a.m., and both lawmakers and Panipinto’s family will attend.
— FAMU Foodie Frolic —
The finale of the Senate’s Foodie Frolic series took place recently, with members of FAMU’s Center for Viticulture and Small Fruit Research hosting a wine tasting for members of the upper chamber.
— Senate symbiosis: This event wasn’t a one-way street. In fact, the Legislature created the FAMU Center for Viticulture and Small Fruit Research in 1978. The Center now maintains the most extensive muscadine grape germplasm collection in the world. It’s also one of the five National Clean Plant Centers for Grapes.
— Wine and dine: The menu listed six wines: a 2021 white temptation, 2021 new white blend, 2019 sunny blush, 2019 new red blend, 2022 sunny white blend and 2022 sunny red blend. The Senate was also served three different muscadine delights.
— Main menu: For food, appetizers were carved herb-encrusted flank steak, catfish strips or roasted fingerling potatoes. Also available was a grazing table filled with artisanal cheeses, cured meats, fruit, olives and gourmet crackers. Also on the menu was a Summer salad, with lemon bars for dessert. Sounds like a good post-Session selection!
— Oh snap! —
The Governor says the red snapper recreational fishing season on Florida’s Gulf Coast will kick off Memorial Day weekend for the Summer and last a record-breaking 126 days throughout the rest of the year.
— The dates: The official start of the season begins May 24-26, then reopens June 1 to July 31, which will include the Father’s Day and July 4 holidays. “We’ll also be adding additional fishing days in the Fall for Florida families and visitors to fish red snapper daily from Sept. 1 through the 14th, then transition to three-day weekends through the end of the year,” DeSantis said. “This includes holiday opportunities on Veterans Day, the Thursday through Sunday of Thanksgiving, and yes, even red snapper on Christmas.”
— All good: “This is a real, real big deal,” DeSantis said. “It’s good for the economy. It’s good for recreation. It’s good for culture. It’s good for all these things.”
— Atlantic coast: Fishing periods for red snapper in the Atlantic coast are still managed by the federal government, which DeSantis slammed for only allowing a two-day fishing window last year. “I’ve talked to the President himself. I’ve talked to the Secretary of Commerce. We requested that we manage the red snapper in the Atlantic. We will do a good job. We will have accurate data,” DeSantis said. “I think the President’s vision is to empower the states and make sure the federal government isn’t overstepping its bounds. So, we stand ready, willing and able to get that job done. We would love to see that happen sometime this year.”
This year’s Gulf season will top the previous record of 103 days in 2024.
— Bienvenidos —
Spanish-speaking Spectrum fans now have the option to view the news en Español.
— Spectrum Noticias: The network, called Spectrum Noticias, will be available on Spectrum TV lineups in the 41 states where the company broadcasts, including Florida. Florida is also one of four states getting local Spectrum Noticias news bureaus.
— ‘Expanding access’: “Objective journalism is a key pillar of a democratic society and Spectrum News is at the forefront,” said Mike Bair, Executive Vice President of Spectrum Networks. “The launch of Spectrum Noticias underscores our dedication by expanding access to high-quality news programming and providing a trusted option to our Spanish-speaking viewers.”
— Behind the desk: Patsi Arias and Philip Klint will anchor weekday coverage for national news viewers. María Rozman will be in charge of editorial content. “In addition to our English-language networks, our launch of Spectrum Noticias brings Spectrum News’ brand of award-winning storytelling to an audience that prefers to watch their news in Spanish,” Rozman said. “With our team of journalists living in the communities we serve, we deliver reliable and balanced local, national and international news that is relevant to the Spanish-speaking community.”
To watch the video announcement, please click the image below:
— Cheers —
Since its Emergency Drinking Water initiative launched in 1988, Anheuser-Busch has produced over 100 million cans of emergency drinking water. The work’s origins are in Florida.
— Hurricane Donna: When the storm hit the Keys in 1960, Anheuser-Busch worked to can 500 cases of emergency drinking water, a priority during recovery periods due to potential water contamination and lack of supplies. The company didn’t formalize its efforts until 1988, but the seed was planted in South Florida.
— Hurricane Helene: Last year’s monster storm prompted Anheuser-Busch to donate 1 million cans of emergency drinking water to Southeast residents. And the company provided a whopping 9 million cans in response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
— More ahead: “We would never have this kind of lasting impact in the communities where we live and work without the dedication of our breweries, our people and our dedicated partners and wholesaler network. From the tap lines to the front lines, the Emergency Drinking Water initiative has expanded the limits of what an American beer company can be,” the company wrote in a release marking the milestone. “Anheuser-Busch remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting American communities. Because American beer means more than beer — it means serving those who mean the world to us.”
— Can Sovereignty win Triple Crown? —
Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty has a chance to become the third Florida horse to win the Triple Crown.
— 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah was trained in Ocala, and 1978 Triple Crown winner Affirmed was born, bred and trained in Florida. Only Kentucky has produced more Kentucky Derby winners than Florida.
— Sovereignty was foaled in Kentucky but graduated from the early training program at Bridlewood Farm in Ocala and trains at Payson Park in Indiantown. He finished second at the Florida Derby before winning the 151st Run for the Roses.
— In 2018, Justify was the last horse to win the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness in the same year. Sovereignty has a legitimate chance to do so. His top rival will likely be Journalism if he enters the May 17 race.
Last year, Seize the Grey won the Preakness, beating Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan.
— Panthers playoffs: Round 2 —
The Florida Panthers open the second NHL playoffs round tomorrow against the Toronto Maple Leafs (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).
— The defending Stanley Cup champions won the first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning four games to one, thanks to outstanding offense.
— Florida scored 19 goals in five games, including netting six in the opener and the clincher. Center Sam Reinhart, winger Matthew Tkachuk, and defenseman Nate Schmidt scored three goals each in the series.
— The Panthers and Leafs played four times during the regular season, with Florida winning three times. The last meeting, April 8, saw the Panthers take a 3-1 win at home, which included an empty-net goal in the final minute.
The series winner will advance to the Eastern Conference finals against either the Washington Capitals or the Carolina Hurricanes.
— Brunching out —
Reminiscent of a big city sandwich shop, Metro Deli is buzzing with regulars, along with newcomers who quickly learn that Metro Deli is the place to get the inside scoop — and the best scoop of tuna salad. What you might not realize is that the restaurant is open for breakfast as well as lunch.
— Backstory: Metro Deli opened in 2002, with current owner Rob Bazemore at the helm since 2004. He’s experienced many changes and many Legislative Sessions. Metro Deli has often stepped in to help. During the pandemic, Bazemore served free pasta to hospitality workers who were often out of work.
— Setting: Metro Deli keeps its local charm in part thanks to the friendly staff who have come to know many of its customers. It’s casual and nostalgic — check out the movie posters and other memorabilia. Customers order at the counter. Try to get here early because a line forms quickly. Servers will bring your food to the table.
— The menu: For early risers, breakfast sandwiches are available on toast, biscuit, bagel, croissant or wrap. We liked the flour and wheat wraps (spinach, tomato basil and jalapeño also available). There are lots of options. You can also pick your cheese and type of meat. We liked the egg, cheese, and ham — sausage or bacon are also good bets. Add an egg, regular or veggie sausage or bacon for $2.50. Sandwiches range from $5.95 to $7.95. Another option: Metro extras such as a bagel with cream cheese, muffins, oatmeal or cheese grits, which were the perfect side dish.
— Details: Metro Deli is in Downtown Tallahassee, 104 S. Monroe St.; 850-224-6870. Hours: Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with breakfast served until 10:30 a.m. Metro Deli is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Closed Sunday.
— Post-Session party time? —
Cinco de Mayo, observed yearly on May 5, doesn’t actually celebrate Mexican Independence Day, which is Sept. 16. Instead, it commemorates a battle: the Mexican Army’s victory over an invading French force at the Battle of Puebla. Regardless, Cinco de Mayo is a reason for festivities in the U.S., and that means music, margaritas and in at least one Tallahassee Mexican restaurant, a chance to swipe at piñatas (for kids and adults). Here are a few Tallahassee places hosting Cinco de Mayo events:
— Casa Grande Bar & Grill: The Mexican restaurant continues its long weekend of festivities on Sunday and Monday. There will be three bars (one inside and two outside) serving Mexican food favorites, margaritas and other drink specials from 11 a.m. to midnight. 3212 Apalachee Pkwy.; 850-402-0733.
— Casa Grande Margaritas & Cocina: Tacos, burritos, cerveza, live music and drink specials are also attractions at this Midtown Casa Grande branch. Open from 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday and Monday. 1800 Thomasville Rd.; 850-727-5911.
— Deep Brewing Company: The brewery is presenting a “Sinko de Mayo” event from 4 to 9 p.m. Monday, tapping four Mexican-inspired beers, with food from Vato Tacos.
— El Jalisco: Whatever location you choose, you’ll find drink specials (such as $5 lime margaritas and $2 house tequila drinks), live music, and Mexican fare. 719 Apalachee Pkwy.; 2022 N. Monroe St.; 3197 Merchants Rd.; 2915 Kerry Forest Pkwy.; 2736 Capital Circle NE.
— Pedros Tacos & Tequila Bar: The four-day Cinco de Mayo celebration offers mariachi, a DJ, bounce houses, tacos, tequila and many specials. 750 Apalachee Pkwy.; 850-597-8076.
— San Marcos: This new Mexican restaurant is celebrating Cinco de Mayo in a big way. San Marcos opens at 11 a.m. on Sunday and Monday. On Sunday, specials include 2-for-1 margaritas and beer, mariachi from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., karaoke from 7 to 9 p.m. and the pirinola spinning top game. On Monday, mariachi will play from 1 to 3 p.m., there’s a DJ from 6 to 11 p.m. Kids have a shot at a piñata at 6 p.m. Adults get their turn at a piñata about 9 p.m. Mexican fare and drink specials available. 1170 Apalachee Pkwy.; 850-656-7264.
