Staff Reports
Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
A 37-person House Committee examining the future of property taxes won’t get a chance to grill Gov. Ron DeSantis about his thoughts.
“No, I’m not going to go sit in front of a Committee. That’s not the role of the chief executive,” DeSantis told a reporter Wednesday.
Committee co-Chair Toby Overdorf noted Tuesday that DeSantis had been invited to appear. But the Governor, who has said that the “far-left … dog and pony show” panel is a way for House Speaker Daniel Perez to dodge action on his proposals to eliminate homestead taxes, is clearly saying no go.
During Wednesday’s remarks, DeSantis accused the House of duplicity, saying he was “skeptical” of the panel’s intent.
“Remember when I called the Special Session for immigration? The response was, ‘Oh, we in the House legislate, the Governor doesn’t legislate,’ right? And so they didn’t want to do it. Now they’re saying, ‘Well, it’s the Governor’s responsibility to tell us.’ Well, you can pick one, right? It’s got to be one or the other.”
Perez slammed DeSantis on Tuesday, saying “there’s no difference between him and any seventh grader in Miami-Dade County right now who tweets” in an attempt to goad him into appearing.
DeSantis didn’t respond to those remarks Wednesday. But he made it clear that he believed the House was acting in bad faith, noting that there are people in the House who compare his desire to offer a $1,000 property tax rebate to a “Joe Biden–Gavin Newsom welfare handout.”
Read more on Florida Politics.
Evening Reads
—“White House eased China tariffs after warnings of harm to ‘Trump’s people’” via Jeff Stein, Natalie Allison and David J. Lynch of The Washington Post
—”At Supreme Court, a once-fringe birthright citizenship theory takes the spotlight” via Abbie VanSickle of The Washington Post
—“A week of manufactured Donald Trump victories” via David Frum of The Atlantic
—”The U.S. nuclear base hidden under Greenland’s ice for decades” via Sune Engel Rasmussen and Marina Vitaglione of The Wall Street Journal
—“The anti-woke right won in 2024. Now they’re turning on each other.” via Zack Beauchamp of Vox
—”Former Senate budget chairs see rough waters ahead as negotiations unfold in Legislature” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
—“A new party (and Governor?) ‘For the People’” via Liam Fineout of Florida Politics
—”Ron DeSantis poised to sign legislation banning psychedelic mushroom spores in Florida” via Mitch Perry of the Florida Phoenix
—”USF emails show secret pandemic fee scheme, lawsuit claims” via Ian Hodgson of the Tampa Bay Times
—”Lake County has a cheaper plan for a new elections office: Converting a Joann fabrics store” via James Wilkins of the Orlando Sentinel
Quote of the Day
“I don’t think there’s a future for just running as an independent. I really don’t. I think that there has to be a team for all of us stuck in the middle.”
— John Morgan, teasing the launch of a third party.
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.
Order a Triple Crown for John Morgan, who is waiting for the horse race to settle in before announcing his 2026 plans.
Ron DeSantis gets a Dodge Special for his non-answer to whether the President should accept a plane from Qatar.
Mix up another Coy Decoy for Casey DeSantis, who kept her cards close to the vest while decrying “slanderous” allegations against Hope Florida.
Breakthrough Insights
Tune In
Panthers face pivotal Game 5
After winning both games at home to even the playoff series, the Florida Panthers return to Toronto for Game 5 of the best-of-seven series against the Maple Leafs tonight (7 p.m. ET, ESPN).
The series has been played with the narrowest margins separating the two teams. Toronto won both games in Canada by a single goal, 5-4 and 4-3.
Game 3 in South Florida went to overtime before the Panthers’ Brad Marchand scored to give Florida its first win of the series. Florida led Game 4 1-0 until a third-period goal made it 2-0.
Now, it’s the pivotal fifth game of the series. If Florida wins, the Panthers can clinch the series at home in Game 6 on Friday. If the Maple Leafs take it, Florida would have to win consecutive games to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
In Stanley Cup playoff history, when a series is tied two games each, the winner of Game 5 wins the series nearly 80% of the time.
The Panthers are the defending champions. Last season, the Panthers did not face elimination until Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. If they lose tonight, they could be one game from the end of their season.
The Panthers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games in the first round of the playoffs this year.
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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.
