| | | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Presented by Facebook | Hello and welcome to Monday. 2020 BY THE NUMBERS — So far, 3,716,470 vote-by-mail ballots have been cast for the November election, according to the latest information on the state Division of Elections website. Of those, 1,749,317 have come from Democrats and 1,153,255 have come from registered Republicans. Overall, there are more than 2.25 million mail ballots requested but not yet returned. Of those, more than 923,000 are held by Democrats and nearly 710,000 are with Republicans. A total of 2,005,936 voters have cast ballots at an early voting site. Of those, 928,237 were Republicans and 698,073 were Democrats. Countdown — The race to the finish in Florida is entering its final frenetic days, and Republicans and Democrats are trying to squeeze out every last voter between now and Nov. 3. It's likely the state will cross the 6 million mark this morning once the latest voting numbers are officially released. (It was over 5.7 million on Sunday.) Four years ago, a total of 9.5 million people cast ballots. Biden heads back — Democratic nominee Joe Biden's campaign announced this morning that the former vice president will campaign in Broward County and Tampa on Thursday. Former President Barack Obama came to South Florida on Saturday to campaign for Biden, and he's headed to Orlando on Tuesday. The Trump train — This past weekend saw both President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence swing through the state. The family is also on the way. Ivanka Trump will be in Sarasota and Miami later this week while Lara Trump will be in Panama City and Pensacola. At this point, it would not be surprising if Trump made at least more swing through his adopted home state. Signs, signs — Both Republicans and Democrats see signs of encouragement in the numbers. Democrats maintain a commanding vote-by-mail lead, but Republicans have chipped away through in-person voting. One key question is whether Democrats can push their vote-by-mail totals up even higher. As of Sunday, about 65 percent had turned in their ballot. Republicans are lower, but they aren't counting on vote-by-mail like Democrats. This Sunday also marked the first wave of "Souls to the Polls" event that could bolster Democratic totals. Democrats also note that they so far have more new registrants and voters who sat out 2016 and 2018 who cast ballots. — WHERE'S RON? — Gov. DeSantis is scheduled to be in Tallahassee. The daily rundown — Between Saturday and Sunday, the number of Florida coronavirus cases increased by 2,385 (0.3 percent), to 778,636; active hospitalizations went up 56 (2.5 percent), to 2,219; deaths rose by 12, to 16,429. | | | | A message from Facebook: A vote counted is a voice heard
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|  | TRAIL MIX | | 'TODAY WAS A SUCCESS' — "Souls to the Polls inspires South Floridians to go straight from church to voting booth," by South Florida Sun Sentinel's Austen Erblat and Susannah Bryan: "As rain clouds loomed over South Florida, hundreds of voters and volunteers turned out to vote and show support for local and national candidates at 'Souls to the Polls' events on Sunday. The events, held throughout the state and organized by the national faith-based organization Faith in Florida, encouraged voters of all ages to go straight from church to their polling place. 'Even with the rain, today was a success,' Rhonda Thomas, executive director of Faith in Florida, told the South Florida Sun Sentinel as things were wrapping up at the Atlantic Village Center in Hallandale Beach. 'We're covering 20 counties and have 100 locations. We had over 5,000 people show up at three different events today in Miami-Dade County.'" — "What gets Souls to the Polls? On Sunday, it was cafecito, pastors and Common the rapper," by Miami Herald's Monique O. Madan, Christina Saint Louis and Douglas Hanks — "Souls to the Polls encourages Black voters to cast their ballots early," by Florida Times-Union's Teresa Stepzinski — "Souls to the Polls campaign draws voters to Orlando's Amway Center," by Orlando Sentinel's Lisa Maria Garza | 
Former President Barack Obama speaks as he campaigns for Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden at Florida International University, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, in North Miami, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) | MIAMI, MIAMI, MIAMI — "In Miami-Dade County, younger Cuban voters offer opening for Trump," by New York Times' Patricia Mazzei: "The conventional wisdom about the Florida electorate has long been that Miami-Dade County's unavoidable political destiny was to turn even more Democratic as younger Cuban-Americans replaced the older Cuban exiles who formed a powerful Republican stronghold. That fate may not have been as predetermined as everyone once thought. Second- and third-generation Cuban-Americans born in the United States have continued to drift away from their parents' and grandparents' Republican Party. But, in a trend that went largely unnoticed by Democrats until lately, more recent Cuban immigrants who previously displayed little engagement in American politics have started to identify as Trump Republicans." — "Democrats push Puerto Rican voters to outmuscle Cuban Republicans in Florida," by South Florida Sun Sentinel's Andrew Boryga NO CHANGE PLEASE — "What do Trump's Florida voters want in four more years? More of the same," by Tampa Bay Times' Steve Contorno: "In a series of interviews with Trump supporters across Central Florida, [Janet] Davis was like many who aren't looking for anything new from the president in a second term. Lynn Holtmeyer, 69, put it succinctly: 'I want Trump to keep doing what he's been doing.' Sentiments like those from Trump's base reflect a campaign unburdened with having to make promises to voters. At rallies and in the debates, Trump repeats many of the fights of the past four years but says little about the next four. His campaign website prominently features a list of promises kept but not an agenda for what's ahead." BEHIND THE CURTAIN — "Florida Democrats asking courts to help unearth 'dark money' donors," by POLITICO's Matt Dixon: Democrats and left-leaning groups are turning to the courts to try and unearth the donors behind "dark money" political activities in Florida, which in 2020 include funding waves of attack mailers and trying to change the state's constitution. The use of tough-to-trace campaign cash is not new to Florida politics, but has been playing a larger role during recent election cycles. Most notably in 2020, it has been used to help fund waves of mailers against Democrats in key legislative races and on proposed changes to the state constitution. HEADING INTO HOME STRETCH — "Republicans crash Florida early vote, eating into Democrats lead," by POLITICO's Marc Caputo and Sabrina Rodriguez: Florida Republicans are pouring out of the trenches. After weeks of Democrats outvoting them by mail, Republican voters stormed early voting precincts in person this week, taking large bites out of their opponents' historic lead in pre-Election Day ballots. The Democratic advantage was still huge as of Saturday morning: 387,000 ballots. But that's a 21 percent reduction from Democrats' high water mark, set three days prior. The election is in 10 days. President Donald Trump was one of those GOP voters going to the polls, kicking off Florida's statewide in-person early voting period Saturday by casting his ballot in West Palm Beach and livestreaming an event to urge supporters to show up and catch Democrats. Further south, in Miami, former President Barack Obama held a rally for his former vice president, Joe Biden, at Florida International University. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Unite the Country, a pro-Biden Super PAC, is launching an ad in Florida and Pennsylvania featuring Cindy McCain, the wife of late Sen. John McCain. The ad titled "Trust" features Cindy McCain saying that the Democratic nominee will stand by military families, noting that his own son had served in the military. The ad is aimed at veterans and will air in Florida ZIP codes that have a high number of veterans. It's part of a campaign aimed at veterans being done in concert with billionaire Mike Bloomberg and Hawkfish, a political data firm. | | | | HAPPENING TUESDAY - A GEN Z RISING DISCUSSION: Did you know Gen Z now makes up 1/10th of the electorate? Join a virtual conversation with Mike Brodo, executive director of Gen Z GOP, and Chelsea Miller, co-founder of Freedom March NYC, and other Gen Z voters to find out how young voters are interacting with the political parties, technology and electoral process. Moderated by Laura Barrón-López and Rishika Dugyala, this virtual conversation explores the mindset of Gen Z voters, their policy priorities, and their impact on Election Day. REGISTER HERE. | | | | |
'TOO POLITICAL' — "How the Gimenez administration halted talks for early voting at the Heat's AA arena," by Miami Herald's Douglas Hanks: "The Miami Heat's push to bring voting to the AmericanAirlines Arena was going so well with the county's Elections Department that it was on a draft list of polling places and in the computer system as downtown Miami's designated early-voting site. The next day the county's elections supervisor received a text from her boss, Mayor Carlos Gimenez. 'Ned to talk about this,' Gimenez wrote Elections Supervisor Christina White on Aug. 29, forwarding an article about the NBA's plan to channel demands for social justice into a voting drive by turning arenas into polling places."
FINGER-POINTING — "Cohn and Franklin congressional campaigns trip over finance reporting," by Tampa Bay Times' William March: "The congressional campaign of Democrat Alan Cohn is accusing his Republican opponent, Scott Franklin, of trying to hide politically sensitive donors, after Franklin's latest campaign finance report omitted employer and occupation information for more than 50 donors, including prominent, politically involved and wealthy individuals. At the same time, the Franklin campaign alleges that Cohn received some $200,000 from a joint fundraising committee for which Cohn was late filing paperwork, which they said makes the contribution illegal. Both campaigns say the discrepancies are minor paperwork errors easily or already fixed." Democrats tout new poll in CD 15 — Florida Democrats are releasing details on an internal poll that shows Democratic candidate Alan Cohn and Republican Scott Franklin locked in a tight battle in Florida's 15th Congressional District. Change Research's poll has Franklin up 46 percent to 44 percent over Cohn, which is within the poll's margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percent. The poll also shows that President Trump is only up 47 percent to 45 percent over Joe Biden. Trump won the district by 10 points in 2016. — "Vern Buchanan and Margaret Good tangle during only debate in congressional race," by Sarasota Herald-Tribune's Zac Anderson SECOND GUESSING — "Florida's Senate is safely GOP this year. Are Democrats blowing it again?" by Tampa Bay Times' Kirby Wilson and Miami Herald's Samantha J. Gross: "Although Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is running strong at the top of the ticket, fueled by a near-unprecedented surge in campaign contributions, Florida Democrats still appear to be a long way from posing a real challenge to Republican dominance. Top Democrats, strapped for cash, are targeting just two seats for pickups, not the three that would allow them to hold half the 40 seats in the upper chamber so they can share power." BACKLASH — "Orlando worker fired after speaking out about letter that warned employees of layoffs if Biden wins," by WESH's Greg Fox: "After the letter went out, DMC employee Stan Smith spoke with WESH 2 News about it. 'Everybody has a choice to make their own decision,' he said. 'I don't feel like it was correct, to do something like that. That's like me coming to work … and I should come in here and I should wear a Black Lives Matter shirt and bring out hats and pass them out to everyone. I felt like it was unfair.' This week, Smith was fired. He believes Daniels, the president of the company that makes tools and electronics for the military, aerospace, and aircraft industries, ordered his termination because he didn't like what he told WESH 2 News." 'A CHILLING EFFECT' — "Florida voting rights group faced threats from white supremacists after Republicans call for investigation," by Tampa Bay Times' Lawrence Mower: "Florida Republicans' request last month for police and the FBI to investigate a program to pay off felons' court fees and fines hasn't amounted to criminal charges or a formal probe. But it has created a "chilling effect" and sparked threats from white supremacists, according to Desmond Meade, executive director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, which has raised tens of millions of dollars to pay off court fees and fines for felons over the last 18 months. Meade said Friday he's had to hire lawyers and security experts to combat threats from people who now believe he and his organization are working to undermine President Donald Trump's re-election." — "President Donald Trump uses Pensacola rally to urge Panhandle to vote," by Pensacola News Journal's Jim Little — "Obama in Miami: 'If you bring Florida home, this thing's over,'" by Miami Herald's Alex Daugherty and David Smiley — "Jackie Toledo and Julie Jenkins in tight race for South Tampa House seat," by Tampa Bay Times' Charlie Frago — "How Florida's electorate changed since the 2016 election," by Florida Politics' Scott Powers | | | |   | | |
| | CORONAVIRUS UPDATES | | 'EMBERS OUT THERE' — "Florida is on the verge of a COVID-19 resurgence," by South Florida Sun Sentinel's Marc Freeman: "Florida's rising number of COVID-19 cases could be the leading edge of a dangerous spike that could continue for months as the state remains wide open for business, tourism and education, public health experts warn. A decline of cases since the summer surge is over, four weeks into the state's Phase 3 reopening of bars and restaurants at full service, state and national data indicates. With Gov. Ron DeSantis promising there's no chance of a return to lockdowns, no matter the severity of another surge, we can expect more people will need hospital treatment and more will die, experts say." HMM — "As White House task force warns Florida of possible COVID-19 uptick, state tries to keep report from public," by Naseem S. Miller: "There are 'early warning signs' that COVID-19 cases are ticking up in Florida — in the Villages and several counties, including Brevard — and the state should be closely tracking the data and reacting with 'increased mitigation' in those areas, according to a little-known report that the White House Coronavirus Task Force sends Florida each week. 'Testing must increase statewide,' the report recommends. For nearly five months now, the task force, which was formed earlier this year and is chaired by Vice President Mike Pence, has been sending a detailed COVID-19 report to all state governors, providing county and state-level trends and a series of recommendations. But Florida is among more than a dozen states to withhold those reports from the public." — "Miami nurse sues doctor colleague, says he 'deliberately' infected her with COVID-19," by Miami Herald's Howard Cohen | | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | 'ACTIVE AND ONGOING' — "DeSantis pledged to investigate Florida's unemployment system. Did he keep his word?" by Palm Beach Post's Wendy Rhodes: "Last May, as Floridians watched, Gov. Ron DeSantis agreed to call for an investigation of the state's flawed unemployment system as untold numbers of jobless residents fumed in frustration over obstacles that prevented them from filing for help and delayed assistance. But did the governor keep his word? More than five months later, a review of records obtained by the Palm Beach Post this week raises questions about whether DeSantis followed up on his pledge to Floridians." WAITING — "Fort Myers man serving 60-year sentence for ounce of cocaine asks Governor, Cabinet for mercy," by Fort Myers News-Press' Janine Zeitlin: "As Florida's top leaders contemplate his clemency, Michael Edwards pleaded for mercy in a letter to the governor and Cabinet. He called himself an 'idiot' for using a cell phone, the only smear on his prison record in decades but one that may imperil his shot at freedom. Edwards wrote Gov. Ron DeSantis and his Cabinet from prison, where the former Fort Myers resident has been locked up for nearly 30 years for selling less than an ounce of cocaine to an ex-girlfriend. His current release date is 2040." | | | | DONT MISS - NEW EPISODES OF POLITICO'S GLOBAL TRANSLATIONS PODCAST: The world has long been beset by big problems that defy political boundaries, but many of those issues exploded over the past year. Are world leaders and political actors up to the task of solving them? Is the private sector? Our Global Translations podcast, presented by Citi, unpacks the roadblocks to smart policy decisions and examines the long-term costs of the short-term thinking that drives many political and business decisions. Subscribe for Season Two, available now. | | | | |
| | ...HURRICANE HOLE... | | SERIOUSLY, GO AWAY — "New storm Zeta a hurricane threat to Mexico, US Gulf coast," by Associated Press: "Newly formed Tropical Storm Zeta strengthened Sunday in the western Caribbean and will probably become a hurricane before hitting Mexico's resort-dotted Yucatan Peninsula and the U.S. Gulf Coast in coming days. Zeta was the earliest named 27th Atlantic storm recorded in an already historic hurricane season." | | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | 'THEY TAKE BAD COPS' — "Florida sheriff hired dozens of deputies who lied, cheated and stole," by USA Today Network-Florida's Devan Patel: "In a dozen years, [Hendry Sheriff Steve] FWhidden has brought in at least 51 deputies with histories of personal and professional misconduct, including racism, lying, fraud, misuse of position and paying for sex. The Hendry agency is one of Florida's worst sheriff's offices for hiring deputies who have been fired or resigned when accused of misconduct elsewhere for actions that were later proved, according to a USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida analysis of law enforcement employment records." — "Hendry Sheriff's Office hired a deputy who had been fired for interfering in a child custody case," by USA Today Network-Florida's Devan Patel I DRANK YOUR MILKSHAKE — "Critics swamp Nestle's move to expand Florida water plant," by POLITICO's Bruce Ritchie: A company in northern Florida pumping water for Nestlé wants permission to tap a local spring for 1.2 million gallons a day — equivalent to nearly 10 million 16-ounce bottles, or two Olympic-sized swimming pools. It sounds like a lot, and environmentalists worry the public doesn't fully appreciate the stakes. A hearing on a petition filed by the water supplier, Seven Springs Water Co., seeking to secure the new permit concluded last week, turning attention to an administrative law judge for a recommendation in the coming weeks. 'Not a priority' — The fight over waters along the Santa Fe River pits Nestlé Waters North America, an international company, against a state environmental community that has increasingly brought attention to local springs and sees draining them to fill plastic bottles as a tragedy. And the idea of shipping the region's precious freshwater off to sell in convenience stores in other states evokes a visceral reaction. "Putting water in bottles at 6,000 per minute just to sell to people for convenience, it's not a priority by any means," said Mike Roth, president of the environmental group Our Santa Fe River in Fort White. "All it does is benefit corporations." | | | | A message from Facebook: Explore Facebook's Voting Information Center
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| | ODDS, ENDS, AND FLORIDA MEN | | — "FGCU professor, student help unearth part of mass grave from 1921 Tulsa massacre," by Fort Myers News-Press' Dave Osborn: "Two Florida professors and a graduate student have helped unearth part of a mass grave containing victims from one of the worst chapters of racial violence in U.S. history. They joined other human excavators this week who found at least 11 bodies in coffins in an unmarked mass grave in a Tulsa cemetery." — "Ocala Police Chief Greg Graham killed in plane crash in southwest Marion County," by Ocala Star-Banner's Andy Fillmore, Austin L. Miller and Carlos Medina BIRTHDAYS: Tyler Bridges with The Advocate … (Was Saturday) State Rep. Kamia Brown … Katie Sanders, managing editor at Politifact
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