| | | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Presented by The Ridge Wallet | Hello and welcome to Monday. The daily rundown — Between Saturday and Sunday, the number of Florida coronavirus cases increased by 6,820 (0.8 percent), to 843,897; active hospitalizations went up 111 (4.1 percent), to 2,783; deaths rose by 21 (0.1 percent), to 17,121. The waiting game — So, when do Florida Republicans plan to acknowledge that Democratic nominee Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump and move forward? Not yet — Good question. Joe who? — In the moments after Biden crossed the threshold needed to capture the Electoral College, top Republicans in Trump's adopted home state either ignored the news or continued to suggest — with little evidence — that voter fraud was involved. On Thursday, top Trump ally Gov. Ron DeSantis went on Fox News to float the idea that the Michigan and Pennsylvania legislatures should intervene. But even with a tropical storm threatening the state, DeSantis remained quiet over the weekend. After congratulating the winners in state Senate races, GOP Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis tweeted out a meme on Saturday suggesting Democrats committed voter fraud. 'Far from over?' — Sen. Marco Rubio, who started out the week suggesting that there was nothing improper about making sure all votes get counted, on Saturday responded to the news by tweeting out that "The media can project an election winner, but they don't get to decide if claims of broken election laws & irregularities are true. That's decided by the courts, and on the basis of clear evidence and the law." Fellow Republican Sen. Rick Scott — who insinuated there was fraud going on in his race in 2018 (there wasn't) — put out on Twitter that "The voters get to decide who the President is. This is a close race and @realDonaldTrump will and should use every avenue at his disposal to make sure every legal vote is counted." Rep. Greg Steube, in Southwest Florida, tweeted that "until we can confirm every ballot counted was legal, this race is far from over." A different response — Given Trump's outsized influence on the Republican Party, and the fact that he will likely loom especially large in Florida for years to come, it may not be surprising. But then there's the Florida Republican who helped kickstart the GOP era of dominance here — and endured a lengthy recount of the 2000 presidential race, when his own brother was on he ballot: "Congratulations to President-elect Biden," tweeted Jeb Bush . "I have prayed for our President most of my adult life. I will be praying for you and your success. Now is the time to heal deep wounds. Many are counting on you to lead the way." — WHERE'S RON? — Gov. DeSantis is expected to be in Tallahassee. | | | | A message from The Ridge Wallet: The Ridge Wallet bridges the gap between style and function with a sleek design, durable construction, and a cool metal exterior. Its RFID blocking keeps your credit cards secure, and it's so compact that it'll fit comfortably in your front pocket — no more big, bulky billfolds weighing down your pants. With over 30,000 five-star reviews, the Ridge Wallet is a better, safer, and more convenient way to carry your cash and cards. Shop Now | | |
|  | TRAIL MIX | | THE DANCE — "Republicans already racing to fill Trump power vacuum," by POLITICO's Alex Isenstadt: President Donald Trump's defeat has set off a flurry of activity as would-be successors start to position themselves for 2024 and a battle to lead a Trump-less Republican Party begins to take shape. Likely Republican candidates are about to descend on Georgia to campaign in a pair of Senate runoffs that will determine control of the chamber. They're taking to Fox News to defend Trump's refusal to concede. The Republican National Committee is bracing for a possible fight over its chairmanship. And Donald Trump Jr. is aggressively staking out a role as a future GOP powerbroker… Florida Sen. Rick Scott is slated to make his first appearance later this week and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott is also likely to travel there. 2024 — "Rick Scott to run for leadership of Senate GOP campaign arm," by POLITICO's Marianne LeVine: Sen. Rick Scott will run for leadership of the Senate Republicans' campaign arm, according to a spokesperson for the Florida Republican. Senate Republicans are slated to hold their leadership elections on Tuesday, and so far Scott is the only senator to publicly announce a bid to helm the National Republican Senatorial Committee. | 
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 05: Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) questions Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli and Assistant HHS Secretary for Preparedness and Response Robert Kadlec during a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing on the government's response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak on March 5, 2020 in Washington, DC. COVID-19 has taken hold in the United States and national and local governments are rushing to contain the virus and finding a cure. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images) | Samuel Corum/Getty Images | THE DIVIDE — "Florida Democrats praise Biden on his rise to the presidency; GOP says, not so fast," by Orlando Sentinel's Steven Lemongello: "Florida Democratic leaders were elated Saturday that the presidential race had been called for Joe Biden, but state Republicans said the bitter fight for the White House wasn't yet over. U.S. Rep. Val Demings, who had been on Biden's vice presidential shortlist, said she had been at the burial site of one of the victims of the 1920 Ocoee Massacre, in which Blacks were attacked by white mobs in the worst Election Day violence in U.S. history, when she heard the news. '… I was at the graveside of July Perry, the Black voting rights advocate killed 100 years ago,' Demings wrote in a statement. 'It is a monument to the fact that America has not always lived up to our promise, but that each generation has worked, struggled and sacrificed to build a more perfect union.'" BREAKING IT DOWN — "How Biden won his map," by POLITICO's Charlie Mahtesian: Whether because of population size, voting habits or election history, these were the hotspots that figured to play a disproportionate role in electing the president and they did — though not always in ways that were expected by Donald Trump or Joe Biden. In Miami — Biden had one important job: Run up the score in Miami-Dade County, where Democrats typically need to pile up a big margin to offset their losses elsewhere in the state. He failed to do that, and it cost him Florida's 29 electoral votes. In the run-up to Election Day, the former vice president's weakness in the state's most populous county was no secret. Even so, the results were still shocking. In 2016, Clinton won here in a 63-34 percent blowout. Biden managed to win by an anemic 53-46 percent. The Trump administration's longstanding focus on Miami's Cuban-American community, and his campaign's anti-socialist and law and order messaging paid dividends that reached beyond the top of the ticket — two Democratic members of Congress here also fell to defeat. Meanwhile in Orange — Explosive growth — among whites and those with Puerto Rican roots — have turned Orlando's Orange County into a Democratic giant. Turnout can be uneven, but this year, the central Florida county's Democratic base delivered. Amid a record-breaking 75 percent turnout, Biden won 65,000 votes more than Clinton, and ran ahead of Trump by a margin of 150,000 votes. The problem? Trump also saw a surge of support relative to 2016, and ran three points ahead of his 2016 pace in Orange County. It wasn't nearly enough for Trump to win the county, but it helped limit the damage. The GOP firewall — To win Florida, Trump needed healthy margins in the Fort Myers-Naples media market on the state's Gulf Coast — it's essential for Republican statewide candidates. He got those margins in fast-growing Lee County, where he won 42,000 more votes than he did in 2016. With 60 percent of the vote or higher in Lee and nearby Charlotte and Collier counties, Trump kept on pace to win Florida for a second time. — "Black turnout, Hispanic shift and white support for Trump in Broward could signal trouble ahead for Democrats," by Sun Sentinel's Anthony Man and Aric Chokey — "How Trump's Florida victory could influence future Republican campaigns," by New York Times' Annie Karni and Patricia Mazzei | | | | TRACK THE TRANSITION, SUBSCRIBE TO TRANSITION PLAYBOOK: The definitive guide to what could be one of the most consequential transfers of power in American history. Our Transition Playbook newsletter—written for political insiders—tracks the appointments, people, and power centers of the new administration. Don't miss out. Subscribe today. | | | | |
DESTINATION MAR-A-LAGO? — "Trump's post-presidency: Stay relevant, make money, avoid indictment," by POLITICO's Anita Kumar: So Trump must plot how he can make the money he will need, keep the attention he craves and evade the authorities probing him. And according to Republicans familiar with the situation, he has already started doing that. He could start his own conservative network or invest in an existing one, such as Newsmax, whose majority owner is a close friend, Chris Ruddy. Another option is One America News Network, a Trump-praising outlet he frequently praises. Then there's Sinclair Broadcasting, which owns local TV stations across the country.
— "'Retire Rubio' effort launched to oust Marco Rubio in 2022," by Florida Politics' Janelle Irwin Taylor MISCALCULATIONS — "How wrong were the Florida polls on Biden and Trump?" by Tampa Bay Times' Langston Taylor: "In Florida, some pollsters are kicking themselves. When the results of the state's presidential election came Tuesday night, Donald Trump had beaten not just Joe Biden, not just his own 2016 performance, but also his standing in every major poll taken before Tuesday's contest. Asked how the state's polling fared across the board, the head of the University of North Florida's Public Opinion Research Lab did not equivocate. 'This comes from a guy who does this,' said Michael Binder. 'I think the word is 'bad,' and I think that puts it generously.'" WHAT'S THE POINT? — "Three states pass amendments that 'only citizens' can vote," by Associated Press' Patty Nieberg: "Voters in Colorado, Florida and Alabama passed ballot measures Tuesday that codify what is already law: That only U.S. citizens 18 and older can vote. The passage of the largely-symbolic measures has triggered questions about why the pro-Trump group behind them spent time and money on the effort. The amendments passed overwhelmingly in all three states, including by a nearly 8-to-1 ratio in Alabama and Florida. Before the 2020 election, North Dakota and Arizona were the only state constitutions that specified non-citizens could not vote in state or local elections." IN THE STREETS — "Miamians bang pots, dance downtown to celebrate Biden's victory. But not everyone's happy," by Miami Herald's Jacqueline Charles, Jimena Tavel, Alex Daugherty and Joey Flechas: Maximo Reyes' voice cracked as he hollered over a celebratory chorus of bells, screams and honks in downtown Miami on Saturday afternoon. He'd cast a ballot in the U.S. presidential election for the first time, and his side of the ticket was projected to win. The victory of former Vice President Joe Biden and running mate Sen. Kamala Harris filled the Dominican Republic native with pride. 'My first vote went to Biden because my conscience told me not to vote for a crazy man because in my country, we had a crazy man,' said Reyes, referring to former Dominican Republic president Hipólito Mejía. The 55-year-old port worker became a citizen three months before the election after 30 years in the U.S." — "Historic victory has Tampa Bay residents celebrating in the streets," by Tampa Bay Times' Romy Ellenbogen, Josh Solomon, Ivy Ceballo, Margo Snipe and John Pendygraft — "Biden supporters party in downtown Orlando following Biden, Harris historic election victory," by Orlando Sentinel's Cristobal Reyes — "Trump supporters hold 'Stop the Steal' rally in Pensacola to protest election outcome," by WEAR's Rebekah Castor NEXT STEPS — "Conservatives dominated on the Treasure Coast under Trump; Can they hold on their coalition now?" by Treasure Coast Newspapers' Joshua Solomon: "[U.S. Rep. Brian] Mast pivoted to more regularly and consistently embracing Trump and his platform, which has helped to shaped his time in his office and elevate his profile under this presidency. After winning his reelection Tuesday to a third term — by his greatest margin in three campaigns — Mast held an election party in downtown Stuart. It was filled with a Who's Who of the Republican Party, including campaign staffers for Trump. It also was a crowded, indoor and maskless event in the face of COVID-19 concerns and the advice of public-health officials." — "Western St. Lucie County continues to swing Democratic county to the right," by Treasure Coast Newspapers' Joshua Solomon — "Where's the drama? Not in Florida, and that's fine with elections officials," by Tampa Bay Times' Allison Ross | | | | A message from The Ridge Wallet:   | | |
| | CORONAVIRUS UPDATES | | MINISTRY OF TRUTH? — "'It's crap': DeSantis office 'leaks' state records to fuel COVID-19 death 'conspiracy,'" by Miami Herald's Ben Conarck and Nicholas Nehamas: "Jennifer Cabrera isn't an epidemiologist. Although she holds degrees in electrical engineering, she's not a scientist either. But as the conservative blogger said on Facebook, she has 'followers in the governor's office.' One of them is Gov. Ron DeSantis. So in late October, Cabrera visited Florida's Capitol and was mysteriously allowed to examine a month's worth of COVID-19 death certificates — records that the state is not willing to concede are public and that it is not releasing to academics and journalists seeking to better understand the toll of the coronavirus pandemic. Cabrera then wrote a post on her blog with her husband, Len, claiming that the state is overcounting COVID-19 deaths." Amplification — "But the misleading Oct. 30 blog post fed into a narrative pushed by DeSantis and President Donald Trump, who argue without evidence that scientists are blowing COVID-19 deaths out of proportion. Fred Piccolo Jr., DeSantis' spokesman, shared Cabrera's post on Twitter — effectively accusing the governor's own health department of exaggerating the death toll." TICKING UPWARD — "COVID-19 in Florida: 6,820 new infections, the highest for November," by Sun Sentinel's Cindy Krischer Goodman: "Florida health officials on Sunday reported another 6,820 new cases of COVID-19, the highest number of new infections since mid-August. The high number of new cases comes even after many testing sites in South Florida closed temporarily for the weekend with due to the approach of Tropical Storm Eta. Sunday's count extended Florida's streak of days with more than 4,000 cases to eight." TEST RESULTS — "Gaetz tests positive for coronavirus antibodies," by POLITICO's Matt Dixon: Two more Florida Republican members of Congress have tested positive for Covid-19, including Rep. Matt Gaetz. Gaetz, a close ally of President Donald Trump, said he tested positive for the virus antibodies on Election Day, a likely sign he previously contracted the virus. "I have tested positive for antibodies," Gaetz told POLITICO in a text message. "I have no live virus."… In addition, Florida Republican Rep. Michael Waltz confirmed Friday night he tested positive for the virus, signalling a current infection — rather than antibodies that would suggest he had already recovered from Covid-19. — "State Senator-elect Ray Rodrigues tests positive for COVID-19," by NBC2 News — "Rep. Geraldine Thompson recovering at home after contracting COVID-19," by WFTV's James Tutten TO COURT — "Appeals court to take up challenge to Alachua County mask mandate," by News Service of Florida's Jim Saunders: "An appeals court Friday said it will hear arguments in a challenge to the constitutionality of an Alachua County order requiring people to wear face masks to try to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Alachua County case, which will be heard Nov. 23 by a panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal, could serve as a test for mask requirements that have been approved in various parts of the state. Opponents have filed a series of lawsuits challenging the requirements, with at least three cases landing at the Tallahassee-based appeals court. Along with the Alachua County case, the other appeals involve Leon and Gadsden counties." | | | | JOIN THURSDAY: A WOMEN RULE ROUNDTABLE : 2020 proved to be a history-making year for women in politics. We saw the first Black woman elected as vice president, a record number of Republican women running for Congress, and women of color running for public office at an all-time high. Join POLITICO's Elizabeth Ralph, Crooked Media's Shaniqua McClendon, and Winning for Women's Micah Yousefi for a deep dive into the results for women candidates in the 2020 election cycle and what progress we still need to see for women in politics. REGISTER HERE. | | | | |
| | ...HURRICANE HOLE... | | STORM WARNINGS — "Gusty Tropical Storm Eta soaks South Florida as it floods roads and touches the keys," by Miami Herald's Alex Harris: "As Tropical Storm Eta's center made landfall in the Florida Keys late Sunday night, most of its worst impacts were being felt far to the north with far-reaching rain bands flooding streets and leaving tens of thousands without power. The worst of it appeared to be in Broward County, where the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning and a driver was hospitalized in critical condition after driving their vehicle into a flooded canal in Lauderhill. One Hollywood rain gauge caught more than 10 inches of rain and there were hours of storms still ahead. Rescue crews made dozens of rescues of people stranded in their cars, and at least seven people were suddenly homeless after a tree fell on their duplex in Miami, according to reports." — "Eta strikes Florida Keys; expected to become hurricane," by Associated Press' Andrea Rodriguez — "Power outages spread across South Florida," by CBS Miami | | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | R.I.P. — "Florida Lt. Gov. Nunez's father, Cuban exile, dies at 84," by Associated Press: "Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez's father, who arrived in Florida as a Cuban exile after the 1959 revolution, has passed away of brain cancer. He was 84. Victor C. Sanchez had been diagnosed with the illness earlier this year and died Thursday after a fainting episode, Nunez said. The Republican lieutenant governor told The Associated Press that Sanchez left Havana in 1961 after learning he could face house arrest for having views that opposed the nation's leader Fidel Castro." UNSOCIAL MEDIA — "Student's racist video sparks First Amendment controversy at FAU," by Sun Sentinel's Scott Travis: "A student's repeated use of a racial slur on social media has ignited a debate at Florida Atlantic University about whether students have a right to racist speech. Some Black students called for student Ryan Richards, 19, to be expelled after he said the "n-word" in a video posted to social media last week. While FAU officials have condemned the comment, they haven't disciplined Richards, citing his First Amendment rights." | | | | A message from The Ridge Wallet: The Ridge threw away the manual on what a wallet should look like. They've traded thick, bifold wallets for a slim design with RFID-blocking tech and the perfect space for your cards, cash, and ID - AKA the stuff you actually need. It's built to last, using materials like aircraft-grade aluminum, carbon, titanium, and the kind of thing you only need to buy once. (plus it's guaranteed for life.) If you aren't sold on The Ridge Wallet, you can test it out risk-free for 45 days. A better wallet exists - why settle for less? Shop now for free shipping and returns. Shop Now | | |
| | ODDS, ENDS, AND FLORIDA MEN | | BIRTHDAYS: Former Florida Gov. Bob Graham … (Was Sunday) Former Florida State University head football coach Bobby Bowden turned 91 …. Frank Jimenez , former general counsel for U.S. Navy and former deputy chief of staff for Gov. Jeb Bush ... Steve Sauls, former vice president for Florida International University … (Was Saturday) Jenn Meale Poggie, former communications director for Adam Putnam and Pam Bondi … Telemundo/NBC's Jose Diaz-Balart
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