| | | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Good Monday morning. The daily rundown — Between Saturday and Sunday, the number of Florida coronavirus cases increased by 7,788 (nearly 0.5 percent), to 1,721,377; deaths rose by 119 (nearly 0.5 percent), to 26,479; Since Thursday active hospitalizations went down by 464 (7 percent), to 6,101. New poll — A survey shared with Playbook shows that Gov. Ron DeSantis' job approval ratings remain in positive territory, but the same survey also signals that voters are not necessarily in sync with some of the governor's top priorities. They are also concerned about the Covid-19 vaccine rollout, which has triggered finger-pointing between the federal government and the DeSantis administration. Majority — The poll done by Republican pollster Ryan Tyson's firm between Jan. 20 and Jan. 24 found that DeSantis had a job approval rating of 52 percent while 37 percent disapproved — which follows a clear partisan break with his support considerably higher among Republicans. The poll featured a combination of 800 registered voters as well as an additional 200 Republican and 200 Democratic primary voters. The number one job — An overwhelming 47 percent of Florida registered voters who were surveyed said that Covid-19 and vaccine distribution are the most important issues that state government should address immediately. Only 17 percent cited economic issues, while four percent said strengthening public education was the most important. CC: Florida Legislature — Some of the other findings: 62 percent oppose raising taxes to plug the state's budget deficit, but 77 percent support enforcing the collection of sales taxes from companies that do business online. And in what might be a sign of the growing agitation with tech companies, the support for collecting online sales taxes is bipartisan. More than 80 percent of GOP and Democratic primary voters who were surveyed were on board with the idea. What to cut? — In other budget-related matters, 60 percent oppose building new toll roads, which have been proposed by the Republican-controlled Legislature and supported by the governor. When asked about possible items to cut from the budget, 28 percent cited Everglades restoration even though it remains a top focus of DeSantis. This item drew more support than several other suggestions, including state worker salaries and transportation projects. One of DeSantis other priorities — a bill increasing penalties on protesters — had 64 percent support. A sure bet? — Lastly, a majority of Floridians apparently like gambling. Sixty-one percent said they supported online betting as way of raising additional revenue for state government, while 74 percent are in favor of coming up with a new gambling compact that would give exclusive rights to the Seminole Tribe of Florida in exchange for more money to the state. — WHERE'S RON? — Nothing official announced for Gov. DeSantis. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch: gfineout@politico.com | | | | TUNE IN TO NEW EPISODE OF GLOBAL TRANSLATIONS: Our Global Translations podcast, presented by Citi, examines the long-term costs of the short-term thinking that drives many political and business decisions. The world has long been beset by big problems that defy political boundaries, and these issues have exploded over the past year amid a global pandemic. This podcast helps to identify and understand the impediments to smart policymaking. Subscribe for Season Two, available now. | | | | |
|  | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | 'I LOVE BROWARD' — "'I'm a Broward guy.' DeSantis chief of staff Shane Strum looks to return home as a hospital CEO," by Sun Sentinel's Steve Bousquet and Skyler Swisher: "He is one of three candidates vying for the vacant CEO job at Broward Health, one of the largest public hospital systems in the country. "Health care is in my wheelhouse. It's something I enjoy. It's something I like," Strum told the South Florida Sun Sentinel during an interview in Tallahassee. "I'm a Broward guy. I love Broward. It's my beloved home. My family is still back in Broward. It's been over two years. I think I've always known that I would return to Broward County." His unique background has made him a favorite to land the job. It would provide Strum with a large bump in pay." HERE COME THE LAWSUITS? — "Florida GOP senator pushing ballot measure exempting some workers from $15 minimum wage," by Sarasota Herald-Tribune's John Kennedy: "Sen. Jeff Brandes' newly filed legislation would ask voters to take another look at the minimum wage standard next year. He wants to reduce the phased-in wage hike levels for workers under age 21, those convicted of felonies or now in prison, and 'other hard-to-hire employees.'… John Morgan, the Orlando trial lawyer whose firm spent $4.6 million to finance the petition campaign that got the minimum wage increase on the ballot in November, vowed to sue if Brandes' measure advanced." | | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | | SPILL ON AISLE TEN — "Jan. 6 rally funded by top Trump donor, helped by Alex Jones, organizers say," by Wall Street Journal's Shalini Ramachandran, Alexandra Berzon and Rebecca Ballhaus : "Mr. Jones also helped arrange for Julie Jenkins Fancelli, a prominent donor to the Trump campaign and heiress to the Publix Super Markets Inc. chain, to commit about $300,000 through a top fundraising official for former President Donald Trump's 2020 campaign, according to organizers. Her money paid for the lion's share of the roughly $500,000 rally at the Ellipse where Mr. Trump spoke… A Publix spokeswoman said Ms. Fancelli isn't involved in the company's business operations and doesn't 'represent the company in any way.' In a statement Sunday, Ms. Fancelli said: 'I am a proud conservative and have real concerns associated with election integrity, yet I would never support any violence, particularly the tragic and horrific events that unfolded on January 6th.'" — "Publix says heiress's Trump donations don't reflect its values. Boycotts suggested anyway," by Miami Herald's Howard Cohen SLOWDOWN — " Top Trump-era lobbyist: 'It's not going to be the same,'" by The Hill's Alex Gangitano: "Ballard Partners was the fifth highest-grossing lobbying firm in 2020, when it brought in $24.6 million, up from $19.1 million the previous year. But things are different now. 'We're realistic. Obviously, we're not going to continue that trajectory over the next four years,' [Brian] Ballard told The Hill on Thursday. 'We had a wonderful run, we're going to be here to stay, but it's not going to be the same,' he said. | | CORONAVIRUS UPDATES | | | 
Mark Lennihan, Pool/AP Photo | TRYING TO HOLD ON — "Desperate Floridians battle in vaccine 'Hunger Games,'" by Palm Beach Post's Wendy Rhodes: "Lauren Popkoff sees herself in a race against fate. 'My biggest fear is that I will catch COVID, and I will die,' she said. 'I have friends that caught it. They were on the mend, and then I got a phone call that they died.' On Thursday, she revealed she has hedged her bet against the worst case scenario. Popkoff, 57, made out her will and purchased a burial plot. Despite being a diabetic with neuropathy, lymphedema, macular edema and other health conditions, Popkoff is unable to get a COVID-19 vaccine because she is under 65 — and so she is beginning to lose hope." DISPARITY — "Florida's coronavirus vaccine rollout reveals racial divide in Tampa Bay," by Tampa Bay Times' Allison Ross and Megan Reeves: "As of Thursday, white Floridians were about 2.5 times more likely to have received at least one dose as Black residents. Non-Hispanic residents were nearly twice as likely as Hispanic people to have secured doses. The same trend is playing out in Tampa Bay. In Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando counties, white residents are twice as likely to have received vaccines as Black residents, and a similar disparity affects Hispanic people." OVERRULED — " Miami Mayor Francis Suarez tells 'Face the Nation' he's being restricted by the state to put more COVID mitigation efforts in place," by CBS Miami's Karli Barnett: "On Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said he is being restricted by the state to put more mitigation efforts in place against COVID-19. 'I had implemented a mask-in-public order back when we were allowed to do that during the summer, and that drove down cases by 90%. Now, we're not allowed to implement a mask-in-public order,' he said. He said he has asked Gov. Ron DeSantis for the mayors to have more authority, but that's been met with no response." TAKING PRECAUTIONS — " Tampa mayor battled Florida governor over COVID-19 issues in buildup to Super Bowl 55," by Kaiser Health News' Phil Galewitz: "[Jane] Castor said the city and NFL have learned enough to hold the event safely – though it will not be exactly normal. 'We are climbing up on the world stage, and one thing I can guarantee you is Tampa Bay is going to dance like we've never danced before,' she said at a news conference. 'We are making sure this is a safe event for everyone.' Castor said she supports the NFL's decision to allow 22,000 spectators at the Super Bowl – including 7,500 health workers who received both doses of a vaccine. Raymond James Stadium in Tampa has a capacity of 75,000. During the regular season, the stadium allowed about 14,000 fans." — "Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile expects 30,000 fans at Daytona 500," by The Daytona Beach News-Journal's Zach Dean — "MLB proposes 154-game schedule with expanded playoffs, delayed opening day," by Associated Press HELPING OUT — "A local reporter in Florida has become seniors' unofficial vaccine hotline," by Washington Post's Derek Hawkins: "It was the first sign for the 26-year-old Tallahassee Democrat reporter that the technical and logistical problems hindering the nation's vaccine rollout were hitting her north Florida county, too. So she started responding. She didn't have all the answers, she told one anxious caller after another, but she would try to find out. For the past four weeks, [CD] Davidson-Hiers has acted as an unofficial vaccine hotline for the county of 294,000, helping scores of seniors navigate a public health bureaucracy they say has left them panicked about how to get the injections that promise to end the pandemic." — "More than 1,000 doses of COVID vaccine spoiled in Palm Beach County," by Sun Sentinel's Brooke Baitinger — "Parents argue they know best for their kids as judge hears face-mask case against school district," by Treasure Coast Newspapers Sommer Brugal | | | | JOIN TUESDAY - THE FUTURE OF AMERICAN ENERGY: President Joe Biden is pushing for an ambitious agenda to tackle the climate crisis amid a gridlocked Washington. Biden's signature plan "Build Back Better" includes a $400B investment in clean energy research, establishing a new agency to focus on climate, among other initiatives. Join POLITICO for a virtual conversation to explore policy proposals and practices to help communities with economies that rely on fossil fuels to navigate the energy transition. REGISTER HERE. | | | | |
| | TRAIL MIX | | CRIST 'OPEN' TO RUNNING AGAIN — Rep. Charlie Crist did an interview Sunday with CBS Miami's Jim DeFede where he acknowledged the latest rumblings about him possibly challenging Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2022. Crist, who was elected governor as a Republican in 2006 but ultimately switched parties, said he was more worried about the battle against the coronavirus more than about his political future. He said that while "it doesn't get much of my attention… it is something that I am open to." Crist went on to criticize DeSantis' handling of the vaccine rollout and said it showed a "severe lack of leadership." Reminder: Crist, as a Democrat, challenged then-Gov. Rick Scott in 2014 and narrowly lost. The 64-year-old Crist has run in six statewide elections during his long political career and is 3-3. REMATCH COMING? — "Stunning November loss may not be Donna Shalala's last run for Congress in Miami," by Miami Herald's Alex Daugherty and David Smiley: "Two months after losing a race she was heavily favored to win, Donna Shalala continues to raise money and consider another run for the U.S. House of Representatives in Miami in 2022. Shalala, 79, has sent several fundraising emails through her political committee encouraging supporters to donate money to an effort to unseat U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar, the Republican and former TV journalist who defeated Shalala in the November election in her second run for the seat. On Friday, Shalala confirmed that she remains interested in running for Congress again next year, when newly drawn districts are likely to scramble the congressional map." CHECK YOUR BALANCE — Last month, Florida Democratic Party Chair Manny Diaz , in a stunning move, terminated two-thirds of the party staff. Now the latest federal filing shows how bad the financial situation is for Democrats. The new year-end report for Florida Democrats showed that the party ended 2020 with just under $61,000 in its federal account. That same report filed over the weekend also showed the party had outstanding debts of nearly $869,000. Contrast that with the Republican Party of Florida which finished 2020 with $5.83 million in its federal account. | | THE GUNSHINE STATE | | UNSOCIAL MEDIA — "Pistol-packing Colorado congresswoman mocks former Stoneman Douglas student as not 'tough,'" by Sun Sentinel's Anthony Man: "Congresswoman Lauren Boebert — the Colorado Republican who is so pro-gun she carries a Glock handgun everywhere and owns a firearms-themed restaurant — mocked gun control activist David Hogg on Twitter. In a Thursday evening post, Boebert responded with disdain to a tweet from Hogg. 'David, please. We all saw how tough you were when questioned face to face. Give your keyboard a rest, child,' Boebert wrote. The congresswoman was responding to a post from Hogg in which he commented on the news that permanent fencing is planned for the U.S. Capitol in response to security issues identified by the Jan. 6 rampage by supporters of then-President Donald Trump. Hogg suggested Boebert and U.S. Rep. Marjory Taylor Greene, R-Ga., were a security threat inside the Capitol." | | DATELINE D.C. | | 'I DON'T WANT TO BREAK THE RULES' — "Maria Elvira Salazar's pledge to donate her congressional salary hits a roadblock," by Miami Herald's Alex Daugherty and David Smiley: "Miami Republican Rep. María Elvira Salazar ran ads during her campaign last year declaring that she would donate her entire $174,000 salary to fund a 'prosperity center' to help her constituents pay their rent and find jobs. But on Friday, when Salazar was expected to get her first paycheck as a member of Congress, she said she has had trouble receiving clear guidance from committees that oversee how members of Congress run their offices on whether and how she can proceed with her plans. 'So far, Friday afternoon, from what my staff is telling me, no one has a straight answer because it's never happened before,' Salazar said. 'No one really knows what to do with the prosperity center. It's the first time a congressional office is going to have a prosperity center.'" | | MEDIA MATTERS | | END OF AN ERA — "Time's up. Carl Hiassen is retiring his Miami Herald opinion column, but not his outrage," by Miami Herald's Andres Viglucci: "His flourishing dual writing career — encompassing both his column and his novels — has stretched to improbable longevity and unmatched reach and productivity, at least for a lifelong newspaper hack. Now Hiaasen said he's decided to retire from the Herald, where he's been employed as reporter and columnist with hardly a break since July 4, 1976, coincidentally but fittingly the nation's Bicentennial. 'I've been thinking about easing off as the years went by,' Hiaasen said in a phone interview from his home in Vero Beach. 'This is 45 years in the Herald, which is ridiculous in our business. I was 23 when I started working there. I feel like I almost grew up in the newsroom. I also feel at this stage it's a good time to step away.'" And on that note — "DeSantis is right: Florida doesn't need Biden's vaccine plan. His has been a flaming success," by Miami Herald's Carl Hiassen: "Space limitations prevent recapping all the governor's boasting, bungles and deceptions since the pandemic began. Now that his hero Donald Trump is out of office, there's nobody at the White House to give DeSantis cover when he equivocates. The result is a daily display of doubletalk that would be comical if so many lives and jobs weren't at stake. The governor never had a master plan for getting out the vaccine, but he's determined to ignore and discredit Joe Biden's." | | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | 'I JUST WANT THE STORY TO BE KNOWN' — "A white man pulled a gun at a Florida protest. Black men took the blame," by Tampa Bay Times' Kavitha Surana: "Lawrance English rode his bike at the front of the march. A 30-year-old security guard, he usually took on the job of blocking cars so protesters could pass. He knew it made him a target and his prominence in the Black Lives Matter movement had already led to run-ins. Earlier in the summer, he punched a man who charged at him during a confrontation. Police questioned English, records show, but decided that video showed he acted in self-defense. Now, [Jonathan] Riches's group came to meet him at the crosswalks, trying to edge out the protesters while motioning cars to drive through. 'You can run them over. DeSantis said so!' a woman told a driver." — "Rally calls for firing of Osceola deputy who slammed Liberty High girl: 'We all are traumatized,'" by Orlando Sentinel's Monivette Cordeiro — "Super Bowl week helps 'shine a light' on human trafficking," by Associated Press | | ODDS, ENDS, AND FLORIDA MEN | | — "Rod Stewart reaches plea deal after allegedly punching a Palm Beach hotel guard," by Sun Sentinel's Marc Freeman: "Rock legend Rod Stewart and his son have reached a deal with South Florida prosecutors over misdemeanor battery charges stemming from a New Year's Eve 2020 confrontation at The Breakers in Palm Beach. Lawyers on Friday announced they would not be heading to a trial in the case where the 'Reason to Believe' singer was accused of punching a security guard in the chest. The terms of the agreement were not disclosed." — "As 2021 sees 1st fatal shark attack, Volusia County still No. 1 for global shark bites," by Orlando Sentinel's Joe Mario Pedersen: "Volusia County remains the apex beach for shark bites all over the world. Volusia County, but more so New Smyrna Beach, is yet again deemed the shark bite capital of the world, according the International Shark Attack File's 2020 update. Other findings the report documented included global unprovoked shark attacks have decreased for the third year in a row." BIRTHDAYS: State Rep. Chuck Brannan … Former State Sen. Oscar Braynon … Matt Moon, VP advocacy at Business Roundtable … (Was Sunday) Rep. Michael Waltz … Former Rep. Gwen Graham … The Florida Channel's Jossie Barroso … Ryan Ray, Tallahassee city commission aide and former journalist … Florida Politics' Jason Delgado … (Was Saturday) State Sen. Perry Thurston … Mario Rubio, director of community development at Department of Economic Opportunity … Birthday Week … State Rep. Christopher Benjamin (was Friday)
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