| | | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Presented by Ocean Conservancy | Hello and welcome to Monday. The daily rundown — Between Saturday and Sunday, the number of Florida coronavirus cases increased by 3,987 (nearly 0.2 percent), to 2,008,349; active hospitalizations went down by 30 (1 percent), to 2,823; deaths among Florida residents rose by 29 to 32,742; 4,911,786 Floridians have received at least one dose of a vaccine. Fixing a hole — Florida Democratic Party chair Manny Diaz concedes that the financial turmoil that gripped the state party at the start of the year was a set back for his ambitious plans to overhaul it ahead of the 2022 elections. He was forced to lay off employees and scramble to pay health insurance expenses. With a little help from my friends — But with the help of large donors such as New York City billionaire Michael Bloomberg and South Florida health care executive Mike Fernandez, party officials say they brought in $2 million to state and federal accounts during Diaz's first two months on the job. The latest federal report filed this weekend shows the party has wiped out a large amount of the debt it built up following the 2020 elections. I feel fine — "It feels really good because those first few weeks were brutal because of the amount of money we owed and were about to owe," Diaz told POLITICO in an interview. Come together — But Diaz, whose son is the head football coach for the University of Miami, also acknowledged that "we need a lot more to get across the goal line." The next step is expanding operations and hiring staff. Diaz said he hopes to have people on the ground in April. The long and winding road — Right now Republicans have a sizable money advantage and incumbent Gov. Ron DeSantis continues to amass a large war chest ahead of his re-election campaign. And looming on the horizon is redistricting, when the GOP-controlled Legislature will get a chance to redraw congressional and legislative districts in early 2022. Diaz said he's already "anticipating" court challenges even though there are predictions that a reconfigured state Supreme Court may be less inclined to toss out maps like it's done before. We can work it out — "Whatever we have done the last 10 years hasn't worked," the former Miami mayor said. But Diaz added that "the path to victory here is building a strong Florida Democratic Party. There is no secret sauce, you create a strong party, invest in that party from the bottom up." — 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 | | | | A message from Ocean Conservancy: Ocean Conservancy is working with you to protect the ocean from today's greatest global challenges. We're working in the places you care about to address the impacts of these threats – from sea level rise, to water quality, and more. Together, we can create solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it. Learn more. | | |
|  | CAMPAIGN MODE | | TURNING IT AROUND? — "Florida Democrats, with help from Bloomberg, raise $2 million," by POLITICO's Gary Fineout: [ Florida Democratic Party chair Manny] Diaz said the financial woes set back his plans by a "couple of months" to expand operations, including setting up Democratic offices in Orlando. "First and foremost, you have to clean up your own house before looking outside," Diaz said. The party filed its latest federal report late Saturday, and it showed that Democrats had almost $200,000 cash on hand at the end of February and still had close to $99,000 in debts and pending obligations. More than $1 million was raised in the month of February. But party officials say that right now, they have roughly $750,000 in cash between both their state and federal accounts. SCANDAL? WHAT SCANDAL? — "Voter fraud-focused Florida GOP mum in wake of Artiles arrest," by POLITICO's Matt Dixon: In the wake of former Republican Sen. Frank Artiles' arrest on allegations he paid a sham candidate nearly $50,000 to influence a key Miami race, Florida Republicans are reluctant to chime in on what amounts to a credible allegation of voter fraud — something they have long said they are focused on rooting out. Prominent Florida Republicans are not vocally calling out that alleged voter fraud in the same way they lamented so-far unfounded allegations of fraud in other areas of the state voting system after Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle on Thursday unveiled the results of her four-month public corruption investigation into Artiles' role in recruiting his friend, Alex Rodriguez, to run as a no-party affiliated candidate to siphon votes from incumbent Democrat José Javier Rodríguez. — "Amid allegations of spoiler candidate scheme, FL Democrats call for GOP senator to resign," by Miami Herald's Samantha J. Gross and Ana Ceballos LOOK WHO'S HEADED TO IOWA — "2024 'shadow campaign' takes shape under Trump's watchful eye," by POLITICO's David Siders: Mike Pompeo and Rick Scott are headed to Iowa this week and next, followed by Tim Scott in mid-April. Mike Pence plans to visit the early primary state of South Carolina, while Ron DeSantis appears to be conducting a soft launch in his home state of Florida. Jeff Kaufmann, chair of the Iowa Republican Party, said he's never seen so much interest so early in a presidential election cycle. "Iowa's going to be hopping," Kaufmann said. | 
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., arrives for a Republican policy luncheon on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) | AP Photo/Susan Walsh | Groundwork — On April 1, Rick Scott will be in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for an event hosted by the state Republican Party. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott will be in Davenport on April 15. Later that month, Pence will travel to South Carolina to give his first speech since leaving office. Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, who has already visited New Hampshire multiple times, told Republican activists there in January to expect to see him back in the state soon. One Republican strategist in South Carolina said advisers to and associates of Mike Pompeo, Ron DeSantis and Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida have all placed calls into the state recently to discuss the political landscape there. DESANTIS MAKES MAR-A-LAGO VISIT — On Friday, news broke that former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club had been partially closed after staff members had tested positive for Covid-19. Yet Gov. Ron DeSantis was spotted there on Saturday night. And why was he there? Well, apparently to raise money, according to an Instagram post spotted by Florida Politics' Peter Schorsch. DeSantis critic Daniel Uhlfelder found a Tik Tok video of Trump questioning how he lost to Joe Biden while standing next to the governor. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, a likely Democratic challenger to DeSantis, chimed in by saying on Twitter that "FYI, I have a political committee that doesn't hold super spreader insurrectionist fundraisers during a pandemic." | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO "THE RECAST" TO JOIN AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION : Power dynamics are shifting in Washington and across the country, and more people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that all politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. "The Recast" is a new twice-weekly newsletter that breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics, policy, and power in America. Get fresh insights, scoops, and dispatches on this crucial intersection from across the country, and hear from new voices that challenge business as usual. Don't miss out on this new newsletter, SUBSCRIBE NOW . Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | |
| | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | CHECK PLEASE — "GOP's DeSantis helped by windfall from Washington Democrats," by Sarasota Herald-Tribune's John Kennedy: "Every Republican member of Congress voted against the $1.9 trillion federal stimulus package, but Florida's GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis is emerging as one of its biggest political beneficiaries. The $10 billion windfall coming to Florida state government is allowing DeSantis to recommend steering vast amounts of cash into environmental spending and fixing the state's problem-plagued unemployment system, along with scores of other enhancements." 'THEY THINK YOU'RE A LIAR' — " Florida took an aggressive approach to unemployment fraud. Was it worth it?" by Tampa Bay Times' Lawrence Mower: "During the height of the state's unemployment crisis last year, Florida's jobless agency enforced anti-fraud efforts that added months of delays and frustrations for those waiting for benefits. Pregnant women, Floridians sick with COVID-19 and those caring for children at home were denied benefits because they weren't "able and available" for work under state law. Jobless Floridians with simple discrepancies on applications saw their claims locked, delaying payments by weeks or months. Making it harder — "Former call center workers hired to help claimants say that stopping fraud was prioritized over providing benefits. "They never told us to actually help people," said Meagan Gross, 30, who fielded calls for the state through contractor Kforce from March to August last year. "It was how to send it to adjudication, how to lock their account due to fraud." EXIT STRATEGY — "Plakon among at least 8 applying for vacant PSC seat," by POLITICO's Bruce Ritchie: State Rep. Scott Plakon (R-Lake Mary) is among nine applicants for the Public Service Commission.What are the details: Plakon and the others are applying for a seat left vacant in February when Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Commissioner Julie Brown to lead the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Plakon must leave office in 2022 because of term limits. | | | | A message from Ocean Conservancy:   | | |
| | CORONAVIRUS UPDATES | | 'THEY WENT TOGETHER' — "Married 66 years, husband, wife die minutes apart of virus," by The Associated Press' Terry Spencer: "Bill and Esther Ilnisky spent nearly seven decades together as Christian ministers and missionaries, working in the Caribbean and Middle East before preaching for 40 years in Florida. They complemented each other — he the bookworm, she outgoing and charismatic. One without the other seemed unthinkable. So when they died minutes apart of COVID-19 this month at a Palm Beach County hospice, it may have been a hidden blessing, their only child, Sarah Milewski, said — even if it was a devastating double loss for her. Her father was 88, her mom 92. Their 67th wedding anniversary would have been this weekend." FOR YOUR RADAR — "University of Florida suspends conservative groups on campus for allegedly violating mask policy," by Fox News' Houston Keene: "The University of Florida suspended multiple college conservative groups for allegedly not wearing masks at a joint group event on campus. According to a confidential letter sent to the conservative groups, Turning Point USA (TPUSA), the Network of Enlightened Women (NEW) and the Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) were all suspended from the University of Florida's campus after a "Conservative Coalition Cookout" event on Norman Field. Masked or not? — "The letter alleged the groups had violated university COVID-19 policies during the event "by failing to wear appropriate face coverings and/or maintain appropriate physical distance. Instagram posts by TPUSA, however, illustrate that the group reminded students to "don't forget to bring a mask" to the event on campus, per the university's guidelines. A later post by the group of the event shows them in masks." Taking on Gator Nation? — State Rep. Randy Fine, who has feuded with other universities in the past, vowed in a weekend tweet that linked to the Fox story that "there will be hell to pay" if UF "disproportionately targeted" conservative groups. He also tweeted on Sunday that "accountability is coming." IT TAKES A LAWSUIT — " Florida releases COVID-19 variant data day after Orlando Sentinel sues for it," by Orlando Sentinel's Kate Santich: "Mutated strains of COVID-19 have reached 41 of Florida's 67 counties, infecting hundreds of residents, including a 97-year-old woman and a 2-year-old boy, according to data released to the Orlando Sentinel late Friday by the state Department of Health. The disclosure came one day after the newspaper filed a lawsuit against the agency for allegedly violating Florida's public records law and the state's constitution. For 57 days, the state withheld information on the variant cases, despite numerous requests from Orlando Sentinel reporters and attorneys." REPORT CARD — "A rapid COVID-19 vaccine rollout backfired in some US states," by Associated Press' Carla K. Johnson and Nicky Forster: "A surprising new analysis found that states such as South Carolina and Florida that raced ahead of others to offer the vaccine to ever-larger groups of people have vaccinated smaller shares of their population than those that moved more slowly and methodically, such as Hawaii and Connecticut. The explanation, as experts see it, is that the rapid expansion of eligibility caused a surge in demand too big for some states to handle and led to serious disarray. Vaccine supplies proved insufficient or unpredictable, websites crashed and phone lines became jammed, spreading confusion, frustration and resignation among many people." At the bottom — "Seven states in the bottom 10 for overall vaccination performance — Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina and Missouri — had larger-than-average shares of their residents eligible for shots." — " Florida tops 2 million COVID-19 cases in just one year," by News Service of Florida's Jim Saunders — "At Disney World, spring break crowds are here, along with coronavirus fears, too," by Orlando Sentinel's Gabrielle Russon — " Gov. DeSantis rips the idea of 'COVID-19 passports,'" by News Service of Florida's Christine Sexton | | | | Did you know that POLITICO Pro has coverage and tools at the state level? All the state legislative and regulatory tracking, budget documents, state agency contact information, and everything else you need to stay ahead of state policy movement integrate into our smart and customizable platform. Learn more and become a Pro today. | | | | |
| | Bidenology | | HARRIS VISITS JACKSONVILLE — From the White House: Vice President Kamala Harris will touch down in Jacksonville on Monday afternoon. Harris will visit a vaccination site followed by a "listening session with Florida leaders" at Feeding Northeast Florida, Food Pantry, Distribution & Food. ON THE ROAD — "Arizona governor, Florida senator blast Biden over border," by The Associated Press' Jonathan J. Cooper: "Republicans overseeing their party's efforts to elect senators and governors trekked to the Arizona-Mexico border Friday and laid blame for a surge in migrants at the feet of President Joe Biden as the GOP looks to weaponize the influx against Democrats. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and Florida Sen. Rick Scott said Biden's decision to relax some of President Donald Trump's immigration policies has been a magnet for migrants looking to come to the U.S. Illegal border crossings are way up in recent months, a surge that began during Trump's presidency." — "Nelson wins bipartisan praise in bid for NASA job," by POLITICO's Jacqueline Feldscher — "Florida physician group blasts Rick Scott, Marco Rubio for voting against Xavier Becerra," by Florida Politics' Kelly Hayes | | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | PENT-UP DEMAND? — "South Beach curfew and causeway closures extended for rest of spring break," by Miami Herald's Martin Vassolo: "Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber, who called Sunday's emergency commission meeting, said the big crowds have made South Beach's party hub 'a tinder over the last couple of weeks.' 'It has felt at times like our city isn't safe,' he said. The mayor and public health officials have also expressed concern about the potential spread of COVID-19 among the largely maskless crowds. Miami Beach leaders believes many spring break visitors have been drawn to the city by Florida's lenient coronavirus restrictions. 'I believe it's a lot of pent-up demand from the pandemic and people wanting to get out,' Commissioner David Richardson said." BACKLASH — "Black leaders react to South Beach spring break curfew, crackdown: 'unnecessary force,'" by Miami Herald's Martin Vassolo: "But the use of force to clear out people of color from South Beach alarmed some Black leaders. And if Miami Beach has openly recoiled at the behavior of at-times chaotic crowds filling the city's entertainment district every weekend, some in South Florida are having a similar reaction to the way the city and its police have handled the presence of thousands of people of color. 'I was very disappointed,' Stephen Hunter Johnson, chairman of Miami-Dade's Black Affairs Advisory Committee, said Sunday morning. 'I think when they're young Black people [on South Beach], the response is, 'Oh my God, we have to do something.'" — "Police chief says Miami partying 'couldn't go on any longer,'" by The Associated Press' Kelli Kennedy — "Broward schools' giant computer purchase is under review in grand jury probe," by Sun Sentinel's Scott Travis | | | | A message from Ocean Conservancy: Florida has an iconic natural environment. It is surrounded by and dependent on clean water. From the Panhandle to the Treasure Coast to the Florida Keys, you're never more than 60 miles from the ocean. Florida's coasts serve as treasured sanctuaries and economic engines – places to enjoy as well as earn a living and build a life. With offices in St. Petersburg and Miami, Ocean Conservancy is actively working in these treasured Floridian places to address the impacts of today's greatest global challenges – from sea level rise, to water quality, and more. Together, we can create solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it. Learn more. | | |
| | ODDS, ENDS, AND FLORIDA MEN | | — "Canadian snowbirds find refuge in their mythical Miami," by New York Times' Dan Bilefsky: "In a retirement community north of Quebec City, 30-foot plastic palm trees overlook Miami, Orlando and Cocoa Avenues, cookie-cutter streets where residents glide by some days on snowshoes. The pool area — complete with straw-covered umbrellas, a candy-colored inflatable children's slide and a nearby tiki bar — evokes countless oceanside condos in Florida. Except for the snow, and temperatures that dipped this month to minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit. This is Domaine de la Florida, a Canadian make-believe Miami, whose 520 residents are so in love with the Sunshine State that they have recreated it here." BIRTHDAYS: Former Florida Gov. Buddy MacKay … Former state Rep. Alan Williams ... Jeffrey Vinik, investor and owner of Tampa Bay Lightning … (Was Sunday) State Rep. Paul Renner … Julie Hauserman , author and former journalist ... (Was Saturday) Aakash Patel, president of Elevate Inc. .... Bill Helmich of Helmich Consulting
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