| | | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Presented by Facebook | Hello and welcome to Tuesday. Life in the Sunshine State — Florida's campaign season for 2022 is just starting to get up and running… and this emerging story… is well… so Florida. The contender — Anna Paulina Luna, an up-and-coming Republican candidate for Congress who lost last year to Charlie Crist by about 6 percentage points, has already announced she is making another go for the seat now that Crist is running for governor. Crist's seat is seen a potential Republican pickup opportunity since it could get reshaped during redistricting. Luna last year was able to win the Republican primary with support from Rep. Matt Gaetz and Turning Point's Charlie Kirk. Serious allegations — But Luna late last week sought a stalking injunction against one of her likely GOP primary challengers and she told authorities that he and two other potential candidates conspired to kill her. In her request for an injunction shared with Playbook, Luna wrote "I do not feel safe and I am currently in fear for my life." The document states she has turned over information to law enforcement including screen shots of text messages and that her opponents are working to "take me out." Response — The Tampa Bay Times did a lengthy story Monday and William Braddock, the pending candidate that Luna got a temporary injunction against, told the news organization bluntly: "This woman is off her rocker and she does not need to be representing anyone." Braddock speculated that Luna herself could wind up getting charged for filing a false police report. Amanda Makki, who lost to Luna in last year's primary and was listed in the injunction request as working with Braddock, called the allegations "nonsense." Not everything is public — One caveat is that information shared to local law enforcement has not been made public yet and James Blair, a spokesman for Luna, told the Times that he was "confident the facts will be public at the appropriate time." — WHERE'S RON? — Gov. DeSantis is scheduled to be in Tallahassee for a meeting with the Florida Cabinet. PROGRAMMING NOTE: Florida Playbook will not publish on Friday, June 18. We'll be back on our normal schedule on Monday, June 21. Please continue to follow POLITICO Florida. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch: gfineout@politico.com | | A message from Facebook: The internet has changed a lot since 1996 - internet regulations should too
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|  | CAMPAIGN MODE | | SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS — "Anna Paulina Luna says potential political opponents conspired to kill her," by Tampa Bay Times' Romy Ellenbogen: "On May 26, [Matt] Tito and [Anna Paulina] Luna got into disputes while appearing on a radio show together. Tito pressed Luna on having photos taken in uniform after she left military service — a discussion point that Braddock called in and brought up. In the petition, Luna mentions May 26 as a day when Braddock sought out interaction with her and coordinated with Tito. After the show, Tito said he told Luna there were no hard feelings, but he said she yelled at him and told him not to do that again. He said Saturday that Luna should suspend her campaign and drop out of the race, calling her unfit for office. He said he's talking to a lawyer about a defamation claim because she named him in her petition for injunction. 'Her goal was to embarrass us, it was to get us to keep us out of the race, to intimidate us,' Tito said." WHO DO YOU TRUST? — "Florida Realtors sponsoring 2022 ballot measure to block trust fund sweeps," by POLITICO's Matt Dixon: A political committee setup by the Florida Realtors is sponsoring a 2022 ballot measure that aims to prevent future sweeps to affordable housing trust funds, an issue that pitted housing advocates against legislative leadership during the 2021 legislative session. The proposal is being sponsored by Floridians for Housing, a political committee the Florida Realtors have already stocked with $5 million, according to state election records. Florida Realtors is the largest trade organization for real estate agents in the state. STRATEGY — " Rubio's play for anti-China vote," by Axios' Lachlan Markay: "Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) is making a play for China hawks in Florida as he braces for a competitive re-election fight next year, records show. Why it matters: Hostility toward communism drove a significant number of Latino voters in Florida into the Republican column in 2020. The Rubio campaign's focus on China can capitalize on that trend and a wider — and widening — American mistrust of Beijing. What's new: Rubio allies have spent the past year quietly building a list of voters motivated by anti-China sentiment. Now his campaign is openly hitting up their inboxes. Rubio campaign emails with subject lines such as, 'Dems <3 China,' and, 'Is it time to stand up to Communist China?' have started going out to a list maintained by a nonprofit group called Stand Up to China." | 
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 10: Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee Chariman Marco Rubio (R-FL) listens during a hearing on June 10, 2020 in Washington, DC. The committee is examining the implementation of the CARES Act, which has handed out billions of dollars of government-backed forgivable loans to small-business owners if they keep employees on their payroll. (Photo by Al-Drago-Pool/Getty Images) | Al Drago/Getty Images | DEMINGS TIME — Rep. Val Demings continues to make the media rounds following her announcement that she would challenge Sen. Marco Rubio. Demings went on MSNBC on Monday where she called it "shameful" that Rubio supported efforts by Gov. Ron DeSantis and other governors to cut off supplemental unemployment benefits that were authorized by Congress to run until September. Demings also appeared on Crooked Media's Pod Save America, where she repeated her position that "I do not support defunding the police" and that vulnerable Black and brown communities don't want less resources but want to be "treated with dignity and respect." JUST AN OVERSIGHT? — "Exclusive: Nikki Fried's campaign site was liberal in English, moderate in Spanish until she was questioned," by Newsweek's Adrian Carrasquillo: "Nikki Fried, Florida's agriculture commissioner, a rising star among state Democrats who hopes to defeat Governor Ron DeSantis next year if she wins the primary, sounds like a tried and true progressive on her English-language website. She touts being an advocate for criminal justice reform, taking on the NRA, and fighting to protect the environment. But as of Friday, all of that was missing from her Spanish-language website. Asked about the discrepancy by Newsweek, Fried's team quickly added the language in Spanish and fleshed out her biography on the page within two hours of the initial request for comment." BUILDING UP — "Fried adds staff to Florida gubernatorial campaign," by POLITICO's Bruce Ritchie: Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, the only statewide elected Democrat, is adding campaign staff amid her bid to unseat Gov. Ron DeSantis. The details: Fried announced Monday her campaign is hiring Aria Branch of the Perkins Coie law firm as legal adviser and Evelyn Pérez-Verdía as senior adviser on Latino issues. Pérez-Verdía advised the 2020 Democratic presidential campaigns of Pete Buttigieg and Joe Biden on Latin American policy and messaging. Kevin Cate of CATECOMM will serve as lead ad maker and media adviser. Cate worked for Tom Steyer's Democratic presidential campaign in 2019 and was senior adviser to former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum in his losing effort against DeSantis for governor in 2018. RIPPLE EFFECT — "Orlando State Rep. Kamia Brown to run for state Senate to succeed Randolph Bracy," by Orlando Sentinel Steven Lemongello: "The reshuffling of Central Florida politics following U.S. Rep. Val Demings' run for U.S. Senate continues, with state Rep. Kamia Brown, D-Orlando, filing to run for state Senate. Brown, 40, is running in the district currently represented by state Sen. Randolph Bracy, who is vacating his seat to run for Congress to succeed Demings." IMPORTANT LOCAL RACES — " Is 2022 the year Florida parents wake up to school board politics?" by Tampa Bay Times' Jeffrey Solochek : "The past year opened eyes, [Sarasota County School Board member Bridget] Ziegler said. Having taken more active roles in their children's schooling, parents of all political persuasions started paying more attention, she noted, and in many cases got frustrated. They started watching board meetings online. And when the meetings reopened, some began attending to speak out. Many took issue with boards' decisions on resuming in-person classes, mandating masks and offering lessons that might have gone unnoticed before. 'I believe you're going to see parents show up in waves at the ballot box,' where, in a typical year, large numbers of voters pass over school board races, Ziegler said. 'And I think you're going to see lots of people in their 30s or so run for office.'" | | | | DON'T MISS THE MILKEN INSTITUTE FUTURE OF HEALTH SUMMIT: POLITICO will feature a special edition of our Future Pulse newsletter at the 2021 Milken Institute Future of Health Summit. The newsletter takes readers inside one of the most influential gatherings of global health industry leaders and innovators who are turning lessons learned from the past year into a healthier, more resilient and more equitable future. Covid-19 threatened our health and well-being, while simultaneously leading to extraordinary coordination to improve pandemic preparedness, disease prevention, diversity in clinical trials, mental health resources, food access and more. SUBSCRIBE TODAY to receive exclusive coverage from June 22-24. | | | | |
| | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | 'IT'S WINDOW DRESSING' — "DeSantis' much-touted Florida EVerify immigration law snares no one," by Orlando Sentinel's Gray Rohrer: "Private employers in Florida have been required to use E-Verify, a federal system for checking the legal status of a potential hire, since the start of the year. But there have been no complaints made to the state agency in charge of enforcing the law in the five and a half months it's been in effect. A Department of Economic Opportunity spokeswoman told the Orlando Sentinel there have been no complaints and no enforcement measures taken against any employers since the provisions affecting private businesses took effect Jan. 1." SENDING A MESSAGE — "DeSantis signs two bills in Surfside synagogue, emphasizes his support for Israel," by Miami Herald's Marie-Rose Sheinerman and Ana Ceballos and Tampa Bay Times' Kirby Wilson: "Nearly 300 people gathered at the Shul of Bal Harbour, a sprawling Orthodox synagogue, to greet Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday as he signed into law two bills of particular importance to the South Florida Jewish community — one authorizing a local emergency medical service and another mandating a "moment of silence" in schools. The governor also took the opportunity to make it clear how strongly he supports Israel. He promised shortly after taking office to become the most "pro-Israel governor in America." — " Florida gets another legal challenge to new elections rules," by News Service of Florida's Jim Saunders — "Shevrin Jones says Governor, GOP 'ginning up faux outrage' over critical race theory," by Florida Politics' Ryan Nicol | | | |   | | |
| | Bidenology | | TRAVEL AGENT — "Senator Rick Scott 'doesn't get' why Biden hasn't visited border, says 'it's not that hard," by Newsweek's Cammy Pedroja: "Florida Senator Rick Scott took aim at President Joe Biden's handling of the border crisis on Monday morning, saying 'I don't get why he won't go to the border, it's not that hard.' The first-term Republican senator and former Florida Governor appeared on Fox Business Network's Mornings with Maria, giving an account of how the current immigration crisis is affecting his state. Scott blamed Biden's policies directly for several alleged effects of the border crisis, including human trafficking and increased fentanyl overdoses. 'My heart goes out to all the people who are being trafficked. It's all caused by Joe Biden and the things that are happening to American citizens because of what Joe Biden has done,' Scott said." | | | | JOIN TODAY FOR A CONVERSATION ON REOPENING THE U.S.-CANADA BORDER : It's been more than one year since the border between the U.S. and Canada first closed to non-essential travel due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The unprecedented and ongoing closure imposed economic and social costs in border communities and across both countries. Join POLITICO for an urgent conversation on what's at stake in the border closure, what it will take to reopen safely, and how the pandemic will change the border in the long term. REGISTER HERE. | | | | |
| | THE GUNSHINE STATE | | A MAGICAL PLACE — "Armed at Disney World: More tourists caught with concealed guns during pandemic," by Orlando Sentinel's Gabrielle Russon: "Disney World, the biggest theme park resort on the planet, has seen a spike of people arrested and charged with carrying concealed firearms over the past year, despite being closed for months and operating at reduced capacity because of the COVID-19 epidemic. Some guests are forgetting about their handguns in purses, backpacks, fanny packs, or in one case, a diaper bag, where Orange County deputies found two guns at Epcot last summer. A handful of times, visitors left their weapons in their pockets or strapped to their waist, unaware that Disney bans guns, as they strode up to security." | | CORONAVIRUS UPDATES | | FACE TIME — "Vaccinated visitors soon can take off masks at Disney World," by The Associated Press: "Walt Disney World in Florida is making it easier to see smiles again, but guests still can't hug the characters. Starting Tuesday, face masks will be optional for visitors to the theme park resort who are vaccinated, though Disney workers won't require proof of vaccination, the company said on its website. Visitors who aren't fully vaccinated still will need to wear face masks indoors and on all rides and attractions. Because vaccines aren't yet available for children under age 12, they too will have to mask up still." — " DeSantis faces questions about cruise industry during bill signing in South Florida," by WPLG's Glenna Milberg | | A message from Facebook: Why Facebook supports updated internet regulations
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| | ODDS, ENDS, AND FLORIDA MEN | | BIRTHDAYS: State Rep. Traci Koster … Former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine
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