| | | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Hello and welcome to Thursday. Rising — Ron DeSantis heads to Denver early next week, where he will meet with fellow governors at a Republican Governors Association meeting with his position as a superstar in the GOP firmament beyond dispute. In the wings — As veteran GOP pollster Tony Fabrizio told POLITICO's Marc Caputo this week, DeSantis is now locked in as the leading contender behind President Donald Trump: "While it's Trump's party, there is a clear successor — and that's DeSantis. He's the crown prince." Out in front — The poll numbers from Fabrizio revealed that among Republican voters, DeSantis — whose own political success was elevated directly by Trump's endorsement in the 2018 GOP primary for governor — is not only leading the field, he's dominating it. Florida man — And as for other Florida politicians considered possible presidential contenders, he's crushing them. Fabrizio's poll showed that DeSantis would get 39 percent of a GOP primary vote, compared to just 1 percent for either Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott. The Ron factor — DeSantis has cemented his position as the potential heir to Trump in the past year due to his fights over Covid-19 lockdowns, culture wars and with the media. It's gotten to the point where Fox News this week asked Rubio — after talking to him about the protests sweeping Cuba — to weigh in on DeSantis' new campaign merchandise that takes shots at Dr. Anthony Fauci. Center of gravity — Three years is of course an eternity in political circles. And there are already signs that some of DeSantis' fellow GOP governors are starting to take swipes at him in an effort to blunt his momentum. Yes, there's that whole 2022 re-election campaign to worry about. But DeSantis has made sure to use his recent trips across the country to maintain his substantial fundraising advantage. And as Fabrizio put it: "Politics abhors a vacuum, and DeSantis has filled that vacuum." — 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 | | | | STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president's ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | |
|  | DRIVING THE DAY | | HEY JOE — "Florida Dems to Biden: Don't blow 'golden opportunity' on Cuba," by POLITICO's Marc Caputo: Now, in Cuba's historic uprisings, Florida Democrats see what many are calling a "golden opportunity": a chance for President Joe Biden to help bring democracy to the island and, as a result, attract the Hispanic voters that he hemorrhaged eight months ago. "This is a 'Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!' opportunity," said state Sen. Annette Taddeo, a Democrat from Miami who represents a district that Trump won. "We need to be the beacon of hope. There are people in Cuba protesting waving the American flag. That has never happened. We need to understand the moment we're living in." — "Cuba lifts restrictions on importing food and medicines as protests continue in South Florida," by Sun Sentinel's Chris Perkins and Angie Dimichele — "White House says violent crackdown in Cuba over protests is 'unacceptable,'" by McClatchy DC's Michael Wilner and Bryan Lowry RON'S LAW — "Cuba protesters in Tampa held without bail because of 'anti-riot' law, records show," by Tampa Bay Times' Tony Marrero: "Two men arrested in Tampa during Tuesday's protests against the Cuban government appear to be among the first Tampa Bay defendants held under Florida's divisive new 'anti-riot' law. Julian Rodriguez-Rodriguez, 30, of Tampa and Maikel Vasquez-Pico, 39, of Riverview, were arrested by Tampa police on charges of battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting law enforcement and taking part in an unlawful assembly that blocked streets or sidewalks, records show. Until a few months ago, Rodriguez-Rodriguez and Vasquez-Pico would have been able to post bail immediately according a pre-set bond schedule. But jail records show that both men were being held Wednesday until their first appearance in court because of HB 1, the bill passed by the Republican-led Legislature and championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who signed it into law in April." 'GOTTA GET OUT OF HERE' — "'They are screaming that they are stuck.' Police release 911 calls from Surfside condo collapse," by Miami Herald's Samantha J. Gross, David Ovalle and Charles Rabin: "The first few calls to 911 started at 1:16 a.m. and there was little urgency. A woman calmly reported she heard an explosion. An alarm company noted a fire alarm had sounded. But within minutes, as water was gushing through the parking garage over the pool deck and dropping chunks of concrete, the scope of the unfolding disaster at Surfside's Champlain Towers South began to emerge. Caller after caller began frantically relaying their stories to emergency dispatchers. One woman could be heard saying 'it's an earthquake outside.' 'Holy s--t. We gotta get outta here. Hurry up. Hurry up. There's a big explosion,' one man told 911." SALVAGE EFFORT — "Coins, photos, kitchen tools: Pieces of lives buried in condo collapse," by The New York Times' Patricia Mazzei: "Mr. [Moshe] Candiotti, 67, knows he was lucky to have survived the collapse last month of the condo building in Surfside, Fla. At least 95 of his neighbors did not. He cannot help but wish, though, that a few of his personal possessions emerge at some point from the rubble. Perhaps the framed portrait of his mother. Or the gold and silver coins from all over the world that he had collected since childhood. 'They are recovering the bodies, which is more important than anything else,' he said." — " Death toll now 97 in Surfside collapse. Some families still wait for news of missing," by Miami Herald's Martin Vassolo | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | THE HEIR APPARENT — "Poll: Without Trump in the race, DeSantis dominates 2024 GOP White House hopefuls," by POLITICO's Marc Caputo: Without President Donald Trump running, the poll shows Gov. Ron DeSantis gets 39 percent of the theoretical GOP primary vote and Pence is at 15 percent. That's a 22-point increase for the governor — and a smaller, 4-point decrease for the former vice president — since pollster Tony Fabrizio's last survey. The other potential contenders lag far behind. All are in single digits: Texas Sen. Ted Cruz registers at 7 percent, which puts him ahead of former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley (4 percent), Utah Sen. Mitt Romney (3 percent); South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at 2 percent each." MOVING ON — "DeSantis' tryst with Democrats is done," by POLITICO's Gary Fineout: Gov. Ron DeSantis' brief moment of unity with Democrats is over…DeSantis this week accused the Biden administration of "cowardice" over its handling of Cuba, saying it provided a "weak" response to the wave of protests that have spread across the island nation. His campaign team unveiled new merchandise, including T-shirts and hats that read "Don't Fauci My Florida" as the state's Covid rates have begun to rise. DeSantis then appeared Wednesday morning at a state board of education meeting, where he assailed teaching critical race theory in schools and pushed to ensure educators instruct students about the "evils of communism." | 
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to the media on June 24, 2021, in Surfside, Fla. | Joe Raedle/Getty Images | THE AGENDA — "DeSantis challenger Crist releases clean water campaign platform," by POLITICO's Bruce Ritchie: Rep. Charlie Crist, who is challenging Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2022 for governor, released his environmental platform on Wednesday that includes supporting a proposed "Right to Clean Water" state constitutional amendment and vowing to "fully fund" the Florida Department of Environmental Protection….The platform is short on specifics and does not address key environmental concerns such as energy, climate change and sea level rise — issues that his campaign said will be addressed in a later position paper. — " Orlando pastor Terence Gray joins race for Val Demings' congressional seat," by Orlando Sentinel's Steven Lemongello | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO "THE RECAST" TODAY: Power is shifting in Washington and in communities across the country. More people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. The Recast is a twice-weekly newsletter that explores the changing power dynamics in Washington and breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics and policy in America. Get fresh insights, scoops and dispatches on this crucial intersection from across the country and hear critical new voices that challenge business as usual. Don't miss out, SUBSCRIBE . Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | |
| | DATELINE D.C. | | RUBIO BILL PASSES SENATE — "Senate passes bill to ban all products from Xinjiang over China rights abuse," by Axios' Rebecca Falconer: "The Senate unanimously passed a bill on Wednesday that would ban the importation of all products from Xinjiang, China, due to the forced labor and genocide of Uyghurs and other minorities in the region . Why it matters: Xinjiang products are deeply integrated into lucrative global supply chains, and Nike and Coca-Cola are among the major companies to have lobbied against the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, per Axios' Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian. What they're saying: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who introduced the legislation with Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), said in a statement after the passage of the bill that the message to Beijing 'and any international company that profits from forced labor in Xinjiang is clear: no more.'" TOXIC — "Matt Gaetz speaks at 'Free Britney' rally, decrying grifters and urging federal legislation for conservatorships," by Variety's Chris Willman: "Rep. Matt Gaetz, the highly controversial conservative Republican congressman from Florida, made a surprise appearance at a 'free Britney' rally, accusing her father, Jamie Spears, and others of being 'grifters' who have victimized the singer, as a court hearing was taking place in Los Angeles. He also called Spears' father 'a dick.' 'If this case does not result in freedom for Britney Spears,' Gaetz told the cheering crowd, 'it is a black eye for the American justice system.' 'There were grifters in this process,' the congressman said, that claimed 'they knew what she wanted. And now the whole world knows what Britney wants — it is the freedom and liberty that should be offered to every single American.'" — "Rubio calls owner of Eastside complexes 'slumlord,' says conditions are 'life-threatening,'" by News4Jax's Vic Micolucci | | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | YOUR FLORIDA LEGISLATURE AT WORK — "Citizens Property Insurance customers face bigger rate hike due to change in new Florida law," by News Service of Florida's Jim Turner: "Customers of Citizens Property Insurance Corp. are getting a bigger rate hike than was initially proposed, due to a change in a state law that was partially blocked by a federal judge this week. Citizens officials expressed disappointment in Sunday's ruling, in which Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker found that the new law, approved by legislators this spring, violated speech rights of roofing contractors. But the Citizens board of directors took advantage of another part of the measure (SB 76) to approve new rate changes during a meeting on Wednesday." | | CORONAVIRUS UPDATES | | WHAT'S GOING ON? — "Federal eviction prevention funds slow to reach to reach Florida renters experiencing pandemic-related hardships," by Sarasota Herald-Tribune's Zac Anderson: "Florida lags in getting federal rental assistance out to households experiencing pandemic-related hardships, with just a small fraction of the state's aid distributed to renters months after the money became available. Thanks to legislation signed by former President Donald Trump, money began flowing from the federal government early this year to help renters struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. By Feb. 10, the U.S. Department of the Treasury had distributed $25 billion to states and local governments." 'WHAT IS THE CEILING?' — "COVID summer surge: Is the virus seasonal in Florida?" by Sun Sentinel's Cindy Krischer Goodman: "Researchers believe the novel coronavirus follows a seasonal cycle, spiking in the winter months when people's immunity is low and the climate is cold. Why, then, has the number of new COVID cases risen in Florida during the summer months, resulting in more hospitalizations and even more deaths in late June and July? 'This is a seasonal pattern,' Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news briefing on Tuesday. 'We knew it was going to be low in May and it was, and we knew as we got to the end of June, July it would go up, because that's what happened last year.'" | | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | WIDENING — "More arrests — and suspects being sought — in shocking killing of Haitian president Moise," by Miami Herald's Jacqueline Charles and Kevin G. Hall: "Haitian police announced late Wednesday the arrest of two more people, one with ties to Florida and another with a drug-linked past, in a blossoming probe into the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. A week after Moïse's shocking killing, which also left his wife Martine wounded and whisked to South Florida for treatment, Haiti's interim national police chief, Léon Charles, assembled journalists to update them on his investigation and renew a pledge to answer the question of who is behind the murder and who bankrolled it." DEAR GOVERNOR — "Red Tide costs swell while St. Petersburg mayor, Gov. DeSantis bicker," by Tampa Bay Times' Zachary T. Sampson and Gabe Stern: "Mayor Rick Kriseman said the city is straining its resources to pick up dead sea life from the current Red Tide crisis and called for more help from the state and Gov. Ron DeSantis. 'Our city teams can only keep at this for so long,' he said during a Wednesday news conference held in waterfront Crisp Park, next to a crew scooping dead fish with pool skimmers. He recalled how former Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency in 2018 to free up resources when toxic Red Tide afflicted the west coast of Florida. 'We are asking the governor, please ... we need your help,' Kriseman said." 'I'M SAD' — "Starving manatees overwhelm Florida rescuers. Is there a future for the gentle marine giant?" by Florida Today's Jim Waymer: "Kelly Cluckey, wearing a black and blue wetsuit and black face mask, kneels beside manatee #2128 — a boney female sea cow lying motionless inside the round rehab pool at Orlando's SeaWorld. A planked floor lifts the emaciated creature above the water line. Number 2128 can't keep afloat, so she can't breathe on her own in water deeper than her torso. She's constantly sinking. Like the rest of her kind, #2128 would surely perish without human intervention, and Cluckey and the other SeaWorld staff are frantic to save her and hundreds of other suffering manatees. This year's been an all-hands-on-deck triage for SeaWorld and Florida's other manatee rehab centers." — "Video shows Florida massacre suspect attacking jail guard," by Associated Press' Terry Spencer | | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | | BIRTHDAYS: Former Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen … state Rep. Michael Grant … Ron Sachs, founder and CEO of Sachs Media … Miami Herald's Jeff Kleinman
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