| | | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Hello and welcome to Friday. The daily rundown — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted information that there were 20,133 new Covid-19 infections and 84 deaths reported by the state on Wednesday. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported on its dashboard that 12,888 beds — a nearly 3.9 percent increase compared to the day before — were being used in the state for Covid-19 patients. Light under the door — Is Ron DeSantis cracking open the door for his opponents? Out in front — The Republican governor heads into the 2022 elections with a lot of advantages, including big-time national name ID, voter registrations trending toward the GOP and a monster advantage in fundraising (although for some reason he still hasn't made it 100 percent official by opening a traditional campaign account). Summer doldrums — Both Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and Rep. Charlie Crist got a bump when they officially announced they would challenge DeSantis, but the numbers so far show that their fundraising results waned in July. Fried's political committee raised just under $198,000 last month, while Crist's raised nearly $238,000. (Numbers for their official campaign accounts — which are subject to donation limits — aren't due until next week.) Fried gets her moment — The rise in Covid-19 cases, however, and more importantly DeSantis' combination of dismissive and defiant attitudes about dealing with the most recent surge has created opportunities for counterprogramming: Fried is getting earned media through her Covid briefings and numerous appearances on cable news networks. And it may be working — On Thursday, she reported getting $50,000 from Miami health care billionaire Mike Fernandez. Fernandez used to be a big-time GOP donor, but turned independent after the ascension of Donald Trump. Earlier this year, he gave a large donation to the state Democratic Party now headed by former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz. This doesn't of course erase the enormous cash advantage DeSantis has. But it could be a sign that bigger donors are beginning to make up their mind on the 2022 race. (Now, if Fried can settle another lingering issue and turn in her financial disclosure form that was due on July 1…) — 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. | | | | |
|  | CAMPAIGN MODE | | LET'S TAKE A GUESS — "Is Ron DeSantis governing, campaigning or both? That depends on whom you ask," by Miami Herald's Ana Ceballos: "An event that has underscored how the governor can blur the line between state business and political activity is a trip he took to the U.S.-Mexico border in mid-July, as border politics gained renewed mainstream attention. DeSantis flew to Del Rio, Texas, on the state plane to co-host a press conference with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott." Please give — "At the press event, both Republican governors criticized President Joe Biden's border policies and touted DeSantis' decision to send more than 50 state law enforcement officers to help Texas secure the U.S. border. Florida taxpayers are paying for the month-long mission, whose total cost has not yet been tallied by state officials. A couple of hours before the start of the press conference, DeSantis' affiliated political action committee, Friends of Ron DeSantis, used the official event as a fundraising pitch." MEANWHILE — "DeSantis fundraised in Michigan on Monday amid Florida COVID surge," by The Detroit News' Beth LeBlanc: "Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis raised hundreds of thousands of dollars toward his re-election campaign Monday during a series of fundraising events in Northern Michigan, according to a source familiar with the matter. The events were held in the Petoskey area as Florida experiences a spike in COVID-19 cases that topped the state's hospitalization records when the state reported 11,515 hospitalized patients as of Tuesday." TANGLED WEB — "Dark money behind Florida 'ghost' candidates has ties to Alabama political players, records suggest," by Orlando Sentinel's Jason Garcia and Annie Martin: "But investigators in the Artiles case have obtained records that suggest the nonprofits had ties to consultants working at the time for Matrix LLC, an Alabama-based communication and political consulting firm. Key figures in 'ghost' candidate scandal had business relationship, records show. According to records from a separate civil lawsuit, those consultants all left Matrix at the end of last year amid a falling out with the firm's founder, Joe Perkins, a Democratic strategist and behind-the-scenes power broker. Matrix recently sued its ex-employees — who now work together at a new consulting shop in Florida — accusing them of diverting fees from clients to businesses and nonprofits they set up for themselves." | | CORONAVIRUS UPDATES | | NOT A REPEAT — "Florida's second summer of COVID is different: Vaccines, ban on restrictions change landscape," by USA Today Network-Florida's John Kennedy and Jeffrey Schweers: "Florida's second summer of COVID-19 is looking a lot different than 2020's mid-year surge, when the state was locking down, masking up and eagerly awaiting the arrival of vaccines. One big difference: This time, there's plenty of vaccine supply that's proven to be effective against COVID. But many folks are reluctant to take the jab, and about half of all eligible Floridians are still not fully immunized. Meantime, cases are soaring daily, breaking new records and prompting hospitals crowded with mostly unvaccinated patients to postpone non-emergency surgeries, restrict visitors and even require their staff to get vaccinated." UM, WHAT? — "Florida weighs vouchers for kids who want to avoid mask mandates," by POLITICO's Andrew Atterbury: Florida officials are eyeing a new way to get around school mask mandates: Give K-12 students vouchers to attend schools that don't have Covid-19 restrictions. The proposal is the latest move in the fight between school districts that seek to mandate masks for students and Gov. Ron DeSantis, who consistently rejects new coronavirus safety measures amid the recent surge in Delta variant infections. The emergency rule pitched Thursday by Florida's Department of Education would allow parents to transfer their children to a private school or even another school district under the "Hope Scholarship" voucher program — a type of award that's typically reserved for students who are victims of violence or bullying at their school — "Seminole schools mandate masks for teachers, other employees and ban visitors because of COVID-19 surge," by Orlando Sentinel's Leslie Postal 'IT'S THE SHEER NUMBER COMING IN' — "' There are only so many beds': COVID-19 surge hits hospitals," by The Associated Press' Kelli Kennedy and Philip Marcelo: " Florida hospitals slammed with COVID-19 patients are suspending elective surgeries and putting beds in conference rooms, an auditorium and a cafeteria. As of midweek, Mississippi had just six open intensive care beds in the entire state. Georgia medical centers are turning people away. And in Louisiana, an organ transplant had to be postponed along with other procedures. 'We are seeing a surge like we've not seen before in terms of the patients coming,' Dr. Marc Napp, chief medical officer for Memorial Healthcare System in Hollywood, Florida, said Wednesday. 'It's the sheer number coming in at the same time. There are only so many beds, so many doctors, only so many nurses.'" — "Orange County expects more deaths amid delta variant surges," by Orlando Sentinel's Stephen Hudak and Ryan Gillespie — "Non-emergent surgeries postponed at all local Cleveland Clinic hospitals as COVID-19 hospitalizations increase ," by Treasure Coast Newspapers Will Greenlee ROUND 3? ROUND 4? — "Biden knocks DeSantis in response to latest tussle with Florida Republican: 'Governor who?'" by Fox News Andrew Mark Miller: "President Biden continued his administration's war of words with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over coronavirus restrictions by pretending he didn't know who the governor was when asked a question by a reporter. 'When I asked the president his reaction to @RonDeSantisFL saying he is "getting in the way" over COVID restrictions. Pres. Biden responded "Governor who?... that's my response."' NBC News White House Correspondent Kelly O'Donnell tweeted Thursday." NOPE — " DeSantis doesn't support mandates for hospital staff to get COVID vaccines," by News Service of Florida's Christine Sexton: "Gov. Ron DeSantis didn't want Florida businesses to require customers to show proof of COVID-19 vaccinations to get served or to enter establishments, so he swayed lawmakers this spring to pass legislation banning 'vaccine passports.' Now, the governor says he also doesn't support hospitals requiring their staff members to get vaccinated. DeSantis would not say Thursday whether he would ban hospitals from requiring staff to get vaccinated but made clear he's not a fan of the idea. 'It's not something I support,' DeSantis said when asked about the issue during a news conference at Tampa General Hospital." — "Jackson Health system requires workers, vendors to be vaccinated, as Florida COVID hospitalizations hit new high," by Miami Herald's Cindy Krischer Goodman — "Florida to spend training camp in hotel to combat COVID-19," by The Associated Press' Mark Long — "'We are doing our part.' Miami-Dade mayor mandates COVID testing for unvaccinated workers," by Miami Herald's Daniel Chang HAPPENING TODAY: "The Florida Roundup" on NPR stations at noon will focus on the coronavirus and school districts that have defied Gov. Ron DeSantis' ban on mask mandates for students. Speakers will include state Rep. Randy Fine (R-Palm Bay), chair of the House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and Dr. Aisha Bailey, a Tallahassee-based pediatrician, will provide a coronavirus update from Fried's office in the state Capitol. | | | | 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 TALLAHASSEE ... | | TO COURT — "Florida sues Piney Point owner over polluted Tampa Bay discharge," by Tampa Bay Times' Zachary T. Sampson : "Florida's lead environmental agency is suing the owner of the old Piney Point fertilizer plant property over the leak that set off an emergency and led to 215 million gallons of polluted water being pumped into Tampa Bay earlier this year. 'Today, the department took a pivotal step to ensure this is the final chapter for the Piney Point site,' said Shawn Hamilton, interim secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, in a statement issued late Thursday. He said the agency is looking to enforce both state environmental laws and regulatory agreements with the site's owner, a company called HRK Holdings." POWER PLAY — "'Secretive' group must be dismissed from rate case, FPL tells Public Service Commission," by POLITICO's Bruce Ritchie: Florida Power & Light Co. on Thursday asked the Public Service Commission to dismiss what it calls a "secretive" group challenging its nearly $2 billion rate hike request because it didn't have any members at the time it sought to intervene. FPL says its motion for a final summary order comes after representatives of the mysterious group, Floridians Against Increased Rates Inc., said in depositions that they had begun signing up members in June, two months after creating the group and filing a motion to intervene. GOING UP — "Florida's Medicaid enrollment projected to top 5 million," by News Service of Florida's Christine Sexton: "By June 2022, more than 5 million Florida residents are expected to be enrolled in Medicaid — the state and federal health program that serves as a safety net for low-income people, according to new estimates by state economists. As Florida continues to wrestle with the COVID-19 pandemic, the economists predict that about 5.04 million people will be covered by Medicaid by the end of the current fiscal year on June 30. Nearly 80 percent of them will be enrolled in some form of a Medicaid managed-care plan. The total is up from an estimated Medicaid enrollment of 4.524 million people for the recently completed 2020-2021 fiscal year." THE FINE PRINT — "Florida's pandemic bonuses won't include governor's logo, state says," by Tampa Bay Times' Lawrence Mower: "The $1,000 pandemic bonuses going out to Florida's teachers, principals and first responders won't include a governor's logo, the state says. Although the state's contract with a private vendor says the bonuses must bear an 'office of the governor graphic design' approved by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, a spokesperson for the department said the checks will bear the state seal instead. Whether the checks will bear the signature or name of Gov. Ron DeSantis is unclear, however. When asked, a department spokesperson did not respond." | | Bidenology | | FINDING A WAY — "Could VPNs help Cubans access the internet under the regime's nose?" by POLITICO's Jonathan Custodio: Nearly a month after historic demonstrations in Cuba grasped international attention, the Biden administration is closing in on a way to expand internet access to Cubans free from the regime's control. Florida lawmakers and activists have pressed the administration to launch internet balloon networks while others have proposed using satellites to beam internet onto cellphones and computers on the island. But momentum is building among Biden administration officials and Cuban American leaders for one alternative method: virtual private networks, or VPNs. | 
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 25: Demonstrators gather near the White House on July 25, 2021 in Washington, DC. People gathered in support of continued anti-government protests in Cuba amid major food and medicine shortages. (Photo by Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images) | Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images | 'WE HAVE A CLEAR MESSAGE' — "Republicans bask in their Miami platform, as pressure mounts for Biden on Cuba," by Miami Herald's Bianca Padro Ocasio, Marie-Rose Sheinerman and Alex Daugherty: "Wednesday brought the latest in a string of appearances as House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy attended an evening rally at Versailles, the iconic Cuban restaurant on Calle Ocho in Little Havana. The rally that followed, which an estimated 500 people attended, had been advertised by local Cuban-American personalities, including Alex Otaola, a conservative influencer with a large following on YouTube and Facebook." | | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | SNAKES! — "Retired cop catches an incredible 41 snakes to win Florida's python hunt," by Sun Sentinel's Chris Perkins: "Charles Dachton used knowledge, and defied logic, to win the 2021 Florida Python Challenge. Dachton, a 61-year-old Southwest Ranches resident and retired Davie police officer, caught a whopping 41 pythons (last year's winner caught eight) and took home $10,000 as the Ultimate Grand Prize winner in the 10-day, statewide contest. 'They offered that big check this year,' Dachton said of the prize money. 'That got my attention.' Burmese pythons are an invasive species that are threatening Florida's ecosystem, mostly in the Everglades, by eating birds, mammals and other reptiles. The Florida Python Challenge helps reduce that threat by removing the pythons. Since 2000, more than 13,000 pythons have been caught in Florida." — "Firefighter sues after pulling daughter's body from Surfside rubble," by Sun Sentinel's Lisa J. Huriash | | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | | — "Trump reveler charged in defacing of LGBTQ intersection, but not with hate crime," by Sun Sentinel's Austen Erblat: The man who turned himself into police after allegedly defacing a gay pride intersection in Delray Beach has been formally charged — but a local LGBTQ group thinks the charges don't go far enough. Alexander Jerich, 20, of Delray Beach, has been charged with criminal mischief over $1,000 and reckless driving. Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg said his office was unable to charge Jerich under Florida's hate crime law. BIRTHDAYS: State Rep. Tom Leek … Arlene DiBenigno ... Report for America's Sergio Bustos
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