| | | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Hello and welcome to Friday. Check the calendar — The 2022 election is 410 days away. Will be it a referendum on Gov. Ron DeSantis's handling of Covid-19? Will it be about Donald Trump? Or Joe Biden? Right now — Maybe, just maybe it might be about what's going on in Florida at that moment in time. Who will be blamed? — Democratic rivals such as Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and Rep. Charlie Crist have consistently criticized DeSantis over his response to the deadly pandemic that has now claimed the lives of more than 50,000 Floridians. DeSantis has responded by doubling down on his anti-lockdown anti-mandate and used it to win accolades (and money) from Republicans nationwide. But if the pandemic is still in full bloom more than a year from now, will the ire of voters be directed at DeSantis … or at Biden? Just a thought — What if, however, the 2022 campaign pivots on issues that DeSantis has paid scant attention to because he's been fixated on the culture war items that resonate more with a potential Republican primary base? Warnings — There are signs that Florida — much like the GOP target of California — is becoming a much more expensive state to live and work in. Florida economists late last month pointed out the gap between the national average for wages and what workers get paid in the state is as large as it has ever been in the last 20 years. One can assume that gap will shrink somewhat as the state's minimum wage rises this fall … but …. Warnings Part 2 — Florida's property insurance market is in "dire" condition according to the state's insurance commissioner. That's important because that means ongoing rate hikes for voters across the spectrum, including those in the state's red counties. Florida's housing market has boomed, but it's also sending prices soaring. Coming attractions — Crist — who campaigned in 2006 amid a surge in property insurance bills — told POLITICO's Matt Dixon this week that property insurance could be a "top tier" issue in 2022. He also added that "nothing will have Covid-level passion, that's literally life or death." — WHERE'S RON? — Nothing official announced for Gov. Ron DeSantis. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch: gfineout@politico.com |  | DRIVING THE DAY | |
'ALL OF US ARE PISSED' — "'Fix this.' Miami officials furious over Haitian deportations, inaction from Biden," by Miami Herald's Bianca Padró Ocasio and Alex Daugherty: "Haitian-American activists and Democratic lawmakers in South Florida are growing increasingly frustrated at the Biden administration for increasing deportation flights to Haiti after they asked for a pause, as pressure grows for the president to improve treatment of migrants on the U.S. border with Mexico near Del Rio, Texas. But the Florida officials — many of whom have been enthusiastic backers of President Joe Biden — are now getting spurned by the Biden administration and Democratic Party establishment, their months-long demand to end the deportation of Haitians met largely with silence."
PROTEST — "U.S. envoy to Haiti resigns over migrant deportations," by POLITICO's Nick Niedzwiadek and Jonathan Custodio: The U.S. special envoy for Haiti resigned on Wednesday, rebuking the Biden administration's handling of Haitian refugees amassed along the U.S.-Mexico border. "I will not be associated with the United States inhumane, counterproductive decision to deport thousands of Haitian refugees and illegal immigrants to Haiti," Daniel Foote wrote in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken dated Wednesday. DISPATCH FROM TEXAS — " Why 15,000 migrants ended up in one spot on the U.S-Mexico border," by POLITICO Magazine's Jack Herrera: When some 15,000 people crossed the Rio Grande from Mexico in the past week or so, it brought a spotlight on this Texas border town of 35,000, which has not been a historically popular crossing point (though it has seen more than 200,000 migrant encounters in the last year). It also raised the question of why and how so many migrants, particularly Haitians, arrived at the same time and the same place along the border. The answer is a mix of misinformation and desperation, exacerbated by the Biden administration's application of draconian deterrence with seemingly random mercy. | | | | 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 | |
SOMETHING TO WATCH — "Florida's 'dire' property insurance market will become a 2022 political fight," by POLITICO's Matt Dixon: In 2006, when he ran and won the governor's race as a Republican, Florida had just experienced a series of hurricanes, which spiked property insurance rates and made it a dominant political issue. "It's a mess. It's a problem," Crist told POLITICO in a Thursday interview about Florida's property insurance market. "I'm already hearing from folks all over the state about getting policies canceled." He said it will, once again, become an important campaign trail issue during Florida's 2022 midterms.
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Democrats say they like and appreciate Charlie Crist. But there's a sense among many that his time might be past. | Joe Raedle/Getty Images |
ON THE ROAD AGAIN — "Republicans in WNY plan fundraiser for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, potential presidential candidate," by The Buffalo News' Robert J. McCarthy: "A group of local supporters is sponsoring a Tuesday fundraising event in Buffalo for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, considered a major figure in the 2024 field of potential Republican presidential contenders. None of those contacted who are acting as sponsors would comment on the event, which is slated for Sinatra's Restaurant on Kenmore Avenue. But three sources familiar with the invitation said tickets are set at $5,000 each."
SIMPSON STARTS RAISING MONEY — Senate President Wilton Simpson is having one of his first big fundraisers for his newly-minted campaign for agriculture commissioner in early November. Playbook got a copy of the invitation for the Nov. 3 event that will be held at the Governor's Club in Tallahassee. The invitation says donors can write checks for either his campaign account or his political committee (which can accept unlimited amounts.) ALL APOLOGIES — " Miami Beach commission candidate apologizes after falsely claiming to be Hispanic," by Miami Herald's Carli Teproff: "Former Miami Beach Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez said Thursday she 'wasn't even conscious' of what she was saying when she told Democratic Party leaders while seeking their campaign endorsement last week that she was Hispanic — even though she is not. 'I have always identified politically as a Hispanic,' Rosen Gonzalez, who is hoping voters will return her to the Miami Beach Commission this November, told the Miami Herald Editorial Board during a scheduled interview Thursday. 'I've apologized and I've said I am obviously not Hispanic.'" | | CORONAVIRUS UPDATES | |
The daily rundown — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that there were 6,271 Covid-19 infections on Wednesday. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported that 7,928 beds were being used in the state for Covid-19 patients. The Florida Hospital Association reported Thursday that 31.4 percent of adult patients in intensive care units are infected with Covid-19.
MOVE — "Florida buys Covid-19 antibody cocktails after another cut by Biden," by POLITICO's Arek Sarkissian: Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday said Florida is purchasing its own supply of monoclonal antibody treatments after the Biden administration planned another cut in Covid-19 antibody treatments. DeSantis told reporters at a news conference in Tampa that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will provide the state with just less than 18,000 doses of a monoclonal therapy called Regeneron. That's almost half of the 30,000 in the last shipment sent by HHS earlier this week. DeSantis said the state has also allocated 3,000 additional doses of a similar treatment called Sotrovimab, which is made by GlaxoSmithKline, to make up for the federal cut. COUNTER MOVE — "Biden picks up the tab for Florida school leaders fined by DeSantis," by POLITICO's Andrew Atterbury: The U.S. Department of Education on Thursday repaid several Florida school board members who saw their salary slashed by the DeSantis administration for requiring students to wear masks this fall. In total, the Biden administration sent school officials in Alachua County $147,719 to make up for fines from the Florida Department of Education, marking the first awards granted by the feds in the fight against Republican-led states and their Covid-19 policies. Alachua is one of 11 school districts in Florida to mandate masks for students in defiance of Gov. Ron DeSantis, who wants parents to have the ultimate say on face coverings in schools. MEANWHILE — "Crist lashes out at DeSantis administration's order easing COVID rules," by Tampa Bay Times' Romy Ellenbogen: "Signaling that he'll continue to make Florida's handling of the pandemic central in his run for governor, Democratic U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist on Thursday criticized Gov. Ron DeSantis' decision to ease COVID-19 safeguards in schools and called for the removal of the new surgeon general. 'The notion that the leaders at the top of the state on this issue would be saying it's okay to send kids with COVID into classrooms, it's unconscionable,' Crist said." LOOKING FOR CLUES — " Florida's mysterious Covid-19 surge," by Vox's German Lopez: "Toward the end of the summer, Florida became the epicenter for America's recent Covid-19 wave — reporting more hospitalizations and deaths than any other state in the country. But there was and still is surprisingly little certainty, among experts, over one question about Florida's surge: Why did it happen?" One is not like the other — "The most common explanation for the outbreaks in the South that we saw over the recent summer was the low vaccination rates across the region. It's true vaccination rates are low across the South: Seven of the 10 states with the lowest vaccination rates are in the region. And lower vaccine rates do correlate with more Covid-19 cases and deaths. But Florida defies the regional trend." — "DeSantis says natural immunity is equal to vaccines. Experts say it's not so simple ," by Miami Herald's Bianca Padró Ocasio and Daniel Chang — "Orange employees face written reprimand if they don't comply with vaccine mandate," by Orlando Sentinel's Stephen Hudak and Ryan Gillespie — " Duval Schools says 'no change' to current quarantine protocol — for now," by Florida Times-Union Emily Bloch — "DeSantis acquires new COVID antibody treatment, does not correct Ivermectin claim," by Orlando Sentinel's Steven Lemongello | | | | BECOME A GLOBAL INSIDER: The world is more connected than ever. It has never been more essential to identify, unpack and analyze important news, trends and decisions shaping our future — and we've got you covered! Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Global Insider author Ryan Heath navigates the global news maze and connects you to power players and events changing our world. Don't miss out on this influential global community. Subscribe now. | | | | |
| | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | |
CHANGING OF THE GUARD — "DeSantis picks Uthmeier to serve as next chief of staff," by POLITICO's Matt Dixon: Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday announced James Uthmeier as his new chief of staff, becoming the governor's third chief of staff since taking office in 2018. The news was first reported by the Northwest Florida Daily News. Uthmeier currently serves as DeSantis' general counsel, a post he has had since October 2020. He joined the DeSantis administration in 2019. Prior to that, he served as a senior adviser to former U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.
THE FINE PRINT — " Lawmakers rip schools for not spending Covid-19 relief — but data tells a different story," by POLITICO's Andrew Atterbury: State lawmakers this week ripped into Florida school districts for being slow to spend federal Covid-19 relief dedicated to specific needs like locating students who were displaced during the pandemic. Hmm — But while data presented to the House's education budget committee showed that these crucial pockets of funding were hardly touched, other documents reveal that the Florida Department of Education only recently began approving plans for local schools to use this money. In some cases, school districts are still waiting for the state to release the same dollars House members chastised them for sitting on instead of hiring truancy officers or social workers. REFLECTIONS — " Moskowitz says DeSantis team adopted 'bunker mentality' with news media," by News Service of Florida's Jim Turner: "[Jared Moskowitz] defended the work of Gov. Ron DeSantis in the early stages of the pandemic but faulted a lack of messaging when the governor's administration, which included himself, decided not to deal with the news media. 'We got in a bunker mentality for a period of time,' Moskowitz said. 'So, when you don't deal with the press, other people fill that bubble for you. They fill that vacuum for you. And other people told our story, and by the time we wanted to get back into communications, it was too late.'" — " Florida hasn't used $30 million in cybersecurity protection funding. Why not?" by Tampa Bay Times' Lawrence Mower — "What we know about Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo," by USA Today Network-Florida's John Kennedy | | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | | FLORIDA MAN — "Trump moving political HQ back to Mar-a-Lago," by Fox News' Paul Steinhauser: "Former President Donald Trump has headed south — to Florida. A top adviser to the former president says that with the onset of autumn, Trump's moved his residence and political operation back to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. 'The season is starting to open down there,' Corey Lewandowski told Fox News. 'You are going to see a complete rush of candidates going to down to the Mar-a-Lago area to do fundraising, to be near the president, to talk to him, to get his advice and counsel.'" | | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | |
FOR YOUR RADAR — "Florida environmentalists see crack in stalemate as state seeks public comment on Rodman Dam," by POLITICO's Bruce Ritchie: Environmentalists say a state agency's announcement on Thursday that it will take comment on the Rodman Reservoir dam is a key movement toward restoring the Ocklawaha River after decades of inaction. The details: The St. Johns River Water Management District announced it will take comment through Oct. 22 on the Rodman Reservoir and dam, which was built in 1968 as part of the failed Cross Florida Barge Canal.
THE CHARM OF JEFF GREENE — " The Florida billionaire pissing off West Palm Beach," by The Daily Beast's Noah Kirsch: "In their pastels and plaids, an army of West Palm Beach residents gathered on Tuesday evening to litigate a bitter fight engulfing their community. On one end of the battle stands a deeply tanned billionaire — the property developer and onetime gubernatorial candidate Jeff Greene — who has been angling to build a cluster of luxury high-rises in the city's north end. (He sent an emissary on his behalf). On the other, aggrieved locals who believe those plans will shatter their neighborhood's character and affordable housing." FROM THE RUINS — "$750,000 in cash recovered amid rubble of Surfside condo collapse. Victims will get it back," by Miami Herald's Jay Weaver: "Among the buried personal items at the collapse site of the 12-story Champlain Towers South condo building were cars in the underground garage, as well as furniture, clothes, jewelry and photos of families and friends. Miami-Dade County rescue workers also recovered cash — about $750,000 in total — some still neatly tucked into purses and wallets but most randomly scattered throughout the sprawling rubble." — " One man arrested in shooting at Miami-area rap show that left 3 dead and 20 wounded," by Miami Herald's David Ovalle — "Three Miami Beach police officers involved in rough arrest now face felony charges," by Miami Herald's David Ovalle — " Boyfriend of slain Gabby Petito charged with bank card fraud," by Associated Press' Matthew Brown and Curt Anderson — "Have Black Florida marijuana farmers fallen too behind?" by Tampa Bay Times' Kirby Wilson | | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | |
— "Universal changes employee dress code to allow visible tattoos, makeup for all genders," by Orlando Sentinel's Katie Rice: "Universal Orlando is relaxing its employee dress code to allow team members of all genders to have visible tattoos and wear makeup and nail polish, according to a copy of the new policy provided to the Orlando Sentinel. Universal spokesperson Tom Schroder did not confirm the specific dress code changes Thursday but said the guidelines had been updated to help foster a 'diverse and inclusive workspace' for employees to express themselves."
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