News : POLITICO Florida Playbook: Here comes Florida's Fried-Crist smackdown

Wednesday, June 15, 2022

POLITICO Florida Playbook: Here comes Florida's Fried-Crist smackdown

Jun 15, 2022

Hello and welcome to Wednesday.

Here it comes — Any chance that Florida Democrats would avoid a contentious primary for governor dissipated when Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried strode into the state elections office late Tuesday afternoon and filed her paperwork to run for the job.

Current conditions — Fried, the lone Democrat holding elected statewide office, was once seen as the frontrunner but rival Rep. Charlie Crist has outraised her and outflanked her campaign with a long line of endorsements from other officials, community leaders, and several progressives.

Engage those followers — Many times it seems Fried — who has had to explain away the occasional puzzling statement — and her team have worried more about getting buzz on social media than finding a way to connect with older voters less interested in Twitter.

Ramping up — Fried and her team, however, remain convinced there remains a path forward once Democrats start paying attention the race. And that apparently also means continuing to remind everyone that Crist was once a Republican governor backed by the National Rifle Association and who appointed conservative judges.

Repeat that catch phrase — "The Democratic Party wants somebody new," Fried said right after she qualified. "They're tired of recycled politicians especially people that haven't delivered for Democrats ever." Fried added later that Crist needs to be held "accountable" for his past "destructive" record assisting Republicans and that if he can't accept her criticisms in a debate then he won't stand up to a barrage of negative ads from Gov. Ron DeSantis.

It's different — Fried was also dismissive of any questions about her Democratic loyalty. She donated money to Republican Attorney General Ashley Moody — a friend from her University of Florida days who has "disappointed me time and time again" — and she did volunteer campaign work for other Republicans, including current Education Commissioner Manny Diaz. That was to help her lobbying clients at the time, she said.

On to August — Well, so the campaign for governor enters its next phase. Crist with his cash advantage seems poised to go up on the air soon, if his social media feeds are an indication. Both candidates have slightly more than two months to rev up interest in a summer primary that may not draw a lot of attention. And of course the winner gets to take on DeSantis and his tens of millions of dollars in the bank.

Nikki Fried files qualifying paperwork

Nikki Fried files qualifying paperwork for governor at the state Division of Elections in Tallahassee on June 14, 2022. | Gary Fineout/POLITICO

— WHERE'S RON? — Nothing official announced for Gov. DeSantis.

PROGRAMMING NOTE — Florida Playbook will not publish next Monday for Juneteenth, but we will return on Tuesday. Please continue to follow POLITICO Florida.

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CAMPAIGN MODE

THE BILLIONAIRE VOTE — "Elon Musk says he would likely vote for Ron DeSantis for president in 2024," by Insider's Sinéad Baker and Alexander Ma: "Elon Musk said that he would likely vote for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, for president in 2024. Musk was asked early Wednesday morning on Twitter who he was 'leaning towards' voting for as president, and he responded: "DeSantis." He added that he supported the Democratic candidate Andrew Yang in the 2020 election but believes DeSantis 'has a better chance of winning' in the upcoming election."

YET ANOTHER TRY — " Alan Grayson runs for Congress again, seeking Val Demings' seat," by Orlando Sentinel's Steven Lemongello: "Ignoring calls from the Democratic Party to keep Black representation for a congressional seat, Alan Grayson announced Tuesday he is a candidate for Congress again, this time to succeed U.S. Rep. Demings as she runs for U.S. Senate. The decision by Grayson, 64, who has represented parts of Central Florida twice in the U.S. House between 2009 and 2017, inserts a prominent white name into a Democratic primary that so far had drawn mostly Black candidates, including gun rights activist and Black Lives Matter protester Maxwell Frost, state Sen. Randolph Bracy, attorney Natalie Jackson, pastor Terence Gray and investor Jeff Boone."

SO MUCH FOR THAT — "State Rep. Jason Fischer drops bid for Congress, possibly clearing path for Aaron Bean run," by Florida Times-Union's David Bauerlein: "State Rep. Jason Fischer said Tuesday he's ending his run for Congress, a move that will give state Sen. Aaron Bean a less contested path in the upcoming Republican Party primary. Fischer had taken to the airwaves for weeks with ads touting his congressional campaign and his conservative record, but he will bow out and concentrate on running for Duval County property appraiser in the spring 2023 election."

FEC DEADLOCKS ON DONALDS — A lingering inquiry into Rep. Byron Donalds, the first-term Republican from southwest Florida, has ended after the Federal Elections Commission had a tie 3-3 vote in late April over whether Donalds committed campaign finance violations in 2020.

The probe — in which records were made public earlier this month — surrounded how soft money connected to a state political committee once controlled by Donalds when he was a legislator wound up flowing to a super PAC that assisted him during a contentious and crowded Republican primary. Donalds resigned from the committee before the money was shifted to the super PAC and maintained he had nothing to do with the decision.

But in a draft report the FEC general counsel did not accept that conclusion, pointing out that the political committee — Friends of Byron Donalds — kept its name and for months kept up a statement on its website that said Donalds was associated with it. "The facts indicate that FBD spent little money on its stated purpose of supporting causes and candidates in the state of Florida but instead appears to have become a vehicle to finance Donald's federal candidacy with non-federal funds," states the draft report that the commission deadlocked on.

Three FEC commissioners — each appointed by former President Donald Trump — countered in a May 31 statementthere was "insufficient facts" that Donalds controlled the political committee after he resigned from it. The commissioners maintained that the information available was "scant and speculative."

CAMPAIGN ROUNDUP — The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced it was adding state Sen. Annette Taddeo to its "Red to Blue" program, a move that could bring organizational and fundraising support to Taddeo. Taddeo is running for Florida's 27th Congressional District against Republican Rep. María Elvira Salazar … Corey Simon, the chief executive officer of Volunteer Florida who on Monday jumped in to challenge state Sen. Loranne Ausley, was endorsed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis tweeted out an endorsement for the Republican where he said the former NFL player would make a "great addition" to the state Senate. … The Dream Defenders organization announced it was backing Maxwell Alejandro Frost in the race for Florida's 10th Congressional District.

— "Jason Brodeur draws primary challenger in SD 10," by Florida Politics' Scott Powers

— " Former Florida Rep. Mike Hill files to run against Michelle Salzman in Republican primary," by Pensacola News Journal's Jim Little

— " Charlie Crist has a new fiancé as he seeks a new office," by Tampa Bay Times' William March

DATELINE D.C.

OPENING? — Florida Sen. Marco Rubio posted a video message on Tuesday where he suggested he could be open to the bipartisan gun legislation being worked on in the Senate. Rubio, who was not one of the 10 Republican senators that issued a statement in support of the deal framework, called it "good news" that the proposal included ideas he has pushed such as giving grants to states that adopt "red flag" laws. These are measures that allow law enforcement to ask a judge for permission to temporarily take guns from someone who is deemed a threat. Rubio said "we will have to see the specific bills" but also urged the Senate to consider other gun-related measures that he has backed as well.

NEW PITCH — Republican donors to GOP leaders: Bipartisan immigration reform would ease inflation, by POLITICO's Sabrina Rodriguez: More than a dozen GOP donors are trying a new tack in urging Republican congressional leaders to get serious about granting so-called Dreamers legal status: it'll help ease inflation and the U.S. labor shortage. In a letter being sent Wednesday to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, 14 donors who call themselves "life-long Republicans" said that reaching a deal on immigration that provides permanent legal status to immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children "makes economic sense."

LOOK AT ME — "How the 'MAGA Squad' is building power to control the next Congress," by Time's Molly Ball: "Torching the news cycle is what [Matt] Gaetz and [Marjorie Taylor] Greene love to do. They are constantly in the headlines for their attention-getting antics, outrages and feuds. The pair have defended the Jan. 6 rioters, promoted countless conspiracy theories, hobnobbed with white nationalists and picked fights with colleagues on both sides of the aisle. Their own Republican colleagues have called them 'unserious,' clowns, bigots, and worse. The humorist Dave Barry called them 'Trump's inner circle of trusted wack jobs.' Gaetz and Greene are the ringleaders of the GOP's most hard-core, pro-Trump congressional faction."

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TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP

FOLLOWING THE MONEY — "Publix heiress paid Kimberly Guilfoyle's $60,000 speaking fee on Jan. 6," by Washington Post's Isaac Stanley-Becker and Beth Reinhard: "Kimberly Guilfoyle, a fundraiser for former president Donald Trump and the fiancee of his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., spoke for less than three minutes at the rally on Jan. 6, 2021, that preceded the Capitol riot. For her appearance, she was compensated $60,000 by Turning Point Action, a conservative nonprofit led by Charlie Kirk, according to two people with knowledge of her compensation who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the matter's sensitivity. The two people said the sponsoring donor was Julie Fancelli, the 72-year-old daughter of the founder of the Publix grocery store chain. Eight days before the Jan. 6 rally, Fancelli wired $650,000 to several organizations that helped stage and promote the event."

'URGED EVERY STEP OF THE WAY'— "North Florida prison guard loses job, housing after guilty plea in U.S. Capitol riot," by Florida Times-Union's Steve Patterson: "A North Florida prison guard has been fired after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor for his part in the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol, a court filing shows. Jonathan Daniel Carlton, who worked at Union Correctional Institution in Raiford, 'is now not only unemployed, but he will lose his subsidized housing that was provided as part of his employment,' defense attorney Richard Landes wrote in a memo to the judge in Washington scheduled to pass sentence June 29."

— " For role in Jan. 6 riot, onetime county commission candidate sentenced to community service," by Palm Beach Post's Jane Musgrave

... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ...

SECOND CHALLENGE — Florida synagogue sues Florida's 15-week abortion ban over religious freedom, by POLITICO's Arek Sarkissian: A South Florida rabbi on Tuesday said he is challenging Florida's new 15-week abortion ban in court because it prevents his congregation from practicing the Jewish faith. What happened: Barry Silver, rabbi of Congregation L'Dor Va-Dor in Boynton Beach, said a lawsuit he filed on Friday in Leon County Circuit Court argues the new law, which will take effect July 1, violates a religious freedom right in the state Constitution. Jewish law, he said, considers abortion a requirement if it's necessary to protect health, mental health and well-being.

DUELING OVER DOLLARS — "Give foster kids their own attorneys? Florida Guardian ad Litem opposes it," by Tampa Bay Times' Christopher O'Donnell: "Providing foster children with their own attorneys as they navigate Florida's child welfare system is considered best practice by some experts and is recommended by the American Bar Association. So a $2.4 million pilot program to give every foster kid in Broward and Palm Beach counties their own attorney was seen as a first step toward changing how children are represented in Florida's child welfare system. But the Child Representation Pilot Program was vetoed by the governor. Advocates say it ran into a formidable foe: the Florida Guardian ad Litem agency and its charity arm."

— "Gov. DeSantis' net worth declined in 2021," by News Service of Florida's Jim Turner

PENINSULA AND BEYOND

'REAL ZERO' — Florida Power & Light Co's parent company to eliminate carbon emissions by 2045, by POLITICO's Bruce Ritchie: Florida Power & Light Co.'s parent corporation announced Tuesday that it has set a goal of zero carbon emissions for 2045 through an expansion of solar and continued nuclear power use. NextEra Energy announced the goal in advance of an investor conference held Tuesday in New York City to discuss earnings adjustments. The company described its "Real Zero" plan as "the most ambitious carbon-emissions-reduction goal ever set by an energy producer." The parent company would eliminate its own carbon emissions from Florida Power & Light, the state's largest utility with 5.7 million customers, while increasing low-cost renewable energy deployment in other areas of the economy.

'END OF A CHAIN' — "US-expelled Haitians fuel charter business to Latin America," by The Associated Press and University of California, Berkley's Human Rights Center : "Instead, they are touts for a thriving, little-known shadow industry that is profiting from the U.S. government sending people back to Haiti, a country besieged by gang violence. More than a dozen South American travel agencies have rented planes from low-budget Latin American airlines — some of them as large as 238-seat Airbuses — and then sold tickets at premium prices. Many of the customers are Haitians who had been living in Chile and Brazil before they made their way to the Texas border in September, only to be expelled by the Biden administration and prevented from seeking asylum. They are using the charter flights to flee Haiti again and return to South America."

'WE NEED TO BE THERE' — "Lin-Manuel Miranda joins Hispanic Federation fight for LGBTQ rights with $1 million fund," by Orlando Sentinel's Kate Santich: "Warning of a national wave of "insane" anti-LGBTQ legislation, the Hispanic Federation joined leaders, allies and entertainers in Orlando Tuesday to announce an initial $1 million fund supporting frontline nonprofit organizations that protect the rights of gay and trans individuals. 'It's not just happening in Florida,' said award-winning composer, actor, director and producer Lin-Manuel Miranda, whose charitable Miranda Family Foundation donated to help launch the fund. 'It's happening in Texas, and it's popping up everywhere. We need to be there, everywhere they are, with great organization to win this fight.'"

— "Shakeup in Broward schools draws accusations of racism as superintendent defends changes," by South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Scott Travis and Shira Moolten

— " Universal theme park demand is exceeding capacity despite inflation, executive says," by Florida Politics' Gabrielle Russon

— " President Biden's Cuba policy condemned by Miami-Dade County in commission vote," by Miami Herald's Douglas Hanks

ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN

— "Medicare fraud suspect caught trying to flee for Cuba on 'jet ski,' feds say," by FLKeysNews.com's David Goodhue: "Feds say that with a special fuel cell onboard and compartments stuffed with bottled water and food, the vessel was embarked on the long journey to Cuba before it broke down. One man on the personal watercraft — a type of vessel mistakenly called a "jet ski" based on the name of the model made by Kawasaki — is a known human smuggler. The other man, 54-year-old Ernesto Cruz Graveran, is accused of fraudulently billing Medicare more than $4 million between January and April, according to federal court records."

BIRTHDAYS: State Rep. Traci Koster … Former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine