| | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | | | Hello and welcome to Wednesday. Arrival — After months of chatter, speculation and lots of noise from all sides of the political spectrum, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to finally jump into the race for president by announcing his plans on a Twitter Spaces session this evening with Twitter owner Elon Musk. Reaction — Much is already being made about the unconventional approach DeSantis is using to launch his campaign, with those backing former President Donald Trump going as far to ridicule the governor and calling it “out of touch.” Context — There are those who are already writing off a DeSantis campaign, saying it’s coming too late and that there’s no way he can make up the difference with Trump. There are predictions that Trump will eviscerate DeSantis if the two of them are on a debate stage together. But this seems to sidestep the fact that Trump has a lot of mounting legal problems that appear likely to get worse in the run-up to the GOP primaries. Here’s a few takeaways, however, on the ramifications of DeSantis’ decision. Get ready — For every other politician in Florida this serves as the starting gun for the 2026 race for governor. How do Republicans line up on the Trump-DeSantis clash? Two potential aspirants, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, sidestepped questions about it on Tuesday and refused to take sides. Will Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez be allowed to take a more visible — and vocal — role now that establishes her as the GOP frontrunner? Spotlight — Many decisions from DeSantis were already being viewed as part of a presidential race calculus. That's now turned up to 11. Every bill signing and every executive action will get magnified. The governor’s record will now get much more scrutiny and items previously reported on by the Florida press will get reexamined by the national press, much to the consternation of those in DeSantis world. Expect opposition research to get dropped everywhere. The candidate — Then there’s the question of DeSantis himself. He is someone who went to Harvard and Yale, and he is fully capable of showing off his intellect and grasp of policy. But his interpersonal skills — which include his temper — will surely get tested. The burn — His animus toward the media is not some made-up facet of his personality. It’s real, as he has been known to complain loudly in private meetings about coverage. There have been signs that his team has been trying to change that strategy, but the Twitter rollout just reinforces this picture that he wants safe spaces. How can you confront Trump if you won’t take a question from some reporter? (It’s worth noting that DeSantis early on in his first term did engage with the media, but that quickly ended.) Fire away — Finally, DeSantis as governor boasted about his ability to change the narrative by always being on offense. This was done, however, with an approach where his team would often throw together press conferences and initiate actions against perceived foes very quickly without a full appreciation of the ramifications. The strategy was to blow past any fallout as quickly as possible, but in many instances (see Disney, see migrant flights, see voter fraud arrests) the DeSantis administration asked the Legislature to come in after the fact and help straighten things out. Will that work in a national presidential campaign? — WHERE'S RON? — Gov. DeSantis is expected to be in Tallahassee for a meeting of the Clemency Board. He is also scheduled to hold a Twitter Spaces event with Elon Musk in the evening where DeSantis is expected to announce he’s running for president. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch: gfineout@politico.com
| | | | A message from Airlines for America: Did you know? Every day 800,000 workers make the U.S. airline industry run. Last year, we helped 50,000 new careers take flight -- thousands of new pilots, flight attendants, mechanics and others. In fact, job growth for U.S. airlines in March was three times the overall U.S. job growth – and we are still hiring! Learn more: www.airlines.org/jobs. | | | |  | DESANTISLAND | | IT STARTS — “Ron DeSantis will launch his presidential bid with Elon Musk,” by NBC News' Dasha Burns and Matt Dixon: “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will announce he is running for president during a discussion with Twitter CEO Elon Musk, three sources familiar with the plans told NBC News. Musk and DeSantis will host an event on Twitter Spaces, the site’s platform for audio chats, on Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET. It will be moderated by David Sacks, a tech entrepreneur who is a Musk confidant and DeSantis supporter. That same evening, the campaign will release a launch video, and DeSantis will begin visiting several early states after Memorial Day.”
| 
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to Iowa voters on March 10, 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa. | Scott Olson/Getty Images | THE APPROACH — “DeSantis sees a path to the White House — 240 characters at a time,” by POLITICO’s Sally Goldenberg and Meridith McGraw: Most politicians will tell you that Twitter isn’t actually real life. Ron DeSantis is making a big bet that it is. On every red-meat, internet-fueled controversy of the day — from Bud Light to Critical Race Theory to gas stoves — few Republican politicians have ever been as plugged in online. If he announces his run for president in a Twitter Spaces session with Elon Musk on Wednesday as planned, he is indicating his 2024 campaign will be waged as much there as in the town halls of Iowa or on cable TV. — Trump team knocks DeSantis’ Twitter campaign launch: ‘This way he doesn’t have to interact with people, by POLITICO’s Kelly Garrity HISTORY LESSON — Ron DeSantis and the curse of the Florida man, by POLITICO’s Charlie Mahtesian: No Florida politician has ever been elected president. A half-dozen have run in the last 50 years — essentially the period in which the state evolved from political backwater to electoral powerhouse — but all have ended up in the same place, dead in the water long before the nominating convention. Most never even made it past New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary. The curse of Florida Man — and to date, every Florida presidential candidate has been male — lingers despite the fact that the state is an ideal proving ground for a White House bid. … It is the lone state among the nation’s 10 most populous that has never sent anyone to the White House.
| | | | A message from Airlines for America:   | | | MAKING IT RAIN — “Ron DeSantis lines up business leaders to raise money for 2024 presidential run,” by CNBC’s Brian Schwartz: “Gov. Ron DeSantis has assembled a team of wealthy business leaders to help raise money for his presidential campaign, according to a partial list of fundraisers provided by a senior political official with the Florida Republican. The bundler list, which was first provided to CNBC, includes business leaders from industries ranging from real estate to finance.” — “How DeSantis plans to jolt the GOP presidential primary and seize back the narrative,” by CNN’s Steve Contorno — “DeSantis to open presidential bid by out-Trumping Trump,” by CNN’s Stephen Collinson — “She stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6. Then Gov. Ron DeSantis made her a state regulator,” by USA Today’s Will Carless — “These two Tampa Bay legislators have not endorsed DeSantis. Will it cost them?” by Tampa Bay Times’ William March: — “Newt Gingrich says Ron DeSantis ‘has failed’ in quest to clear 2024 GOP field,” by Florida Politics’ A.G. Gancarski
| | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | THE NEXT JUSTICE — DeSantis installs another conservative on Florida’s Supreme Court, by POLITICO’s Gary Fineout: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis continued his complete makeover of the Florida Supreme Court on Tuesday by elevating conservative appeals court Judge Meredith Sasso to the state’s highest court. Sasso is the seventh pick that DeSantis has made to the court since he first came into office in 2019 and is the fourth woman he has named as a justice. The court for the first time ever will now have three women serving on the bench simultaneously. Legacy — DeSantis has shifted the court rightward during his time in office, starting with three appointments he made when he first became governor because three justices had reached the mandatory retirement age. Two of his choices were later picked by then-President Donald Trump for spots on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. “All of them have been rock solid,” DeSantis said about his appointments during a Monday evening speech he gave at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Orlando. “They understand the law and constitution. Judicial activism in Florida is now officially dead. We’ve killed it with these justices.” — “What’s going on? Groups question Florida’s Medicaid re-determination process,” by Florida Politics Christine Jordan Sexton — “Florida House battles pediatricians over gender-dysphoria records subpoena,” by News Service of Florida’s Dara Kam — “Police drop condo pool complaint apparently filed by Justice Renatha Francis, finding ‘no indicator’ woman neglected her baby,” by Florida Bulldog’s Noreen Marcus
| | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | | FOR YOUR CALENDAR — “Trump criminal trial scheduled for March 2024,” by The New York Times’ Jonah Bromwich: “The trial of Donald J. Trump has been scheduled for March 25, 2024, the judge presiding over his Manhattan criminal case said at a hearing on Tuesday. Mr. Trump attended the hearing remotely, making his first courtroom appearance since 34 felony charges were unveiled against him last month. He appeared to react angrily when the trial date was announced by Justice Juan Merchan, though his microphone was muted and it was unclear what he was saying to the lawyer seated next to him, Todd Blanche. The trial is set for three weeks after Super Tuesday, one of the most important days on the Republican presidential primary calendar.” — Trump’s latest legal headache: His own big mouth, by POLITICO’s Erica Orden — Trump legal team seeks meeting with Garland as documents probe near conclusion, by POLITICO’s Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein
| | | | DON’T MISS POLITICO’S HEALTH CARE SUMMIT: The Covid-19 pandemic helped spur innovation in health care, from the wide adoption of telemedicine, health apps and online pharmacies to mRNA vaccines. But what will the next health care innovations look like? Join POLITICO on Wednesday June 7 for our Health Care Summit to explore how tech and innovation are transforming care and the challenges ahead for access and delivery in the United States. REGISTER NOW. | | | | | | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | ‘PEOPLE ARE ON NOTICE’ — “Barbara Sharief gets political ads retracted in legal settlement,” by South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s Lisa J. Huriash: “Barbara Sharief, a former Broward County commissioner who is running for Florida Senate in 2024, has reached a settlement agreement with a PAC over political ads from last year’s election that she says were defamatory, according to her lawyer. Sharief’s lawyer, Michael Pizzi, considers it a victory even though the election is long over. ‘This is more than symbolic because she has a bright political future,’ he said of Sharief. ‘People are on notice they can’t accuse her of that. People are on notice they can’t slander her.’ Sharief unsuccessfully attempted to oust state Sen. Lauren Book last year. The Book-Sharief contest, decided in August, was the most hotly contested race of the summer in Broward.” — “Federal appeals court is urged to hear a Florida elections law fight,” by News Service of Florida’s Jim Saunders — “Miami ordered to draw new voting map months before elections for 3 commission seats,” by Miami Herald’s Joey Flechas
| | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | ANOTHER ONE — “Nation’s largest LGBTQ advocacy group joins others in issuing Florida travel advisory,” by USA Today Network-Florida’s Douglas Soule and Ana Goñi-Lessan: “The nation's largest LGBTQ civil rights group has joined multiple other organizations in issuing a Florida travel advisory. The Human Rights Campaign along with Equality Florida, which had already issued an advisory last month, posted an updated one for the LGBTQ community, citing Gov. Ron DeSantis' policies. In a press release, the two organizations warn LGBTQ people of the risks of traveling to the Sunshine State because of six bills passed this Legislative session that they say are ‘hostile.’” WARNING — “US faculty group decries Florida’s ‘assault’ on higher education,” by Tampa Bay Times’ Divya Kumar: “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and state lawmakers have mounted an ‘unparalleled’ attack on higher education, aided by ‘cowardly’ college and university administrators who have failed to push back, according to a report released early Wednesday by one of the nation’s top faculty groups. It says recent laws and other steps taken by Republican leaders threaten ‘the very survival of meaningful higher education in the state, with the direst implications for the entire country.’ The report, described as preliminary, was produced by the American Association of University Professors, which said its findings are based on interviews with more than 40 faculty members and a former school president.”
| | | | A message from Airlines for America: Did you know? U.S. airlines are proud to employ their largest workforce in more than 20 years – 800,000 workers strong! We are constantly working to secure a pipeline of new employees – pilots, flight attendants, mechanics and others – and strengthening our recruiting efforts to ensure we have the right people in the right place to meet the growing demand for air transportation across the country and around the globe. This is why U.S. airlines are investing heavily in our employees and offering quality jobs with wages above the U.S. private sector average. In 2022, airlines helped 50,000 new careers take off – and we are still hiring! Learn more about U.S. airline jobs at www.airlines.org/jobs. | | | A CLOSER LOOK — “Objection to sexual, LGBTQ content propels spike in book challenges,” by The Washington Post’s Hannah Natanson: “Jennifer Pippin, a mother and book challenger in Florida’s Indian River County and a founding chairman of Moms for Liberty, attributed the concern over LGBTQ books not to homophobia but to the texts’ sexually explicit nature. ‘In the past 10 to 13 years, the LGBTQ books have gotten very sexually graphic,’ she said. Pippin mentioned the frequently challenged ‘Gender Queer,’ a memoir about being nonbinary, which depicts oral sex and masturbation. ‘If that book was made without the strap-on dildo,’ Pippin said, ‘that book wouldn’t be challenged.’” HMM — “Developer paid Miami’s mayor $170K to push his project, company records state,” by Miami Herald’s Joey Flechas, Jay Weaver and Sarah Blaskey: “A developer quietly paid Miami Mayor Francis Suarez at least $170,000 over the past two years to help cut through red tape and secure critical permits for his stalled real estate project in Coconut Grove, according to internal corporate records exclusively obtained by the Miami Herald." — “Black Florida lawmakers support NAACP travel boycott of state,” by Florida Politics’ Jacob Ogles — “Clearwater sets terms for land swap: Tell us your plans, Scientology,” by Tampa Bay Times’ Tracey McManus — “Viral Broward school book disposal video called a ‘false representation,’” by South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s Scott Travis
| | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | | — “Millionaire’s elaborate jail escape plan foiled, Florida sheriff says,” by The Associated Press’ Freida Frisaro: “Authorities say they’ve foiled an elderly businessman’s plan to escape a Florida jail and return to France where he had previously fled in an attempt to avoid child pornography charges. A tip from outside the jail sparked a two-month investigation of John Manchec, 78, and people he had enlisted in his escape plan, Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers said Monday during a news conference. ‘Essentially, the plan comes down to this,’ Sheriff Flowers said. ‘These folks that are on the outside are going to wait until Manchec has a doctor’s visit, and they are going to take out our corrections staff while he’s out at the medical facility.’” BIRTHDAYS: Rob Johnson with the Mayernick Group
| | | | GET READY FOR GLOBAL TECH DAY: Join POLITICO Live as we launch our first Global Tech Day alongside London Tech Week on Thursday, June 15. Register now for continuing updates and to be a part of this momentous and program-packed day! From the blockchain, to AI, and autonomous vehicles, technology is changing how power is exercised around the world, so who will write the rules? REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment