| | | | |  | | By Kimberly Leonard | | | |  Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis fields a question during a campaign event at Bella Love Event Center on Jan. 11, 2024 in Cline, Iowa. | Jamie Kelter Davis for POLITICO | Good morning and welcome to Wednesday. Gov. Ron DeSantis never announced how much his now-suspended presidential campaign raised during the final three months of last year, but it’ll all be revealed in new campaign finance reports that are due today. Federal Election Commission receipts outlining fundraising and spending have already started pouring in ahead of the midnight deadline. One finding, from POLITICO’s Jessica Piper, shows that Never Back Down, the super PAC that supported DeSantis, infused $2.75 million to Win It Back PAC, right around the time that group spent millions attacking former President Donald Trump. DeSantis was a prolific fundraiser when he entered the presidential race but his campaign burned through resources and bled outside support as polling sagged. Today’s documents dump is expected to hold answers about not just how much money came in but where it went, including the share of funds spent on private jet travel, consultants and polling. Here are other key revelations that could emerge from the forthcoming documents: Just how much spending shifted to Never Back Down. Never Back Down and other super PACs haven’t had to publicly post finances since the first half of 2023, so the public will learn a lot about the closing six months of DeSantis’ political activities. The DeSantis campaign began running a leaner operation after facing financial troubles last summer. One of the reasons it was able to downsize was because it shifted many traditional campaign operations to Never Back Down. The New York Times reported that the super PAC at times paid for DeSantis’ prolific private jet use. And payroll disclosures would also show whether former campaign staffers who were fired over the summer went on to work for the PAC. Whether a spate of billionaires moved from DeSantis to former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who surged following the GOP debates. Just yesterday, CNBC reported that billionaire Ken Griffin, a Chicago-to-Miami transplant, gave $5 million to SFA Fund, a super PAC backing Haley. Griffin once praised and lavished millions on DeSantis’ gubernatorial candidacy, yet when DeSantis ran for president he publicly criticized his anti-abortion and anti-Disney policies. It’ll be especially notable if Trump was able to win former DeSantis donors over as his dominance became clear through polling. How much DeSantis' allies in Florida gave to Never Back Down. Numerous Florida officials — many of whom flew to Iowa to knock on doors in sub-zero temperatures for their boss — contributed to their boss’ campaign last year, Playbook previously reported. The latest report will show whether they also poured personal resources into Never Back Down, which is allowed to raise unlimited sums of cash. The organization helped gather endorsements for DeSantis and organized state lawmakers to head up to Iowa to volunteer for the caucuses. — WHERE'S RON? Nothing official announced yet for DeSantis. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch at: kleonard@politico.com | | | | A message from Instagram: Parents should be able to decide which apps are right for their teens.
According to a new poll by Morning Consult conducted in November 2023, more than 75% of parents believe teens under 16 shouldn’t be able to download apps without parental permission.1
Instagram wants to work with Congress to pass federal legislation that gets it done.
Learn more. | | | |  | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | |
TODAY — The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is holding a rulemaking meeting at 9 a.m. on the law that prohibits Chinese farmland ownership. The Real Estate Roundtable asked Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson in a letter to carefully consider cases in which foreign investors have passive interests in U.S. funds, warning that otherwise it would cause “negative consequences for investment in Florida.”
‘NEVER BEEN MORE OFFENDED’ — Florida Republicans want to block removal of Confederate monuments, reports POLITICO’s Gary Fineout. Florida’s Republican-controlled Legislature wants to block cities and counties from removing or relocating Confederate monuments, a move that has already sparked intense debates about history, racism and white supremacy. The bills currently moving through the GOP-led Legislature are causing a backlash from Democratic lawmakers, who say the measures are deeply offensive. State Republicans have supported similar bills in recent years that haven't passed, but this year’s effort may be gaining momentum after lawmakers have advanced bills in the House and Senate. ID BACKLASH — “Trans Floridians can’t change gender on driver’s licenses, memo says,” by the Tampa Bay Times’ Romy Ellenbogen. The memo, from the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, went to county tax collectors last week. “The change appears to have been made without public input. Before, people were allowed to change the gender on their driver’s license if they had a physician’s certified letter stating the person is undergoing clinical treatment for gender transition, according to the National Center for Transgender Equality.” FOUND — “Migrant relocation flyers came from DeSantis administration contractor, records show,” reports the Orlando Sentinel’s Ryan Gillespie. “Leaflets in English, Spanish and Creole were placed on the doorstep of the church about a week ago from an organization calling itself My Bright Horizons. State records show My Bright Horizons is actually a fictitious name for Access Restoration Services, a Texas-based company that is one of three firms receiving a lucrative contract under the program authorizing the state to transport migrants to other states.” ROLLBACK — “Bill lowering rifle-buying age from 21 to 18 clears House panel,” reports Florida Politics’ Gray Rohrer. Sen. Rick Scott, who signed the bill into law authorizing a slew of reforms after the mass shooting in Parkland, said Tuesday at a press conference in Tallahassee that he doesn’t support the rollback. NEW ‘ANTI-WOKE’ FRONTIER — Florida Republicans seize on teacher prep programs in fight against ‘wokeness,’ reports POLITICO’s Andrew Atterbury. Republicans through the policy are aiming to extend a 2023 law rebuking diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in higher education to dozens of teacher education programs at state universities, colleges and school districts by prohibiting them from “distort[ing] significant historical events” or teaching “identity politics” as they prepare educators and school leaders. BOOK REMOVALS — Florida House softens on proposed fees meant to curb local book challenges, reports POLITICO’s Andrew Atterbury. Meant to curb a “logistical nightmare” facing school districts, the House this year introduced a policy to permit them to charge a $100 fee for each book objection that comes from anyone without a student at the campus where the publication is challenged. The money must be returned if the objection is ultimately upheld, the proposed law stipulates. Under the original policy, the fee would kick in after a complainant challenged five books. But on Tuesday, the House added one word to soften the potential blow for book challengers: Now, the fee could only be applied after someone “unsuccessfully” objects to five works.
|  Florida House Speaker Paul Renner speaks during a press conference outside the Florida State Capitol Jan. 11, 2024. | Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Images | ENERGY POLICY — House lawmakers advance energy bill backed by Renner, reports POLITICO’s Bruce Ritchie. The bill strikes policies adopted by the Legislature in 2008 that sought to reduce carbon emissions that contribute to climate change. The bill makes other law changes, including relaxing siting requirements for natural gas pipelines and declaring that gas storage tanks are allowed in all local commercial, industrial and manufacturing land use categories. UNDERAGE WORKING — “Florida Senate looking to narrow controversial child labor bill,” reports WFSU’s Tristan Wood. “While the house version of the bill would change state law to let 16- and 17-year-olds work more than 30 hours a week during the school year, and work past 11 on school nights, the Senate version of the bill keeps the state’s child labor laws mostly intact.” FLIGHT MEGAMERGER — “JetBlue, Spirit ask appeals court to fast-track review of judge’s decision to block their merger,” reports the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s David Lyons. “The airlines asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit to place the appeal on a fast track because an agreement that envisions JetBlue buying Spirit has a closing date of July 24. U.S. District Judge William Young of Boston refused to approve the deal after the U.S. Justice Department sued to halt the transaction. The government alleged consumers would end up paying higher fares and lose access to an ultra low-cost industry competitor in Spirit.” HEAVY LIFT — “A House health care spending panel unanimously approved a bill (HB 1561) that closes loopholes in a statute regulating Brazilian butt lifts that was passed last year,” reports Florida Politics’ Christine Jordan Sexton. | | | | CONGRESS OVERDRIVE: Since day one, POLITICO has been laser-focused on Capitol Hill, serving up the juiciest Congress coverage. Now, we’re upping our game to ensure you’re up to speed and in the know on every tasty morsel and newsy nugget from inside the Capitol Dome, around the clock. Wake up, read Playbook AM, get up to speed at midday with our Playbook PM halftime report, and fuel your nightly conversations with Inside Congress in the evening. Plus, never miss a beat with buzzy, real-time updates throughout the day via our Inside Congress Live feature. Learn more and subscribe here. | | | | |
| | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | |
RECORDS REVELATIONS — “Miami Mayor Francis Suarez pushed for no-bid city contract benefiting his private employer’s partner,” reports the Miami Herald. “The mayor’s advocacy on behalf of the software company, NZero — and the behind-closed-doors discussions involving its partnership with Suarez’s private employer, Redivider — were laid out in dozens of emails obtained by the Miami Herald.”
— The mayor stormed out of an interview with Local 10 News’ Glenna Milberg after she asked about his business ties. DISNEY COMPETITION — “Universal Orlando unveils details about resort’s new theme park, slated to open next year,” reports The Associated Press. “Universal Orlando Resort’s new theme park opening next year will feature lands devoted to Super Nintendo World characters, Universal film monsters, the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ films and the ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ film franchise. But at the center of it all will be Celestial Park, theme park officials said Tuesday.” | | CAMPAIGN MODE | |
TODAY — Republican Presidential candidate Nikki Haley will be in Palm Beach then in Miami for two fundraisers, one co-hosted by real-estate investor and hotelier Barry Sternlicht of Starwood Capital Group, per the Wall Street Journal.
Jim Defede of CBS News Miami got ahold of the invites: “The first event, a reception and luncheon, is scheduled to take place between 12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m., with tickets starting at $2,500 per person. Tickets for the VIP reception is $6,600 per person, and for those who want to co-host the event, the campaign is asking for $10,000. The second South Florida event is billed as ‘a private roundtable’ with Haley from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, with the cost listed as $16,600 per person. Both events are scheduled to take place on Miami Beach. The campaign is hoping to raise $1 million at the Miami events, according to a source familiar with planning for the fundraisers.” TOMORROW — “Donald Trump is to court billionaires at a $110 million Palm Beach mansion fundraiser Thursday in a new drive to secure deep-pocketed donors as he seems poised to win the Republican primary,” per the New York Post’s Lydia Moynihan. “Billionaire hedge fund manager John Paulson is hosting the intimate cocktail party and dinner that could include Woody Johnson and Ronald Lauder.” | | | | A message from Instagram:   | | | |  President Joe Biden greets Mayor Daniella Levine Cava of Miami-Dade County as he arrives at Miami International Airport on Jan. 30, 2024, in Miami. | Evan Vucci/AP | ALSO ON HOME TURF — Biden mocks Trump during Florida fundraiser, by POLITICO’s Kimberly Leonard. During a fundraiser in Jupiter, Florida, on Tuesday, Biden rallied donors to help him make Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, a “loser again” and made the sign of the cross after bemoaning that Florida faced a “real dose of Trumpism.” — Biden’s Air Force One had to share the runway with Trump Force One when he landed yesterday in Palm Beach. — He later raised $6.2 million from a fundraiser in Miami-Dade County, per the Miami Herald’s Max Greenwood and Grethel Aguila ‘TRAITOR’ — “After bitter primary, DeSantis may struggle to win over Trump supporters if he runs again,” reports The Associated Press’ Jill Colvin. “After a scorched-earth primary in which Trump pounded DeSantis viciously for the better part of a year, interviews with voters across early-voting states suggest the Florida governor may have an uphill battle if he chooses to run for president again in 2028. Many Trump supporters not only dislike DeSantis, but echo Trump’s assertions that DeSantis betrayed him and say they would never consider him again.” — “DeSantis spokespeople ripped Evan Power before he canceled Laura Loomer interview,” reports Florida Politics’ A.G. Gancarski | | | | YOUR GUIDE TO EMPIRE STATE POLITICS: From the newsroom that doesn’t sleep, POLITICO's New York Playbook is the ultimate guide for power players navigating the intricate landscape of Empire State politics. Stay ahead of the curve with the latest and most important stories from Albany, New York City and around the state, with in-depth, original reporting to stay ahead of policy trends and political developments. Subscribe now to keep up with the daily hustle and bustle of NY politics. | | | | | | | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | |
IN MEMORIAM — “Former state Sen. Jim Sebesta dies at 88,” per Florida Politics’ Andrew Meacham. “Jim Sebesta, who spent much of his time in the Senate trying to keep Floridians safe, has died. He was 88 and lived in St. Petersburg. Sebesta served in the state Senate from 1998 to 2006 and chaired the Transportation Committee, where he introduced or co-sponsored numerous bills for highway safety.”
BIRTHDAYS: U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz … Jossie Barroso, communications director for Florida Senate Democrats … Ryan Ray, chair of Leon County Democratic Party … former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham (D-Fla.) | | | | A message from Instagram: More than 75% of parents want to approve the apps teens under 16 download.
According to a new poll from Morning Consult, more than 75% of parents agree: Teens under 16 shouldn’t be able to download apps from app stores without parental permission.1
Instagram wants to work with Congress to pass federal legislation that gets it done.
Learn more.
1"US Parents Study on Teen App Downloads" by Morning Consult (Meta-commissioned survey of 2,019 parents), Nov. 2023. | | | | | | | 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 | | | | |
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