| | | | |  | | By Kimberly Leonard, Gary Fineout and Kierra Frazier | |  House Speaker Mike Johnson spoke briefly with reporters after surveying the devastation in the Big Bend region of Florida. Republican Reps. Kat Cammack (L) and Neal Dunn (R) accompanied him. | Gary Fineout/POLITICO | Good morning and welcome to Friday. House Speaker Mike Johnson on Thursday became the latest high-profile elected official to survey storm damage in Florida. He spent most of his visit in Steinhatchee, a small, historic fishing town that has been pummeled by Hurricanes Helene and Debby in the course of just months. The speaker took an aerial tour with the National Guard to also view Cedar Key, Suwannee and Horseshoe Beach, and then met with Floridians who’d lost their homes and businesses. Republican Reps. Neal Dunn and Kat Cammack accompanied Johnson at a roundtable and on his tour. Johnson also met with several state legislators. The small town had heaping piles of debris on the sides of its roads and multiple homes had been torn apart by the fury of the storm. Members of Congress from Florida have asked Congress and the White House to step up help so that Florida and other affected states could get back on their feet faster. One of the main concerns members and President Joe Biden have expressed is that the Federal Emergency Management Agency doesn’t have enough funding to ride out the rest of hurricane season, which stretches through all of November. The continuing resolution Congress passed last week extended current funding levels for FEMA, of about $20 billion, and allowed the agency to use the money more quickly. But even now, parts of Florida are facing possible tropical activity next week. And the initial damage from Helene across the Southeast could reach more than $160 billion, according to AccuWeather. Given the overwhelming devastation, some members of Congress have said they’re ready to return to Capitol Hill sooner than their scheduled return date of November 12. Johnson indicated to reporters that supplemental funding was coming from Congress, but predicted the timing would land after Election Day. He explained that local and state officials have to assess the damages and send them to the federal authorities, which then submits a request to Congress. “It will take some time to tabulate,” he said, given the “substantial losses.” Johnson’s visit came on the same day that Biden dropped in on the state, though the two didn’t appear together. Also holding his own event was Gov. Ron DeSantis, who said he skipped the visit with Biden because of his press conference in Anna Maria Island. The governor announced a slew of executive orders and criticized the Biden administration for not being proactive enough on settling a dockworker’s strike that’s affecting ports in several states — just hours before the union would announce the strike was over. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) met with Biden on Thursday, when he told the president that the federal government’s response to recent storms left too many Floridians “hurting and with unmet needs,” especially farmers, his office said. The senator led a letter to the Department of Agriculture this week asking for a disaster declaration and block grants. Johnson, who’s from hurricane-vulnerable Louisiana, appeared open to the prospect of other solutions from the federal government to help people recover sooner after storms. POLITICO’s Gary Fineout asked him about ideas that have been floated to create a federal homeowner’s insurance policy similar to the federal flood insurance program — one that has faced massive debt. Johnson called the topic one of “a lot of dialogue and debate” and said he didn’t know where it would land. “These are big storms of great magnitude and Congress has to address this seriously,” he said, “and I think they will.” Despite the high-profile visits this week, there are no signs that either of the presidential candidates will stop in to see the devastation in Florida, though both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have done such stops in electoral swing states hurt by Helene and are planning more. — Gary Fineout and Kimberly Leonard Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget in the campaign reporting that Playbook should look at? Get in touch at: kleonard@politico.com.
|  | ...HURRICANE HOLE... | | VOTING HELP — “DeSantis waives election rules for counties rocked by Helene,” reports POLITICO’s Andrew Atterbury. “ Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis used his emergency powers Thursday to waive state election laws for more than a dozen counties that are still dealing with the aftermath of the powerful and deadly Hurricane Helene. The moves, detailed in an executive order are a lifeline to local election supervisors who asked the state for several key changes, such as consolidating polling places, as they contend with widespread damages and disruptions wrought by the Category 4 storm.” POWER UPDATE — “State officials and Duke Energy send conflicting messages on Pinellas power outages,” reports POLITICO’s Bruce Ritchie. “Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday that most of the remaining 9,000 customers without power in Florida are in the Big Bend area. But a few thousand more in Pinellas County may be unaccounted for because of state and utility reporting methods.” BACK-TO-BACK — “Florida communities hit three times by hurricanes grapple with how and whether to rebuild,” reports The Associated Press’ Kate Payne and David R. Martin. “The back-to-back hits to Florida’s Big Bend are forcing residents to reckon with the true costs of living in an area under siege by storms that researchers say are becoming stronger because of climate change. The Hiers, like many others here, can’t afford homeowner’s insurance on their flood-prone houses, even if it was available. Residents who have watched their life savings get washed away multiple times are left with few choices.” UNINSURED HOMES — “‘An empty feeling.’ At Helene’s Florida landfall, few have insurance to help rebuild,” reports Miami Herald’s Alex Harris and Joey Flechas. “Unfortunately, recovery will likely be a slow process for the Big Bend region. As many unhappy residents may soon discover, the damage from Hurricane Helene’s storm surge is classified as flood damage, which is not covered by standard home and hurricane insurance, despite how much premiums have skyrocketed in recent years.” HELENE AS A POLITICAL FLASHPOINT — “Hurricane Helene brings climate change to forefront of the presidential campaign,” reports The Associated Press’ Matthew Daly. “Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Georgia Wednesday to see hard-hit areas, two days after her Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump, was in the state and criticized the federal response to the storm, which has killed at least 180 people. Thousands of people in the Carolinas still lack running water, cell phone service and electricity. President Joe Biden toured some of the hardest-hit areas by helicopter on Wednesday.”
| | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | |  Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., speaks to reporters in the spin room after a presidential debate between Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Philadelphia. | Matt Rourke/AP Photo | TAILGAETZ — Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) spent his Thursday evening back on the campus of his alma mater, speaking with Florida State University students and answering questions on everything from censorship, the border, the influence of special interest groups … and oh yes, the 2026 governor’s race. The event was put together by the Turning Point USA chapter at FSU, so the questions came from conservative and libertarian students. Gaetz continued to sidestep the question of whether he plans to mount a run for governor, but it won’t stop the speculation. When asked afterwards about it, the firebrand Republican — who won his primary election in August over a candidate backed by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and is expected to win another term in November — said “let’s get through the next 35 days.” If Gaetz runs, he does appear to have some thoughts for one potential part of his platform: property insurance. Gaetz said the state should make it easier and cheaper for Florida insurers to access the state’s current state-created reinsurance program known as the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund. Insurers would then be required to pass on those savings in premiums they charge to customers. Gaetz said such a move wouldn’t win him plaudits from outfits such as the libertarian think tank the Cato Institute, but he said legislators should have done that instead of passing laws that made it harder to sue insurers. “They have messed up on insurance because they have been too captive to the insurance industry,” he said. — Gary Fineout A ‘FAILURE’ — “Five Floridians with disabilities say state is violating their rights,” reports Florida Phoenix’s Christine Sexton. “The 78-page complaint asks the court to block the state from allowing state-sponsored Medicaid managed care plans from placing what the plaintiffs say are arbitrary limits on services and from creating administrative barriers that the lawyers contend boggle beneficiaries and their caregivers. The plaintiffs and their caregivers allege the state is violating their due process and equal rights protections as well as the American with Disabilities Act.” BILLS, BILLS, BILLS — “Why owning (and buying) a Florida condo has ‘turned into a nightmare,’” by The New York Times’ Julia Echikson. “On June 24, 2021, the Champlain Towers South condo building in the nearby town of Surfside partially collapsed when its corroded concrete and steel supports buckled, killing 98 people. Florida lawmakers responded by requiring condominiums that are at least 30 years old to undergo inspections, make critical improvements and amass reserve funds for future repairs. Suddenly, the Konetzes found themselves facing a $224,000 bill — their share of a special assessment to renovate and repair their 36-year-old building. Unable to secure a loan or sell the unit, the couple now fear bankruptcy.” NEW TRAINING — “New law takes effect creating an Alzheimer’s training course for law enforcement,” reports Central Florida Public Media’s Joe Byrnes. “The Alzheimer’s Association reports at least 580,000 Floridians have Alzheimer's disease. And 6 out of 10 will wander off at some point. … A new law — House Bill 801 — creates optional training for police on recognizing someone with dementia, communicating with them, using alternatives to physical restraints, and spotting abuse, neglect or exploitation. It passed the Legislature unanimously.”
| | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | ANTI-UNION LAW RESULTS — “Conservatives look to end — or replace — Miami teachers union,” reports POLITICO’s Andrew Atterbury. “Florida Republicans could strike a major blow against public sector unions by replacing the state’s largest teachers union with one backed by a national conservative organization. About 24,000 teachers in the state’s most populous county had three options in a recent unprecedented election: if they’ll be represented by United Teachers of Dade, as they have been for the nearly 50 years; the emerging Miami-Dade Education Coalition linked to the conservative Freedom Foundation; or no union at all. The fact that this vote, which ended last week and has yet to be tallied, happened at all is already a notable win for conservatives who backed a 2023 law sought by Gov. Ron DeSantis and other state Republicans to curb the influence teachers unions wield in public education.” MAKING ADJUSTMENTS — “As the homeless law takes effect, what is Tampa Bay doing to prepare?” reports Tampa Bay Times’ Olivia George. “Housing advocates on both sides of Tampa Bay said they are approaching people sleeping outside and educating them on the law, along with where to find shelters and housing. In Pinellas, workers have been handing out resource cards. ‘There is hope,’ they read.” INVASIVE GRASS — “Could new invasive seagrass in South Florida doom one of the best defenses to climate change?” reports WLRN’s Jenny Staletovich. “[Seagrass ecologist Justin] Campbell and other scientists’ worry is that this grass, like other exotic species that have made their way to the Sunshine State, will thrive and smother native grass. In the Caribbean, the grass has spread rapidly in dense patches and appears to tolerate a greater range of temperatures and salinity. It can also grow in both deep and shallow waters.” ARRESTED — “Campaign manager of defeated Cuban influencer in Miami-Dade mayoral run charged with rape,” reports Miami Herald’s Charles Rabin, Syra Ortiz Blanes and Verónica Egui Brito. “Andy Santana, 33, was picked up at his Hialeah home just before midnight Wednesday and taken to Hialeah police headquarters where he was charged with single counts of having sex with a minor and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.”
| | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | | EX-PRESIDENT BACKED — Former President Barack Obama released a video Friday morning endorsing Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell for Senate. “This is your chance, Florida,” Obama said in the video. “Elect a woman who will make your life better and fight for freedoms like the right to choose.” Obama was the last Democratic presidential candidate to win Florida, having done so twice. DEADLINE APPROACHING — “Only a few days left to register to vote in presidential election in Florida. Here’s how.” by South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Anthony Man. “Monday, Oct. 7, is the last day to register to vote in the Nov. 5 election. … People registering online have until 11:59 p.m. and those registering at an elections office have until they close at 5 p.m. Registration applications sent by mail will be processed if they are postmarked on or before Oct. 7.”
|  President Joe Biden speaks to Senator Rick Scott (L), Republican of Florida, as they participate in a tour and briefing of an area affected by Hurricane Helene in Keaton Beach, Florida, on October 3, 2024. | Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images | OUTSPENDING THE OPPONENT — “Rick Scott places $10M in TV ads as the Florida Senate race enters homestretch,” reports NBC News’ Matt Dixon. “The Scott TV buy, first shared with NBC News, will focus mostly on the Tampa, Orlando and Miami media markets, with spot buys in other parts of the state, according to campaign advisers. … Scott has spent at least $8 million of his personal wealth, and the $10 million media buy is as much as [former Rep. Debbie] Mucarsel-Powell’s campaign had spent total throughout the end of July.” SCHOOL BOARD AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS — “Florida Democrats announce Take Back Local candidates,” by Florida Politics’ Gabrielle Russon. “Florida Democrats are giving fundraising and grassroots organizing support to 19 local candidates running for office in November through its Take Back Local program. The Florida Democratic Party said the 19 candidates were chosen ‘through a rigorous application and vetting process.’” FINAL CAMPAIGN PUSH — “Supporters, opponents of abortion rights amendment ramp up campaigns in South Florida,” reports WLRN’s Verónica Zaragovia. “[Archbishop Thomas] Wenski and other opponents point to the amendment language — the focus of many videos and social media posts put out by the ‘Vote No on 4’ campaign, under Florida Voters Against Extremism. … Supporters of Amendment 4, have been focusing their messaging on what they call government overreach from Florida’s strict six-week ban on almost all abortions.”
| | DATELINE D.C. | | CURRICULUM DISPUTE — “Democrats to DeSantis: Reverse course on ‘harmful’ sex-education restrictions in schools,” by the Orlando Sentinel’s Steven Walker. “Florida should reverse course on its ‘harmful’ abstinence-only requirements for public school health classes and allow schools to teach a comprehensive sex education curriculum, according to a letter sent to state leaders Thursday from seven Democrats serving in Congress … When asked for comment, the Florida Department of Education pointed to a post by Diaz on social media. On X, Diaz did not respond directly to the letter but criticized the representatives for not contacting his department after Hurricane Helene struck Florida last week.”
| | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | | BIRTHDAYS: Maria Carrillo, former editor for Tampa Bay Times … (Saturday) Former Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite …. Alan Cohen, businessman and former co-owner of the Florida Panthers ... Trey Price of Gunster, former executive director of the Florida Housing Finance Corporation … (Sunday) former state Sen. Kevin Rader … Joe Follick, director of marketing and communications at Veterans Florida and owner of Black T Communications ... Jon Ausman, former Leon County DEC chairman ... former Florida House Speaker Allan Bense. | | | | 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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