Last Call — A prime-time read of what's going down in Florida politics.

First Shot

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham as Assistant Secretary for Legislation and Congressional Affairs at the U.S. Department of Education.

President Joe Biden nominated Graham, the daughter of former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, earlier this year. Before Graham represented Florida's 2nd Congressional District, she worked for Leon County Schools as director of employee relations.

"Graham brings decades of invaluable experience as a public education leader, federal legislator, and public servant to this role," Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said when Graham was nominated.

Graham served one term in Congress, leaving office after redistricting shifted CD 2 from a purple district to one with a strong GOP advantage. Two years after leaving Congress, she ran for Governor and narrowly lost the Democratic nominating contest.

Several Florida Democrats celebrated her confirmation after it cleared the Senate in a voice vote early Wednesday.

"Congratulations Gwen Graham," tweeted Sen. Annette Taddeo, a potential candidate for Governor. "You will represent Florida well and you're just what our nation's education system needs."

Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book also congratulated Graham, as well as the "students, families, and educators across the country who will benefit from her leadership."

Graham joins the Department of Education at a time when the federal government and the state have been mired in a battle about federal, state and local prerogatives, especially involving mask mandates. It also comes shortly after Florida missed out $2.3 billion in federal school aid because it failed to submit a plan.

Evening Reads

"Eviction confusion, again: End of U.S. ban doesn't cause spike" via Anita Snow of The Associated Press

"'Constant stress': Floridians struggle with unemployment overpayments" via Lawrence Mower of the Tampa Bay Times

"Casey DeSantis' cancer diagnosis: Few are willing to discuss the political implications" via Michael Moline of the Florida Phoenix

"GOP-led redistricting battle in Florida could decide control of Congress" via Gray Rohrer and Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel

"Kamala Harris might have to stop the steal" via Russell Berman of The Atlantic

"These are the payments at risk if the U.S. defaults" via Alyssa Flowers of The Washington Post

"Joe Biden's approval rating isn't bouncing back" via Nathaniel Rakich of FiveThirtyEight

"How tight is Donald Trump's grip on the GOP? Take a look at the Ohio Senate primary" via Michael C. Bender of The Wall Street Journal

"Can nuclear fusion put the brakes on climate change?" via Rivka Galchen of The New Yorker

"The Supreme Court could save tribal sovereignty — or demolish it" via Matt Ford of The New Republic

"Self-driving cars: The 21st-century trolley problem" via Rani Molla of Vox

"What happened when Facebook became Boomerbook" via Helen Lewis of The Atlantic

"Hollywood battle lines emerge in simmering vaccine war" via Tatiana Siegel, Chris Gardner and Borys Kit of The Hollywood Reporter

Quote of the Day

"As I like to say, and people don't realize this, there are more redistricting plans for a state like Florida than there are quarks in the universe." — UF political science professor Michael McDonald, on the upcoming redistricting Session.

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