Good Monday morning.

Rubin Turnbull & Associates on Monday added insurance expert Kevin Comerer to its lobbying team.

Comerer most recently worked as the legislative director for American Integrity Insurance. During his nearly five years at the company, Comerer developed relationships with legislative leaders as well as top regulators at the Office of Insurance Regulation and the Department of Financial Services.

Before entering the private sector, Comerer spent years as a legislative and campaign staffer, including as senior legislative aide to now-Senate President-designate Kathleen Passidomo.

Congrats to Kevin Comerer, the newest addition to Rubin Turnbull.

"Since leaving my Legislative office, Kevin has quickly become a recognized leader in the insurance industry and has made me very proud. I have no doubt he will be successful in his new role," Passidomo said.

Comerer holds bachelor's degrees in political science and sociology from Florida State University. He joins a team that includes named partners Bill Rubin and Heather Turnbull and lobbyists Melissa Akeson, Jacqui Carmona, Erica Chanti, Christopher Finkbeiner, Zach Hubbard and Matthew Sacco.

"I am thrilled to join Rubin Turnbull & Associates and for the opportunity to build on the legacy of accomplishments Bill, Heather, and team have created. I've been extremely fortunate to learn the intricacies of Florida's insurance market over the last 4 years with American Integrity and am excited to continue to fight on behalf of Florida consumers," Comerer said.

"Lastly, I have to thank President-Designate Passidomo for her friendship and guidance over the years. I've gained a great deal of knowledge about policy, politics, and perseverance from her firsthand and I look forward to pairing that knowledge with my passion across many other industries soon."

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The next edition of INFLUENCE Magazine will be published around Memorial Day, focusing on the 2022 Election Cycle. (We've also begun to work on our biannual list of the INFLUENCE 100!)

The deadline to reserve space in this important edition is April 15. If you are interested in advertising, please email me at .

___

Save the date — The Tiger Bay Club of Central Florida holds its annual post-Session panel review featuring Matt Dixon of POLITICO and me, 11:30 a.m., Citrus Club, 255 S. Orange Ave., Suite 1800, Orlando. Advanced purchase of tickets is required — no on-the-day sales. Sales end April 18 at noon.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@AngryBrklyMom: We have been living through a two-year societal experiment where actions and behaviors that we have engaged in for millennia, centuries, and/or decades are now seen as immoral, or possibly illegal. What kind of backlash will we experience from this?

—@AdamWren: .@SecretaryPete, appearing on @TheView, with a message for GOPers that seems honed for the Midterms: "They can keep trying to go out there and ban books; we're going out there figuring out how to build bridges, literally, in every part of the country."

—@TheEliKlein: An interesting fact about the Washington DC's Gridiron Dinner that was a COVID superspreader event, is that not only was — everyone presumably "up to date" on their vaccinations, but they also tested negative prior to dinner. Vaccine passports & testing requirements don't work.

—@Fineout: At an event in Apalachicola, some folks listening to @GovRonDeSantis started saying "run for President" and "2024" when he asked what else he could do for them. DeSantis kind of waved it off and said "OK" and moved on to another topic

—@Fineout: At a @valdemings campaign event in Tallahassee on Friday night City Commissioner Curtis Richardson talks about the GOP voter advantage in Florida. "We're a red state ya'll. We've got some work to do."

Tweet, tweet:

—@ChrisSpencerFL: Oh no, whatever will we do without Karen the Government Auditor III from the Los Angeles City Clerk's office, throwing down some bucks at the HoJo. We are screwed.

—@WilliRicci: The whole LGBT movement went from "stay out of our bedroom" to "hey there, kindergartner, you should know what happens in our bedroom" real fast.

—@ElonMusk: Convert Twitter SF HQ to homeless shelter since no one shows up anyway

— DAYS UNTIL —

'Better Call Saul' final season begins — 7; Magic Johnson's Apple TV+ docuseries 'They Call Me Magic' begins — 11; 2022 Florida Chamber Transportation, Growth & Infrastructure Solution Summit — 17; 'The Godfather' TV series 'The Offer' premieres — 17; 2nd half of 'Ozark' final season begins — 18; 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' premieres — 25; Florida TaxWatch's Spring Meeting — 31; 'Obi-Wan Kenobi' starts on Disney+ — 45; 'Top Gun: Maverick' premieres — 46; 'Platinum Jubilee' for Queen Elizabeth II — 52; California, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota hold midterm Primaries — 57; 'Thor: Love and Thunder' premieres — 88; San Diego Comic-Con 2022 — 101; Michael Mann and Meg Gardiner novel 'Heat 2' publishes — 120; 'House of the Dragon' premieres on HBO — 132; 'The Lord of the Rings' premieres on Amazon Prime — 144; 2022 Emmys — 154; 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' sequel premieres — 179; Cormac McCarthy's 'The Passenger' releases — 197; Jon Meacham's 'And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle' releases — 197; 'Black Panther 2' premieres — 214; 'Captain Marvel 2' premieres — 214; 'The Flash' premieres — 219; The World Cup kicks off in Qatar — 224; The U.S. World Cup Soccer Team begins play — 224; McCarthy's 'Stella Maris' releases — 225; 'Avatar 2' premieres — 249; 2023 Legislative Session convenes — 330; 'John Wick: Chapter 4' premieres — 347; 2023 Session Sine Die — 389; 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' premieres — 473; 'Dune: Part Two' premieres — 557; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games — 837.



— TOP STORY —

"Ron DeSantis tops $100 million for Florida re-election race — and sends signal to 2024 Republican field" via Steve Contorno of CNN — The staggering sum not only gives DeSantis an unprecedented leg up on the Democrats attempting to unseat him this November, but it also sends an indisputable message to the potential field of 2024 Republican presidential hopefuls that there is already a promising contender with deep support from major donors and grassroots voters alike.

Ron DeSantis makes solid bank — a sign for the future?

It's the kind of fundraising chops that "catapults him into the top tier of potential GOP candidates," said Scott Reed, a veteran GOP operative and former top strategist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "He's been asking for big licks — $5 million and $10 million per fundraiser — and he's getting them, and that's a warning sign. DeSantis is the talk of every Republican cocktail party and every organizational meeting. His support spans the money class and the movement conservatives. And that's a strong combination early in the game."

DeSantis' political committee, Friends of Ron DeSantis, showed a March haul of $6.1 million. His campaign and political committee had previously reported raising a combined $96 million this cycle through February. While the proliferation of political committees and differences in campaign finance laws makes it difficult to compare fundraising numbers across state boundaries, it appears DeSantis is the first candidate in any state to eclipse $100 million entirely on donations.

—"Florida provides a blueprint other states should follow" via Jeremy Torisk of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Tweet, tweet:

Wilton Simpson to announce solid post-Session fundraising numbers — In just two weeks after Sine Die of the 2022 Legislative Session, Senate President Simpson is making serious financial headway in his bid for Agriculture Commissioner, raising $304,350 between the campaign and related committees. On Monday, the Trilby Republican will report the numbers raised since March 14, the end of a Session extended by a few days for lawmakers to hammer out the state's budget for the Fiscal Year 2022-2023. The expected statement from the campaign includes $71,450 for the official campaign account, $229,500 for the Friends of Wilton Simpson committee, and $3,400 for Simpson's Jobs for Florida associated committee. Leading into the 2022 campaign season, Simpson's on-hand cash is now nearing $13.5 million: $882,164 for Jobs for Florida; $5,070,881 for Friends of Wilton Simpson; $1,282,380 in the campaign account, and $3,101,692 for another supporting committee, Florida Green PAC.

— 2022 —

"Republicans accepted donations from ex-Congressman who sent lewd messages to underage boys even as party's right-wing crusades against 'grooming'" via Kimberly Leonard of Business Insider — Republicans have slammed critics of Florida's new sex education bill that critics call "Don't Say Gay" as "groomers" and "pedophiles." But some Florida Republicans are meanwhile accepting financial contributions from the old campaign committee of an ex-Congressman who sent sexually explicit messages to underage boys working as congressional pages. Former Republican Rep. Mark Foley, who resigned his West Palm Beach district seat over the 2006 messaging scandal, has made $118,250 in donations and sponsorship to the Republican Party of Palm Beach County since 2010 through his ex-campaign committee, Friends of Mark Foley for Congress.

Definition of irony? Mark Foley pops up to support 'Don't Say Gay.' Image via AP.

"Nikki Fried's latest DeSantis attack spotlights Alex Jones endorsement" via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Fried still has a Democratic Primary ahead of her in the Governor's race, but she's already sharpening her General Election message against DeSantis. The latest example: a fundraising email from Team Nikki, spotlighting enthusiasm from Jones, a far-right media personality. Jones has said DeSantis was "better than (Donald) Trump," an endorsement that did not go unnoticed by Fried's team. "Ron DeSantis has always kept questionable company. So, it's not surprising that just last week, Alex Jones called DeSantis 'better than Trump' and gave DeSantis his full support," the email asserts.

Assignment editors — Fried will visit Little Havana to unveil her plan to lower costs and raise standards across Florida, focusing on housing affordability, 11 a.m., 1251 SW Seventh St., Miami.

"Val Demings urges Seminole Co. Democrats to exercise voting" via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — In a raucous speech that repeatedly brought Seminole County Democrats to their feet Saturday, U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Demings implored people to exercise their voting rights "during these strange times." Demings, a House manager during one of the two impeachments of Trump, only rarely attempted to define what she called strange times as she delivered Saturday night's keynote speech at the Seminole Democratic Party's annual gala. She talked about the Jan. 6, 2021, siege of the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters trying to stop certification of the 2020 presidential election as a moment when many members of Congress considered the prospect that they might be assassinated.

"GOP candidates gather at Disney World to protest company's stance on 'Don't Say Gay' law" via Skyler Swisher of the Orlando Sentinel — Republicans running for Congress in Florida have a new campaign backdrop: an entrance to Disney World. About a dozen protesters and two Republican congressional candidates waved signs and shouted on a megaphone during rush-hour traffic Friday evening at State Road 535 and Hotel Plaza Boulevard. The candidates are tapping into a national conservative backlash over The Walt Disney Co.'s stance on HB 1557, officially titled Parental Rights in Education but called the "don't say gay" bill by opponents. Anna Paulina Luna shouted at drivers with a megaphone to "defund Disney."

"In NWFL visits, Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene say they plan to out RINOs in their way" via Tom McLaughlin of the Northwest Florida Daily News — U.S. Rep. Gaetz seems to have found a new purpose for life in Congress. At the first of three Saturday speaking engagements, he would also travel to Milton and McDavid; Gaetz, just a year removed from publicly pondering leaving office, spoke of having embarked upon a mission to populate Congress with leaders who think like him and his cohort, U.S. Rep. Greene. These leaders will have the backbone to stand up and work to root out the corruption of the "Biden regime," Gaetz told about 100 cheering supporters, and Greene, who joined him at the Central Baptist Church in Crestview, proclaimed she and Gaetz to be "loud, powerful voices" leading the charge on the mission ahead.

"Jorge Martinez announces bid in CD 9" via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — Martinez is entering the deep Republican pool of candidates seeking a shot at Rep. Darren Soto in the 2022 election for the redrawn Florida's 9th Congressional District, his campaign announced Thursday. Martinez has been in public accounting for more than 30 years, devoted to tax and general accounting services, emphasizing business consulting. He also has been active in a variety of business and civic organizations.

"Nine state legislators endorse Michele Rayner in CD 13 contest" via Daniel Figueroa of Florida Politics — State Rep. Rayner has added endorsements from nine of her fellow state legislators in her bid for Florida's 13th Congressional District. Four local elected officials also endorsed Rayner, adding to recent endorsements from a slate of Pinellas officials and three sitting members of Congress she hopes to call colleagues soon. State Sens. Shevrin Jones and Bobby Powell are endorsing, as are state Reps. Christopher Benjamin, Dianne Hart, Travaris McCurdy, Angie Nixon, Felicia Robinson, Susan Valdés and Marie Woodson.

Lauren Book makes several high-powered staff hires to fend off Primary challenge — Senate Democratic Leader Book has announced multiple key staffing moves as she seeks re-election amid a Primary challenge from former Broward County Commissioner Barbara Sharief. At the top of that list is Christian Ulvert, taking over as a general consultant, and Nicholas Hessing, who will serve as Book's campaign manager. Joining Ulvert and Hessing on the leadership team will be several other veterans of the Florida political scene. Those include senior adviser Steve Vancore, adviser Eric Johnson, campaign adviser Stephanie Bromfield, communications adviser Claire VanSusteren, and Michael Worley of MDW Communications, who will work on digital and direct mail for Book's campaign.

Lauren Book assembles a solid re-election staff.

Firefighters, paramedics back Robert Brackett for HD 34 — Vero Beach Mayor Brackett's campaign for House District 34 has earned the support of Indian River County firefighters and paramedics.  "I want to thank all the brave men and women who serve as first responders in District 34 for their unwavering service to our communities," Brackett said. "Our first responders play a critical role in ensuring our safety, and it is an honor to receive their support for my campaign." Brackett is one of five Republicans running for HD 34, which is open due to incumbent Rep. Erin Grall opting to run for Senate rather than seek re-election. He faces Dan Green, JJ Grow, Karen Hiltz and Dale Merrill in the Republican Primary. Democrat Nancy Pierson is also running, though the district leans Republican

Kelly Skidmore announces 35 new endorsements for re-election bid — Among those endorsements are Agriculture Commissioner Fried, Congresswoman Lois Frankel, West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James, four Palm Beach County constitutional officers, three Palm Beach County Commissioners, and 24 Democratic colleagues from the Legislature. Skidmore, who currently represents House District 81, is running to represent the newly drawn HD 92. Frankel said, "Not only does Kelly have the courage to serve as a strong check on the Florida GOP's dangerous agenda, she has the experience to effectively navigate the appropriations process and ensure that Palm Beach County gets its fair share of tax revenue directly reinvested back into our community. We are lucky to have her fighting for us in Tallahassee, and I am proud to endorse her campaign for re-election."

"Dan Horton-Diaz announces wave of Monroe County endorsements for HD 120 bid" via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Horton-Diaz announced a wave of endorsements Saturday from Monroe County leaders, including several current and former elected officials who are backing his bid to unseat Rep. Jim Mooney to take House District 120. In total, 10 people from the Florida Keys have thrown their support behind Horton-Diaz, joining the Communications Workers of America, which endorsed him on March 31. Among those who endorsed Horton-Diaz is Shirley Freeman, who served as Monroe County Commissioner and as Mayor. Key West Vice Mayor Sam Kaufman and Commissioner Jimmy Weekley endorsed Horton-Diaz.

"Congressional redistricting fight: New maps could shake up Broward, Palm Beach counties" via Anthony Man of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — There's a battle royal raging over Florida's congressional districts, with most of the focus on whether a map should or shouldn't be drawn to maximize the chances for electing a Black member of Congress along the state's northern border. But the outcome of the Special Session on congressional redistricting that begins April 19 could also impact who wins two Broward-Palm Beach County congressional districts. Political insiders don't see radical changes, but anything is possible until a statewide map is finalized. "I feel genuinely bad for anyone running for Congress," said Florida House Democratic leader Evan Jenne. "It is a hot mess right now."

— STATEWIDE —

"Florida officials appeal federal ruling that struck down parts of 2021 election law" via Anne Geggis of Florida Politics — As promised, Florida is appealing the federal court ruling that struck down some changes to the state's election law crafted in 2021. The one-page notice of appeal was filed late Thursday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in Atlanta, just seven days after Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker issued his 288-page ruling that lambasted the election code changes in 2021 as tactics to suppress Black votes. He struck down tightened regulations for using ballot drop boxes and new rules for third-party registration groups. He also ruled that a section of the changes that discouraged "line warming" engaging with people waiting to vote was unconstitutional.

First on #FlaPol — "DeSantis names Jared Perdue as FDOT Secretary" via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — DeSantis named Perdue to be Florida's next Secretary of Transportation. No one's been at the wheel at the Department of Transportation (FDOT) since former Secretary Kevin Thibault left earlier this year to oversee Orlando's airports as CEO of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority. Perdue comes on as a nearly 18-year veteran of the Department and will be DeSantis' second Transportation Secretary. "Secretary Perdue brings a wealth of knowledge and understands the unique aspects of Florida's transportation industry," DeSantis said in a statement on Thursday. Since May 2020, Perdue served as the Secretary of District Five, where he led the completion of the I-4 Ultimate Project. He also oversaw the Wekiva Parkway conservation project.

Congrats to Jared Perdue for his new gig leading FDOT.

"DeSantis pictures a Florida-Georgia 'Cold War' if Stacey Abrams wins election" via Lisa J. Huriash of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — DeSantis says Florida would face a "Cold War" with Georgia if Abrams were to become Georgia's next Governor. "If Stacey Abrams is elected governor of Georgia, I just want to be honest, that will be a Cold War between Florida and Georgia at that point," DeSantis, a Republican, told an enthusiastic crowd Friday. "I mean, I can't have Castro to my south and Abrams to my north. That'd be a disaster."

Dumb — "Los Angeles County bans official travel to Florida over 'Don't Say Gay' law" via Selim Algar of the New York Post — Los Angeles County has barred official travel to Florida over the state's so-called "Don't Say Gay" law, but Sunshine State officials are calling the "woke" move California's loss. The LA County Board of Supervisors voted to bar staffers from traveling to Florida unless it would "seriously harm the county's interests." The action responds to a new Florida law that prohibits sexual orientation and gender identity instruction for kids in kindergarten through the third grade. Critics say the measure is hostile to the LGBTQ community and have dubbed it the "Don't Say Gay" law. DeSantis argues that the legislation aims to shield children from the age-inappropriate subject matter.

"Judge denies motion by public hospitals to intervene in opioid settlement" via Earle Kimel of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — A circuit court judge on Friday denied a motion filed by Sarasota County Public Hospital District and Lee Memorial Health System to stay the $65 million settlement agreement negotiated by the office of Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and Endo Health Solutions. Judge Kimberly Sharpe Byrd, the Sixth Judicial Circuit judge, heard the emergency motion to intervene Friday morning in connection with hearings related to the state's opioid abuse case against Walgreens, which is expected to start Monday. She denied the motion in part because key questions raised by Sarasota Memorial attorney Morgan Bentley would ultimately be settled in a lawsuit.

Not just anyone is invited to join Ashley Moody's opioid lawsuit.

"Schools plan summer classes to attack 'COVID-19 slide'" via Jeffrey S. Solochek of the Tampa Bay Times — Schools across Florida continue to seek ways to help students catch up from learning time lost during the pandemic to quarantines, glitchy distance learning and assorted other absences. Several are planning to use federal relief funds to cover much of the cost of combating the "COVID slide." And summer classes are becoming a key way of tackling the task. The Marion County school district, for instance, plans to hire about 2,400 employees to offer courses to more than 6,000 students who either have fallen behind or want to work ahead. The key to this approach is ensuring that parents know about it and get their kids to attend.

"COVID-19 hospitalizations at pandemic low as cases continue rising due to BA. 2" via Chris Persaud of The Palm Beach Post — Hospitals reported a record low number of COVID-positive adult patients in intensive care units this week as another coronavirus wave forms, in line with experts' expectations. ICU staff tended to an average of 96 patients each day this week, data collected Friday by the U.S. Health and Human Services show. That's the lowest seven-day average the federal agency has logged since record-keeping began in July 2020. Florida Health Department officials logged an average of 10,674 new cases each week since publishing their last pandemic report on March 25. That's the first time new weekly cases have been on the rise since the week ending Nov. 26.

—"COVID-19 cases double over the course of a week on Space Coast" via Amira Sweilam of Florida Today

— DATELINE TALLY —

"Last-minute legislation could give more money to Publix, 7-Eleven and Circle K — but less to Florida students" via Jason Garcia of Seeking Rents — Between October and December, the Florida Petroleum Marketers Association and Doral-based Sunshine Gasoline Distributors gave a combined $25,000 to Senate President Simpson and $15,000 to future Senate President Ben Albritton and $10,000 to future House Speaker Paul Renner, among others. And last month, about two weeks after Session ended, the FPMA and Sunshine made some more campaign contributions — including another $50,000 for Simpson, $25,000 for Albritton, and $7,500 for Renner. In between, the Republican-run Florida Legislature gave the FPMA something it has wanted for at least a year: Legislation that will force the Florida Lottery to pay more money to the gas stations and grocery stores that sell its tickets.

Did donations to Wilton Simpson, Ben Albritton and Paul Renner help give corporations a last-minute payday?

Assignment editors — Charlie Crist joins Reps. Anna Eskamani, Angie Nixon and Carlos Guillermo Smith for a news conference to discuss corporate influence in public policy and Gov. Ron DeSantis' "lack of attention to the financial struggles Floridians are facing," 12:30 p.m., Zoom and Facebook.com/AnnaForFlorida. Zoom link upon RSVP @ lauren.cooper@myfloridahouse.gov.

"Largest Medicaid payment vendor must pay nearly $9.1M after missing deadline to challenge government fine" via Fresh Take Florida — The deadline set by Florida lapsed for its largest Medicaid payment vendor to challenge a nearly $9.1 million fine over the company's failure for nearly three months to pay tens of thousands of health care claims for the state's sickest and neediest children. Sunshine State Health Plan Inc. of Tampa had until 5 p.m. Thursday to dispute the hefty fine imposed last month by its government regulator, the Agency for Health Care Administration, leaving the company with only the option to concede to pay. Sunshine State did not file any administrative challenge before the deadline. It must pay the fine, which amounted to $75 for each failure to pay a claim, by April 18. Florida acknowledged that the company's failures it blamed on technology glitches over nearly three months were "non-willful."

"Proposed new Medicaid rule hurts children with autism, providers say" via Christine Jordan Sexton of Florida Politics — Florida health care officials were told Friday a proposed new Medicaid rule governing applied behavior analysis (ABA) services for children with autism runs afoul of federal law and would have catastrophic consequences on the clients who require the services. ABA providers attending the Tallahassee rule meeting warned the proposed changes are counterproductive and go too far. Those changes include not reimbursing for any ABA services provided at recreational, leisure, or educational camps or during extracurricular activities for the purpose of participation in the activities.

— D.C. MATTERS —

"Mask, no mask: Joe Biden's pandemic practices vary as COVID-19 risks grow" via Annie Linskey and Dan Diamond of The Washington Post — Biden doesn't wear a mask, but occasionally he's spotted with one. Sometimes his events are in crowded indoor rooms, other times outdoors. And through it all over the past two weeks, people close to Biden, if not in "close contact" as defined by the CDC, are contracting COVID-19 as part of a wave washing over parts of official Washington. The White House approach appears somewhat haphazard, at times taking care to go beyond CDC guidelines and at others walking up to the edge of what's recommended. And at least once in the last two weeks, he publicly disregarded his public health agency's advice while visiting Poland.

Joe Biden's COVID-19 protocols are wildly inconsistent. Image via AP.


— LOCAL NOTES: N. FL —

"Former Florida Elections Commission lawyer sentenced in child pornography case" via Jeff Burlew of the Tallahassee Democrat — Eric Lipman, former General Counsel for the Florida Elections Commission, has been sentenced to six years in federal prison on child pornography charges. Chief U.S. District Judge Walker imposed the sentence during a Friday hearing at the U.S. Courthouse in Tallahassee. Lipman must register as a sex offender and serve nine years of supervised release after his stay in prison. On April 7, 2021, Lipman was arrested after the Leon County Sheriff's Office got a tip about his computer activity from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

Eric Lipman is in deep.

"Second FPL solar power generation facility in Walton County on way to approval" via Jim Thompson of the Northwest Florida Daily News — Florida Power & Light can begin work on its second solar power generation facility in Walton County as soon as it provides a flood elevation study to the Walton County Planning Department, under terms of a unanimous Wednesday decision by the county's Technical Review Committee. The committee, comprising representatives of various county government departments and chaired by Walton County Planning Director Mac Carpenter, approved the development order for the Pecan Tree Solar Energy Center contingent on getting the flood elevation study in hand.

— MORE LOCAL: C. FL —

—"Abortion, elections, secrecy, saying gay: How Central Florida lawmakers voted" via the Orlando Sentinel and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial boards

How did Central Florida lawmakers vote on the politicized issues in the 2022 Session? Image via AP.



— MORE LOCAL: S. FL —

"Javier Fernández first to file in South Miami Mayor's race" via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics — Rep. Fernández is running to become the next Mayor of South Miami, and so far, he's the only one in the contest. Fernández, a South Miami-based lawyer representing House District 114 from 2018 to 2020, submitted paperwork Thursday for the race. City Clerk Nikki Payne confirmed that, for now, he is running unopposed. As was the case during his time in Tallahassee, Fernández focuses on improving South Miami's public spaces and wastewater infrastructure, among other issues. "South Miami has always been the City of Pleasant Living, but its geography and rich assets also provide us with the opportunity to make it the county's premier community to work and play in as well," he said in a statement.

Javier Fernández gets the ball rolling.

"As Haitian migration routes change, compassion is tested in Florida Keys" via Tim Craig of The Washington Post — The sea in this slice of the Florida Keys that locals call "paradise" had been rough all week, with 6-to-8-foot swells keeping even the most experienced boaters on land. But on the morning of March 14, a stately wooden sailboat emerged from the emerald waters that anchor life here. Residents could hear the sound of singing and hymns onboard. By the time Monroe County Sheriff's deputies and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents arrived on Summerland Key, 30 miles northeast of Key West, about 130 migrants had come ashore. Since the start of the year, more than 800 Haitians have landed in the 113-mile-long Florida Keys. Two of the landings occurred in Ocean Reef, an exclusive gated community.

"A year later, Miami schools haven't tackled gaps in FSA scores for Black, Hispanic students" via Sommer Brugal of the Miami Herald — A year after Miami-Dade school leaders learned of gaping gaps in how Black and Hispanic students fared on state achievement tests, compared with their white counterparts, the task force the district vowed to create has yet to be formed. The issue came before the School Board 12 months ago, when board members learned last April that just 40% of Black students in grades 3-10 passed the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) tests in English in 2019, compared with 61% of Hispanic students and 77% of white students. "I'm disappointed it took as long as it did for this step (committee selection) to happen," said Ruban Roberts. Issues regarding the achievement gap should be "front and center," Roberts said.

"Florida groups canvass Spring Breakers to warn of fentanyl" via The Associated Press — In the days after a group of West Point cadets on spring break were sickened by fentanyl-laced cocaine at a South Florida house party, community activists sprang into action. They blitzed beaches, warned spring breakers of a surge in recreational drugs cut with the dangerous synthetic opioid, and offered an antidote for overdoses, which have risen nationally during the COVID-19 pandemic. Street teams stood under the blistering sun, handing out beads, pamphlets, and samples of naloxone, a drug known by the brand name Narcan, which can revive overdose victims.

"Which Florida universities are searching for presidents? FIU to become 'new user' of privacy law" via Jimena Tavel of the Miami Herald — Miami Dade's Florida International University joined three other public universities Tuesday when it launched a national search for a new President. The FIU Presidential search committee met Tuesday for the first time and will gather again at 3 p.m. on April 25. Richard Olson, the director of Extreme Events Research, and Eric Eikenberg, a political and environmental policy expert who heads the Everglades Foundation, are some of the committee members. FIU hired R. William Funk and Associates, a Dallas-based company specializing in higher education recruitment.

—TOP OPINION —

"Abigail Disney: If my grandfather's company doesn't stand for love, what's it for?" via The Washington Post — The Walt Disney Co.'s slow and bungled reaction to a new Florida law ostensibly about education — better known as the "Don't Say Gay" bill — has left the company my grandfather co-created criticized by all sides. To find its way again, Disney needs to muster the courage to weather the momentary outrage of people who will not be satisfied until they have erased an entire class of human beings. Disney does have special status beyond its place in millions of hearts. Its contributions to politicians on both sides of the aisle have resulted in protections and other boosts to its business model. But Disney hasn't been behaving any more nefariously than other corporations. This is just how the game has come to be played.

— OPINIONS —

"Don't count on aggressive redistricting to blunt Democratic losses in the House'" via Henry Olsen of The Washington Post — The common wisdom rests on the notion that there just aren't that many swing districts left to switch parties. Biden currently has a 12-point net negative job approval rating, four points worse than on Election Day 2021. Assuming the same trend from last year's election holds in this year's midterms, any Democrat in a seat Biden won by 15.75 points or less could be vulnerable. That throws an additional 17 seats onto the playing field. Independent voters who disapprove of a president often wait until the very end to decide whether they will vote against that person's party for Congress.

"Nationalism belongs in the American conservative tradition" via Nate Hochman of the National Review — To libertarians and other conservatives, the "open society" was not a fundamental principle of American conservatism. Liberty was, of course, but liberty, properly understood, is distinct from license and is thus subject to natural constraints. Today's libertarians see statism lurking in the language of "order" and "virtue." But this is the historic language of the American conservative tradition. It is not totalitarian. And it is not anti-capitalist, either: Irving Kristol — the godfather of neoconservatism — famously authored a book titled Two Cheers for Capitalism. Kristol also penned "The Case for Censorship," which lauded "an older idea of democracy ... which was fairly common until about the beginning" of the 20th century that "was solicitous of the individual self and felt an obligation to educate it into what used to be called 'republican virtue.'"

"Ananth Prasad: Legislature's investments in infrastructure benefit all Floridians" via Florida Politics — With nearly 118 million visitors in the Sunshine State in 2021, that's a lot of drivers on Florida's infrastructure, which is why it is so important that the Florida Legislature made significant, smart investments in transportation infrastructure in the recently passed state budget for the upcoming fiscal year. These funds will allow the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to build and maintain infrastructure throughout our state, ensuring they are safe for Floridians, businesses and visitors alike who utilize the infrastructure each and every day. Making smart investments now also allows our state to plan for the future, and the continued growth we expect to experience, in a more thoughtful, responsible way. Making important investments in infrastructure provides a positive return on investment for our state.

"Florida leaders tried to silence Key West voters on cruise ships. But democracy won" via the Miami Herald editorial board — For years, the residents of Key West have struggled to gain some measure of control over the growing number of cruise ships that dock there. Cruise traffic to America's southernmost town has grown enormously in the past decade, while the island has remained as tiny as it ever was. Their effort to preserve the very things that make the island special has landed little Key West right in the middle of Florida's larger fight over local control. And though it seemed last year as if the state's bigfooting was gaining the upper hand, Key Westers have just wrested back at least some of their power. Participatory democracy worked.

"Judge Joseph Hatchett deserved better than this" via Bill Cotterell of the Tallahassee Democrat — All right, Republicans, we get it; you want to please your most radically conservative followers next November, so you'll muddy the memory of a fine and decent Tallahassee judge who stood for racial justice and fairness. For no apparent reason, GOP House members recently ganged up to stall U.S. Rep. Al Lawson's proposal to name the federal courthouse in Tallahassee for the late Judge Hatchett. The Democrats can act pretty strange, too, and have been known to fight over silly stuff that matters only to their own far-left extremists. But naming a building for a late, respected judge is a new perigee of political pettiness.

— ALOE —

"Trying everything, even lettuce, to save Florida's beloved manatees" via Patricia Mazzei of The New York Times — Floridians cherish manatees, rotund and gentle giants that have long captured the human imagination, but people have failed to care for the animals' environment, putting the species' survival at risk. Now, as manatees are disappearing in large numbers, humans are trying crisis rescue measures in desperate attempts to keep them alive. It may not be enough. The iconic manatee remains in trouble, and with it, a piece of Florida's identity. Manatees had been something of a success story, their status upgraded to threatened from endangered in 2017 after years of educating boaters to avoid deadly strikes. Starvation has once again put them in peril. Neither fondness nor economic interest has stopped humans from posing a deadly threat — first from boat strikes, which have long caused manatee deaths, and now from pollution, which has destroyed much of their food supply.

Humans are part of the problems manatees face. Can they be part of the solution? Image via AP.

— HAPPY BIRTHDAY —

Happy birthday to one of the best people in The Process, Chris Carmody of GrayRobinson. Also celebrating today are Betsy Collins, Dr. Lance DeHaven-Smith, Tom McNicholas, and Chris Steinocher. Belated best wishes to Tyler Dever of U.S. Rep. Greg Steube's office, Disney's Jose Gonzalez and Janet Owen, ace lobbyist for UCF.

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Sunburn is authored and assembled by Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Renzo Downey, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson.