A morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics.
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DEAL REACHED TO AVERT FILIBUSTER SHOWDOWN
Senators have reached a tentative deal on averting the constitutional showdown over confirming President Obama’s agency nominations, the Washington Post reports.
“We may have a way forward on this, I feel fairly confident,” said Majority Leader Harry Reid.
A senior Democratic Senate aide tells Roll Call that Sen. John McCain “is freelancing outside of GOP leadership in trying to stop his party from leading a filibuster that might prompt Reid to act on his threat to change the Senate filibuster rules by a simple majority vote.”
RUBIO SUDDENLY SILENT ON IMMIGRATION REFORM via National Journal
After relentlessly defending an ambitious overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws for months, Sen. Marco Rubio didn’t respond when House Republican leaders last week trashed it as a “flawed…massive, Obama-care like bill.
The Florida senator’s office, which churned out countless press releases touting his interviews and speeches about the legislation, hasn’t said a word about immigration since the Senate passed the bill on June 27. The silence is a sign that, at least publicly, Rubio won’t try to dissuade the House from a piecemeal approach that excludes a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants.
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DEMOCRATS CAN’T WIN THE HOUSE, BUT GOP COULD LOSE IT
Charlie Cook: “Democrats can do everything right during this 2014 election cycle, but they still don’t have much of a chance of capturing a majority due to the congressional district boundaries and recent voting patterns in Southern and border states in rural and small-town-dominated districts. However, if Republicans engage in enough self-destructive behavior of the type we’ve seen the past couple of years, voters might just reach a breaking point. Some in the Republican Party seem intent on seeing how far they can go in alienating as many female, young, minority, and self-described moderate voting blocs as possible, despite frequent warnings from party leaders and strategists to avoid that.”
EMAIL TOO RIDICULOUS TO OPEN: “Florida could be the next Texas” from Vanessa Miller of Lois Frankel’s campaign. >>> When do you think the last time Frankel was in Texas?
HEY, MEDIATE, YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK YOUR SOURCE ON THAT ‘PATRICK MURPHY DISCUSSED BECOMING A REPUBLICAN’ STORY
Noah Rothman of Mediaite posted this morning a scintillating item that Democratic Congressman Patrick Murphy discussed with Speaker John Boehner the possibility of flipping to the GOP.
“(A) report in a Florida political blog alleges that Patrick met with Republican congressional leadership to discuss defecting to the GOP.”
And which Florida political blog is Rothman citing?
Javier Manjarres’ The Shark Tank, Florida’s fishiest political blog.
You know, the blog which even Republican Senator Marco Rubio had to smack down in April for peddling “rumors, falsehoods and misrepresentations” after former landscaper Manjarres whipped the conservative media into a frenzy over an imaginary ‘Marco Phone’ subsidy program.
That’s a reliable, trusted source you got there, Mediaite.
TWEET, TWEET: @jacobperry: @HotlineJosh LULZ. Dude, that’s a dumpster-diving blog with a history of making stuff up.
SHOCKING: DEMOCRAT GWEN GRAHAM ENDORSED BY TEACHERS UNIONS
Graham has received early endorsements from the National Education Association and the Florida Education Association. This is the Florida Education Association’s first endorsement of a 2014 congressional challenger in Florida. The organization reserves early support for candidates who are “exceptionally good as far as public education is concerned,” according to Mark Pudlow, a spokesman for the Florida Education Association.
REPUBLICANS STARTING TO MOVE AGAINST ALAN GRAYSON via Kevin Derby of Sunshine State News
After filing his paperwork earlier in the summer to run for the Republican nomination to challenge Grayson, community activist Peter Vivaldi, who served on the Orange County Charter Review Commission and ran for Orange County School Board in 2012, ramped up his campaign on Monday introducing himself to voters with a Web video. Vivaldi is also on the board of Health Now, which provides services across Central Florida and runs the largest health fair in the state. With Vivaldi’s Puerto Rican heritage, his supporters hope he can appeal to the rapidly growing Puerto Rican population in Central Florida. Vivaldi becomes the third Republican to enter the race, joining Navy veteran Jorge Bonilla and Carol Platt from the Osceola County Realtor Association. Bonilla, who is also looking to highlight his Puerto Rican heritage, announced on Monday that he was bringing in some key staffers who helped guide Marco Rubio’s win in the 2010 U.S. Senate election. Democrats make up 43 percent of the district while only 29 percent of voters there are registered Republicans.
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CONGRESSIONAL CHALLENGERS SLOW TO RAISE MONEY via Jim Turner of the News Service of Florida
Most challengers to the state’s 27 U.S. House members posted light fund-raising quarters, which could require a re-evaluation of the competitiveness of some seats or a need to draw bigger-named candidates off the sidelines.
Based on money raised between April 1 and June 30, two races are relatively competitive — involving the seats held by Republican Congressmen Steve Southerland of Panama City and Bill Young of Indian Shores. Other contests show potential to tighten as the November 2014 elections approach, despite financially underperforming challengers.
But so far, incumbents in potentially competitive districts, including Democrats Joe Garcia of Miami, Patrick Murphy of Jupiter and Alan Grayson of Orlando, and Republicans Vern Buchanan of Sarasota and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Miami, face little financial threat, despite optimism from across the political aisle.
University of Florida political-science Professor Dan Smith, whose expertise is in the conduct of elections, said fiscal totals are indicative of a lack of competitive seats in the state.
RUNDOWN OF FLA. CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES Q2 FUNDRAISING
CD 1: Republican incumbent Jeff Miller has not yet reported his second quarter fundraising numbers.
CD 2: Gwen Graham announces $375K haul
Gwen Graham, the daughter of former Gov. and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, announced Monday on her website that she has raised “more than $375,000” for her congressional campaign. Graham, a Democrat, is running for the northwest Florida seat currently held by Republican Congressman Steve Southerland. “This was our first big test, and we passed with flying colors! Thanks to grassroots support from people like you, we’re sending a clear message that we will win this race,” she wrote on the site. Graham did not immediately release a more specific fundraising total for the three months that ended June 30, the first fundraising quarter since she entered the race in April.
Graham’s opponent, Republican incumbent Steve Southerland, raised $461K.
CD 3: Republican incumbent Ted Yoho raised $120,507, spent $45,110 and has $202,942 cash-on-hand.
CD 4: Republican incumbent Ander Crenshaw raised $143,541, spent $61,290 and has $469,894 cash-on-hand.
CD 5: Democratic incumbent Corrine Brown has not yet reported her second quarter fundraising numbers.
CD 6: Ron DeSantis raises $148,250 during Q2. That’s down from $243,771 during the April quarter via Matt Dixon of the Florida Times-Union.
CD 7: Republican incumbent John Mica raised $142,358, spent $17,142 and has $222,844 cash-on-hand.
CD 8: Republican incumbent Bill Posey raised $120,047 and has $276,389 cash-on-hand.
CD 9: Democratic incumbent Alan Grayson raised $339,107, spent $180,516 and has $237,918 cash-on-hand.
CD 10: Republican incumbent Dan Webster raised $137,303, spent $51,610 and has $218,723 cash-on-hand.
CD 11: Republican incumbent Richard Nugent raised $79,002, spent $33,186 and has $89,574 cash-on-hand.
CD 12: Republican incumbent Gus Bilirakis raised $54,677, spent $61,104, and has $41,541 cash-on-hand.
CD 13: Democrat challenger Jessica Ehrlich outraises Republican incumbent Bill Young via Alex Leary of the Tampa Bay Times
Ehrlich says she raised nearly $154,000 in the second quarter, about $67,000 more than Rep. Young, though the long-time Pinellas County Republican has a $112,000 advantage with cash on hand.
CD 14: Democratic incumbent Kathy Castor raised $84,009, spent $37,698, and has $574,504 cash-on-hand.
CD 15: Republican incumbent Dennis Ross raised $199,880, spent $58,467, and has $268,892 cash-on-hand.
CD 16: Republican incumbent Vern Buchanan raised $397,586, spent $297,170, and has $499,190 cash-on-hand.
CD 17: Republican incumbent Tom Rooney raised $71,734, spent $84,217, and has $439,073 cash-on-hand.
CD 18: Democratic incumbent Patrick Murphy raised $530,963, spent $169,090, and has $1,033886 cash-on-hand.
CD 19: Republican incumbent Trey Radel raised $73,387, spent $50,049, and has $176,915 cash-on-hand.
CD 20: Democratic incumbent Alcee Hastings raised $80,607 and has $254,890 cash-on-hand.
CD 21: Ted Deutch raised $211,859 in 2nd Qtr, has $559,868 cash-on-hand for ultra-safe Democratic seat, tweets George Bennett of the Palm Beach Post.
CD 22: Lois Frankel raised $122,884 and spent $173,409 in 2nd Qtr; her cash-on-hand dipped from $332,119 to $281,595, tweets George Bennett of the Palm Beach Post.
CD 23: Democratic incumbent Debbie Wasserman-Schultz raised $263,188, spent $282,968, and has $435,452 cash-on-hand.
CD 24: Democratic incumbent Frederica Wilson raised $47,800, spent $24,998, and has $119,316 cash-on-hand.
CD 25: Mario Diaz-Balart tops $340,000 for re-election, via The News Service of Florida
Balart added $112,963 to his campaign account between April 1 and June 30, giving him $341,817 cash on hand as he prepares for a re-election campaign next year in House District 25.
CD 26: Joe Garcia doesn’t appear too damaged by election scandal via Marc Caputo of the Miami Herald
U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia has had the roughest of days for a congressional freshman: His former campaign team is under investigation for possible elections crimes and a bevy of Republicans is lining up to take him out. But none of it has appeared to really hurt the Miami Democrat’s fundraising.
Garcia’s team announced he raised about $440,000 in the last three months and has about $800,000 cash on hand. Garcia sits in one of the most-competitive seats in Florida, District 26. Democrats narrowly outnumber Republicans, but the sizable number of independents make it a truly swing district. Garcia’s campaign also noted that, according to the Washington Post, Garcia votes his party line about 82 percent of the time, making him one of the most-moderate members of Florida’s 26-member congressional delegation – a reflection of the diverse Key West to Miami-Dade district. President Obama carried District 26 by a comfortable 7-percentage point margin, and Garcia won his seat by nearly 11 points over a scandal plagued incumbent, Rep. David Rivera.
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DEMOCRATIC POLLSTER FINDS SCOTT “IN BIG TROUBLE”
Democratic pollster Jim Kitchens ran a subscriber-only poll July 5-10 of 663 respondents and found Gov. Rick Scott to be “in big trouble” — trailing Sen. Bill Nelson, former Gov. Charlie Crist, Alex Sink, and even Nan Rich, with higher unfavorable ratings than in other recent polls. Kitchens attributes some of Scott’s negative ratings to the “scandal over the lieutenant governor”, though I’d be curious to see any evidence of that being a real issue to voters.
GOVERNOR’S OFFICE THE TARGET OF PROTEST AFTER ZIMMERMAN VERDICT via the Associated Press
Dozens of protesters carrying signs demanding justice for Trayvon Martin crammed into the lobby of Gov. Rick Scott’s office Tuesday and refused to leave until the governor either met with them or called lawmakers back to the Capitol to address issues like the state’s “stand your ground” law.
Neither was likely to happen soon. Scott was in New York City. And his office issued a statement saying the governor supports the law that neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman used as a defense before being acquitted Saturday of a murder charge in the 17-year-old Martin’s death. The protesters were preparing to spend the night in Capitol rotunda.
The group marched to the governor’s office in the morning, doing a call-and-response chant of “Whose world is this? This world is ours!”
ROUSON: IS RICK SCOTT COVERING GOP CRIMES? via Michael Van Sickler of the Tampa Bay Times
The future leader of the House Democrats thinks perhaps he is and is asking Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford to hold legislative hearings on what he says could be an attempt by Scott to “stifle” a criminal investigation.
“I have been following the many news media reports about rampant fraud regarding voter registration drives associated with the company Strategic Allied Consulting and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation that was tasked by Gov. Rick Scott some months ago,” states a letter that Rep. Darryl Rouson sent out Tuesday afternoon.
“The governor, at a recent press conference in June, said that he had not seen or read any reports from his own agency. It is widely believed that a full-faith investigation has not taken place.
“The Legislature is constitutionally tasked with the checks and balances of government. Given that the governor has had adequate time to respond to the FDLE reports and has ordered an inadequate investigation, the House needs to task a committee with holding hearings. Floridians deserve to know if the governor’s office has stifled a law enforcement investigation. The State Affairs Committee seems ideal because the committee oversees the Ethics and Elections subcommittee.”
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GOOD POINT via an anonymous source: “The thought of Jennifer Fitzwater leaving DEP is much worse than the idea of any other CoS leaving. Lots of institution knowledge lost.”
HOMELESSNESS DROPS 17.5% IN FLORIDA via Gray Rohrer of the Florida Current
The number of people in Florida without shelter fell 17.5 percent from 2012 to 45,000, according to a release from the Department of Children and Families.
DCF Secretary David Wilkins credited Gov. Rick Scott’s policies for the economic turnaround and declining unemployment rate for the drop in homelessness.
“Shelter is one of the most basic of needs and when families don’t have a place to call home, children suffer. Governor Rick Scott’s commitment to improving the economy and getting people back to work has reduced the number of people living on the streets by giving them more opportunities for consistent employment,” Wilkins said.
DCF’s one-day count of homeless persons actually fell slightly each year during the Great Recession, but this year’s decrease is the largest single year drop since at least 2007.
LATVALA PLANS PUSH FOR HOMELESS FUNDING IN 2014 via Anna Philips of the Tampa Bay Times
That “hodgepodge” system of funding nonprofits and homeless shelters is not working, according to state Sen. Jack Latvala, who is planning to propose changes next year. Lawmakers need to create an “organized approach,” he said, and not leave it entirely up to individual counties and cities to decide whether to spend taxpayer money to help the homeless.
Latvala said he is only beginning to explore where he might get the money and how much would be needed.
One source he is eyeing is the documentary stamp tax, which gives the state a small cut of every real estate transaction and promissory note in Florida. For years, money from the tax was set aside to pay for affordable housing for people making less than the state’s median income. But after the economy collapsed, lawmakers raided the fund, using its millions to fill holes in the state’s budget.
“But now we’re in the opposite situation,” Latvala said, referring to Florida’s slowly improving economy. “We ought to take advantage of that.”
STEVE WONDER TO BOYCOTT FLORIDA OVER ‘STAND YOUR GROUND‘ via the Hollywood Reporter
In the wake of the George Zimmerman acquittal, the singer said he would not be performing in the Sunshine State until its Stand Your Ground law is “abolished.” He also said he would not be performing in any other state that recognizes the law, which some say contributed to Zimmerman’s acquittal in the shooting death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin on Feb. 26, 2012.
“I decided today that until the Stand Your Ground law is abolished in Florida, I will never perform there again,” Wonder said Sunday while performing in Quebec City. “As a matter of fact, wherever I find that law exists, I will not perform in that state or in that part of the world.”
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FOUR CANDIDATES ANNOUNCE BIDS FOR HOUSE SEATS
The days following quarterly campaign finance reporting is often popular timing for new candidates to announce their runs, and this week was no different. Four candidates filed paperwork over the last week to run for House seats in 2014. In House District 3, Laurel Hill Republican Jamie Tabisz-Smith filed paperwork to challenge incumbent Rep. Doug Broxson who was first elected to the House in 2010 when he raised a total of $266,149 to win a four person Republican primary with 45 percent of the vote. Tabisz-Smith runs Liberty Life News. Panama City Democrat Ryan Singleton opened a campaign account to run in House District 6 which is being vacated by State Rep. Jimmy Patronis. Singleton is the sixth person and the second Democrat to file paperwork in the district. Republican Melissa Hagan is the only among them to have raised funds in the first half of this year.
House District 94 has two new candidates. Leyoyd L. Williams opened a campaign account for the seat currently held by Minority Leader Perry Thurston who will be term-limited. And unlike Thurston, it looks like Williams lives squarely within the district — he currently serves as a commissioner in the city of Lauderdale Lakes. Democrat Jimmy B. Witherspoon has also filed for HD 94. In House District 114, Coral Gables Democrat Daisy Baez filed paperwork to take on incumbent Republican Erik Fresen who is seeking another term. To date, Fresen has raised $42,750 giving him a strong head start against Baez and Republican Amory Bodin who has also filed to run for this seat.
PANAMA CITY BEACH AND PARKER MAYORS GAYLE OBERST AND RICHARD MUSGRAVE ENDORSE MELISSA HAGAN IN HD 6
Hagan continues to garner substantial grassroots and local support as Panama City Beach Mayor Gayle Oberst and Parker Mayor Richard Musgrave endorse her campaign for State House. These local leaders join Lynn Haven Mayor, Walter Kelley, in endorsing Hagan’s bid for District 6.
WHO MIGHT SUCCEED MIKE FASANO IN THE HOUSE?
The two names emerging as the most likely candidates are attorney Jeff Lucas and consultant/lobbyist Shawn Foster.
Lucas is a high-profile Republican trail attorney with the law firm of Lucas, Green & Magazine. A former public defender in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Lucas enjoys a near-sterling reputation in local legal circles. He’s also financially well-off, meaning he could quickly bankroll a start-up campaign if there is special election to fill Fasano’s seat.
Foster is a close ally of Fasano and, well, most Pasco County elected officials, including Congressman Bilirakis, for whom Foster was a Deputy Chief of Staff, as well as several other local politicians, such as County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey. Foster is currently a lobbyist with powerhouse firm Southern Strategies Group — a career platform I assume Foster would not give up lightly.
As for other names being bantered about, there is Chris Gregg, who lost in the Republican primary to Starkey and Bill Gunter, who previously ran unsuccessfully for the County Commission and is Rep. Corcoran’s pastor.
District 36 is a lean-Democrat seat that went for both Alex Sink and Barack Obama, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Democrats could steal this seat.
>>>Be sure to read about how one of the applicants for Pasco County Tax Collector conveniently switched parties the day after Mike Olson died. Here.
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BASEBALL LOBBYING BLINK via POLITICO Influence
In the spirit of last night’s All-Star Game in New York City, here’s a look at what Major League Baseball is spending, hiring and lobbying on: In 2013, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball has spent $80,000 with Baker & Hostetler lobbying Congress on performance-enhancing substance issues, mental health program for veterans and budget issues affecting team travel. The league is lobbying the Department of Homeland Security on immigration issues affecting Major League Baseball and on stadium security issues.
The Major League Baseball Players Association maintains Kevin McGuiness and the Glover Park Group for issues relating to professional sports leagues, including labor issues and drug testing. Put into perspective, the National Football League has already spent $320,000 on similar issues in 2013, with six different firms.
FLORIDA TAXWATCH MAKES TWO STAFF CHANGES
Carter DeWitt has joined TaxWatch as the Chief Development Officer. As the Chief Development Officer, DeWitt will lead the membership team at Florida TaxWatch under the guidance of the President and CEO.
DeWitt returns to Florida after spending more than four years as the Vice President of Development at the Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan research group in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining the Tax Foundation, she served as the Communications Director for Jacksonville Community Council before becoming the Charities Director at the Sun-Sentinel Children’s Fund in Fort Lauderdale.
“I am eager to welcome Carter back to Florida to join the Florida TaxWatch team as the Chief Development Officer,” said Calabro. “Carter will be able to refocus our membership, grants and philanthropic development efforts and help us better connect with the taxpayers of Florida.”
Robert Weissert has been promoted to the Chief Research Officer and General Counsel. In the new position he will direct all research efforts at Florida TaxWatch under the President and CEO.
“I am very pleased to have Robert remain the leader of our research team as the new Chief Research Officer,” said Calabro. “Robert continues to successfully manage the research efforts at Florida TaxWatch and I am glad to grow as an organization with his help.”
IN THE DEPARTURE LOUNGE
In yesterday’s email inbox were two interesting messages revealing the arrival of two politicos in the Departure Lounge.
First up is Eric Giunta. “While journalism has been a tremendously enriching experience, after covering law and politics over the past year I decided I wanted to try my hand at formal legal practice,” Giunta emailed me. “After putting out feelers and sifting through several job offers, I’ve accepted a position at RevClaims, a Jackson-based law firm specializing in injury claims billing. I’m moving to Mississippi next week.”
Also in the Departure Lounge is Patrick Slevin, formerly of public affairs juggernaut Hill+Knowlton.
H+K’s Harry Costello tells me, “We were disappointed to hear that Patrick felt it was time to look at new opportunities, but we are also understanding of his desire to expand his professional growth.”
Having gotten to know Patrick pretty well over the past couple of months, there is no doubt that, in whatever new opportunity he pursues, Patrick will find success.
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my friend Chris Dorworth and SaintPetersBlog contributor Phil Ammann.
