Sunburn – The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics.
By Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Mitch Perry, Ryan Ray, and Jim Rosica.
Governor Rick Scott, Senate President Andy Gardiner, House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, Democratic leaders, and five U.S. Senate candidates addressed editors and reporters at a meeting hosted by The Associated Press. Their presence, plus the release of the “base maps” that will be debated during the upcoming special session of the Legislature, as well as the revelation that Gov. Scott met secretly with the Seminole Tribe of Florida to discuss the framework of a new gambling compact, made Wednesday a particularly busy day in Florida’s capital city.
GOV. SCOTT WILL ASK LEGISLATURE FOR BIG TAX CUTS via Gary Fineout of the Associated Press
Scott is asking for another large round of tax cuts next year.
Scott said Wednesday that he’ll ask state legislators to approve more than $673 million in tax cuts. The Republican governor didn’t give an exact amount but said it will be larger than what he asked for this year.
Scott is proposing to eliminate the corporate income tax for manufacturing companies, adding that the state needs to help manufacturers in an effort to diversify the state’s economy. He also wants to keep a tax break for manufacturing companies that’s scheduled to end in 2017.
The governor made his pitch for tax cuts during the annual legislative preview meeting held by The Associated Press
Scott said a major priority will be increasing funds to lure businesses to the state.
LEGISLATIVE LEADERS UNVEIL THEIR AGENDAS via Kevin Derby of Sunshine State News
[Leaders] of the two chambers weighed in on their agendas … Senate President Andy Gardiner … and House Speaker Steve Crisafulli … offered their plans for the upcoming sessions at the 2015 AP Florida Legislative Planning Session … Gardiner focused on families with disabilities … called for improving McKay scholarships and Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for disabled children and for expanding Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts … called for more access to higher education and better employment options for the disabled … expected the other chamber to work with the Senate.
Crisafulli … conceded there have been tensions between the chambers … pointed to the work the Legislature did in increasing the education budget, lowering assessment on Florida students and offering tax relief earlier in the year, calling it a “record both chambers can be proud of” … said the House had an appetite for public pension reform … tort reform and anti-corruption legislation would also be on the House agenda.
ANDY GARDINER PUNTS ON HEALTH CARE FUNDING QUESTION via Jim Rosica of Florida Politics
Gardiner, whose son has Down syndrome, focused on the needs of Floridians with “unique abilities” in his remarks … When later asked about what was arguably the most pressing issue of last session, paying for hospitals’ charity care, Gardiner – a hospital executive – largely took a pass.
“I don’t want to get into all the LIP stuff, but … there is going to be another reduction” of the federal government’s help to pay for that care … “The Legislature will have to determine what is the best path. Do you put more general revenue in? Do you look at some of the different ideas floating out there?”
GARDINER “WRONG AGAIN” ON HEALTH CARE, SAYS AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY via Mitch Perry of Florida Politics
Gardiner says state legislators have to be careful not to make priorities out of “second-tier proposals” that don’t full address the problems with a lack of health care coverage. Among those programs that the House passed in the 2015 session that the Senate did not include eliminating the certificate-of-need process for hospital construction and creating ambulatory surgical centers.
Those proposals are favored by the Koch Brothers-funded Americans for Prosperity, and they didn’t appreciate the comments … “President Gardiner’s half-hearted welcoming of debate on proven free-market concepts was disappointing,” said AFP state director Chris Hudson … “Apparently he still doesn’t understand that when government gets out of the way of innovation and stops standing between patients and doctors, access and quality of care will dramatically improve.”
ARTHENIA JOYNER BLASTS RICK SCOTT, GOP FOR ‘GRAND ABDICATIONS OF PUBLIC TRUST’ via Steve Bousquet of the Tampa Bay Times
Joyner … gave a withering indictment … Scott and GOP legislative leaders for unconstitutional gerrymandering of Senate districts, “corporate welfare” to private companies, failure to protect abused and neglected children, blocking an expansion of Medicaid and refusing to allow so much as a public hearing on a bill to increase the minimum wage. In Tallahassee … “grand abdications of the public trust have become commonplace.”
“This kind of leadership knows no shame” … blasted Scott for an “absurd” witch hunt directed at Planned Parenthood clinics, yet the governor remained silent when 14-year-old Andre Sheffield died of neglect while in state custody.
MARK PAFFORD CALLS TALLAHASSEE ‘CORROSIVE,’ ‘CORRUPTED’ via Jim Rosica of Florida Politics
Pafford played the role of the not-so-loyal opposition … floating ideas that are heretical to the controlling Republican caucus, including extending legislative term limits and prohibiting fundraising during committee weeks. “Boy, that would be charming … That would change things.”
But the grind of the last year also appeared to be getting to the House’s top Democrat; Pafford noted that lawmakers will have been in Tallahassee for 25 weeks this year … “This can be a corrosive process, and it takes a lot out of you.”
PLANE FLIES ‘NO BEAR HUNT’ BANNER AT CAPITOL via Bruce Ritchie of POLITICO Florida
An airplane circled the Capitol … trailing a banner urging people to ask … Scott to stop the state’s weeklong bear hunt set to start Oct. 24. Environmental and animal rights groups oppose the hunt — the first in more than 20 years in Florida for the Florida black bear. They are appealing a circuit judge’s refusal on Oct. 1 to stop the hunt. The banner was flown … during the Associated Press pre-legislative session … said, “NO BEAR HUNT! Tell Gov. Scott TODAY!” It included a phone number and an email address for Melissa Sellers, the governor’s chief of staff.
WITH DEADLINE LOOMING, SEMINOLES SECRETLY MEET WITH GOVERNOR TO RENEW COMPACT via Mary Ellen Klas of the Miami Herald
With an Oct. 29 deadline looming … Scott secretly met with … owners of the Hard Rock Casinos in his office … the governor had scheduled but refrained from including on his daily schedule.
Legislators have been negotiating behind the scenes to resolve differences with the [Seminole] Tribe because it must receive legislative approval … The tribe has previously said it will ignore the deadline and not only continue operating the games but also continue sending revenue sharing payments to the state.
The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation asked the tribe to provide them with a “timeline for the closure of banked card games at your tribal facilities” but the tribe has failed to do so.
DAVID JOLLY SAYS HE’S FOCUSED ON CHANGING WASHINGTON via Mitch Perry of Florida Politics
In his short year-and-a-half stint serving as a Congressman … Jolly has on occasion voted against the majority of his party because of what he says is typical Washington dishonesty. While that attitude works in representing his moderate Pinellas County district, it’s a danger in running in a Republican primary election for Senate, something he appears to be keenly aware of.
He said he’s about delivering results, and called out candidates who, “promise one thing, and do nothing to deliver … I bet every single one of you has spoken with candidates for decades who say ‘Washington is broken,’ but when they have a chance to do something about it, they’re missing in action … It’s too easy to give the speeches and not deliver the results. “
Jolly says he’s more involved in policy than politics, and calls himself a “governing conservative.”
RON DESANTIS: ‘GUARANTEED’ GOP SEATS IN CONGRESS ‘SHORTSIGHTED’ via Michael Auslen of the Tampa Bay Times
DeSantis … said … his party has created long-term problems for itself by working with black Democrats in redistricting, making maps that benefit both groups. “It guarantees certain Republican seats … That’s been a little shortsighted for Republican voters.”
There are short-term gains — namely, winning a particular election or maintaining a majority — but it makes GOP congressional hopefuls less likely to interact with large swaths of the voters in the state.
SHOW, DON’T TELL CARLOS LOPEZ-CANTERA via Florida Politics
Lopez-Cantera … made it clear he sees himself as a man of action rather than rhetoric. “I’ve actually delivered results for Floridians … If there’s one thing you should ask anybody who’s running for office, especially if they’re already in Washington, it’s ‘What have you done?’”
“You hear a lot of ‘I sponsored’ or ‘I fought for’ or even ‘I passed’ legislation… but what did they actually deliver?” he asked. “As a candidate, I only talk about things that I’ve actually accomplished.”
How would he “get things done” as he promises without playing within the “pyramid of power” which runs the show in Congress? “The same way I got things done in Tallahassee … When I first got here, I didn’t know anything about the Florida House of Representatives, yet I was able to pass a constitutional amendment in my first time – through – dedication, sacrifice, and determination.”
PATRICK MURPHY SLAMS ALAN GRAYSON AS “TWO-FACED” via Mitch Perry of Florida Politics
Murphy pointed out the major difference between himself and Alan Grayson, his main challenger in next year’s Senate contest … “Style, first and foremost.”
“Congressman Grayson prides himself on being the bomb throwin’, name calling, finger-pointing … you know, calling the President a sellout a few weeks ago, calling members of Congress ‘Taliban Dan’ and KKK members (a reference to Grayson’s description of GOP Congressman Daniel Webster),” Murphy said. “That’s no way to get something done with people … You’ve got to find some common ground with people and move the ball forward … So, I’m not going to be calling people names, I’m not going to be accusing them of things that aren’t true.”
But a few moments later … He said he wasn’t going to get into “bad mouthing my opponent” … but then Murphy did exactly that … “Furthermore, you’re going to see the hypocrisy, and someone who claims to be this true progressive, turns out to have a hedge fund? In the Cayman Islands? Right, with billions of dollars as using carried interest loopholes? That to me is not what the voters want. Voters are tired of that double talk. They’re tired of this two-faced nonsense, right?”
PROPOSED SENATE MAPS MORE COMPACT, FACE RACE QUESTIONS via Matt Dixon of POLITICO Florida
Legislative redistricting staff released six proposed maps on Wednesday, setting the stage for next week’s start to a much-anticipated special redistricting session needed to redraw Florida’s state Senate districts.
Most of the maps give Republicans a slight performance boost, but some also draw GOP incumbents into the same seats, and each will likely face questions about decreases to Hispanic and black voting age populations in key districts.
… The six maps are considered a starting point for lawmakers, who can amend them during the three-week special session.
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FRESH DETAILS ON ’16 FUNDRAISING ARRIVE TODAY
The latest waypoint in the 2016 race for president is Thursday, when the deadline arrives by midnight for candidates to tell federal regulators the details of how much they’ve raised for their campaigns — and how much they’ve spent on them.
Many of the major White House hopefuls have already boasted about their recent fundraising efforts, including the two leading contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination: Hillary Rodham Clinton and Bernie Sanders.
They each raised more than any of the Republicans who have said what they collected from donors between July 1 and Sept. 30.
Among those who have yet to share their totals are former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and front-runner Donald Trump, the “really rich” real-estate dealmaker whose mild forays into fundraising include selling his trademark “Make America Great Again” hats.
“I thought I’d have spent about $20, $25 million dollars up until this point. You know what I’ve spent? Like nothing,” Trump said on Wednesday, crediting media coverage for negating the need to spend on paid ads.
BUSH TO POST 3Q FUNDRAISING NUMBERS, 2014 TAXES, MEDICAL RECORDS via Fox News
Bush will release not only his third-quarter fundraising numbers Thursday … but the former Florida governor will also list his campaign bundlers, 2014 tax returns and medical records, Fox News has learned.
The Bush campaign is calling the move an effort of unparalleled transparency.
“Jeb Bush remains the most transparent candidate in the entire presidential race,” Bush senior aide Kristy Campbell told Fox News on Wednesday. “Tomorrow’s donor disclosure is a first in the Republican field and follows his previous unprecedented release of nearly 300,000 emails from his time in public office and 33 years of tax returns. This display of transparency is consistent with the high level of disclosure he practiced as governor of Florida, and, frankly, should be expected of those seeking the nation’s highest office.”
BUSH CUTS BACK via Eli Stokols and Marc Caputo of POLITICO
Conceived as a fundraising juggernaut that would ‘shock and awe’ opponents into oblivion, Bush’s campaign is suddenly struggling to raise hard dollars and increasingly economizing – not because he’s out of money, but to convince nervous donors, who are about to get their first look at his campaign’s burn rate, that he’s not wasting it. ‘At a certain point, we want to see a bang for the buck. We’re spending the bucks – and we’re seeing no bang,’ a longtime Bush Republican said.
BUSH PREPARES FOR GENERAL ELECTION FIGHT WITH HILLARY CLINTON via Ryan Lovelace of the Washington Examiner
Bush insists he would have aggressively gone after … Clinton on the issue of her private server and personal emails if he had shared the debate stage … “I thought it was interesting they [Democratic candidates] didn’t go after her, particularly on the email issue … Because look there’s an FBI investigation. She hasn’t been forthcoming. That’s a national security question, put aside the legalities of this. It’s clear the Russians and the Chinese were trying to hack into her server.”
“I would have taken her to task for that and if she wins the nomination and I win the nomination, trust me this is not going to end.”
BUSH LANDS SENATE PRESIDENT CHUCK MORSE IN MAJOR ENDORSEMENT via John DiStaso of WMUR
[New Hampshire] state Senate President Chuck Morse … will formally reveal his presidential choice when he introduces the former Florida governor at a town hall at the McAulliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord … Morse is joining will be as New Hampshire co-chair.
Morse has been a state senator since January 2011 and has led the Senate since September 2013. Previously, he chaired the powerful Senate Finance Committee.
BUSH ON EYEWEAR: ‘I’M NOT GOING TO TAKE OFF MY STINKING GLASSES’ via Ashley Killough of CNN
Bush opened up with some rare campaign insight … said he was advised to stop wearing his glasses — a suggestion he happily ignored. (If he wins, Bush would be the first president to wear glasses full time since Harry S. Truman.)
“I can’t see without glasses,” Bush said with exasperation, drawing laughs from the audience as he spoke at a town hall in Lebanon, New Hampshire. “I’m not going to take off my stinking glasses.”
ASSIGNMENT EDITORS: Bush will participate in a roundtable discussion with the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (NHCADSV) at UNH Law Center in Concord at 10 a.m. ET. RSVP at [email protected]. Later, the former governor will be in Connecticut for closed fundraising events.
AFTER BEING WOOED BY MARCO RUBIO, CHARLES SCHWAB TO HELP HOST BUSH FUNDRAISER via Eliza Collins of POLITICO
Charles Schwab, who has been heavily courted for weeks by … Rubio‘s campaign, is planning to help host two fundraising events for rival … Bush in California later this month … Schwab, who boasts an estimated net worth of $6.4 billion, is one of a handful of mega donors who have been watching the still-crowded Republican primary field play out. Other notable heavy-hitting contributors include gambling magnate Sheldon Adelson and hedge fund manager Paul Singer … also said to be major targets for Rubio. While Schwab himself has largely remained on the sidelines so far, his wife Helen Schwab has contributed $1.5 million to Right to Rise USA, the super PAC backing Bush.
RUBIO: DEM DEBATE JUST ABOUT WHO WOULD ‘GIVE AWAY THE MOST FREE STUFF’ via Caitlin MacNeal of Talking Points Memo
Rubio … lamented that the Democratic presidential debate was merely a competition over who would grant the American people more “free stuff.”
“If you watched that debate last night it looked like something from the early ’80s,” Rubio said on “Fox and Friends.” “It was basically a liberal verses liberal debate about who was going to give away the most free stuff: Free college education, free college education for people illegally in this country, free health care, free everything … Their answer to every problem in America is a government program and a tax increase. That’s all they prescribe time and time again.”
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MORE CAMPAIGN FINANCE NOTES
Florida candidates and committees faced a deadline Tuesday to submit financial reports covering September 2015. Here are the last notes from Q3
AS FUNDRAISING DWINDLED, FLORIDA GOP RECEIVED STATE CASH FROM PA. PARTY via Matt Dixon of POLITICO Florida
Coming on the heels of lackluster fundraising performances, the Republican Party of Florida got an infusion of state cash last quarter from the Pennsylvania GOP … part of a swap, with the Florida GOP giving money that is raised for and can be spent on federal races, and in return getting money that can be used for state legislative races. Campaign finance law puts a firewall between money that can be used on federal races … which can be used for legislative races … $503,800 sent from the Republican Party of Pennsylvania is both a nod to the fact that RPOF is in need of state money, but also a move designed to boost the amount of money it can spend on federal races.
SEPTEMBER ANOTHER BIG FUNDRAISING MONTH FOR PEOPLE UNITED FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA via Florida Politics
The committee backing an amendment to legalize medical marijuana had another big fundraising month in September, largely due to due to a $293,000 cash infusion from … John Morgan. People United for Medical Marijuana raised another $22,000 from other donors, mostly individuals giving $250 or less, to bring its monthly total over $315,000. People United spent more than $342,000, though, and posted a net loss in cash on-hand, which now sits below $0.
DESANTIS RAISED $750,000 FOR THIRD QUARTER via Alex Leary of the Tampa Bay Times
DeSantis raised $750,000 in the third quarter … “will start the fourth quarter of 2015 with nearly $2.5 million cash on hand” … In a sign of how cozy super PACs are with campaigns, the same release noted a committee backing DeSantis had already reported raising $1.2 million.
TODD WILCOX TOUTS 3Q FUNDRAISING via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
Optimism is the watchword for … Florida Senate campaigns … Wilcox sent out an email touting his own fundraising numbers, the first report he’s had thus far … numbers total $758,405.80, with $258,405.80 in contributions and a $500,000 candidate loan. He claims to have $683,515.16 on hand … refers to this first three months as laying the “groundwork” for the campaign going forward.
ORLANDO AREA CONGRESSIONAL HOPEFUL VAL DEMMINGS RAKES IN $160,000 via Florida Politics
Demings posted an impressive $160,000 in fundraising during the third quarter of her bid for Congress … only been in the race for Florida’s 10th Congressional district for 45 days. Of the total funds raised to date, which is the entire $160,000 this report, 77 percent of the contributions were less than $300 and most came from local donors. Demmings, a former Orlando Police Chief, is running to replace Republican Dan Webster for the redrawn District 10 House seat.
GOP HOPEFUL JOHN COURIEL BREAKS OUT IN SEPTEMBER FUNDRAISING FOR HD 114 via Florida Politics
Republican House District 114 candidate Couriel had a breakout fundraising performance in September, vaulting him far ahead of the other three candidates competing for the seat currently held by termed-out Republican Erik Fresen. Couriel already had a sizable lead heading into September, but on the back of a $28,848 fundraising effort … now has a more than 10-fold lead over fellow Republican Jose Pazos, his closest competitor so far. After paying some small campaign bills, Couriel was left with just over $80,000 on hand heading into October.
LIBERTARIAN DROPS BID TO UNSEAT SCOTT PLAKON IN HD 29 via Florida Politics
Plakon’s House District 29 re-election campaign got a little easier after his only opponent dropped out of the race … Libertarian David Leavittsent a withdrawal letter to the Florida Division of Elections … removed from the 2016 candidate list. Leavitt’s candidacy alone didn’t cast doubt on Plakon’s reelection chances, but considering the Libertarian pulled together a good amount of money (compared to most other third-party candidates), Leavitt could possibly siphon away votes from Plakon.
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ACTUAL PRESS RELEASE: “The Great Florida Cattle Drive ’16 Prepares for 1800s-Style Cattle Drive” via Ag. Commissioner Adam Putnam
ASSIGNMENT EDITORS: U.S. Reps. Ted Deutch and Lois Frankel join college officials, state legislators and community stakeholders to discuss gun violence and bills in the Florida Legislature to allow guns on college campuses, and proposals to address the problem. Press availability begins 10:30 a.m. at Palm Beach State College at Lake Worth Public Safety Training Center, Bldg. PSD (outside), 4200 Congress Avenue in Lake Worth.
ASSIGNMENT EDITORS: Gov. Scott will attend the USAA Combat to Claims Graduation Ceremony and highlight USAA’s job creation in Florida. Event begins 9:00 a.m. at the USAA Tampa Office, 17200 Commerce Park Boulevard in Tampa. Later, Scott will join Jake Steinfield and the National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Campaign for the ribbon cutting of brand new fitness centers for three Florida schools. Ceremony begins 1 p.m. at the Frances S. Tucker Elementary School, 3500 Douglas Road in Miami.
WHAT JOSH AUBUCHON IS READING — ANHEUSER-BUSCH INBEV ACQUISITION COULD DISRUPT FLORIDA CRAFT BREWERIES via of Alexa Epitropoulos and Jensen Werley Bay of the Business Journal
Anheuser-Busch InBev’s potential acquisition of SAB Miller may pose a threat to Florida’s burgeoning craft beer industry, some in the industry fear, although the state’s oft-maligned distribution laws may limit the impact.
Under Florida’s three-tier system, most beer must be sold by a brewer to a distributor to a retailer, which can then sell it to a consumer. Some… fear that a merger could be an impetus for the newly formed beer giant to push for law changes that would allow it to buy up distributors.
The deal, which got one step closer to happening when SAB Miller agreed to the $106 billion purchase on Tuesday, has some worrying a potential mega-brewery could disrupt local and craft beer distribution. The deal must still be approved by Anheuser-Busch shareholders and by regulators.
POLICY NOTES via Legislative IQ powered by Lobby Tools
ENERGY SUMMIT
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services join JAX Chamber to host the Florida Energy Summit starting 8 a.m. at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront, 225 East Coastline Dr. in Jacksonville. Events include speakers and panel discussions on energy issues.
‘BALANCE BILLING’ DEBATED
State Insurance Consumer Advocate Sha’Ron James hosts a meeting to discuss “balance billing” a controversial issue in the health-care industry where patients can see unexpected expenses because insurers only pay part of out-of-network costs. Billing affects many patients receiving care from medical providers not within the insurance company networks, particularly those seeing out-of-network physicians in emergency rooms. Meeting starts 9 a.m. in the Capitol’s Cabinet meeting room.
COLLIER COUNTY DELEGATION PRE-SESSION MEETING
The Collier County delegation prepares for the 2016 Legislative Session with two public meetings at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the North Collier Regional Park Exhibit Hall, 15000 Livingston Road in Naples.
FANTASY SPORTS PLAYERS LOBBY UP AT NAT’L LEVEL via POLITICO Influence
Facing bad press and questions from congressmen and the New York attorney general, fantasy sports sites DraftKings and FanDuel are going on offense. Key to FanDuel CEO Nigel Eccles’ strategy is its 57 million players in the U.S., “including many legislators.” (The games were exempt from a 2006 law against online gambling, thanks to lobbying from sports leagues.) As Tony Romm reports, FanDuel joined the Internet Association, which represents tech giants like Facebook and Google, and this week revealed it hired a Washington lobbyist for the first time. The firm, Steptoe & Johnson, also represents Sheldon Adelson‘s Las Vegas Sands in the push for banning online poker. That bill, the Restoration of America’s Wire Act, includes a carve-out for fantasy sports. A House Energy and Commerce Committee aide said there could be a hearing soon.
NEW LOBBYING REGISTRATIONS
Brian Ballard, Stephanie Grutman, Sylvester Lukis: Ballard Partners: Teach for America
Joanna Lee Clary Bonfanti, Gunster Yoakley & Stewart: Broward College Foundation
David Griffin, GrayRobinson: Accelerated Learning Solutions
James Horne, Strategos Public Affairs L: zSpace
Elisabeth Kiel, Elisabeth Kiel Consulting: Intoximeters
Scott Ross, Floridian Partners: Publix
Paul Wharton, Paul Wharton Ph.D. Consulting: DeSoto Memorial Hospital; Florida Certification Board
Stephen Wise, Stephen Wise Consulting: Florida Certification Board
M PUBLIC AFFAIRS, AGSK PUBLIC STRATEGIES ANNOUNCE MERGER, RE-BRANDING AS KIVVIT via Florida Politics
M Public Affairs and AGSK Public Strategies … would merge operations under a new name: Kivvit. The two companies have been owned by the same parent company since 2010, and AGSK opened an office in Miami in January. Since then, the communications house has added the Miami Beach Convention Headquarter Hotel, Miami Open and Bal Harbour Shops as clients.
AGSK managing partner Eric Sedler, who opened the firm with former White House Senior Advisor David Axelrod, said the company “outgrew the AGSK name … Kivvit provides us with a brand we will define based on our unique attributes … We’re a firm set up to work seamlessly at the national, state and local levels, with the ability to apply very distinct capabilities on behalf of our clients.”
The Kivvit name is based on an Alaskan Native word meaning “valuable” and “durable,” which meshes with a communications firm specializing in crisis management.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the Florida Chamber’s Edie Ousley.
ROB LOWE WOULD REUNITE FOR NEW ‘WEST WING’ EPISODE WRITTEN BY AARON SORKIN via Todd Van Luling of the Huffington Post
If you’re growing tired of the real presidential election going on right now, it may be time to return to the Camelot-esque world of Aaron Sorkin’s “The West Wing.” The cast … Rob Lowe is now saying he would be interested in doing a whole new episode. That is, if Aaron Sorkin agreed to come back to write.
Lowe’s interest in a reunion episode … came about during a Reddit AMA yesterday, when the Sam Seaborn-playing actor responded to the question, “Would you consider doing a ‘West Wing’ reunion episode or anything like that in the future?” HuffPost also recently spoke to Dulé Hill, aka Charlie Young, who joked about the possibility of a reboot called “The Kanye West Wing,” given West’s announcement at the 2015 VMAs that he would be running for election in 2020.
“Kanye West instead of President Bartlet would be a very different show. But also very entertaining — I will say that,” Hill told HuffPost. Sounds like he’s in.
