Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 6.1.22

By Peter Schorsch   

Good Wednesday morning from London.

Before I launch into some commentary, here are two micro-scoops from the campaign trail.

—Republican Audrey Henson is switching races, moving from the GOP Primary for Congressional District 13 to a bid for Florida House District 60.

—DNC Committee member Alan Clendenin will announce today he is running for the Tampa City Council.

Now, a few barbs from across the pond…

Memo to Nikki Fried: If you want to be the Democratic nominee for Governor, you need support from the Florida Education Association.

And, well, she doesn’t have that.

Charlie Crist does.

That may not be the final nail in Fried’s campaign coffin, but Crist certainly appears to be reaching for the hammer.

The Miami Herald was first to report that the FEA and the United Teachers of Dade were in Crist’s corner. They split the hairs a little bit, stressing that their support was not an actual endorsement, but we doubt that gives Florida’s Agriculture Commissioner much solace.

Both groups are part of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, the AFL-CIO, which won’t announce its endorsements in late June.

Together, the education unions represent about 180,000 Florida teachers and education professionals.

“In a word, it’s huge,” Crist told the Herald. He added, “Public education’s in my blood.”

Fried is still throwing punches at Crist, but the polls indicate not many of them are landing. He has staked the moderate middle ground, leading Fried to question his Democratic bona fides.

At a candidate forum in Miami, Fried attacked Crist’s record when he was a Republican.

“We’ve got serious issues that are on our plate today, everything from gun violence to abortion to voting rights to health care to our LGBTQ-plus community,” Fried said, speaking directly to Crist. “These are all issues that you fought for.”

Crist used to be a favorite of the National Rifle Association, but no longer. Fried attacked anyway.

At the top of her Twitter feed, she says, “I’m Nikki Fried, and I’m the only leading candidate for governor of Florida who has never accepted a damn dime from the NRA.”

Since leaving the Republican Party and joining the Democrats, Crist’s position on those issues has reversed. Crist trails Gov. Ron DeSantis but about 8 points in most polls, but that’s still considerably closer than Fried. Maybe potential Democratic voters don’t care what Crist said a decade or more ago.

Even worse for Fried, they appear to see him as a stronger opponent for DeSantis.

Apparently, Florida teacher unions do too.

—”If Crist ducks debates, the ‘Empty Chair Charlie’ attack will return” via Orlando Sentinel

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

Tweet, tweet:

—@SeemaForBen: A TV executive told me last week that they saw viewers simply turning off the TV when Uvalde news came on, unable to watch

—@ItsJeffTiedrich: pro tip: if you have more guns in your house than you have books, you’re part of the problem

—@DanielSGoldman: If you can’t buy alcohol at age 18, you should not be able to buy an assault weapon at age 18.

—@NateMonroeTU: the *one thing* I’ll offer in re: to “ooof” is that back when he was sheriff, Mike Williams skipped out on public appearances all the time

—@MiamiCurt: It’s early in the investigation, but it appears a Florida man may have been killed by an alligator while searching for Frisbees in a lake at a disc golf course in Largo. Gator trapper on the scene. May be the most unusual gator death I’ve ever heard.

—@SteveSchale: Good reminder that if the body of water is more than 100sq feet, there’s probably a gator in there — and that’s his home, not yours.

—@netw3k: the inquisitors need to figure out their chemistry issues. that locker room is toxic and it’s no wonder they struggle to catch Jedi.