Takeaways from Tallahassee (Video)

Former Florida political reporter and current White House reporter Mike Bender offers a little tip for POLITICO’s Matt Dixon about splitting time authoring a book and being a journalist.

Bender, The Wall Street Journal reporter who penned The New York Times bestseller “Frankly, We Did Win This Election: The Inside Story of How Trump Lost,” returned to Tallahassee this week to sit down with POLITICO’s Gary Fineout. In a book talk hosted at Midtown Reader, Bender regaled the public and old colleagues with tidbits about the Donald Trump White House and political campaigns past, present and future.

Bender’s book begins with Trump’s first impeachment, covers the 2020 campaign, and ends with Trump’s second impeachment following the Jan. 6 insurrection. For him, one of the former President’s most perplexing strategies was, against the advice of many, to cry claims of voter fraud over mail-in ballots.

“As a reporter that cut his teeth in Florida, it just didn’t compute that any Republican would complain about absentee and mail ballots, right? It was sort of stunning,” Bender said. “As you all know, the Florida contingent of that operation was not on board. No one was on board.”

“I don’t think he thought that he was going to lose,” he said. “I think he thought he had something to lose, which was a big difference.”

Dixon, who is currently drafting a book about Florida’s role in the national political landscape, probed Bender for advice on juggling the responsibilities of being an author and being a full-time journalist. Unfortunately for Dixon, Bender took unpaid leave following Election Day.

While he fed some details to the Journal, others Bender learned were grievances people in Trumpworld had about past events, like the President telling military officials to shoot Americans in the leg and foot or crack their skulls. Some sources also wanted their perspectives on the record to contrast the likes of Corey Lewandowski and Brad Parscale.

“What was striking to me was how willing people were to talk if it wasn’t going to come up the next day,” Bender said. “If the book was coming up in two months, six months, a year, those details didn’t really matter. It was like a problem for the future selves, and they would deal with that later.”

Bender also shared his thoughts on the 2022 senatorial and gubernatorial races and the 2024 presidential race Gov. Ron DeSantis appears to be angling for. He said he’d heard some people, not always critics, wonder about the reelection strategy DeSantis has taken so far.

Why risk it, they ask. Winning reelection convincingly in a state like Florida could be a powerful platform for a 2024 bid.

Apart from DeSantis’ reelection bid, Trump’s decision to run a third time looms over the 2024 race. While it took a certain level of ambition for DeSantis to challenge Adam Putnam for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 2018, Bender noted it would take a different type of ambition to directly challenge Trump, who arguably is the reason he became Governor.

“I think he’s got it in him,” Bender said.

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Coming up, the usual assortment of tidbits, leftovers and not-ready-for-prime-time moments by Peter Schorsch, Drew Wilson, Renzo Downey, Jason Delgado, Christine Sexton and the staff of Florida Politics.

Take 5

The “Takeaway 5” — the Top 5 stories from the week that was:

Governor, Senate at odds in masking scuffle – After Florida Politics’ broke the news that Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo refused to wear a mask in Sen. Tina Polsky’s office, his Senate confirmation might be a bit trickier. Polsky told Ladapo she has a serious illness — she was recently diagnosed with cancer — but Ladapo said masking goes against his preferences: “It is important to me to communicate clearly and effectively with people. I can’t do that when half of my face is covered.” Senate President Wilton Simpson defended Polsky, calling Ladapo’s actions “unprofessional” and saying he should “have some manners.” However, DeSantis gave Ladapo a full-throated defense, calling him accommodating. Polsky was the one politicizing it, he suggested, noting recent pictures of Polsky maskless in public.

Florida sues Biden administration over vaccine mandates – DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody have launched a lawsuit challenging Biden‘s vaccine mandate on federal contractors. Biden’s order requires millions of executive branch employees and contractors who do business with the federal government to get vaccinated. “You’re really putting these businesses in an impossible situation where they would potentially lose a lot of their contracts or a lot of their money that is able to sustain them,” DeSantis said. Moody said she was proud of DeSantis for repeatedly standing up to Biden “or his handlers” and “reminding them that this is not a dictatorship.”

DeSantis calls Special Session – DeSantis has issued his official call for a Special Session regarding vaccine mandates. The Special Session will run from Monday, Nov. 15, to no later than Friday, Nov. 19, a week when lawmakers will already be in Tallahassee for a previously scheduled committee week. DeSantis has repeatedly criticized Biden and his administration for trying to implement vaccine mandates. And on Friday, he accused the Biden administration of having “cajoled” businesses to mandate injections. “What is not appropriate is to have the federal government come in, blundering into state and local matters, and acting like they have a right to facilitate a local district breaking state law,” he said.

Special Elections scheduled to replace CD 20 candidates– Floridians in three South Florida state legislative districts might not have lawmakers for the 2022 Regular Session. Three Democratic state lawmakers, Sen. Perry Thurston, and Reps. Bobby DuBose and Omari Hardy are vying to succeed the late U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings in the 20th Congressional District, leaving their seats vacant. According to the announcement late Wednesday, the Special Primary Election will be on Jan. 11, and the Special General Election will be on March 8 if necessary. If no Republicans file, a winner could be anointed on Jan. 11, the first day of Session. If a Special General Election is needed, the winner wouldn’t be known till the third-to-last day of Session at the earliest. DeSantis announced those dates two weeks after a lawsuit was filed asking him to set dates.

Feds aim to prevent Florida from withholding school funds – Federal officials ask Florida to stop nullifying funds sent to school districts that defy the state school mask mandate ban. U.S. Department of Education officials are eying a cease-and-desist order against Florida. That came a day after the Florida Department of Education docked Alachua County School District more than $164,000 for defying the ban and to offset $147,000 in federal funds. “We believe Florida’s actions have violated federal law by reducing state funds based on the receipt by districts of federal funds,” said the U.S. Department of Education.

Trucker’s paradise

DeSantis has awarded the city of Tavares $6 million for a regional workforce training and innovation center together with Lake Technical College.

As part of the Job Growth Grant Fund, that distribution will help the school triple its enrollment to 48 students in its diesel systems technology, automotive services, and automotive collision programs. Those graduates will play a role in meeting the demand of more than 67,000 openings in those industries over the next eight years.

DeSantis said the program would support high-paying and in-demand fields across the transportation industry.

“In Florida, we are stepping up in the midst of the nation’s supply chain woes,” DeSantis said. “Our ports are open and have capacity, we are standing up for businesses, and we are continuing to support the supply chain by training skilled workers across our state.”

To watch the presentation, click on the image below:

DeSantis has awarded more than $20 million for workforce training initiatives through the Job Growth Grant Fund.

More than 740 students graduated from commercial driving programs in Florida’s state and technical colleges, a 32% increase from the previous year. Nearly 1,300 students have graduated since 2019. And media reports suggest those graduates quickly find work.

“Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, providing this award will advance the Governor’s goal of being No. 1 in workforce by 2030,” said Department of Economic Opportunity Secretary Dane Eagle. “Providing Floridians with the opportunity to develop new skills through workforce training centers like this one will enable individuals to have a successful career, which remains a top priority of DEO.”