Sunburn — The Morning Read Of What’s Hot In Florida Politics — 10.18.21

By Peter Schorsch

Good Monday morning.

She’s running.

Democratic state Sen. Annette Taddeo is set to formally announce her candidacy for the 2022 Governor’s race Monday during a news conference in Tallahassee.

Taddeo joins a Democratic Primary field that already includes U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, a former Governor, and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried. Taddeo would be the 10th Democrat to file paperwork in the Democratic Primary, as Democrats attempt to oust first-term Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Taddeo is holding a news conference at 9:15 a.m. outside the R.A. Gray Building, home to the Department of State, where she’s expected to make her run official.

In May, Taddeo confirmed she was weighing a possible run for Governor. In the months since, Taddeo has increasingly directed criticism toward Gov. DeSantis and ramped up her fundraising operation. Her PC also brought on additional staff in early October.

Taddeo served as the Democratic Lieutenant Governor candidate in 2014. That year, Crist was the Democratic nominee for Governor. The Democrats lost by one point to former Gov. Rick Scott.

Taddeo’s decision to enter the race will now pit her against her former running mate.

She has served in the Senate since winning a 2017 Special Election for the Senate District 40 seat. In 2018, she earned reelection to her first full term.

—”South Florida Democrat Annette Taddeo poised to enter Florida Governor’s race” via John Kennedy of The Palm Beach Post

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Fried has made three new major hires in her campaign for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.

Cramer Verde will serve as political director for Fried’s campaign. Fried is also hiring Drew Godinich as her communications director and Nwabufo “Obi” Umunna as a campaign adviser.

“I’m incredibly proud of the diverse, talented team we are building here to take Florida back and bring fresh, new ideas to the capital,” Fried said in a statement announcing the moves.

“Florida deserves leadership that is accountable to the people — not to the corrupt, entrenched special interests that have dominated Tallahassee for decades. Our team will deliver that change.”

Verde is a previous political director for LULAC Florida and was a regional political director for the Joe Biden–Kamala Harris presidential ticket in 2020.

Godinich joins Fried’s team following a stint as the deputy communications director at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. He also worked as a senior communications adviser during Shontel Brown‘s run for U.S. House in Ohio.

During the 2020 presidential election, Godinich served as the western states communications director for Mike Bloomberg‘s team.

Umunna is a graduate of the University of Florida Levin College of Law. During the 2020 cycle, Umunna worked as the North Florida political director for Biden. He was also a consultant during Andrew Gillum‘s 2018 gubernatorial bid, which saw Gillum come up just short against DeSantis.

—“Why Democrats need Nikki Fried to win back lost ground in Miami-Dade County.”

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A new ‘State of Emergency’ is here!

This week, hosts Jared Moskowitz and I welcome Rep. Jay Trumbull, the Bay County native who serves in Panhandle’s House District 6. Trumbull is also House Appropriations Chair for the 2022 Legislative Session, which is expected to craft a whopping $10 billion budget — the largest in the state’s history.

Hear us talk about the challenge of hosting a podcast in a hospital waiting room, as my wife Michelle awaited surgery. Jay discusses the progress in rebuilding the Panhandle three years after Hurricane Michael and how the region will be coming back better. We also touch on Florida’s unprecedented growth, the need for more services and discretionary money, and having a billion-dollar rainy day reserve for unforeseen circumstances (like a pandemic).

Jay also gives us a glimpse into the frenzy of budget meeting time and working across the aisle with Democrats (and the impact they have through budgets), as well as having fond memories of lawmakers from the other party (like Rep. Ramon Alexander).

We also look at the most exciting part of the budgetary process — eight days of sprinkles!

For the perfect drive time listen, check out the new episode: Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts and Spotify.

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The 25^th Annual Phil Galvano Golf Classic, hosted by former Senate President Bill Galvano and family, was held at The Resort at Longboat Key Club in Longboat Key this weekend.

Over the last 25 years, the annual charity event has raised approximately $12 million to benefit the students and teachers at Manatee County public schools through the work of the Manatee Education Foundation. This year, in addition to a spirited round of golf at the Ron Garl-designed Links on Longboat Course, the event also featured a special high wire performance by the world-famous Nik Wallenda.

Spotted at the event: Gov. DeSantis, CFO Jimmy Patronis, Commissioner Richard Corcoran, Secretary of State Laurel Lee and former Senate President Tom Lee, former Senate President Andy Gardiner, former House Speaker Dean Cannon, Reps. Fiona McFarland, Will Robinson, Bob Rommell, Seminole Tribe Chairman Marcellus Osceola and Bill Osceola, Dan Malasky and Adam Smith from the Tampa Bay Bucs, and Manatee County Commissioners George Kruse and Carol Whitmore.

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Sunrise Consulting Group announced Monday that Andrew Kalel is joining the firm as a government affairs consultant.

Kalel started in the new role on Oct. 1, filling the position vacated by Sam Wagoner. He has worked in and around state government for the better part of a decade, most recently as legislative affairs director for a set of criminal justice state offices.

Kalel launched his career in state government as an undergraduate in college, holding positions with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, in the Secretary’s office of the Florida Lottery, and as a court-appointed auditor for the Justice Administrative Commission.

In these roles, he was exposed to executive decision-makers and the workflow process of large state agencies with multimillion-dollar budgets impacting everyday Floridians. He also interned for the Florida Sheriffs Association, the House of Representatives, and with Security First Insurance Company, a top-five Florida-based property insurance company.

After college, Kalel leveraged his knowledge of state government to work in the private sector in a project management position under Jason Gonzalez at Shutts & Bowen. There he supported large government affairs projects for the firm by liaising with the Executive Office of the Governor, as well as assisting with tracking legislation and gathering and analyzing political research.

He holds both an insurance adjuster and broker license and has experience working as a catastrophe adjuster after Hurricane Matthew, and as a daily claims adjuster. He continues to stay abreast of insurance public policy, and emerging industry trends.

Kalel will work out of Sunrise Consulting’s Tallahassee office.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@WhiteHouse: The cost of the Build Back Better Agenda is $0. The President’s plan won’t add to our national deficit, and no one making under $400,000 per year will see their taxes go up a single penny. It’s fully paid for by ensuring big corporations and the very wealthy pay their fair share.

—@Jim_Jordan: Christmas presents were never late when President (Donald) Trump was in charge.

—@RepValDemings: I hope that every American will join me in prayer and thanks for all that our law enforcement officers do to keep us safe. #PoliceWeek

—@MaxNordau: From “she was told to falsify data” to “Florida openly did something that had nothing to do with (Rebekah) Jones” For #BlueAnon, Jones is just a Rorschach test for whatever they think DeSantis is doing wrong.

Tweet, tweet:

—@MaryEllenKlas: @SenJanetCruz pointedly asks @HealthyFla: “As a state, are we playing a Squid Game here, where only the strong survive? We’re working toward herd immunity rather than try to save as many lives as possible. It seems like we’re trying to save as many businesses as possible.”

—@Angie_Dixon: I’m looking forward to the Jaguars winning the rest of the season! Mark my words.

Tweet, tweet: