Sunburn — The Morning Read Of What’s Hot In Florida Politics — 3.24.22

By Peter Schorsch

Good Thursday morning.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will appear in Sarasota Thursday night to accept the local GOP’s Statesman of the Year award.

With a war in Europe, tensions in Asia, and a high interest in global affairs, Republicans in Sarasota expect an insightful event.

“He was peacekeeper of the U.S. and the world for four years,” said Jack Brill, acting chair of the Republican Party of Sarasota. “I’m curious about his comments on (Vladimir) Putin and everything. With what’s going on in the world, the only place you want to be is in Sarasota.”

Pompeo led the State Department at the end of former President Donald Trump’s term and before that served as Trump’s CIA Director.

“He did a great job,” Brill said. “We had no wars during his four years, and we actually were getting out of Afghanistan on our terms.”

Sen. Rick Scott will also attend the dinner, starting at 5:30 p.m. at Nathan Benderson Park in University Park. More than 600 guests, who paid $100 to $300 a plate for individual tickets, are expected to attend.

Of note, both men appear to have future aspirations of running for President, making conspicuous visits to Iowa (though Scott said he doesn’t plan to run in 2024).

The Statesman of the Year Dinner has become a bit of a must-stop for national figures with White House aspirations. Gov. Ron DeSantis accepted the honor at a dinner in October last year. Trump won the distinction twice, the only person to do so. Scott also received the award.

“In the past, Sarasota has been a stopping point or place to speak for aspiring presidential candidates,” Brill noted.

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It’s fundraising season, and Senate Democrats have an extensive lineup of events scheduled for the summer and fall.

The caucus, led by Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book, unveiled four high-dollar fundraising events benefiting the party’s Senate campaign apparatus.

The first in the series will be on April 20 in Tampa. Democrats have snagged a box for a Journey concert at Amalie Arena, welcoming anyone with a $5,000 check to join, presumably with “Open Arms.”

Those missing the concert will need to book a flight — the next stop on the agenda is Napa, California, where the caucus welcomes donors to join them for a “Napa Getaway” from May 31 through June 3. It’ll take $15,000 to get in the door.

In September, the crew is planning a weekend in New York. Specific dates are still in the works, but the cost of admission is $10,000.

The final planned event is a trip to a blackberry farm in Walland, Tennessee. Donation packages range from $15,000 to $25,000, but those hoping to tag along will also need an invite from Senate Democratic leadership. Dates are still to come, but the party penciled it in for November or December.

Currently, Democrats hold 17 of 40 seats in the Senate. The party faces long odds to flip the chamber this year, but redrawn maps approved during the Legislative Session could see the party pick up a seat.

According to a performance analysis by MCI Maps, the redistricting plan includes 22 Senate districts where voters favored Trump in the 2020 presidential election and 18 that went for Democrat Joe Biden.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@POTUS: Madeleine Albright was a force for goodness, grace, and decency — and for freedom. Hers were the hands that turned the tide of history. Jill and I will miss her dearly and send our love and prayers to her family.

—@DrLeanaWen: For those who don’t agree that the vaccinated can return to pre-pandemic normal, I ask: What should we all do? Perpetual masking? Forever not dining out, avoiding large weddings & indoor gatherings, etc.? Virtually everything has risk, and zero COVID is not a viable strategy.

—@Rebel19: The way that a Black woman in America can be as highly, hyper-educated, intelligent, elegant, skilled, experienced, and qualified as KBJ and still be treated like this by white men on national television. It’s not even symbolic. It’s a glaring body of evidence.

—@TheRickWilson: Wilson‘s 2nd Rule: There are two kinds of people in this world: Ted Cruz, and people who hate Ted Cruz.

—@AaronParnas: In a world full of people like Josh Hawley, be like Cory Booker.

—@Redistrict: Rep. David McKinley‘s (R) campaign is out w/ a new poll showing him up 46%-39% over Trump-endorsed Rep. Alex Mooney (R) in #WV02. If the Trump-endorsed R in *West Virginia* doesn’t win, it would be a real sign of waning influence in GOP primaries.

—@AliZaslav: More than 2 years after the U.S. Capitol closed to the public amid COVID-19, starting *Monday* limited public tours will resume. It’s the first step toward fully reopening the complex to the public, which will occur in phases in the coming months

—@_RyanBenk: If you would’ve told me that the Republican Governor of Utah would have a better response to anti-LGBTQ legislation than Fl Democrats, I would have … actually no, that really does track.

Tweet, tweet:

—@JosephPHarding: To the dozens of fake journalist and ⁦far-left extremist that have posted or messaged me or called my office wishing harm on myself and family … News flash, my home wasn’t destroyed. To the mentally sick journalist that have spread this misinformation, shame on you.

—@KDTrey5: There’s No relax champ. No relax when I’m on Twitter. I’m on 10 until the second I close the app. You relax!!

—@Conarck: On this #NationalPuppyDay, let’s remember that most animal shelters have air conditioning, but Florida prisons don’t.