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Sunburn — The Morning Read Of What’s Hot In Florida Politics — 5.10.22

Ron DeSantis strikes a blow against the renewed popularity of communism among college students.

By Peter Schorsch   

Good Tuesday morning.

There’s no doubt I enjoy sharing a scoop as much as the next guy, but today’s first-in-Sunburn announcement brings me absolutely no pleasure.

Godspeed: Another hurdle for Ron Book.

After hearing a rumor, I was able to verify — and was given permission to share — that Ron Book was diagnosed with throat cancer (Book was previously diagnosed with prostate cancer). Recovery would be tough for anyone, but if you know Ron, you share my — and his doctors’ — certainty that he will come out the other side.

Ron is a friend to me — and more than half of the people you see walking through the halls of the Capitol.

We should also note that he has had more influence on Florida politics than almost any other lobbyist. Ron — or “the Ronfather,” as he’s known in some corners of the state — has been an influential fixture in government affairs for over 50 years and has an astonishing work ethic that has allowed him to build a behemoth boutique lobbying practice that goes toe-to-toe with the largest firms in the state.

Though few wish to find themselves opposite Ron on any given issue (just ask retired and former Uber lobbyist Guy Spearman!), he is a true friend and a real gentleman to everyone in this process and always willing to mentor and help others newer to the world of advocacy.

His tenacity and intensity in work and life are out shadowed only by his heart for helping others and he fights just as hard for those he represents pro bono — including those often considered “the least, last, lost, and the forgotten” — as he does his paying clients.

We know that the same work ethic and intensity of purpose will help him emerge from this battle as strong as ever and still stronger than we mere mortals. And Ron has four young grandkids who will undoubtedly keep their “Bapa” in good spirits.

TBD whether we’ll see Ron in Tallahassee this Special Session, but I know you will join me in sending him well wishes for a safe, speedy, and effective treatment and smooth recovery. And with one final note, I know each of us will also be sending love and prayers to another hardworking, fierce competitor and friend, Senator-daughter-mom-Leader, Lauren Book.

One final thought: F*CK C*NCER!

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Florida Influencers say voters won’t be thinking about property insurance when they head to the polls, but they will be thinking about abortion rights.

Ahead of the May 23 Special Session, Florida Politics asked a sample of political experts and insiders whether they thought addressing the property insurance crisis would drag Republicans in the November election.

Just 17% said it would, while 14% said legislative action to slow down rate increases and the number of companies heading into receivership would help GOP candidates. Still, nearly seven in 10 said it wouldn’t even register.

The abortion debate may be good politically for Democrats, Florida Influencers say.

The same isn’t true for abortion rights, which are front and center following the leaked U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn a pair of prior SCOTUS rulings — Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey — that provide constitutional protections for abortion.

Almost half of Florida Influencers said the decision would boost Democrats, including 34% who said it would slightly improve Democrats’ chances and 13% who said it would give them a major edge. However, some aren’t convinced, with 38% believing the decision would have little if any impact and 15% saying the GOP stands to benefit either a tad or a ton.

Still, even some Influencers who see the decision as a winning issue for Dems don’t think the party will be reaping electoral rewards.

“Democrats were headed for such a brutal election cycle that — any — change in terrain is welcome news for them,” one Influencer said. “The Roe opinion could move the needle slightly in their direction, but I’m doubtful of the long-term impact. But you can’t fall out of a basement window.”

While Influencers split on those issues, they were near-unanimous on one thing: Charlie Crist will win the Democratic Primary for Governor.

A whopping 95% of respondents said the Congressman and former Governor would make the November ballot compared to just 5% who believe the nominee will be Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried. Sen. Annette Taddeo is also running, but no Influencers are lining up behind her.

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Harvard researcher Thomas Kane found that learning loss during the pandemic was less for schools that returned to in-person classes sooner.

A new report shows Florida and other states that prioritized getting K-12 students back to school in person experienced less “learning loss” during the pandemic.

The study, produced by the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University, found that the switch to remote learning during the pandemic disproportionately harmed academic achievement for poor and minority students — and the longer they were stuck in virtual classes, the more it hurt.

On average, high-poverty schools experienced 50% more achievement loss than low-poverty schools during the 2020-21 school year, leading to widening achievement gaps based on race and household income.

Gaps didn’t widen in areas where schools largely remained in person, leading to Florida — where virtual school only lasted one to three weeks for most districts — faring better than other states where school doors were closed for most of the school year.

Check out the full report.

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Craig Waters will continue his work on government accountability.

The Florida Center for Government Accountability announced Monday that Craig Waters joined its Board of Trustees.

Waters was the longtime spokesperson for the Florida Supreme Court, retiring in February after 35 years on the job.

Numerous organizations have praised him for his open government contributions, including his work to bring the court into the 21st century by developing its online and video streaming capabilities in an era where sharing information about the court’s business with media was discouraged.

“That didn’t hold Craig back,” FLGCA said in a news release. “He’s bringing his devotion to government accountability and communications technology to FLCGA.”

Waters is also an attorney and former journalist. He is a two-time winner of the First Amendment Foundation’s Pete Weitzel/Friend of the First Amendment Award and recently appointed chair of the Florida Bar’s Media & Communications Law Committee for the 2022-23 term.

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Get ready to party.

Sunshine Summit set for July — The Republican Party of Florida will hold its Sunshine Summit, a two-day GOP gathering, in Hollywood. An e-vite from Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state party announced the 2022 Sunshine Summit and Victory Dinner have been scheduled for July 22-23 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. The storied event in 2018 marked the first head-to-head debate between DeSantis and then-Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam before DeSantis won the GOP nomination and Governor’s race. Republicans this year hope the conclave builds toward a strong midterm performance with DeSantis and Sen. Marco Rubio facing re-election and all Cabinet positions also on the ballot.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

@POTUS: High-speed internet is not a luxury. It’s a necessity. But today, too many families simply can’t afford it. That’s why in November, when we passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we created something called the Affordable Connectivity Program. Here’s how it works.

@AMoneyResists: The same people calling for civility would have already burned down the homes of every justice if they were about to ban guns instead of abortions.

@The_Law_Boy: Sorry, but protesting outside of justices’ homes is not the right way to voice your disapproval of the court. The proper course is to pour billions of dollars of dark money into building institutions that steadily subsume the judiciary over the course of several decades

@Cernovich: This will be the first market correction (maybe it’ll be a recession) for many of you. I saw a lot of people panic sell during the last one and they all regretted it. Fundamentally, there’s no better place for people to put money than in the U.S. That hasn’t changed.

@Fineout: During bill signing ceremony this a.m. @GovRonDeSantis notes one bill will name part of a road after those who helped start La Teresita restaurant in Tampa. (He does not note that their food is great, including awesome sandwiches. Yeah, I said it.)

@Conarck: On the heels of covering the worst months of the pandemic, our newsroom was called on to cover something horrific. This recognition reinforces our role in our Miami-Dade community. It’s a heavy feeling, knowing well the pain and grief of 98 lives lost and so many others upended.

@Joey_Cranney: It is simply remarkable; the standard of excellence America’s depleted local newsrooms continue to meet. Local reporters’ showing in today’s major print Pulitzer categories, competing with industry behemoths: Four wins and 13 of 27 (applicable) finalists.

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