Sunburn — The Morning Read Of What’s Hot In Florida Politics — 5.3.22

By Peter Schorsch   

Happy Tuesday morning.

Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book launched a six-figure ad buy pitching her as a battle-proven leader against Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The first ad, entitled “Mom,” highlights Book’s 5-year-old twins, Kennedy and Hudson, who inspire Book to fight in defense of Democratic values such as strong public schools, access to affordable health care, good-paying jobs, and relief from the ongoing affordability crisis.

“This past year, I led Senate Democrats in our fight to protect women’s rights and address the affordability crisis that is causing so much pain for families,” says Leader Book in the 30-second ad. “I fought for immediate relief at the pump while the Governor played politics.”

The ad blitz comes as Book faces a Primary challenger in former Broward Commissioner Barbara Sharief, her sole opponent so far in Florida’s newly mapped Senate District 35.

On Monday, Book’s campaign announced a suite of endorsements from Broward County Commissioners Steve Geller, Jared Moskowitz and Nan Rich, and former Sen. Perry Thurston. Book’s campaign also recently added several high-profile staffers, including Christian Ulvert as General Consultant.

“As a working mom, Lauren Book knows what Florida families are up against,” Ulvert said in a news release announcing the ad buy.

“Since first elected to represent Western Broward County in 2016, Leader Book has successfully fought for two expansions to Medicaid to make sure new moms and babies get the care they need, she’s battling the affordability crisis for families and successfully fought for tax relief on diapers, and leading the charge for protections for children, women’s rights, and so much more. Lauren Book is a mom, she’s a leader, and she’s the fighter Broward needs in Tallahassee.”

To watch the ad, click on the image below:

—“Broward County Commissioners, Democratic leaders back Lauren Book for re-election” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics

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Today is World Press Freedom Day, an annual UNESCO event to remind governments worldwide to respect their commitment to the free press and reinforce the values of freedom and professionalism among members of the media.

UNESCO marks World Press Freedom Day 2022 with a global conference in Punta Del Este, Uruguay. Under the theme “Journalism under Digital Siege,” the event will focus on the digital era’s impact on freedom of expression, the safety of journalists, access to information and privacy.

You don’t have to be in Uruguay to participate — the conference will be streamed online, too. Press clubs will also hold events throughout the state and nation.

PEN America will host a conversation titled “Disinformation Without Borders” at 5:30 p.m., and the National Press Club will host a panel discussing several issues, including the state of journalism in countries in turmoil, such as Ukraine.

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This week is National Travel & Tourism Week, and destinations across Florida are hosting various events and activities to spotlight the critical role that tourism will play in Florida’s economic growth in the coming years.

Congress created National Travel & Tourism Week in 1983 to elevate the economic power of travel in the U.S. This year, the 39th annual National Travel & Tourism Week arrives as the industry looks ahead to future growth and success following the challenges of the past two years.

According to Destination Florida, more than two-dozen events are in the works for cities in every corner of the state, ranging from a community cleanup event in Pensacola on May 5 to a Shrimp Festival in Amelia Island to a golf tournament in Miami.

If you happen to be in the capital city, the celebration extends into next week, when Visit Tallahassee and the Office of Economic Vitality will host a luncheon titled “Building a Stronger Economy Together.”

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

Tweet, tweet:

—@Deggans: I find that when people say, “The Media,” often they mean cable TV news. And they’re not all that familiar with the specifics of what other media outlets have done or are doing.

—@ChristinaPushaw: Today, NBC News admitted that articles by Teaganne Finn published over the past year contained plagiarized & misattributed passages. At least one such instance was in a report about Gov. DeSantis. FYI: Almost every news outlet does the same thing; where are the other apologies?

—@CrowleyReport: While @GovRonDeSantis criticizes Disney for doing business with China … this nugget from Enterprise Florida Asia-Pacific Regional Office: “China remains Florida’s most important trading partner and export destination in the region.”

Tweet, tweet:

—@JenStaletovich: At today’s brief hearing, a judge told @evergfoundation attorneys they improperly filed their request to hold @tjvl1066 in contempt of court on a motion calendar. Says they need an actual hearing with testimony and evidence to persuade him. Attorneys say they’ll refile …

Tweet, tweet: