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Gary Fineout's must-read briefing on what's hot, crazy or shady about politics in the Sunshine State | | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Hello and welcome to Wednesday. Proclamation — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called it a “win for the ages.” And it was. Historic. A landslide. An election that has rendered Florida Democrats as an afterthought and one that raises serious questions about the viability of that party in the near future. Everywhere — DeSantis’ nearly 20-point win was part of a Republican sweep up and down across the ballot. It was a far cry from 2018 when both DeSantis and Rick Scott barely edged out their opponents in elections that ultimately went to a recount. Context — DeSantis shattered Jeb Bush’s record as the best win for a GOP governor in modern history. And his dominating performance flipped counties such as Miami-Dade, Osceola and Palm Beach that had backed Democrats in recent years. Democratic nominee Charlie Crist only won four out of 67 counties. Take a bow — As DeSantis — now a top presidential contender for 2024 — put it during his jubilant victory speech: “We have rewritten the political map.” Across the board — Sen. Marco Rubio also had a big night, dispatching Rep. Val Demings with ease with a 16-point win. DeSantis' power play with the Legislature on redistricting resulted in the GOP picking up four congressional seats in the state. All three Republicans on the Cabinet easily won as well. And Republicans now command super majorities in the Florida Legislature in an election that saw several Democratic incumbents get ousted. Shift — “To be honest I have enjoyed our battleground status because it makes campaigning a lot of fun,” said Christian Ziegler, vice chairman of the Republican Party of Florida moments after DeSantis had come out to thunderous applause at the Tampa Convention Center. “But right now I think what you saw tonight is Florida officially moved from a battleground state to a conservative state. That’s what we saw tonight. This was a big win.” Nothing to see here — For Democrats, there was little to cheer about. Maxwell Alejandro Frost won the race for Florida’s 10th Congressional District and becomes the first member of Generation Z to head to Congress. But the losses elsewhere were plentiful. The blame game and post-loss analysis is already underway. Lack of support — In a memo shared with reporters on Tuesday, Manny Diaz, the chair of the Florida Democratic Party pointed out that national Democratic groups had spent just $1.35 million in the state during this year’s elections compared to nearly $59 million in 2018. Yes, but … — Promises to match Republicans in field operations and voter registration again failed to materialize. And DeSantis’ actions on Covid-19 and education and other areas clearly resonated with voters while Democrats had no convincing counter message. Kevin Cate, a consultant who worked on Nikki Fried’s bid for governor, put it this way on Twitter: “At the rate Florida is going, an NPA candidate for governor may have a better shot than a Democrat in 2026. It's that bad. Complete collapse. We either reset or go extinct.” Greetings from Tampa where now that the election is over — there’s a storm threatening to hit the state as a hurricane by Thursday. — WHERE'S RON? — Gov. DeSantis is expected to be in Tallahassee monitoring the approach of Tropical Storm Nicole. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch: gfineout@politico.com |  | CAMPAIGN MODE | |
DRUBBING — DeSantis wins big, with an eye toward 2024 , by POLITICO’s Matt Dixon and Gary Fineout: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis swiftly trounced Democrat Charlie Crist on Tuesday night, a win that will shape Florida politics likely for years and sets the Republican governor up for a probable 2024 presidential run. DeSantis defeated Crist by a nearly 20 percent margin — 59 to 40 — a stunning margin that was the widest margin in a Florida gubernatorial race since Jeb Bush won by nearly 13 points in 2002. DeSantis also won the Democratic stronghold of Miami-Dade County, another first for Republicans since Bush did it that same year.
— “ DeSantis rides huge boost in Hispanic support to historic Miami-Dade victory ,” by McClatchy D.C.’s Ben Wieder and Sheridan Wall | 
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his wife, Casey, at an election night party in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday, Nov. 8. | Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo |
THE NEXT TURN — “ Florida Gov. DeSantis’ victory secures star status. Next up: When to run for president ,” by Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas: “Fresh off a commanding reelection and a sweeping party victory, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis now moves full throttle into the next stage of his ambitious political career and faces a question everyone in his orbit is asking: When does he announce his run for president? How that plays out has repercussions for both DeSantis’ future in politics and for Florida, which has never had a sitting governor seek the nation’s top job.”
BUT OH BY THE WAY — “ Trump says it would be a mistake for DeSantis to run for the White House in 2024 ,” by Wall Street Journal’s Alex Leary: “On Saturday in Pennsylvania, [former President Donald] Trump rapped him as “Ron DeSanctimonious” though he didn’t use the nickname the following day in Miami or at the final rally Monday near Dayton, Ohio. ‘I don't know that he’s running,’ Mr. Trump said of the 2024 presidential race. ‘I think if he runs he could hurt himself very badly.’ Mr. Trump remains the party’s heavyweight but [Gov. Ron] DeSantis has built a national reputation and fundraising juggernaut. Republicans who know the Florida governor well say he is seriously considering running for president, reluctant to give into demands to wait his turn. Mr. DeSantis’s campaign didn’t respond to a request for comment. ‘I think he would be making a mistake,’ Mr. Trump said. ‘I think the base would not like it.’” — Trump says he voted for DeSantis in the Florida governor’s race , by POLITICO’s Kelly Hooper ROMP — Rubio beats Demings to secure a 3rd term in the Senate , by POLITICO’s Gary Fineout: Sen. Marco Rubio won a third term in the Senate on Tuesday after defeating Democrat Rep. Val Demings in a key race that saw the candidates clash on abortion, gun rights and President Joe Biden. Rubio’s victory keeps him in contention for a possible 2024 presidential bid while also giving him a pathway for a major role in the Senate if Republicans regain control following the midterms. Rubio (R-Fla.) currently serves as vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee. “I am more energized and excited about working in the Senate than I’ve been at any other time,” Rubio said during his victory speech. “I believe we’re on the cusp of a new generation of leadership in this Republican party that will restore common sense.” | 
Caroline Amenabar/POLITICO | | | | | NEW AND IMPROVED POLITICO APP: Stay up to speed with the newly updated POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. With a fresh look and improved features, the sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don’t miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need, reimagined. Already a POLITICO app user? Upgrade today! DOWNLOAD FOR iOS – DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID . | | | | | WIDENING THE GAP — Republicans take supermajorities in Florida House and Senate , by POLITICO’s Matt Dixon: The GOP had huge wins up-and-down the ballot, including in nearly every contested legislative race, putting Democrats in a position in both the Florida House and Senate to have nearly no power. Democrats now can’t use chamber rules and administrative maneuvers to slow down the legislative agenda of Republican majorities, which will very likely focus on boosting Gov. Ron DeSantis’ national profile ahead of a likely 2024 presidential bid. “Tonight was historic. Voters have endorsed Republican leadership and will send the most diverse majority ever to the Florida House,” said House Speaker-designate Paul Renner. ADD IT UP — DeSantis, conservatives score more Florida school board wins , by POLITICO’s Andrew Atterbury: Five out of six school board members endorsed by Gov. Ron DeSantis won their runoffs Tuesday, results that deliver the Republican governor a total of 24 wins out of 30 local education candidates he backed this year. Led by DeSantis, the GOP in Florida — and Democrats to a lesser extent — pumped thousands of dollars into campaign donations and offered up political endorsements during the midterms to help score school board seats. Those efforts have led to reshaped boards in key areas such as Sarasota and Miami-Dade counties, which now have more Republicans elected to local education posts. BIG WINNER — Ashley Moody to remain Florida attorney general , by POLITICO’s Arek Sarkissian: Republican Ashley Moody will remain as Florida’s attorney general after she beat Democrat and former prosecutor Aramis Ayala. Moody beat Ayala with more than 60 percent of the vote counted in Tuesday’s election in a race that heavily favored the Republican incumbent. Ayala mounted a campaign against Moody that connected her with decisions made by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis that have drawn criticism from Democrat voters, including redrawing a congressional district held by Rep. Al Lawson (D-Fla.) to favor Republican candidates. FLIPPED BACK TO GOP — Simpson wins agriculture commissioner race , by POLITICO’s Bruce Ritchie: “Republican state Senate President Wilton Simpson on Tuesday defeated Naomi Esther Blemur for agriculture commissioner, forcing the Democratic Party out of the last statewide office it held in Florida. With nearly 7 million votes counted, Simpson, an industrial egg farmer from Trilby, had received 59 percent of the vote compared with 41 percent for Blemur, a member of the Miami-Dade Democratic Executive Committee and managing director of B. L. Consulting. A DEFEAT FOR ‘BIG AL’ — Dunn beats Lawson in Florida’s only incumbent-on-incumbent race, by POLITICO’s Gary Fineout: The battle between [Rep. Neal] Dunn and [Rep. Al] Lawson was the only incumbent-on-incumbent matchup in Florida. The loss could end the political career of the 74-year-old Lawson, which spans decades and stretched back to a time when Democrats were in firm control of the state. He opted to challenge Dunn even though the once-a-decade redistricting process placed him in a seat that went for President Donald Trump over Joe Biden by 11 points in 2020. HEADED TO D.C. — “ 25-year-old Florida Democrat secures Generation Z’s first House seat, ” by New York Times’ Maggie Astor: “[Maxwell Alejandro Frost]’s victory means that the next Congress will include one member of Generation Z, whose oldest members were born in 1997 and are newly eligible for the House, which has a minimum age of 25. The other Gen Z candidate on the ballot on Tuesday, Karoline Leavitt, a Republican, lost in New Hampshire’s First Congressional District. ‘The perspective I bring as a young person, as a young Black person, as a young Black Latino person from the South, is important,’ Mr. Frost said in an interview with The New York Times late Tuesday night. But he added that he saw himself as ‘a small piece of a really big puzzle’ composed of members of Gen Z who are becoming more influential in many areas of society.” — “ Republican congresswoman Maria Elvia Salazar beats Taddeo, wins reelection in Miami ,” by Miami Herald’s Joey Flechas and David Ovalle — “ Election Day 2022: Laurel Lee wins new Congressional District 15, incumbents sweep Polk ,” by The Ledger’s Sara-Megan Walsh — “ Anna Paulina Luna defeats Eric Lynn, flipping CD 13 red ,” by Florida Politics’ Kelly Hayes — “ Jared Moskowitz beats Trump backer Joe Budd in race to replace U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch ,” by Palm Beach Post’s Jane Musgrave — “ Cory Mills flips CD 7 red with win over Karen Green ,” by Florida Politics’ Jacob Ogles VIEW FROM MAR-A-LAGO — Trump’s biggest midterm bets don’t pay out, by POLITICO’s Meredith McGraw: It was meant to be a crowning evening for the former president, a chance to show that he remained the axis around which the Republican Party still orbited. It ended up a night of missed opportunities and disappointments — and rumblings of unrest within the party. ‘Watching them here’ — But as the results began trickling in at Mar-a-Lago, the site of his most recent legal troubles, the party took a turn. A tropical storm barreled toward the east coast of Florida, forcing some in the press to flee for the airport and a quick flight out. Then, a different type of storm — a Republican wave — failed to materialize. [Former President Donald] Trump was left without the triumph he was hoping for. “Interesting evening,” he said to reporters before giving an update to the crowd on how some key Senate candidates were faring so far. “There are some races that are hot and heavy, and we’re all watching them here.” — “ Florida constitutional amendments: Voters fall short for property tax cuts ,” by Tampa Bay Times’ Kirby Wilson and Dan Sullivan — “ Brevard voters vote in favor of increasing school tax rate to support pay raises ,” by Florida Today’s Ralph Chapoco — “ Orange County voters say no to transportation sales tax, yes to rent control ,” by Orlando Sentinel’s Stephen Hudak
| | ...HURRICANE HOLE... | |
HERE IT COMES — “ Nicole approaches hurricane strength, prompts evacuation orders as it heads toward Florida east coast ,” by Orlando Sentinel’s Richard Tribou: “Thousands of Floridians are under evacuation orders as a strengthening Tropical Storm Nicole is forecast to become Hurricane Nicole before making landfall on Florida’s east coast early Thursday morning, and hurricane warnings are now in place from the Volusia-Flagler county line south to Boca Raton, according to the National Hurricane Center.”
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MOVING FORWARD — “ Federal court allows race-discrimination lawsuit claims in congressional redistricting lawsuit ,” by The Tributary’s Andrew Pantazi: “A three-judge panel agreed Tuesday to allow voters to sue Florida’s secretary of state, claiming the state’s congressional redistricting plan discriminated against Black voters. The opinion said the group of five voters and three organizations, including Common Cause Florida, FairDistricts Now and the Florida State Conference of the NAACP, had made a sufficient allegation that could constitute racial discrimination if true. This federal lawsuit, alleging the state violated the 14th and 15th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, is separate from another lawsuit alleging the state also violated the Florida Constitution’s Fair Districts provisions.”
| | DATELINE D.C. | |
MORE INTRIGUE — “ Trump touts Scott as ‘likely candidate’ to replace McConnell as Senate leader ,” by The Hill’s Alexander Bolton: “Former President Trump said he will force Senate Republicans to replace Sen. Mitch McConnell (Ky.) as their leader if he wins the presidency in 2024 and endorsed Sen. Rick Scott (Fla.) as a “likely candidate” for the job. In an interview Monday night with Fox News Digital aboard his private plane after holding a rally in Dayton, Ohio, for Senate candidate J.D. Vance, Trump slammed McConnell as a ‘lousy leader.’”
| | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | |
WHAT’S IN YOUR WALLET? — “ UF president-elect’s $1 million contract sent to state board of governors for approval ,” by The Gainesville Sun’s Gershon Harrell: “University of Florida’s president-elect Ben Sasse stands to make millions if approved by the Florida Board of Governors this week. A proposed contract obtained by The Gainesville Sun shows that U.S. Sen. Sasse, R-Neb., will make an annual base salary of $1 million, along with several incentives that would increase his total compensation. The contract, which the board will vote on Wednesday, calls for a five-year term beginning on Feb. 6, 2023. The 15-page document shows Sasse's base salary will increase by 4% “on a going-forward basis” if the university has achieved all short-term and long-term goals outlined by Sasse and the board of trustees.”
| | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | |
BIRTHDAYS: Former Florida Gov. and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham
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