Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 10.5.26 — Burnin’ today: Ella, Thiele, Donalds & Jolly, Amendment 3, ICE, Cammack, AI & the Rays

Sunburn — the news you need to succeed in Florida politics. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

From: Extensive Media Enterprises Good Monday morning. For the first time in the 14 years I have been publishing these birthday messages about our daughter, Ella Joyce, I want to say that she has two full-time working parents. The moment Ella was placed in Michelle's arms, my wife knew her No. 1 job would be raising this very special young lady. She left her career in campaigns and public affairs to be a full-time mother. This year Michelle went back to work. She is running Charlie Crist's campaign for St. Petersburg Mayor. I don't know how that campaign will turn out. With two parents going full bore on the campaign trail, Ella has somehow blossomed even more this past year. Ella Joyce Schorsch turns 14, growing into her own voice while politics remains the family business. She is a strong-willed, deep-thinking, creative, kind, and emotional teenager. She used to be shy and reluctant to speak in public. Now she is often at her mother's side at campaign events. Sometimes she speaks to the crowd. She is still our little girl. She still enjoys playing in her room, riding her horse, laughing, listening to music, and screaming at the top of her lungs about some heartthrob she's obsessed with. Thank you for allowing us to share a part of our daughter with you. Many of you have watched her grow up. This past year, she has been at Crist campaign events, at the White House Christmas party, and in the St. Pete Pride Parade. She is rightly embarrassed that her parents have Charlie's face on a 10-foot banner in front of her home. She knows politics is the family business. She will never admit it, but she is destined to do great, great things, probably in the public sphere. We could not be prouder of her. ___ Here’s some more news we are particularly happy to share: Our good friend Herbie Thiele is betting on himself. After years as a partner at Sachs Media — and nearly two decades working at the intersection of communications, politics and public policy — Herbie is launching Herbie Thiele Consulting, his own government affairs and strategic advisory shop. “I have worked in and around the legislative process for my entire career, closely observing how issues move and how lobbyists build support for their clients,” he says. Herbie Thiele bets on himself, launching a government affairs and strategic advisory firm bearing his name. If you know Herbie, the move makes perfect sense. “Along the way, I have embraced what I’m genuinely good at, and love doing — connecting communications strategy with policy outcomes,” he says. There are plenty of good lobbyists in Tallahassee. There are plenty of good communicators, too. What has always made Herbie valuable is that he understands both sides of the equation. Herbie will lobby before the Legislature, bringing 18 years of experience on financial, water and local government issues to the new venture. And he isn’t exactly leaving the family: He’ll remain affiliated with Sachs Media, co-locating there and serving as of counsel. Senate Majority Leader Jim Boyd calls Herbie “a person of integrity who knows how to navigate the process and build support for issues.” Sunburn loves a good personnel note, but we like this one a little more than most. Ron Sachs, his former employer and longtime mentor, put it well: “This next step is a natural one for him.” We agree. Herbie has the relationships, instincts and chops to make this work. Congratulations, our friend. Go crush it. ___ Brian Clark, Budget Chief of the Florida House Health Care Budget Subcommittee for the past eight years, is joining PinPoint Results, the Tallahassee lobbying and grants consulting firm, to handle appropriations advocacy for its clients. Clark has spent 30 years in public service, most of it in healthcare financing and Medicaid funding. He worked in the Medicaid office at the Agency for Health Care Administration before PinPoint President and Partner Robert Beck, then the Governor's Budget Director, brought him into the Office of Policy and Budget two decades ago. Brian Clark takes three decades of public service and budget expertise to PinPoint Results. "Brian is a budget unicorn, incredibly knowledgeable across all areas of Florida's budget, and importantly, a genuinely good and decent human being, making him a perfect fit with our firm," Managing Partner Tanya Jackson said. Speaker-designate Sam Garrison has worked with Clark for years. "Brian Clark has been a great friend and an incredible asset to the Florida House, and I congratulate him in his new role with the PinPoint Team," Garrison said. Clark joins a team that includes Beck, Jackson, Jason Maine, Bryan Cherry, former House Speaker Pro Tempore Marti Coley, Andrea Gheen, and Vance Coley.

Situational awareness   —@RealDonaldTrump: Following the Historic White House Accord on Super Intelligence, where the World's most important Technology Companies came together and confirmed their responsibilities to the American People, I am announcing the formation of the Super Intelligence Force (SIF). The Super Intelligence Force is tasked with coordinating the effort of the Federal Government to ensure that America continues to lead the World in Super Intelligence, which many say is bigger than the Industrial Revolution and the Internet, and will protect the interests and improve the lives of all Americans. The Super Intelligence Force will coordinate the Federal Government's engagement with Consumers, Public Interest Groups, Religious Organizations, Critical Infrastructure Providers, and Super Intelligence Companies, and will be led by Director of National Intelligence, Jay Clayton, Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, Andrew Ferguson, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering, and Chief Technology Officer, Emil Michael, and Director of the Office of Personnel Management, Scott Kupor, and will report to the President of the United States (ME!) and the Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles. —@SenTomCotton: No one likes changing the clock, me included, but Congress has enacted permanent Daylight Saving Time multiple times before and repealed it each time once Americans experienced absurdly late sunrises in the Winter. Arkansans don’t want their kids going to school in the pitch dark, and I’ll always put Arkansas first Tweet, tweet: Tweet, tweet: Tweet, tweet: Tweet, tweet:

Days until   ‘The Social Reckoning,' with Jeremy Strong, Jeremy Allen White and Mikey Madison, premieres — 4; Associated Industries of Florida one-on-one conversations with five top-of-ticket Republicans — 7; 'VisionQuest' premieres — 9; 'The Diplomat' season 4 premieres — 10; Optional General early voting begins — 14; 'Six Kings Slam' on Netflix — 16; Florida TaxWatch Fiscal Accountability Leadership Summit begins — 16; General Election ballot request deadline — 17; Mandatory General early voting begins — 19; General Election — 29; ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ premieres — 32; ‘Wild Horse Nine’ premieres — 32; Florida Automated Vehicles Summit — 37; 'Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol' starring Johnny Depp premieres — 39; 'Paper Tiger' starring Adam Driver premieres — 39; Joe Biden’s memoir, ‘Promise Me, America’ is released — 43; New legislator training sessions — 43; Senate convenes for general organization and selection of officers — 43; ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ premieres — 46; ‘The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth,’ with Brad Pitt, directed by David Fincher and written by Quentin Tarantino, premieres — 51; ‘Madden’ premieres — 52; Committee Week #1 — 56; ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ premieres — 74; ‘Dune: Part 3,’ directed by Denis Villeneuve, premieres — 74; Committee Week #2 — 91; Committee Week #3 — 98; 'Ahsoka' season 2 premieres — 107; College Football Playoff national championship game in Las Vegas — 112; Committee Week #4 — 119; Grammys — 125; Committee Week #5 — 126; 'Remain,' directed by M. Night Shyamalan, premieres — 132; Super Bowl LXI — 132; Committee Week #6 — 133; Opening day of the 2027 Regular Legislative Session — 148; Tampa Mayoral Election — 148; ‘The Thomas Crown Affair,’ directed by and starring Michael B. Jordan premieres — 151; Oscars — 160; Jacksonville First Election — 169; Miami Marlins Opening Day/Home Opener — vs. New York Mets — 171; Tampa Bay Rays Opening Day/Home Opener — vs. Baltimore Orioles — 171; Democratic Mayors Association 2027 annual summit in Miami begins — 191; Jacksonville General Election — 225; 'Star Wars: Starfighter' premieres — 235; ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’ premieres — 243; Citrus Series — Tampa Bay Rays at Miami Marlins — 284; 'The Bluey Movie' premieres — 305; ‘Miami Vice’ reboot premieres — 305; Citrus Series — Miami Marlins at Tampa Bay Rays — 340; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres — 438; 2028 South Carolina Presidential Primary — 474; College Football Playoff national championship game in New Orleans — 476; 2028 Nevada Presidential Primary — 484; 2028 New Hampshire Presidential Primary — 491; 2028 New Mexico Presidential Primary — 498; ‘The Batman Part II’ premieres — 501; 2028 Michigan Presidential Primary — 505; 2028 Virginia Presidential Primary — 512; Oscars — 517; 'X-Men' premieres — 578; ‘Lilo & Stitch 2’ premieres — 599; 'Days of Thunder' sequel with Cruise and Anne Hathaway premieres — 606; ‘Incredibles 3’ premieres — 620; 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Opening Ceremony — 648; 'Ghost Rider' premieres — 662; 2028 U.S. Presidential Election — 764; ‘Black Panther 3’ directed by Ryan Coogler premieres — 802; College Football Playoff national championship game in Tampa — 840; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres — 1,164; College Football Playoff national championship game in Miami — 1,204; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres — 1,895.

Top story   "Democrats dream of putting Florida back in play. Are they squandering their chance?" via Steve Contorno of CNN — The money has not followed the enthusiasm. Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds and an aligned political committee had raised more than $134 million as of Sept. 25, dwarfing Democratic opponent David Jolly's $16.6 million. The various arms of the Democratic Party have largely remained on the sidelines in both statewide contests. Liberal donors have also skipped the state so far. Jolly and Democrats have purchased just $3 million of airtime, according to the campaign tracking firm AdImpact. "We're not going to be able to scale up the way he has," Jolly said. "It's a function of money. He has a lot of money." David Jolly and Byron Donalds enter the homestretch with a sizable fundraising gap separating their campaigns. With limited resources, Democrats have prioritized other battlegrounds, including a costly fight over a Texas Senate seat. "Florida is dessert," said Orlando megadonor John Morgan. "Texas is meat." Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has offered the most tangible assistance, giving Jolly's political committee $50,000 last month, a fraction of the $65 million he has funneled into his own re-election. Democratic Governors Association spokesperson Kevin Donohue said the organization is "ready to capitalize on any opportunity to make a real difference in this race in the final stretch" but stopped short of committing real dollars. Steve Schale, the veteran Democratic strategist behind Barack Obama's Florida campaigns, called his party's approach short-sighted, saying a failure to invest this November makes it harder to compete in the 2028 Presidential race. "We've had success in Florida more often than anywhere else in the Sun Belt," Schale said. As of mid-September, Jolly's political committee had received 18 donations of six figures or more. Donalds' committee reported more than 300. "I worry about an environment where he skates through with no scrutiny," Jolly said. "But we can only control what we can control."

2026   “David Jolly’s ‘Ted Lasso’ pitch collides with Byron Donalds’ cash advantage” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Jolly is pitching himself as Florida politics’ “Ted Lasso,” promising a less coarse approach while sharpening attacks on Donalds. But fundraising remains the Democrat’s biggest obstacle. Jolly raised more than $1.05 million during the week ending Sept. 25, including state matching funds and $100,000 donations from two law firms. Donalds, meanwhile, has raised more than $135 million between his campaign and political committee — roughly eight times Jolly’s total — including a recent $1 million contribution from healthcare executive Brian Colleran. Jolly insists his campaign will remain on television through Election Day, while Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried says national donors are taking a closer look. Without additional resources, however, Jolly faces an increasingly difficult paid-media battle. David Jolly is gaining momentum, but Byron Donalds still has the much bigger campaign checkbook. “Donalds’ donors hear warning: Florida race is a battle” via Alex Leary of The Wall Street Journal — Donalds’ campaign is privately confronting a tighter Governor’s race than once expected, with donors getting a candid assessment at a retreat at Miami Beach’s Fontainebleau. Donalds told supporters over a steak dinner the contest against Jolly had become a battle, while pollster Tony Fabrizio cautioned against expecting a blowout. The campaign has discussed creating modest distance from President Donald Trump to reach General Election voters, and Trump reportedly became concerned after prominent references to him disappeared from Donalds’ website. Aides reassured Trump by showing him a Donalds social media post from the Oval Office. Donalds is now emphasizing Gov. Ron DeSantis’ endorsement while planning appearances with Trump during the campaign’s closing stretch. “Jolly calls for ‘public education renaissance’ in Sarasota” via Kerry Sheridan of WUSF — Jolly used a Sarasota campaign stop to promise a “renaissance” in public education, proposing a 30% teacher pay raise and a decade of reinvestment in schools. Jolly said Florida should reconsider how roughly $1 billion in tourist development taxes are spent, arguing education faces a greater crisis than convention centers. The former Republican also pledged to restore books and fuller history instruction and reduce political influence over higher education leadership. His appearance came after Sarasota voters flipped their School Board by electing Megan Tennimon and Beth Mayberry, while Jimmy Glover heads to a runoff for the remaining seat. Jolly said changing political affiliations reflects growth, not weakness, as he campaigns against Republican Donalds for Governor in November. “Donalds, Jolly bring Governor’s race to Suncoast” via Ellie Davis of WWSB — Florida’s Governor’s race is intensifying on the Suncoast, with Donalds and Jolly sharpening contrasting messages as Election Day approaches. Donalds is touring Florida on his “Defending the Florida Dream” campaign, emphasizing low taxes, limited regulation and tough-on-crime policies while arguing Republican leadership has fueled the state’s growth. Jolly, meanwhile, used a Sarasota appearance to emphasize public education, affordability and state spending priorities, including redirecting some tourism tax revenue toward schools. Donalds is scheduled to bring his tour to Owen’s Fish Camp in Lakewood Ranch, while Jolly campaigns statewide. The race gives Southwest Florida voters an unusually close look at both nominees as they compete over Florida’s economic direction, education system and the affordability pressures confronting families. "Angie Nixon slams JD Vance after he says she doesn't 'belong in America'" via Ana Goni Lessan of The News Service of Florida — Vance told a Lakeland crowd that state Rep. Nixon doesn't "belong in America," drawing a sharp rebuke from the Democratic U.S. Senate candidate. "The most ordinary man imaginable came to my home state to tell me to 'get out of America' while he & Absent Ashley enjoyed the comfort of buildings my ancestors helped build," Nixon wrote. "Imagine standing on the shoulders of the people who built this country & then telling their descendants they don't belong here." JD Vance brings the Midterm campaign trail to Lakeland. Image via Reuters. “$1.5M hurricane campaign puts Blaise Ingoglia in election-season spotlight” via Greg Fox of WESH 2 — CFO Ingoglia is facing accusations that a nearly $1.5 million taxpayer-funded hurricane preparedness campaign doubles as election-year promotion. Democratic challenger Annette Taddeo says the television PSAs, which began airing shortly after the August Primary Election, amount to taxpayer-funded political advertising. Department of Financial Services records show Strategic Digital Services received $1,499,860 for the campaign, while the ads direct viewers to a state website featuring Ingoglia’s photo. Integrity Florida’s Ben Wilcox questioned using public money in ways that could benefit an incumbent, and UCF political scientist Aubrey Jewett said the spots skirt the line between public service and campaigning. Ingoglia’s office says the ads provide hurricane information intended to protect Floridians. “Democrats target insurers’ hidden profits in Cabinet races” via Skyler Swisher of the Orlando Sentinel — Democratic CFO candidate Annette Taddeo and Attorney General candidate José Javier Rodríguez are making insurance transparency a campaign issue after reporting uncovered a secret state-funded study of insurer finances. The 2022 analysis found that property insurers reported $432 million in losses from 2017 through 2019 while paying $1.3 billion to affiliated companies, with 20 insurers flagged for payments presumed not to be fair and reasonable. Taddeo wants insurer report cards showing claims performance and how premiums flow to affiliates. Rodríguez promises aggressive enforcement and recovery of money unfairly or illegally taken from policyholders. Republican CFO Ingoglia and Attorney General James Uthmeier counter that their records already demonstrate efforts to increase transparency and protect insurance consumers .

More elections   “Leela Gray gains ground, but Anna Paulina Luna has seen this movie before” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics — Democrat Gray is turning Florida’s 13th Congressional District into a race worth watching, with four ratings shifts toward Democrats in nine days and a $1.4 million third-quarter fundraising haul. Inside Elections now rates Luna’s seat Lean Republican, joining other forecasters seeing a tighter contest. But history offers a warning for Democrats: Luna’s previous opponents Eric Lynn and Whitney Fox posted encouraging polls and fundraising numbers before losing by roughly 9 points. Gray has one Democratic-aligned poll showing her ahead, while Luna’s internal polling gives the incumbent an 8-point advantage. Redistricting also strengthened Republicans, with Trump carrying the new District by 13 points in 2024. Leela Gray is making Anna Paulina Luna work for a seat Republicans once considered theirs safely. "Kathy Castor raises $2.5M in Q3, more than her first six quarters combined" via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics — U.S. Rep. Castor raised more than $2.5 million in the third quarter. That is more than she collected in the first six quarters of the cycle combined. The quarter pushes her total past $4.5 million from 11,901 donors. None of it is her own money. The Republican nominee is Mike Beltran, a Riverview lawyer who served three terms in the Florida House. "This quarter's fundraising sends a clear message: Tampa voters want Kathy Castor to keep fighting for them to lower costs, crack down on corruption, and stand up to the powerful interests making life more expensive for working families," said Castor Campaign Manager Sarah Green. “Castor, Mike Beltran clash as CD 14 becomes battleground” via Shauna Muckle of the Tampa Bay Times — Castor and Beltran offered voters sharply different choices during a heated radio debate in one of the nation’s few congressional toss-ups. Castor attacked Florida’s mid-decade redistricting as illegal and criticized the state’s six-week abortion ban, while Beltran defended the new map and challenged Castor’s record on abortion. The candidates also sparred over socialism, immigration and Israel, repeatedly portraying each other as outside the District’s mainstream. The stakes are unusually high for Castor, a 20-year incumbent whose once-safe Democratic seat was redrawn into a District Trump carried by more than 10 points in 2024. Beltran, a former state Representative, emerged from a crowded Republican Primary and now has a genuine opportunity to flip the Tampa-area seat. "Pia Dandiya stresses her background as an educator, but more recently worked as lobbyist for Apple" via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics — CD 21 Democratic candidate Dandiya's official biography describes her first as a "teacher, high school principal, and mom," and a campaign video labels a school library as "this educator's kind of data center." But critics say that story belongs in the fiction section. "Pia is proud of her career in both public service and the private sector — from educator and principal to her work at Apple helping schools, hospitals, and government use technology to better serve people. Trying to tie that work to data centers simply doesn't match the facts," said Madison Palmer, Dandiya's Campaign Manager. "How a provocative ad on Donald Trump and immigration stirred a House race" via Patricia Mazzei of The New York Times — To hear U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar explain it, few should have been surprised to see her in a television ad telling Trump that his immigration crackdown had "gone too far." She had been saying much of the same for months. But the ad struck a nerve, angering Trump and his allies and perhaps emboldening other Republicans hoping to distance themselves from the crackdown. Salazar won re-election to Florida's 27th Congressional District by about 20 percentage points in 2024, and Trump carried it with around 57% of the vote. Few had considered it competitive this year. The ad also boosted interest in Eliott Rodriguez, her Democratic rival, a fellow Cuban American former broadcast journalist. House Majority PAC has reserved about $4.2 million in ad spending to try to flip the seat. Former U.S. Rep. Donna Shalala, who lost to Salazar in 2020, said the cumulation of problems means Salazar is "in trouble." TO SEE MORE SUNBURN CLICK HERE

5 de octubre Cápsula de oración

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October 5 Prayer Pod

Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. – NIV

 We all want to pray but sometimes we find it difficult to begin our prayer.  Many Pastors and Ministers suggest you begin your prayer by praying back God’s words from Scripture.

These daily prayer PODs are constructed to help you in your prayer life.

October 5
Pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Lord hear Your words: John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled; You believe in God, believe also in Me. 

Lord hear my request: (Say your needs, wants, fears, thanksgivings) -  In Jesus name I pray – Amen. 

READ THE NEW TESTAMENT IN A YEAR….
Today’s Reading for October 5 Ephesians 6:5-24

To learn more about accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior click here: SALVATION CONNECTION

 

  

 

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Delegation for 10.2.26: Empty chambers — Rogue AI — beds for vets — bigger fish — Flock around

Florida lawmakers turn their attention from governing to campaigning ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Empty chambers   Congress has wrapped up business in Washington ahead of the Midterms. In its Wednesday Session, the Senate dispensed with a handful of final orders of business, with the last major roll call vote confirming Labor Secretary (and Florida lawyer) Keith Sonderling to his Cabinet post. Sens. Ashley Moody and Rick Scott both joined in a majority on that 47-41 vote. But the Senate also punted on other issues in the waning hours before an October recess. Both joined a 57-43 vote to cloture the Ratepayer Protection Act, which fell three votes short of the 60 needed to advance. Moody had co-sponsored the Senate version of that bill. Keith Sonderling starts his new job just before Congress clocks out. Image via AP. The measure, which passed the House 417-3 on Sept. 16, would require states to consider standards aimed at ensuring AI data centers cover the incremental costs of new utility infrastructure needed to serve them. Notably, Rep. Kathy Castor, a Tampa Democrat, had helped lead a bipartisan effort to get that through the lower chamber, but Senate Democrats argued it was too weak because it required states to consider such protections rather than mandate them. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the bill “feeble” and “toothless.” Another bill downed in a party-line vote? No Senate Democrats voted to invoke cloture on a stock trading ban, one all Republicans supported. Moody noted the party breakdowns. “Democrats had the opportunity to join us in restoring some faith in our government by banning members of Congress from trading stocks and protecting families from paying the costs for massive data centers, and they said NO,” the Plant City Republican said. “Instead of working to benefit the American people, Democrats chose to play politics to solicit praise from the most radical element of their base.” But after the Sonderling vote, the Senate approved several ambassadorships by unanimous consent, and Democrats agreed to limit debate so lawmakers from both parties could head home early. That allowed Moody to campaign alongside Vice President JD Vance in Lakeland on Thursday. The House, of course, has been back at home in full campaign mode for weeks. Speaker Mike Johnson canceled weeks of legislative workdays and abruptly adjourned business on Sept. 16, leaving certain work undone, including hearing a privileged impeachment resolution on War Secretary Pete Hegseth. But that, along with other bills that didn’t reach cloture, can still come up again before a new Congress is sworn in on Jan. 3. After the Nov. 3 Midterms, both chambers expect to return to Washington on Nov. 9 for a lame-duck Session. Based on current polling, it may be the last time Republicans control both chambers of Congress during President Donald Trump’s term, so there may be a race to send GOP priorities to the Oval Office quickly. If Republicans can maintain control of either or both chambers, the Session could set the tone for the next Congress. Either way, leaders will need to hold leadership discussions for the coming legislative term. For some lawmakers, the upcoming Session will mark their last opportunity to tackle priorities for their districts. Five members of Florida’s congressional delegation have already announced they will retire at the end of this Congress, and a sixth was defeated in a Primary. Voters will decide if any other sitting lawmakers will spend mid-November and December gearing up for a new year or finishing any business left undone.

Stock market invasion?   Scott doesn’t want U.S. stock exchanges used to build up China’s military capacity. The Naples Republican filed two bills this week that would direct the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to identify and stop any defense companies tied to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from trading on American markets. “Communist China’s military companies want to use U.S. markets and exchanges to fund the CCP’s efforts to attack our way of life using dollars from American investors. We can’t let that happen,” Scott said. “Communist China has chosen to be our enemy, and it’s time for Congress to act by passing these bills to protect Americans from funding an adversary which wishes to destroy us.” Rick Scott wants Chinese military companies to find another source of spending money. The Know Your Sanctioned Securities Act would require the War Department to label any securities identified as Chinese military companies, and it would create accompanying rules for the SEC to remove the modifier if an entity gets delisted. Meanwhile, the Protecting U.S. Investors from Chinese Military Companies Act would require the SEC to suspend trading in Chinese military companies that remain on the list across two consecutive annual revisions. The bill would allow the SEC to notify Congress if a company doesn’t belong on the list. It would also limit the agency to issuing regulations strictly necessary to implement suspensions and notifications and bar it from setting list criteria, expanding trading prohibitions beyond the statute, or regulating unrelated entities and transactions. Financial watchdogs like the American Securities Association (ASA) already endorsed the legislation. “When the Pentagon designates a company as a Chinese military company, that company has no business raising capital from American working families, savers, and retirees,” said Chris Iacovella, ASA President and CEO. “These CCP-controlled firms have traded freely on U.S. exchanges for years despite those designations — that's not a procedural gap; it's a strategic failure that Sen. Scott's bills fix.”

Rogue AI   Both Florida Senators had a seat at the table as a Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee held a hearing entitled “Rogue AI: Securing America against artificial intelligence agents.” Lawmakers examined increasingly capable artificial intelligence agents that can autonomously launch cyberattacks. Senators wrestled with how to guard against those threats without hamstringing U.S. development. Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri chaired the hearing and pointed to a string of recent instances in which AI agents hacked corporations and governments. Rick Scott and Josh Hawley examine AI threats that come without a human operator. “It’s time to talk about that, and it’s time to talk about what we’re going to do to hold the companies, the product makers, accountable,” Hawley said. Scott, however, said the greatest risk is letting China outpace the U.S. in AI development. “The Chinese Communist Party wants to destroy our way of life,” Scott said during the hearing, before adding that “we’ve got to continue to be competitive with AI.” Scott’s fellow Florida Republican, Moody, focused her questioning on AI-enabled fraud, risks to children and whether companies should face stronger requirements to share information and report incidents. “AI-generated deepfakes are being used against kids to bully them and in some cases extort them into harming themselves,” Moody said. TO SEE MORE OF THE DELEGATION CLICK HERE

Takeaways from Tallahassee — All pets go to heaven

Florida politics, campus milestones, community traditions and October sports converge. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

From: Extensive Media Enterprises Come on up — crawl, slither, or even hop — for a moment the whole family will cherish. Even the family pet. Today, Secretary of State Cord Byrd is inviting the whole Tallahassee community to bring their animal friends to Mission San Luis, the beautifully reconstructed 17th-century Spanish and Apalachee living history museum managed by the Florida Department of State, for the 22nd annual Blessing of Animals. All pets on leashes or in carriers are welcome from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and admission is free. "The Department is pleased to host this pet-friendly event each Fall on the grounds of Mission San Luis. Held in a reconstructed 17th-century Spanish church, this event is a long-running Tallahassee tradition that honors the site's unique story and its place in Florida history,” said Byrd. The blessing of the animals occurs near the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Franciscan order and the patron saint of animals, who believed that all animals should be treated with dignity and respect. After all, they are God’s creatures too, and in the creation story, they were created on days five and six. You’ve probably seen him in a book or at a museum, as St. Francis is one of the most venerated figures in Christianity. In art, he is often shown with animals, wearing a brown habit with a rope tied around his waist. The rope’s three knots symbolize poverty, chastity, and obedience. St. Francis was canonized by Pope Gregory IX on July 16, 1228, so yeah, he’s been around for a minute. Blessing of Animals, 2025. Image via Florida Department of State. Families who make their way down to Mission San Luis today will have their pets blessed by local clergy members in a reconstructed 17th-century church built on the very site where the original church stood more than 300 years ago. Participants will receive certificates and online photos of the blessing and their pets as a memento. If they walk around the property, they will find themed photo stations for more opportunities to take special photos with their pets. Animal organizations will also be on site, sharing information on the important work they do to support animals in Tallahassee and the surrounding communities and accepting donations of pet food and supplies for animal shelters. It’s not just blessings and holy water: The event will be fun for the kiddos, featuring pet-themed crafts and, of course, the staple living-history interpreters stationed around the Mission to answer questions about the area's history. And if you get a little peckish during all the animal fun, food vendors E's Weenies and The Copper Drip will have food and drinks available for guests to purchase. The event is being put on by Friends of Florida History, Inc., the Mission's citizen support organization, and by the State of Florida through the Division of Arts and Culture and the National Endowment for the Arts. All guests are asked to use the entrance at 2021 Mission Road as construction is occurring at the site. For more questions or information, visit MissionSanLuis.org or call (850) 245-6406 — and prepare to be bow wow WOWed. ___ Coming up, the usual assortment of news, intel, and observations from the week that was in Florida's capital city by Peter Schorsch, Drew Wilson, Drew Dixon, Liam Fineout and the staff of Florida Politics. But first, the "Takeaway 5" — the Top 5 stories from the week that was:   Take 5   War on terror? — The Florida Cabinet has approved Gov. Ron DeSantis’ push to designate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Muslim Brotherhood and Antifa as terror groups under a new state law. More than 90 federally designated foreign terrorist organizations will also be on that state list, including the Sinaloa, Noreste, and Golfo cartels, Tren de Aragua and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The designations carry the full force of state law 30 days after publication, though at least one legal controversy remains: CAIR is already challenging the designation in court, alleging violations of the First and 14th Amendments to the United States Constitution. HB 1471 created the authority for a formal designation process through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which recommended the designations ahead of the Cabinet’s meeting Tuesday. Overstep — U.S. District Judge David Leibowitz threw out a charge against Chelsea Michelle Ann Cox, a Florida resident accused of voting despite lacking U.S. citizenship. In a 31-page opinion, Leibowitz concluded that a federal prohibition on non-citizens voting couldn’t support Cox’s prosecution because the U.S. Constitution generally leaves voter eligibility to the states. Prosecutors accused Cox of knowingly voting in Broward County on Oct. 29, 2020. They filed a misdemeanor charge against her five years later. Cox is Jamaican, according to Reuters, and allegedly overstayed a tourist visa, using a fraudulent U.S. Virgin Islands birth certificate to obtain identification and register to vote. The case hinged on a 1996 federal law that generally bars noncitizens from voting in elections involving federal offices. Billions, with an S — Gov. DeSantis visited Miami for an event highlighting a new Florida campus for Carnegie Mellon University, one of the nation’s pre-eminent research institutions. Citadel founder and CEO Ken Griffin has donated $2 billion to jump-start the satellite campus in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood. Griffin is donating another $1 billion to bolster the school’s operations in Pittsburgh, where the computer-science arm will be renamed the Kenneth C. Griffin School of Computer Science. The Miami facility will focus on subjects ranging from biological discovery to national security, along with what a press release calls “energy and climate resilience,” and “advanced manufacturing and industrial transformation.” Higher caps … — U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds pledges to review Florida’s sovereign immunity caps if elected Governor in November, potentially revising a threshold last set in 2010. In cases of government negligence, limits currently restrict what local governments can be forced to pay out. Those figures are $200,000 per person and $300,000 per incident. Even reviewing the issue represents a meaningful break with DeSantis. Earlier this year, DeSantis vetoed a measure (HB 145) sponsored by a key Donalds ally, Rep. Fiona McFarland of Sarasota, which would have increased the caps to $350,000 per person and $500,000 per incident. Those numbers were lowered in bicameral negotiations to pass the bill, but they weren’t enough for DeSantis. He argued at the time that the current system “disincentivizes frivolous lawsuits.” Or lower ones? — Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Jolly says if he’s elected, he’s going to ensure that insurance companies can’t move profits out of Florida while imposing higher rates on policyholders. The money is significant, according to Jolly’s campaign and reporting. Between 2017 and 2019, property insurance companies booked $1.3 billion in affiliate net income, while claiming $432 million in losses in the Florida market. Jolly says he’d be willing to cap transfers to related companies at 20%, mirroring legislation championed by Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith that stalled in the Legislature, even as a companion bill requiring proof every three years that affiliate fees were “fair and reasonable” passed the House.   Add to your lane   On Tuesday, DeSantis made his way down to Orlando to highlight the more than $20 billion in investments to revitalize Florida’s Turnpike, which has expanded capacity along the entire 320-mile mainline from South Florida through Central Florida to I-75 in Wildwood. DeSantis also announced about $8.5 million for new food concepts, amenities, and customer services at Turnpike service plazas across the state, plus nearly $54 million to expand and improve truck parking across the system. “As Florida has grown, we have made major investments in our transportation infrastructure to reduce congestion and improve our roadways,” DeSantis said. “We’ve made significant investments in expanding lane capacity to relieve congestion all along the Turnpike. Today, I announced an additional investment to improve 19 restaurants and retail locations across six Turnpike service plazas. We will keep working to ensure that our roadways are safer, more convenient, and better-maintained than ever before.” Funds are flowing to one of Florida's top thoroughfares. FDOT’s transformational plan includes widening the entire 320-mile Turnpike Mainline from South Florida to I-75 in Wildwood. Every section of the Mainline across the state will be expanded to six or more lanes. Once it’s complete, the improvements will add more than 965 lane miles of capacity to help reduce congestion. On paper, that gives families and drivers less time in traffic on the way to Disney World. “Transportation plays a direct role in the quality of life of Floridians, connecting people to jobs, opportunities, and the communities they call home. The Turnpike System is a vital part of this, which is why we’ve made significant investments to continue expanding the Mainline,” said FDOT Secretary Jared W. Perdue. Ongoing Turnpike Mainline improvements also include the widening from State Road (S.R.) 50 in Clermont to Hancock Road in Minneola, completed in June 2026, and the widening from the Dolphin Expressway (S.R. 836) to N.W. 106th Street in Miami-Dade County, completed in February 2024. The next section from N.W. 106th Street to I-75 recently opened to traffic.   Double whammy   Gov. DeSantis and Attorney General James Uthmeier have announced the arrests of 20 people for election fraud. Uthmeier said the busts resulted from investigations by the Office of Election Crimes and Security and the Election Integrity Unit. Most of the arrests involved foreign nationals, but about one-fifth of them were felons who were stripped of their voting rights upon conviction of crimes. Uthmeier said a dozen of the suspects have already been arrested. Officials are rounding up the remaining suspects. “If you’re going to cheat, we’re going to get you,” Uthmeier said, noting that most lied on registration forms and then voted. Both are felonies. “I view these elections crimes among the most dangerous in our country,” Uthmeier said. “It challenges our American sovereignty.” The AG and Governor rounded up a score of suspected illegal voters. DeSantis used the news conference at Palm Beach State College to promote election reforms in Florida since the 2000 debacle. That’s when the entire Presidential Election came down to several hundred votes in Palm Beach County after audits and recounts found multiple problems with ballots and vote counting. “Florida has done more than any other state in the country to ensure the integrity of elections; it’s not even close,” DeSantis said. “We’ve come a long way in Florida … and I know in 2000 nobody would have predicted that.” DeSantis said the Office of Election Crimes and Security was a key development in the evolution of election integrity when it was established in 2022. More than 100 voter fraud prosecutions have occurred since that office was founded. DeSantis acknowledged that some people are skeptical about the breadth of voter fraud in Florida. But he insisted it’s a serious issue. “I know there are other states in the country that allow violations of the law,” DeSantis said. “We believe this matters.”   Wheels on the bus   Attorney General Uthmeier has opened an investigation into the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA). Uthmeier's prosecutors issued a subpoena to interim CEO Cleveland Ferguson for records related to tuition reimbursements and internal management communications, according to a Florida Times-Union report. The probe comes after JTA laid off 194 employees to address a $39 million budget shortfall. Ferguson has told the JTA Board of Directors that Uthmeier's Office of Statewide Prosecution is seeking documents spanning Oct. 1, 2023, through Oct. 21, 2025, with additional requests extending into 2026, the Times-Union reported. Investigators are also examining JTA's relationship with a development firm that does business with the agency, including connections between outgoing CEO Nat Ford, his spouse and the firm. Jacksonville City Council Member Rory Diamond raised concerns about the probe on social media Tuesday. James Uthmeier is on the case. "Now JTA (is) hit with criminal subpoenas," Diamond wrote on Facebook. "The taxpayers, riders, and the decent people fired by JTA last week deserve answers and accountability. We've got to do better than this." JTA told Florida Politics the agency is responding appropriately to the probe. "The Jacksonville Transportation Authority has received a subpoena from the State Attorney General’s Office and is prepared to fully cooperate. The JTA remains committed to transparency and accountability and will provide information as requested throughout this process," a JTA spokesperson said. The subpoena adds to a turbulent stretch for JTA. Beyond the September layoffs, the agency is pausing its Skyway elevated people mover Nov. 2, and its autonomous NAVI vehicle service Dec. 31. JTA is also restructuring bus routes citywide, including changes to the First Coast Flyer rapid transit system, with some routes shifting from 30-minute to hourly frequencies.   Made lands   TO SEE MORE TAKAWAYS FROM TALLAHASSEE CLICK HERE