Crist v. DeSantis, Demings faces Rubio for U.S. Senate, 25-year-old wins primary battle for Congress, FDLE makes arrests for voter fraud, and more...
August 26, 2022 — This Week's Top Stories in Florida
Welcome to the this week’s edition of Floridian Today, a newsletter about all things Florida — from politics, business, real estate, and climate. These are the most important stories in the Sunshine State that you need to know. If you’d like to sign-up to never miss an update, you can do so here:
Here’s what is happening in Florida…
Charlie Crist secures the Democratic nomination for governor
Former Republican governor turned Democratic congressman Charlie Crist has defeated Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried in Tuesday’s Democratic gubernatorial primary to face incumbent Republican governor Ron DeSantis in November. Crist soundly defeated Fried by more than 24-percentage points and won every Florida county except three – Alachua, Bay, and Walton Counties. Crist has served in public office since 1993 when he became a state senator before becoming Florida's Education Commissioner from 2001 to 2003 and Florida Attorney General from 2003 to 2007, then ultimately, a one-term governor from 2007 to 2011. Until 2012, Crist served in public office as a Republican when he switched to the Democratic Party. He’s no newcomer to running for governor, having unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Republican governor Rick Scott in 2014 as a Democrat. Crist lost that race by 1-percentage point. Now he hopes to find success by challenging Gov. Ron DeSantis, who maintains high favorability across the state and more than a $170 million campaign war chest.. During the campaign, Crist touted his past experience as governor and focused on abortion rights, including his opposition to the state’s 15-week abortion ban. In his victory speech on Tuesday night, he pledged to sign an executive order if elected governor that would overturn the abortion law on his frist day in office. He went on the offensive after securing the Democratic nomination, labeling DeSantis as a “wannabe dictator,” criticizing his efforts to wage a culture war by undermining LGBTQ rights and combating so-called “wokeness.” Gov. DeSantis, who is rumored to run for the White House in 2024, also received criticism by the Democratic hopeful for ignoring the needs of Floridians and instead choosing to focus on his speculated campaign for president. Crist cited DeSantis’ recent travels to California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Mexico to fundraise and campaign for others. Regardless of the attacks by Democrats, DeSantis is a formidable opponent in the race for governor, not only for his ability to attract campaign donations, but for his strong national profile and polls that show the current governor is a favorite among voters.
It’s Demings v. Rubio in Florida’s senate race
Democratic Congresswoman Val Demings clinched the Democratic nomination in Florida’s U.S. Senate primary election on Tuesday, becoming the candidate to take on incumbent Republican Senator Marco Rubio. Demings unsurprisingly cruised to victory with 84% of the vote as the best-known and funded candidate for her party’s nomination in the race. Rep. Demings was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2016, following her tenure as the first female chief of the Orlando Police Department from 2007 to 2011. She represents the Orlando area in Congress. Demings’ fundraising totals have exceeded $48 million in donations, more than Rubio’s $36 million, but the incumbent senator has won two previous statewide races by comfortable leads. He is well-known across Florida, maintains a strong campaign operation, and polls show the Republican beating Demings by several points.
Crist to DeSantis supporters: ‘I don’t want your vote’
Less than 24 hours of becoming the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, Charlie Crist shared some harsh words for supporters of Gov. Ron DeSantis. Speaking to the press on Wednesday morning, Crist told supporters of his Republican opponent, “I don't want your vote,” criticizing DeSantis’ efforts to sow division in the state and being critical of those who stand behind his platform of “hate.” "Those who support the governor should stay with him and vote for him. And I don't want your vote. If you have that hate in your heart, keep it there," Crist said. He further added that he is only interested in support from those who "care about our state," including "Good Democrats, good independents,[and] good Republicans." Crist went on to denounce DeSantis’ lack of “compassion” and “decency,” drawing a contrast between himself and his opponent. "The guy is anti-democracy, I'll be pro-democracy, he's anti-women, I'll be pro-women. He's anti-African American. I'm pro-African American, I'm pro-Floridian. And he's against Florida.” The Democratic nominee also highlighted his campaign’s platform, focusing on expanding abortion rights and access, furthering LGBTQ+ rights, and pursuing pro-immigrant policies as the big issues.
25-year-old Gen-Z candidate wins primary for U.S. Congress
Florida could soon send the first Gen Z member of Congress to Washington, D.C. in January as the 25-year-old gun control activist defeated a crowded field to secure the Democratic nomination for the 10th Congressional District. Maxwell Frost made “social, racial, and economic justice” a centerpiece of his campaign and previously served as the national organizing director for March for Our Lives. Frost defeated Florida State Senator Randolph Bracy and former U.S. members of Congress Alan Grayson and Corrine Brown to become the Democratic nominee. Politically, he identifies as progressive, supporting the Green New Deal, making environmental justice a priority, advocating for single-payer healthcare, and pushing for prisons to be abolished. He was able to gain some high-profile endorsements, including from Senators Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, as well as Reverend Jesse Jackson. Born in January 1997, Frost would be the youngest member of Congress if successful in November against Republican Calvin Wimbush. The seat was vacated by Rep. Val Demings to run for U.S. Senate.
Charlie Crist raises $1M in first 24 hours after winning Democratic nomination
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Charlie Crist had a good 24 hours after Tuesday night’s victory over Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, raising $1 million in donations. While the sum is miniscule to DeSantis’ nine-digit fundraising totals during his year-long campaign, it's a good sign of traction that Crist needs to be competitive and get his message out in the 11-weeks until Election Day. Unlike DeSantis’ campaign that has attracted billionaire donors, Crist did not have any donations over $1 million to either his campaign or PAC.His largest one-time donation from an individual donor totals $303,000, while the American Federation of Teachers contributed $500,000 to the Democrat. The Crist campaign has just over $15 million on hand, according to finance records.
Gov. DeSantis announces 20 arrests for voter fraud
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has arrested 20 Floridians who voted in the 2020 election for violating the state’s election laws, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Thursday. All 20 individuals arrested are previously convicted felons who committed murder or felony sexual assault and are therefore ineligible to vote, but did anyway in the 2020 election. They have all been charged with voter fraud, a third-degree felony and could face up to 5 years in prison. The arrests come following investigations by the newly-created Office of Election Crimes and Security that the state legislature created and DeSantis signed into law this past Spring. Of those arrested, they mostly hailed from Miami-Dade and Broward Counties and did not have their voting rights restored when Amendment 4 was overwhelmingly passed by Florida voters in 2018. In making the announcement, DeSantis stated that the Office of Election Crimes and Security would also investigate voters who were undocumented at the time they cast their ballot in 2020.
Suspended prosecutor Andrew Warren sues Gov. DeSantis
When Governor Ron DeSantis suspended Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren on August 4 for “neglect of duty” and “incompetence,” the embattled twice-elected prosecutor vowed to fight back. Warren has filed a lawsuit against Gov. DeSantis, challenging the legal justification for his suspension and accusing the governor of abusing his authority. Gov. DeSantis suspended State Attorney Andrew Warren earlier this month after he declared that he would not prosecute individuals who violate the state’s restrictions on abortion as well as those who provide gender-transition treatment for minors. In fighting for his reinstatement, the lawsuit filed by Warren’s legal team alleges his suspension was in retaliation for his past statements opposing policies of Gov. DeSantis. Warren also stated that his previous announcements to not prosecute certain individuals are protected by the First Amendment as an elected official. He characterized these declarations as a "value[s] statement," and not an official position on how he would decide to prosecute cases, which would be evaluated on its “merits.”
Federal grant dollars flow to Tampa Bay for port and transit projects
Port Tampa Bay will be getting $12.6 million in federal grant dollars to add a new berth that will increase vessel capacity amid growing demand, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg recently announced as part of $85.8 million Florida will receive in RAISE funding. Another project that was awarded funding is a new LEED-certified transit center in downtown Clearwater that will include 16 bus bays, bicycle and scooter storage, and sustainability-focused solar panels and electric bus charging stations. That project was awarded $20 million. The financial infusion was part of last year’s infrastructure law and will come over five years. The largest portion of funding will be allocated to increase safety along the Florida East Coast Railway lines. The $24.9 million will go toward reducing train-related vehicle collisions and trespassing for nearly 200 miles of the track. Other projects in Florida include $16 million to PortMiami to add two rail tracks, three new cranes, and reconstruct the stormwater drainage system to address sea level rise. The City of St. Augustine will also see $12.3 million to improve pedestrian safety.
FAU houses students at hotels for Fall semester
The lack of affordable housing is unquestionably a leading concern across the state and with university students returning to class this month, the issue is impacting where students can live. Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in Boca Raton will be housing about 800 students at nearby hotels for the Fall semester after on-campus housing saw a 27% increase in applications for the incoming school year. The reason for the spike in demand for on-campus dorms is tied to the rising rents for off-campus housing. The average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Boca Raton is $2,174, according to Rent.com. FAU’s housing department released an email to students announcing that full capacity had been reached and would offer limited double occupancy rooms at local hotels as an alternative.
Florida spends nearly $6M for security protection for Gov. DeSantis, others
Protecting government officials and other dignitaries in Florida apparently doesn't come cheap. According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), who is tasked with providing security to the governor, first family, and visiting dignitaries to Florida, the price tag was over $5.9 million in the last fiscal year. This includes transportation, food and lodging, and agent salaries that are incurred while ensuring the safety and security of Gov. Ron DeSantis, First Lady Casey DeSantis and their children. FDLE also provides security for the governor’s mansion in Tallahassee and transportation by air using the $15.5 million, nine-passenger state plane. The cost to Florida’s taxpayers to provide this level of protection is $1.1 million more than 2019-2020 – DeSantis’ first year in office.
Tampa City Council supports increasing their pay
Tampa City Council members currently make an annual salary of $52,060, but several council members say that’s not enough. City Council members could receive a $20,000 raise as part of Mayor Jane Castor’s $1.9 million proposed budget that is set to take effect on October 1. The increase in pay would amount to a nearly 42% raise, putting the elected officials at a salary of $73,713. The raise was based on an analysis provided by the Mayor’s Office that examined current pay levels with other comparable cities in the country. The increase will be included as part of the entire FY23 budget that will be voted on by council members in September. Any changes to the proposed raise of $20,000 would have to be amended and subject to a vote by council members.
Home insurance companies drop policies due to solar panels
As if the home insurance market in Florida couldn’t get any worse, some companies are dropping customers if they install solar panels on their homes. When some homeowners install solar panels on their roofs, a trend is occurring with insurance providers dropping them and canceling their policies, leaving Floridians having to scramble to find alternative insurers. Fewer property insurance providers are even covering solar panels in the first place and for many insurers that do, they are no longer writing new policies. It is believed that insurance companies may be canceling coverage related to solar panels because of a provision contained in some Florida Power and Light contracts that places responsibility on the homeowner for any damage caused by the panels to the electrical grid. However, critics argue that solar panels pose no risk to the utility grid. Industry insiders also say insurers are discontinuing policy for net-metering, which allows homeowners to sell the extra power their panels generate back to the utility company. While the exact cause for this increasing trend is unknown, it is nevertheless suspicious and could be political or a testament to the power major electric companies possess.
Counties with the most native Floridians
In the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic that brought remote work to the forefront and a desire among millions to move elsewhere, Florida has been one of the hottest states in the nation to attract new residents. People left pricey, densely populated cities like New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco to move where it’s less expensive and warmer – Florida was a natural choice for many. In analyzing national migration, data journalism company Stacker compiled a list of counties in the Sunshine State with the highest number of native Floridians. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, these counties were ranked by the highest percentage of born-and-bred Florida residents. At number one was rural Gadsden County, located in the panhandle, slightly north west of Tallahassee, with a population of 45,787, nearly 73%, or 33,338 of these residents were born in Florida. At number two was Liberty County, also located in the panhandle, with 72.3% of their 8,333 residents being born in the state. The remaining counties in the top five were all located in rural north Florida and had population’s below 29,000 residents. As for the more populous counties, 48.4% of Duval’s 948,651 population were native Floridians, while more than 55% of Hillsborough County’s residents were from another state. Broward County had a greater share of its population born in another country – over 34% – and 27.2% were born in a different state. Orange County and Pinellas County had 34.7% and 33.3% born-and-bred in the Sunshine State, respectively.
Inflation’s impact on infrastructure projects
Infrastructure projects to repair crumbling roads, aging bridges, and erect new buildings have been met with a series of challenges including labor shortages, supply chain disruptions, and inflation. State and local officials in Florida have been forced to delay or scale back projects as they prioritize needs in a turbulent environment replete with soaring costs for raw materials and substantial wait times. The value of federal dollars from the $1 trillion infrastructure law signed by President Biden has greatly diminished as inflation remains high month-over-month. In Tampa Bay, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has avoided any major disruptions in project plans or contractor awards, but bids have surpassed previous estimates and suppliers have shortened the window on their guaranteed maximum prices. FDOT is also allowing some contractors to push back the start of a project to allow them to obtain the required materials. Contractors have seen wait times to procure necessary materials and goods quadruple, causing some of Tampa’s road projects to be delayed by a couple months to allow for supplies to be delivered, stockpiled, and ready to use. Similarly, as Tampa International Airport is in the midst of a multi-billion dollar expansion, the airport has seen its plan for the addition of a fifth airside increase 14% with steel and aluminum costs going up.
Bay County secures $10M for new sports complex
A 33-acre multi-million dollar is coming to Bay County after commissioners approved financing for a $10 million loan for the project. The new Southport Sports Complex will cost $11 million in total, with $1 million coming from impact fees. The sports complex will be more than four times larger in size than the current space and feature seven ball fields. County officials expect the project to attract youth sports teams and tournaments from across the region. The complex will be located along Highway 77 and is slated to open by the end of 2024.
High-rise buildings approved for downtown Lakeland
Lakeland City Commissioners unanimously voted to move forward with plans to add mixed-use high-rise buildings to downtown Lakeland that will increase density and opportunity to the area. The 17-acre property will transform into a mixed-use complex for commercial, retail and residential space on the current parking lot of The Ledger, the daily newspaper serving Lakeland. The development plans propose five- to seven-story buildings at a height of 120 feet and will include a parking garage along Lime Street. The mixed-use retail and residential building will provide up to 500 multi-family apartments with the entire site connecting to existing pedestrian and bike paths.
Four Florida cities make the list for the most humid places in the U.S.
It’s no secret to anyone that Florida is humid. Straddled by the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean, the summer’s of Florida’s subtropical climate are characteristic of a swamp and the winter’s are damp. Recently, research company House Method carried out a survey to rank the most humid cities in the nation. Unsurprisingly, Florida had four cities appear in the top 15, but where these cities are located may catch many by surprise. Highest on the list was Gainesville, appearing at number seven, with 89% average annual relative humidity. Next on the list was Fort Myers at number 13 and Jacksonville at 14, both with an average relative humidity at 88%. Rounding out the list was Orlando as the 15 most humid city in the United States. The number one title for steamiest city goes to Lake Charles, Louisiana.
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