| | | | |  | | By Kimberly Leonard | |  Simpson, pictured above, received 65 percent of the vote compared to 35 percent for Shaw, according to early returns. | Phil Sears/AP Photo | Good morning and welcome to Tuesday. The 2026 gubernatorial race could be a face off among several Florida elected officials with lots of zeroes to their names. Yesterday was the deadline for Florida elected officials to post paperwork with the Commission on Ethics detailing their net worth, stock holdings, real estate and debt. The disclosures only go up to December 31, 2023, and don’t have to include spouse’s finances. Playbook looked through the paperwork filed by eight prospective gubernatorial candidates. The list includes only Florida state officials and legislators eyeing a gubernatorial run — not, for instance, members of Congress like Republican Reps. Matt Gaetz, Byron Donald and Mike Waltz, whose federal disclosures are due at a different time. It turns out Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson is ahead of other Republican prospects not only in the fundraising game, but also has the highest net worth among those in his party that are also eyeing a run. The disclosures show he has a net worth of nearly $17 million, with much of his wealth coming from his egg business. His wealth dropped by $3.7 million from the year before. Simpson, a former Florida Senate president, visited former President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago last week ahead of the presidential debate. Trump endorsed Simpson when he ran for agriculture commissioner in 2021, and the former president has made it clear he plans to try to influence Florida’s gubernatorial election in 2026. Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis has a net worth of almost $8.2 million, largely acquired through his stake in Capt. Anderson’s, his family’s famous seafood restaurant in Panama City Beach. His wealth is roughly $1 million more than it was the year prior. Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez has a net worth of under $2.1 million, a large chunk of which is tied to her three different properties or held in index funds. But the wealthiest prospective gubernatorial candidate is over on the Democratic side. Incoming Senate Minority Leader Jason Pizzo, a former assistant state attorney, has a net worth of $59 million, more than half of which comes from the estate of his father, a developer who passed away in 2021. Pizzo also has several partnerships in real-estate investments. (His wealth, however, is still nowhere close to that of Sen. Rick Scott, who was the predecessor of Gov. Ron DeSantis.) Among other Democrats interested in running for governor are Florida Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, who has a net worth of almost $4.4 million. Book has almost $2 million in stocks in dozens of companies, including Johnson & Johnson, the Walt Disney Co. and Alphabet, the parent company of Google. Meanwhile, Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell has a net worth of nearly $500,000, the bulk of which is tied into her home. State Sen. Shevrin Jones, who’s been invited to the White House on several occasions, has a net worth of just $18,000 after factoring in house and car payments. One filing wasn't yet posted. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody’s has been submitted, but it’s not posted online yet because certain private information has to be redacted. COMING UP: Playbook will be on the ground at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Send tips to kleonard@politico.com about Florida-focused get togethers, speaking slots and anything else of interest to our readers.
| | | | THE GOLD STANDARD OF POLICY REPORTING & INTELLIGENCE: POLITICO has more than 500 journalists delivering unrivaled reporting and illuminating the policy and regulatory landscape for those who need to know what’s next. Throughout the election and the legislative and regulatory pushes that will follow, POLITICO Pro is indispensable to those who need to make informed decisions fast. The Pro platform dives deeper into critical and quickly evolving sectors and industries—finance, defense, technology, healthcare, energy—equipping policymakers and those who shape legislation and regulation with essential news and intelligence from the world’s best politics and policy journalists.
Our newsroom is deeper, more experienced, and better sourced than any other—with teams embedded in the world’s most active legislative and regulatory power centers. From Brussels to Washington, New York to London, Sacramento to Paris, we bring subscribers inside the conversations that determine policy outcomes and the future of industries, providing insight that cannot be found anywhere else. Get the premier news and policy intelligence service, SUBSCRIBE TO POLITICO PRO TODAY. | | | | | |  | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | A+ — “Florida’s latest test scores show key improvements in reading,” reports POLITICO’s Andrew Atterbury. “Florida students performed better on key state assessments in reading this year compared to last, according to new data released Monday by the Department of Education. In the second year of Florida’s ‘progress monitoring’ testing, students notably improved on third-grade English/language arts exams that are a barometer for gauging reading comprehension.” AMENDMENT 4 — “ACLU questions panelists appointed to assess costs of Florida abortion ballot measure,” reports POLITICO’s Arek Sarkissian. “The Financial Impact Estimating Conference ended its Monday meeting undecided on how to address the cost of a ballot initiative that seeks to abolish Florida’s recently tightened abortion restrictions. But the differences were more than just issues such as adding the costs of enforcing the law, and potential increases in spending related to criminal justice, education and health care. The ACLU of Florida questioned if two of the appointees should have even been there in the first place.” NEW LAW CHALLENGED — “Stripper, adult establishments sue Florida government over new age restriction,” reports Douglas Soule of USA Today Network — Florida. “A 19-year-old Florida stripper is suing the state, alleging a new law raising the age requirements for her profession not only made her lose her job but also violated her constitutional rights. The law took effect Monday, the same day the lawsuit was filed. It requires those working at strip clubs and other adult entertainment establishments to be at least 21 years old. Employers found in violation could face criminal penalties. Joining her in the lawsuit, which is before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, are strip clubs and a lingerie store.” TELL ME WHY —“Why does DeSantis veto Republican proposals? A breakdown,” by the Tampa Bay Times’ Kirby Wilson. “To better understand why DeSantis sometimes clashes with what should otherwise be considered a reliable ally — the GOP-controlled Legislature — The Tampa Bay Times analyzed each of the 47 policy bills killed by the governor since he first took office … The vetoes can be broken down into categories that suggest a broader purpose, the analysis found. DeSantis nixed a few bills because his team crafted what they felt was a superior version of the same legislation. In eight veto letters, DeSantis cited his concern about Floridians’ pocketbooks. And some measures died to send a political message.” MORE HOUSING UPDATES — “Florida’s condo laws are changing. Here’s everything you need to know,” by the Tampa Bay Times’ Rebecca Liebson. “Owners of more than 1.5 million condominium units in Florida are bracing for rules going into effect this year that dictate everything from how a building is maintained to how condo associations are governed ... While lawmakers hope these reforms will improve the quality of condo life in the long run, the immediate fallout could cause a slump in the real estate market as more owners sell to avoid impending assessments.” NEWS YOU CAN USE — “Applications reopen for Florida’s $10,000 home hardening program,” reports Lawrence Mower of the Tampa Bay Times. “The Department of Financial Services on Monday reopened applications for the My Safe Florida Home program, which gives free home inspections and cash to upgrade windows, exterior doors and garage doors and strengthen roofs.” AFTER ORLANDO SENTINEL INVESTIGATION — “Orlando-area Rep. Amesty resigns as notary, blocking state probe into her conduct,” reports the Orlando Sentinel’s Annie Martin. “Central Florida Rep. Carolina Amesty resigned her notary commission last month, blocking a probe by the governor’s office into whether she violated the state’s notary laws … the office determined it no longer had jurisdiction over the matter after Amesty resigned her notary commission on June 10, according to a letter from Notary Coordinator Diedre Leaks to the Sentinel reader, Dennis Warren. Leaks also wrote that the governor’s office is unable to file criminal charges or declare a notarized document null and void.” — “Shevrin Jones knows value of LGBTQ representation within the Florida Senate,” by Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics.
| | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | — “Jeffrey Epstein 2006 grand jury documents are public. Read for yourself what happened,” by Holly Baltz of the Palm Beach Post. … WHAT THEY REVEAL … — “The transcripts show that the grand jury heard testimony that [Jeffrey] Epstein, who was then in his 40s, had raped teenage girls as young as 14 at his Palm Beach mansion, often paying them so he could commit statutory rape or assault,” reports The Associated Press’ Terry Spencer. “The teenagers testified and told detectives they were also paid cash or rented cars if they found him more girls.” — During the grand jury proceedings in 2006, a Palm Beach Country prosecutor tried to smear the underage victims, casting them as "prostitutes, drug addicts, thieves and liars" though a 40-year-old Epstein molested them, the Miami Herald’s Julie K. Brown reported.
|  U.S> Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey Berman announces charges against Jeffery Epstein on July 8, 2019 in New York City. | Stephanie Keith/Getty Images | — “‘Lab-grown’ meat maker hosts Miami tasting party as Florida ban goes into effect,” by The Associated Press’ David Fischer. WIN FOR PAST GOP CHAIR — “Search of Christian Ziegler’s cellphone was illegal, judge says,” by the Tampa Bay Times’ Justin Garcia. “A Sarasota judge ruled Monday that police’s search of former Republican Party of Florida chairperson Christian Ziegler’s cellphone amid rape allegations violated the U.S. Constitution. Judge Hunter Carroll ruled that three search warrants obtained by the Sarasota Police Department to look through Ziegler’s phone were ‘severely overbroad.’ He noted that officers went through hundreds of thousands of photos and videos and thousands of Ziegler’s text messages to his wife, Bridget Ziegler. The judge ordered law enforcement to destroy copies of most of the data seized.”
| | ...HURRICANE HOLE... | | STORM SEASON STARTS EARLY— “Hurricane Beryl morphs into record-breaking Cat 5 storm as it barrels through the Caribbean,” reports the Miami Herald’s Alex Harris and Jacqueline Charles. “Hurricane Beryl intensified Monday night into what forecasters are calling a ‘potentially catastrophic’ Category 5 storm as it ripped off roofs, toppled trees and shut down power after barreling through eastern Caribbean islands — fueled by record warm waters. Beryl is now the earliest Category 5 storm on record to form in the Atlantic.”
| | CAMPAIGN MODE | | FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Mike Haridopolos, the former Florida Senate president running for the Republican nomination to fill the seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Bill Posey (R-Fla.), has raised more than $1 million to his campaign and affiliated committee since entering the race two months ago, per his campaign. Haridopolos is endorsed by Trump and House GOP Leadership. The final fundraising numbers won’t be officially posted to the Federal Election Commission until July 15. LAUNCHED — “Campaign launches to defeat Florida abortion rights amendment,” reports Skyler Swisher of the Orlando Sentinel. “Anti-abortion groups launched a campaign Monday to oppose a ballot initiative that would protect abortion rights in Florida, calling the proposal ‘extreme’ and ‘deceptive.’ The effort is getting sizable support from the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops and two Catholic dioceses, which have given about $105,000 to date to help defeat the Amendment 4 abortion measure in November, although so far they are being vastly outspent by the pro-4 side. The Vote No On Amendment 4 campaign unveiled an ad called ‘Not What it Seems,’ an opening salvo in what will be a nationally watched political fight that could have ramifications on abortion access for years.” OBJECTION — After Playbook ran an interview with suspended Hillsborough state attorney Andrew Warren, his Democratic primary opponent, Elizabeth Martinez Strauss, reached out to accuse him of misrepresenting his legal case with Gov. Ron DeSantis. In a letter sent last month, Martinez Strauss said she hoped he would make clear to voters that his challenge wasn’t settled yet, but did not call for him to drop out of the race. And while she previously said she was running primarily in case Warren doesn't get reinstated, she now says Warren's comments about her case have changed her calculus — though she's far behind him in fundraising. Asked about the letter, Warren said by text: “I'm not concerned with dishonest, negative attacks. I'm focused solely on the voters and our shared values: making our community safer, bringing down violent crime, fighting for victims, and protecting the constitutional rights of every citizen.” — “Whitney Fox lands powerful SEIU endorsement as CD 13 Democratic Primary inches closer,” by Florida Politics’ Janelle Irwin Taylor. — “A Florida House candidate appears ineligible. He might get to stay on the ballot anyway,” reports the Miami Herald’s Alexandra Glorioso and Ana Claudia Chacin. — “Seminole elections chief: County leaders verbally attacked my family,” by the Orlando Sentinel’s Martin E. Comas.
| | DATELINE D.C. | | | | 
The Supreme Court is pictured in Washington on June 30, 2024. | Susan Walsh/AP | SCOTUS RULING — “Supreme Court keeps DeSantis social media law offline for now,” reports POLITICO’s Gary Fineout. “One of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signature legislative wins designed to rein in tech companies will remain in limbo for the upcoming election season. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday sidestepped a legal challenge against Florida and Texas laws dealing with social media platforms, although parts of the ruling supported by a majority of justices signaled an ongoing deep skepticism about whether the laws are constitutional. Instead, the court sent the litigation back to lower courts.” Read about the decision from POLITICO’s Josh Gerstein and Rebecca Kern. STOCK ACT — “Anna Paulina Luna invests big in top political donor’s ‘America First’ energy company,” reports Ben Wieder of McClatchy/the Miami Herald. “Luna, a conservative Republican seeking re-election to her St. Petersburg-area seat, disclosed in May that she had invested between $200,000 and $450,000 in America First Natural Resources LLC, a company created by a political supporter that aims to produce oil and gas in the United States. For Luna, an Air Force veteran who entered politics after working at the conservative nonprofit Turning Point USA, the investment represents more than half the value of the assets she listed on her last financial disclosure form, which covered her finances through the end of 2023.”
| | | | Understand 2024’s big impacts with Pro’s extensive Campaign Races Dashboard, exclusive insights, and key coverage of federal- and state-level debates. Focus on policy. Learn more. | | | | | | | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | | WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Rob Noel, president of Washington Writers Network and a Mike Pompeo and Marco Rubio alum, and Christina Noel, a Marco Rubio and VA alum, on Saturday welcomed Ava Margaret Noel, who joins big brother Max. Pic BIRTHDAY: Chuck Nadd, Army veteran and former Florida agriculture commissioner candidate. | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
