| | | | |  | | By Kimberly Leonard and Kierra Frazier | | Presented by |  | | | |  Kevin Guthrie, Director of Florida Division of Emergency Management, right, gestures as Gov. Ron DeSantis looks on during a news conference, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, at the Tampa Electric Company offices in Tampa, Fla. | Chris O'Meara/AP Photo | Good morning. Our thoughts are with everyone in the storm’s path today. Hurricane Helene appears to be heading right for Florida’s capital city — the place headquartering the state’s emergency response and most of its public services. Should the forecast come to pass, it’ll be the first time in recorded state history that Tallahassee has experienced a storm of this magnitude. When a state capital faces a natural disaster, it can not only greatly disrupt the lives of state workers and their families who live in the area, but reshuffle state services across Florida. “For the next few days, much of the government in Tallahassee is going to be all about Helene,” said Brian Koon, who was the director of emergency management under then-Gov. Rick Scott. “Everything that is going to be going on is basically going to be focused on the immediate response.” Routine operations, he added, would pause and create a “hiccup in the normal process of government” until the storm passes and they figure out what’s next. The hurricane is expected to make landfall tonight as a major storm, reported POLITICO’s Arek Sarkissian. Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey warned residents to expect “countless downed trees,” given that the city is packed with live oaks, as well as power loss and “structural damage.” Those challenges mean people will likely struggle with getting to and from work if fallen trees are blocking the roads or crush their cars. Some of those employees will be helping with the response. “These employees who will be managing the storm — responding to the storm and deploying resources to meet the needs for the storm — are also likely to be storm survivors,” said Adam Hollingsworth, who was chief of staff to Scott. “And their families are likely to be storm survivors, which adds a unique personal dimension to storm management.” Gov. Ron DeSantis said he planned on staying at the governor’s mansion with his family Wednesday night. He’ll then be working out of the Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee, he said, but the agency also set up a backup operation in Escambia County. The EOC is the nerve center for state’s storm management — typically bringing in state emergency responders, the Red Cross, FEMA and others. DeSantis admitted he wasn’t sure how the building would hold up, given that the walls but not the roof were built to withstand a Category 5 storm. “This building has never really been tested in terms of how it would handle a major hurricane,” he said. Under past governors, the state’s emergency division would have practice sessions at Camp Blanding, the training center for the Florida National Guard that’s between Jacksonville and Gainesville. The training center was intended to be the backup space in case responders couldn’t stay at the EOC and needed to shift elsewhere. Craig Fugate, who ran the state’s emergency response under former Gov. Jeb Bush, said state agencies identify their most essential functions and how they’re going to carry them during a natural disaster. Other divisions, like Highway Patrol, will be deploying people to respond to the storm. State agencies cover everything from the retirement system to the lottery. “Some of these systems may be down,” said Fugate, who was also FEMA administrator under then-President Barack Obama. “Some of them have the ability to roll over to other locations.” Every agency has what’s known as a “continuity of operations plan” — or a “COOP” — to make sure that Floridians face minimal disruptions in accessing state services. Some might move their operations to satellite agency offices in other parts of the state. Given upcoming early voting, for instance, temporary polling locations would need to be set up if the power stays out for weeks. Agencies such as the Florida Department of Corrections can’t afford to have no-shows at their facilities and also must have evacuation plans ready. Arraignments could get delayed and courthouses that face significant damage could have to move trials to other locations, Fugate said. “You get ready, then you see what gets hit,” he said. “You determine how much of you can get back up. And then you start looking at how you're going to start either transferring or making decisions about which services you're going to delay until you can get them back up.” WHERE’S RON? Gov. DeSantis is holding a storm briefing at 9 a.m. alongside Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie, Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue and Major General John Haas. (Tune in at the Florida Channel.) Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget in the campaign reporting that Playbook should look at? Get in touch at: kleonard@politico.com.
| | | | A message from Uber: How does Uber expand transit access in Florida?
Every week, Uber helps over 3,000 people get to and from Brightline stations across Florida. On average, riders travel nearly 6 miles to connect to Brightline, extending their reach far beyond the tracks. Learn more about how Uber is working with transit agencies in Florida and across the country. | | | |  | ...HURRICANE HOLE... | | AFTER THE STORM — “Hurricane Helene poses a major test for Florida’s battered insurance market,” reports POLITICO’s Gary Fineout. “Florida’s battered insurance market, which had been teetering on collapse and remains a flash point for voters in the state, has been showing signs of stabilizing. But now a major hurricane that is bearing down on the state and bringing with it damaging winds and massive storm surge on the Gulf Coast could threaten that. National Hurricane Center Deputy Director Jamie Rhome warned Wednesday of potential ‘catastrophic’ damage in Tallahassee, even though the capital city is more than 30 miles from the coast. Damages could be significant: Gallagher Re, a global reinsurance broker, estimates that losses associated with the expansive storm could be anywhere from $3 billion to $6 billion and even higher if the storm were to suddenly shift away from its expected path.” LANGUAGE BARRIER — “Florida lacks language laws for disaster communications, leaving counties, residents on their own,” reports WUFT’s Rose Schnabel. “Florida is a linguistic treasure trove. Floridians speak more than 130 different languages at home, led by English, Spanish and Haitian Creole. But a WUFT by-county analysis reveals inconsistency in emergency communications that leads to confusion. Most rural, agricultural counties in north central Florida lack in-house interpreters and multilingual social media outreach. More than a third don’t have bilingual staff or call-in language lines.” — “[The Weather Channel’s] Jim Cantore is in Tallahassee as a catastrophic Hurricane Helene closes in,” by USA TODAY NETWORK — Florida’s Ana Goñi-Lessan.
| | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | THAT WAS QUICK — “Florida Cabinet meeting lasts less than four minutes,” reports Florida Phoenix’s Jay Waagmeester. “The Cabinet, an independent statewide-elected three-member body that controls many elements of state government with Gov. Ron DeSantis, met over the phone to vote on five items, including an update to the state’s list of companies doing business with disfavored governments.” BIG BOOST — “What Florida’s education department wants from lawmakers in 2025-26,” by POLITICO’s Andrew Atterbury. “Florida officials are asking lawmakers to increase spending on teacher salaries by $100 million next year in a new budget request approved Wednesday by the state Board of Education. The $29.5 billion Department of Education budget proposal also aims to ramp up the state’s development of college-level tests that could rival those offered by the College Board and dedicate more cash to a program enticing charter schools to open near struggling traditional public schools.” ‘ESSENTIAL’ WORK — “As Florida’s soil and water boards face scrutiny, supporters stay hopeful about their future,” reports South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Lisa J. Huriash. “In 2022, stricter membership qualifications were imposed for candidates. In January, a bill unsuccessfully tried to dismantle the districts statewide in favor of seven regional ones. Most recently, a consultant’s report concluded that there is still lots of room for improvement for districts to operate properly, and it also determined that two districts have been voluntarily dissolved. But some candidates this election season say it’s a great opportunity to still serve on such soil and water boards. They say the work they provide is essential.” SPEEDY DECISION — “Tallahassee trial judge promises quick ruling on Amendment 4 website,” reports Florida Phoenix’s Christine Sexton. “[Circuit Judge Jonathan] Sjostrom did not rule from the bench but assured counsel for both sides that they wouldn’t have to wait long for a decision. Local election supervisors from across the state are about to start sending out mail-in ballots ahead of the Nov. 5 election.” CAPPING AID — “Funds are cutting aid for women seeking abortions as costs rise,” reports The Associated Press’ Geoff Mulvihill. “Their average travel cost per Floridian has been about $3,000 … more than any other state. [National Abortion Federation CEO Brittany] Fonteno said the spike in requests from Florida — six times as many each month since the ban began — was an impetus for its abrupt policy change earlier this year. Blue Ridge and other funds have been trying to make up the difference.” SUED — “Florida’s health care board sued over Medicaid managed-care plan oversight,” reports News Service of Florida’s Jim Saunders. “Filed on behalf of five adults with disabilities such as quadriplegia, Alzheimer’s disease and debilitating genetic disorders, the lawsuit contends that managed-care plans have not provided adequate information about decisions to reduce or deny services. Also, it contends an Agency for Health Care Administration hearing process for appeals does not hold the plans accountable.”
| | | | A message from Uber:   | | | | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | |  Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) departs the senate chamber following a vote at the U.S. Capitol on July 31, 2024 in Washington, DC. | Kent Nishimura/Getty Images | BACKUP PLAN — “Senate Democrats are suddenly extremely interested in Texas and Florida,” by POLITICO’s Ally Mutnick and Ursula Perano. “As they look for alternative paths to keep the majority — with polling growing dismal for them in Montana — more and more Democrats are pointing to the two southern states as possible offensive targets. … But behind the unified optimism, there’s little clarity on how to actually go after the two states. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), the chair of Senate Democrats’ campaign arm, has said he is looking at investing in both — but is quick to note that those decisions will be driven by a number of metrics, and there are plenty of other competing races Democrats need to fund.” … Out this morning: The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is providing Florida and Texas with a “new multi-million dollar investment” in TV ads, and said more might be on the way. DSCC didn’t specify the amount. — “Will Florida voters be denied a Senate debate this election cycle?” by the Florida Phoenix’s Mtich Perry. NO RESCHEDULING — “JD Vance attends Winter Park fundraiser amid Florida’s hurricane emergency,” reports Orlando Sentinel’s Steven Lemongello. “Roads were shut down in the neighborhood south of Lake Virginia around the lakefront home of prominent GOP fundraisers Diane and Eric Holm, two of the largest franchise owners of Golden Corral restaurants. The Holms were among those listed as ‘hosts’ on an invitation for the event posted online.” CEASE AND DESIST — “Florida pot legalization campaign seeks to stop DOT ad about driving on marijuana,” reports POLITICO’s Arek Sarkissian. “The PSA, which the state Department of Transportation first posted on X on Friday, warns motorists about the dangers of driving while high on marijuana. It also uses a statistic that DUI crashes increased in states that have legalized pot. In response to the ad, lawyers for the campaign behind Amendment 3 sent a cease and desist letter to 54 TV stations arguing that they should stop running the DOT ad, calling it critically-timed, state-funded political ‘propaganda.’” NO LONGER QUIET — “Democrats are becoming a force in traditionally conservative The Villages,” reports The Associated Press’ Rebecca Blackwell. “Democrats opting to wear a T-shirt or put up a lawn sign in favor of Harris have had neighbors approach them with relief, saying, ‘We thought we were the only ones.’ Still, most say they choose not to talk politics openly, to avoid tension in Wildwood-The Villages, the official name of this census-designated, master-planned metro area of more than 151,000 people.”
| | | | A message from Uber: Expanding transit access in Florida
Did you know that every week, Uber helps over 3,000 people get to and from Brightline stations across Florida?
Key stat: On average, riders travel nearly 6 miles to reach these stations—extending Brightline’s reach far beyond the tracks.
From MiamiCentral to Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, and Orlando, Uber is making it easier for Floridians to access public transit.
Learn more about how Uber partners with transit agencies to improve access to public transportation. | | | | | DATELINE D.C. | | LOOKING INTO IT — “House ethics watchdog: Cherfilus-McCormick may have run afoul of campaign finance rules,” reports POLITICO’s Nicholas Wu. “The House's Office of Congressional Ethics recommended the House Ethics Committee further investigate the Florida Democrat after finding ‘substantial reason to believe’ Cherfilus-McCormick had [run afoul of campaign finance rules.” ‘SILENCE IS CONSENT’ — “Matt Gaetz gets Florida Bar complaint following sex party allegations,” reports Pensacola News Journal’s Kevin Robinson. “Chaz Stevens filed a bar complaint last week accusing Gaetz of violating the organization's prohibitions against criminal conduct, deceit and ‘conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice.’”
|  A manatee enjoys the warm sun and water in Apollo Beach, Florida. | Chris O'Meara/AP | 1.9 MILLION ACRES — “U.S.'s plan doubles the acres designated as critical habitat for manatees in Florida,” reports Central Florida Public Media’s Joe Byrnes. “The revised map is nearly 15 years in the making — since environmental groups, including the Center for Biological Diversity, got the wildlife agency to acknowledge it needed to update the one created in 1977. The revisions come now, only because the environmental groups continued to press for them and, in 2022, the Fish and Wildlife Service agreed to submit a plan by this month. A comment period is open until Nov. 25.” TICK TOCK — “Confirmation of Gables lawyer to federal bench running out of time with Scott, Rubio in way,” reports Miami Herald’s Jay Weaver. “[Marco] Rubio and Florida’s other GOP senator, Rick Scott, have refused to support her before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which meets on Wednesday to consider a handful of other federal judicial nominees for the last time before the presidential election on Nov. 5. After the election, the committee could meet a few times to consider more judicial nominees, but the odds of Rubio and Scott changing their minds during the lame-duck session look bad.” SECOND HOME — “Roger Marshall calls Kansas cabin home. Official trips took him near $1.2M Florida house,” reports The Kansas City Star’s Daniel Desrochers and Jonathan Shorman. “Four years into his Senate term — and eight years after he was first elected to Congress — Marshall has established a presence in Florida. Kansas’ junior senator has charged taxpayers several thousand dollars for flights and related expenses for trips that include stops in Sarasota while in the Senate; trips his office said were approved by a Senate committee and were for official business.”
| | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | | BIRTHDAYS: Brittany Davis Wise, interim assistant vice president for communications for the University of Florida ... Jessica Bakeman, founder of We Met in Miami and former director of enterprise journalism at WLRN ... Former Daytona Beach News-Journal columnist Pamela Hasterok. | | | | 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 | | | | |
