| | | | |  | | By Kimberly Leonard, Gary Fineout and Kierra Frazier | LATEST ON HURRICANE EFFORTS — “DeSantis on Helene recovery: ‘We have what we need right now,’” by POLITICO’s Arek Sarkissian. “Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday said that Florida has so far gotten the support that it needs from the federal government after Hurricane Helene tore through the state just days ago, and that President Joe Biden should not plan a visit to the state to help with the recovery. DeSantis said during a news conference Monday morning in hurricane-ravaged Steinhatchee that he would rather see Biden go to North Carolina, where parts of the state have been ravaged by the storm. “ … REACHING OUT TO OTHER STATES … “DeSantis launched a program called Operation Blue Ridge, which will fly Florida residents who were left stranded in North Carolina by the hurricane to safety.” OUTAGE UPDATE — “Power restored after Hurricane Helene but some rural pockets remain cut off,” by POLITICO’s Bruce Ritchie. “Electric cooperatives can be slower to restore power to large numbers of customers because they are spread out across larger areas. While replacing a power line in the city may restore power to hundreds of homes, repairing miles of rural lines may restore power to only a few dozen homes.”
|  Independent voter Patricia Coe, 82, speaks with Diane Foley, president of The Villages Democratic Club, as Foley canvasses at the homes of registered Democrats and of independents who might be open to voting for a Democrat, in The Villages, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. | Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo | Good morning and welcome to October. Stop us if you have heard this before … Florida Democrats are saying louder than ever that the state “is in play.” Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried on Monday touted a series of steps taken by national Democrats in recent days that she says proves their persuasion campaign is working: a $400,000 infusion of cash into the state party from the Democratic National Committee, the announcement that Senate Democrats plan to invest in the race to unseat incumbent GOP Sen. Rick Scott and a pledge by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to help Whitney Fox in her bid to defeat Rep. Anna Paulina Luna. “The money is coming, the people are on the ground,” Fried told reporters. “We will take back Florida.” This news comes on the heels of an enthusiasm jolt Democrats say they witnessed after Vice President Kamala Harris became the presidential nominee. They have pointed to recent public polls that show the race between Harris and Trump tightening, along with the Senate race between Scott and former Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell getting closer. The stark reality, of course, is that Fried herself is the last Democrat to win a statewide election when she narrowly won in 2018. Before that, President Barack Obama and then-Sen. Bill Nelson won in 2012. The state has seen its demographics shift during the years of Gov. Ron DeSantis, and Republicans hold a commanding edge in voter registration. DeSantis won reelection just two years ago by nearly 20 points after many Democrats stayed home. The steps announced in the last few days by national Democrats are also miles away from 2020, when both sides spent more than $200 million on presidential ads. This year, both sides have collectively spent just $1.2 million, according to the tracking firm AdImpact. Fried downplayed (somewhat) the need to do heavy television advertising, and argued that money to help bolster the efforts of thousands of volunteers calling, texting or going door-to-door was a better use of resources. Yes, but … time is running out. Mail-in ballots are going out now and early voting will start later in October. Fried says she isn’t sure when ads bolstering Mucarsel-Powell will start airing, but said they should come in the next week. And at least in the Senate race that’s notable. It’s just not clear how many voters really know the South Florida Democrat. Her campaign has spent about $3.7 million so far on television ads, per AdImpact. Scott has spent close to $10 million, but he’s shown in the past he’s willing to spend tens of millions of his own money should the need arise. That said, success for Democrats could still come with small steps, such as ending the GOP supermajority in the Legislature or helping pass initiatives dealing with abortion access and recreational marijuana. Yet Republicans continue to scoff at the Democratic efforts. Evan Power, the chair of the Republican Party of Florida, said in a social media post on Monday that “if someone tells you Florida is in play, they shouldn’t be taken seriously.” — Gary Fineout 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.
|  | ...HURRICANE HOLE... | | IN MEMORIAM — “Here's how many people died in Hurricane Helene. An updating list of Florida storm victims,” by Ana Goñi-Lessan and Jeff Burlew of the Tallahassee Democrat. RETURN TO DC? — President Joe Biden suggested during remarks at the White House Monday that Congress might have to return to Washington to provide supplemental funding to assist in hurricane relief, reports POLITICO’s Lauren Egan. Some members of Congress from Florida agree. The House and Senate aren’t scheduled to be back until after the election, but the devastation in the Southeast may necessitate they alter their plans. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) in a statement Monday urged Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to reconvene once state and local officials in areas affected by the storm determine how much support they’ll need. He described the destruction around the Southeast as “heartbreaking” and said he wanted Congress to replenish FEMA funds. “Floridians are resilient, but the response and recovery from this storm demands the full and immediate support of government at every level to get families and businesses back to normal,” he said. Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), who was Gov. Ron DeSantis’ first emergency management director, said in his own statement that he was ready to return to DC to fund FEMA. “Congress must show that it can still deliver for the American people in their hour of greatest need. So, let’s get back to work and pass a bipartisan, long-term solution with no poison pills or politicking involved,” he said.
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Jose Salazar dumps debris as he helps gut a property that took on a storm surge in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in Steinhatchee, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. | Gerald Herbert/AP Photo | STILL HURRICANE SEASON — “A new storm could form in the Caribbean this week. Florida should watch it,” reports Florida Keys News’ Alex Harris. “The one to watch is the disturbance in the Caribbean Sea, which could start to develop in the same space that Hurricane Helene did last week. Forecasters said a tropical depression could form and move northwest, up into the Gulf of Mexico.” DESTRUCTION — “A sought-after Florida beach town digs out after Hurricane Helene,” by Molly Hennessy-Fiske of the Washington Post. “It’s just down Gulf Way from St. Pete Beach’s soft, white sugar sand and translucent blue-green water, often rated among the best in the world, and within sight of the Don Cesar hotel, a pink palace that’s survived storms since 1928. But that history did not matter Thursday, when Helene rampaged up the Florida coast, turning into the worst hurricane Pass-a-Grille had ever weathered. It flooded homes and businesses, tossed pontoon boats into yards, buried cars and streets in several feet of sand and claimed the lives of at least nine people in Pinellas County.” COVERAGE MOVE — “Post-Helene, Florida takes steps to protect property owners from losing insurance,” reports Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics. “Under the emergency order, insurance companies are not allowed to cancel or not renew policies for properties in the counties affected by Hurricane Helene from Sept. 26 to Nov. 26. The only exception is if property owners themselves request the policies be canceled during the period.” — “What are the steps of the FEMA process? What to expect when filling out a FEMA application,” by Lianna Norman at USA Today Network — Florida. RECOVERY EFFORTS — “In Anna Paulina Luna’s reelection race, Helene recovery pauses politics,” reports Tampa Bay Times’ Kirby Wilson. “With less than 40 days until Election Day, [Republican Rep. Anna Paulina] Luna and [Democrat Whitney] Fox are in a tight race for the Pinellas-based Congressional District 13 seat. But the esoteric and petty debates that often dominate campaigns were largely set aside this weekend. There were more important matters to attend to on this Saturday. Matters such as: Do we have enough people to move this hunk of wood onto the growing pile of trash?” PROPERTIES SCRUTINIZED — “A surprise windfall: Increased property inspections boosting Citizens' bottom line,” reports Palm Beach Post’s Anne Geggis. “The company insists the increased scrutiny identifies potential trouble spots that property owners must fix, lessening damages and claims over time. It's an issue that is currently on the radar as thousands of Florida property owners deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.” ‘BUILDING RESILIENCE’ — “Hurricanes on repeat: Natural disasters 'don't feel natural anymore,'” reports USA Today’s Trevor Hughes. “Tens of thousands of residents of Florida’s Big Bend region are confronting the same fears in the wake of Hurricane Helene. And those feelings are increasingly shared by coastal residents from Alaska to California and Maine, as stronger, more frequent storms and rising ocean levels upend their lives and livelihoods. Many insurers already have curtailed coverage or withdrawn entirely from some areas, indicating their long-term perspective risk.” VOTING AFFECTED BY STORM — “Pinellas elections supervisor asks state for voting flexibility after Hurricane Helene,” by Romy Ellenbogen of the Tampa Bay Times. “In a Saturday email to Secretary of State Cord Byrd and Division of Elections Director Maria Matthews, Pinellas Supervisor of Elections Julie Marcus wrote that up to 40 polling locations in the county may have sustained ‘significant damage and could require relocation.’ Marcus said her office is still assessing how early voting locations and mail ballot drop-off sites fared.” — “How to help Hurricane Helene victims in Tampa Bay and beyond,” reports Tampa Bay Times’ Gabrielle Calise.
| | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | TODAY — “What you should know about the dozens of new Florida laws taking effect,” by Alexandra Glorioso at the Miami Herald. “People who are homeless can’t sleep on city streets. A tracking device can no longer be surreptitiously placed on a car. Homeowners must disclose whether they’ve filed a flood insurance claim to a potential buyer. These are just three of the 34 new laws taking effect Tuesday.” YESTERDAY — “What's the minimum wage in Florida? Paychecks went up again on path to $15,” by C.A. Bridges of USA Today Network — Florida. “Florida's minimum wage rose again Monday, Sept. 30, for the fourth year in a row, thanks to an amendment Florida voters approved in 2020. Under the amendment, the state's minimum wage was bumped up from $8.65 to $10 in 2021, with another dollar raise to come every year until it reaches $15 an hour for non-tipped employees and $10.98 for tipped employees.” HEALTH CARE COVERAGE — “Florida Medicaid enrollment inches up in August after months of decreases,” by News Service of Florida. “Newly posted numbers on the state Agency for Health Care Administration website showed that 4,372,488 people were enrolled in the program in August, up from 4,363,848 in July and 4,363,948 in June. The program had nearly 5.78 million beneficiaries in April 2023, but enrollment steadily decreased for more than a year after the end of a federal public-health emergency linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.” LAWSUIT DISMISSED — “Federal judge rejects FPL ‘ghost candidate’ funding case,” reports News Service of Florida’s Jim Saunders. “U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon on Friday issued a 16-page decision that rejected arguments by investors in the potential class-action lawsuit. In part, the plaintiffs contended that the stock price of NextEra Energy, FPL’s parent, plummeted in January 2023 after making disclosures that followed denials of wrongdoing [in the “ghost candidate” scandal]. Cannon wrote that she found plaintiffs ‘have failed to identify a corrective disclosure that reveals a truth that was previously concealed or obscured by defendants’ alleged fraud.’”
| | | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | | VERDICT — “Former state Senator Artiles found guilty of campaign finance and registration violations,” by the Miami Herald’s Charles Rabin. “Former Florida Sen. Frank Artiles, an ex-Marine who more recently has shaped political campaigns as a lobbyist and consultant, was found guilty Monday of campaign finance and voter registration violations in a trial that showed the underbelly of Florida politics. It took a Miami-Dade jury just over six hours to reach a unanimous verdict in a case built around political operatives and a ‘ghost candidate’ who likely tipped a tight election. Sparked by a scheme to help Senate Republicans flip a seat in 2020, the two-week trial engrossed Florida’s political establishment from Miami to Tallahassee.” ‘NO GOOD PLACE’ — “Feud erupts between Florida officials over proposed trash incineration plant,” reports The Guardian’s Richard Luscombe. “Miramar’s population of 140,000 is almost 50 percent Black and more than 32 percent Hispanic, placing racial minorities at the forefront of exposure to pollutants escaping the plant. In its previous existence as Covanta, the company that will build and operate the Miami-Dade incinerator has a long history of lawsuits, fines and settlements for air quality and other environmental violations. … The proposed plant would be the largest in the US, and burn up to 4,000 tons of trash daily.”
| | CAMPAIGN MODE | | | | 
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) speaks at a press conference on illegal aliens on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024 in Washington. | Angelina Katsanis/POLITICO via AP Images | MIAMI HERALD TAKES A LOOK AT THE US SENATE RACE — The Miami Herald profiled both candidates from one of this year’s closely watched Senate races: Republican Sen. Rick Scott and former Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. Scott, the wealthiest member of the Senate who has put more than $10 million of his own money into his campaign, is not only vying to get reelected but also win the job of Senate Republican leader. But Democrats are trying to hold onto an ultra-thin majority by electing Mucarsel-Powell, who could become the first Latina from Florida to serve in the Senate. DECISION ISSUED — “Florida judge will not shut down state website opposing abortion access ballot initiative,” by POLITICO’s Arek Sarkissian. “The ACLU also asked Leon Circuit Court Judge Jonathan Sjostrom to order a temporary injunction on the AHCA site. But Sjostrom on Monday ruled the court would not wade into the facts of a referendum that will go for a statewide vote.” REBUILDING DEM MOMENTUM — “How Florida Democrats lost Florida — and how they can get it back,” by Tampa Bay Times’ Christopher Spata and Kirby Wilson. “Interviews with a dozen Democratic insiders, pollsters and volunteers suggest the road back to Democratic relevance in Florida won’t be paved in a single election. The true test for Florida Democrats is what happens when November’s dust settles. ‘The question will be ‘What are you going to turn this energy into?’ said state Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens.”
| | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | | | 
This screengrab taken from AFPTV on September 16, 2024 shows Ryan Wesley Routh speaking during an interview at a rally to urge foreign leaders and international organizations to help provide humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians and Ukrainian servicemen from Mariupol in central Kyiv on April 27, 2022, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. | Nicolas Garcia/AFP via Getty Images | | PLEA ENTERED — “Ryan Routh pleads not guilty in alleged Trump assassination attempt,” reports POLITICO’s Kimberly Leonard and Josh Gerstein. “Ryan Routh, the man charged with an attempted assassination against former President Donald Trump, pleaded not guilty in federal court on Monday. The arraignment in West Palm Beach lasted just three minutes as Routh’s attorney, Kristy Militello, entered the plea on his behalf to all five counts against him. She waived the reading of the charges and said the defense wanted a trial.” … Routh inside the courtroom … “Routh, 58, wearing a brown jail uniform, looked directly at reporters as he entered and exited the courtroom. His attorneys spoke with him when he sat down ahead of advancing to the lectern, handing him what appeared to be a business card that he put into his breast pocket. He also laughed at something they said and took out his dark-rimmed glasses to read something they showed him on a cell phone.”
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