| | | | |  | | By Kimberly Leonard | | Presented by |  | | | |  Susie Wiles, the campaign co-chair for President-elect Donald Trump, was just named his White House chief of staff. | Alex Brandon/AP | Good morning and happy Friday. President-elect Donald Trump has 4,000 political appointments to make. And Florida is open for business. Eight years ago, Trump was a New Yorker who won Florida by just 1 percentage point. This week, he was a Floridian who won his home state by 13 points. In that time, the state has evolved not just electorally but has become transformed with numerous conservative policies pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and a Republican supermajority Legislature. Part of the success Trump saw in the state came from hiring operatives with deep ties to Florida who were devoted to courting the grassroots. There was obviously co-chair SUSIE WILES (who just landed the job of chief of staff), as well as finance director MEREDITH O’ROURKE, political director JAMES BLAIR, senior adviser DANIELLE ALVAREZ and BRIAN HUGHES, who was Florida director during the GOP primary then became a senior adviser. Florida insiders expect that Trump will similarly look to Florida to staff his second administration. The Trump transition isn’t releasing or confirming any names yet, saying it’s too early, but that hasn’t stopped people from speculating or pointing out that several Florida politicos would make obvious strong choices. “Any and all of them are probably on a list somewhere to be considered because Florida is the model for conservative government, and it has been for some time,” said Jamie Miller, a Sarasota-based political consultant. Here are some names that came out of phone calls and texts with 20 different lawmakers, political operatives, lobbyists and other Florida insiders. The jobs to fill include everything from Cabinet secretaries to agency heads to ambassadorships to White House staff. — Members of the congressional delegation who’ve been loyal surrogates: They include GOP Reps. MIKE WALTZ, MATT GAETZ, BYRON DONALDS, BRIAN MAST, CARLOS GIMÉNEZ AND GREG STEUBE. Most often mentioned both in and outside of Florida is Sen. MARCO RUBIO as a possibility for secretary of state, given his expertise, committee assignments and role in helping Trump craft policy on Latin America during his first term. — Longtime allies: Often cited are Miami Commissioner KEVIN CABRERA, who was Florida state director for Trump’s 2020 campaign, and state Sen. JOE GRUTERS, who was Florida co-chair of Trump's 2016 campaign and bucked most of the Legislature by endorsing Trump early in 2024. CARLOS TRUJILLO, who was United States ambassador to the Organization of American States under Trump and successfully led outreach to Latino voters for the campaign, is expected to get consideration. And former Florida Attorney General PAM BONDI was part of Trump’s defense team during his first impeachment trial. — Members of the DeSantis administration: The governor himself has been publicly lobbying for his surgeon general, Dr. JOSEPH LADAPO, to be considered for Health and Human Services secretary. Florida emergency management executive director KEVIN GUTHRIE has effectively overseen efforts around managing storm response, which could tee him up for FEMA’s top job. And Florida Agriculture Commissioner WILTON SIMPSON also has been a close ally some could see as interior secretary. Education Commissioner MANNY DIAZ JR. said that he would be interested in leading the Education Department if offered, although he suggested the agency “should be dismantled or definitely reduced greatly in size and scope.” “You always listen if the president of the United States were to call you to serve your country,” Diaz told POLITICO’s Andrew Atterbury in a text. “I will say regardless of who serves in that spot, I believe the Florida education blueprint will have effects on that agency.” Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget that Playbook should look at? Get in touch at: kleonard@politico.com.
| | | | A message from Uber: Thank You, Florida Uber Drivers For stepping up during Hurricanes Milton and Helene by helping thousands of Floridians get to shelters and support centers. Your efforts helped keep our communities safe. Learn how Uber drivers stepped up. | | | |  | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | |  Florida Senate President Designate Ben Albritton sits in the Senate chamber at the Florida State Capitol. | Francis Chung/POLITICO | NAMES TO KNOW — “Florida legislative leaders fill key leadership and committee posts,” reports POLITICO’s Gary Fineout. “Incoming Senate President Ben Albritton announced the members of his leadership team, including who would chair the two most important committees in the Senate, while incoming House Speaker Daniel Perez announced top positions in the House as well as details of an overhaul of House committees.” — Senate committee assignments: “Albritton announced that Sen. Kathleen Passidomo , who is wrapping up her two-year-stint as Senate president, will once again helm the Senate Rules Committee, which decides what legislation will move ahead. Albritton tapped Sen. Ed Hooper to chair Senate Appropriations, while announcing that Sen. Jim Boyd will be Senate majority leader and that Sen. Jason Brodeur will be Senate president pro-tempore. Albritton also placed Sen. Joe Gruters as chair of the Fiscal Policy Committee, a panel that will screen many bills that have a cost attached to them.” — House committee assignments: They include “Rep. Sam Garrison as chair of Rules and Ethics and Rep. Lawrence McClure as chair of the Budget Committee. Rep. Wyman Duggan will be House speaker pro tempore and in charge of the House Ways and Means Committee. Rep. Tyler Sirois will be House majority leader. Rep. Chuck Brannan, chair of Judiciary; Rep. James Buchanan, chair of Commerce; Rep. Jennifer Canady, chair of Education and Employment; Rep. Will Robinson, chair of State Affairs; Rep. Josie Tomkow, chair of Health & Human Services.” — One key nugget: “Perez’s memo on the changes in the House structure brought with it warnings about spending and a promise to be more skeptical about expensive information technology projects.” RETIRING — “Hamilton leaves Florida DEP, to be replaced by Alexis Lambert,” reports POLITICO’s Bruce Ritchie . “Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday that he appointed Alexis A. Lambert, chief of staff of the Division of Bond Finance, to become secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The governor in his announcement did not say when Shawn Hamilton, who had served as DEP secretary since 2021, was leaving the post. But a later response from the governor's office indicated he is retiring.” WHAT’S NEXT — “Could Amendment 3's failure boost medical marijuana in Florida?” by the News Service of Florida’s Dara Kam. “Without question, approval would have reaped big bucks for Quincy-based Trulieve, along with other cannabis companies in the state. Trulieve eclipses other Florida operators in sales and has almost twice the number of dispensaries as its closest competitor. But the demise of Amendment 3 could strengthen the state’s medical marijuana industry as it struggles to compete with hemp-based, euphoria-inducing products sold at gas stations, CBD shops and online at a fraction of the cost of items sold by Trulieve and other licensed operators.” JUST EXTENDED — “Florida agency stalled revelation on Rep. Amesty’s family school until after election,” reports the Orlando Sentinel’s Annie Martin . “After two weeks of silence, a Florida agency disclosed it has granted a short license extension to state Rep. Carolina Amesty’s family-run school, which is embroiled in the forgery indictment against her. The revelation did not come until roughly an hour after ballot counting confirmed that the lawmaker had lost her re-election bid.” CHANGE IN HOUSING MARKET — “Home prices fall most since 2011 on Florida’s southwestern coast,” reports Bloomberg’s Michael Sasso. “An area along Florida’s west coast including affluent Sarasota is seeing the worst home price declines since the aftermath of the Great Recession, as the region recovers from hurricanes and faces rising inventory. While home prices continue to rise across most of the country, metro areas in once-hot Florida and the Southeast dominate the short list of places where they are actually falling from a year ago in data from 226 metro areas compiled by the National Association of Realtors.” ENDANGERED — “Florida’s iconic Key deer face an uncertain future as seas rise,” by The Associated Press’ Freida Frisaro, Lynne Sladky and Daniel Kozin . “The world’s only Key deer, the smallest subspecies of the white-tailed deer, are found in piney and marshy wetlands bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico on the Florida Keys. For years, their biggest threat was being struck by vehicles speeding along U.S. Highway 1 or local roads. But those waters surrounding the islands now pose the biggest long-term risk for this herd of about 800 deer as sea rise jeopardizes their sole habitat.”
| | | | A message from Uber:   | | | | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | REACTIONS TO WILES COS SELECTION — Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz of Florida called her “brilliant, tough, strategic and a good person.” Sen. Marco Rubio dug at Mark Cuban by posting: “President Trump has chosen a strong , intelligent woman to serve as White House Chief of Staff.” Rep. Matt Gaetz wrote simply that she was the GOAT. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush called her a “great choice.” And Sen. Rick Scott praised Wiles as “the perfect person for this role.” — “5 things you need to know about Susie Wiles,” by POLITICO’s Megan Messerly, Natalie Allison, Meridith McGraw and Hailey Fuchs. — Former Rep. Peter Deutsch (D-Fla.), who supported Trump, has told activists he’s interested in being U.S. ambassador to Israel, Jewish Insider’s Matthew Kassel reports. POST ELECTION — “Florida’s abortion vote and why some women feel seen: ‘Even when we win, we lose,’” by USA Today’s Alyssa Goldberg . “Stephanie Loraine Piñeiro, executive director of Florida Access Network, sees a glimmer of hope: The majority of Floridians did vote to overturn the 6-week ban. ‘The support for Amendment 4 — though just shy of the required threshold — demonstrates a clear commitment by our communities to protect abortion access in our state,’ she wrote in a statement on Wednesday. ‘This road forward will not be easy, but our resolve is unbreakable.’”
| | DATELINE D.C. | | LEADERSHIP RACE — “Trump’s next big decision: Endorsing a future Senate Republican leader,” by Semafor’s Burgess Everett . “Republican senators have spent months in their own private election-season mode over the three-candidate race to succeed Mitch McConnell as their leader — and after they reclaimed the majority on Tuesday, it’s clear that the winner will steer the whole Senate. The trio of candidates are now bracing for a potentially explosive last-minute Trump endorsement, which could fray alliances and scramble private whip counts. The contest among Republican Whip John Thune of South Dakota, former whip John Cornyn of Texas and Florida Sen. Rick Scott will take place on Wednesday. All three have courted Trump at Mar-A-Lago and in private conversations; the party’s internal backbiting and skullduggery is already on display, in public and in private.”
| | | | A message from Uber: Thank You, Florida Uber Drivers
In the face of Hurricanes Milton and Helene, Uber drivers gave Floridians rides to shelters and support centers. We thank the thousands of Uber drivers who went above and beyond, ensuring that during a time of crisis, no one was left behind. Your dedication made a difference when it mattered most. Learn how Uber drivers stepped up. | | | | | TRANSITION TIME | | — Continental Strategy has promoted Katie Wiles to director of its offices in Jacksonville and Washington, D.C. She’ll continue to do communications work while expanding to lobbying and business development. Wiles, the daughter to Susie Wiles, was director of communications for former GOP Mayor Lenny Curry of Jacksonville. President-elect Donald Trump campaign senior adviser Brian Hughes, who worked with Wiles in Curry’s office, said: “With a precise blend of communication, lobbying and strategic expertise, Katie Wiles makes any team stronger and any cause more likely to succeed.”
| | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | | BIRTHDAYS: Steve Sauls , former vice president for Florida International University … Sarah Leonardi, school board member for Broward County … (Sunday) Mark Herron, attorney with Messer Caparello, P.A. ... Journalist and writer Alan Gomez ... Carlos Becerra, associate vice president of government and community affairs for Florida International University. | | | | 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 | | | | |
