| | | | |  | | By Kimberly Leonard and Gary Fineout | | Presented by |  | | | |  Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez speaks during a press conference outside the Florida State Capitol on Jan. 10, 2024. | Francis Chung/POLITICO | Good morning and welcome to Thursday. Lt. Gov. JEANETTE NUÑEZ could soon make Florida history — and achieve something that would have seemed unlikely just a few years ago. Nuñez would become the state's first female governor and the first of Cuban descent should President-elect DONALD TRUMP actually select Gov. RON DESANTIS as secretary of Defense. Why that’s remarkable is she had planned to take a break from politics for a couple of years in 2018 when she was urged to join DeSantis’ ticket. Nuñez was wrapping up her time as a state House member, where she championed legislation that helped out Dreamers with in-state tuition rates, as well as numerous health care bills. DeSantis had just won his Republican primary for governor with the help of a much-needed Trump endorsement. But DeSantis needed a running mate to assist him in what was looking like a knockdown political battle with then-Tallahassee Mayor ANDREW GILLUM, a progressive Democrat who won an upset victory in his primary. Enter Nuñez, who was bilingual, had deep experience with the legislative process and was well-known in Miami. She also had the support from key Florida Republicans, such as Sen. MARCO RUBIO, who urged her to reconsider getting in a statewide battle she’d initially been reluctant to take on. Nuñez’s father was a Cuban exile, and she helped DeSantis make inroads among Hispanic voters during both his election and reelection. Part of her job as lieutenant governor has been to manage the health department and to chair Space Florida. Should DeSantis join the Trump administration, Nuñez would become governor, setting her up with an incumbent’s edge for the 2026 gubernatorial election that’s expected to include a crowded field, with several Trump allies — from former Rep. MATT GAETZ to Rep. BYRON DONALDS — expressing interest. “Florida has become this epicenter of politics,” said Republican Party of Florida Chair EVAN POWER. “We have been so successful that everyone wants a piece of what we are doing.” He pointed to all the personnel from Florida that Trump has tapped to fill his administration. The state, however, has leaders like Nuñez “ready to step in and fill these voids,” he added. Aside from the historic nature of Nuñez’s rise into the governor’s office, it could also send ripples throughout all of state government, ranging from priorities for the upcoming legislative session to assembling top staff and agency heads. The final two years of a governor usually spark a series of departures, so this could just provide a catalyst. It’s also possible, depending on timing, that a pair of vacancies would be among the first high-profile decisions Nuñez would make if she becomes governor: who Florida’s next senator and chief financial officer would be. DeSantis has been interviewing candidates for Senate but has said he won’t make a decision until January. If he is tapped soon to lead the Defense Department, he’ll likely be dispatched to Washington to meet with senators about confirming him. But Nuñez shouldn’t start measuring the drapes in the governor’s office just yet. Trump’s current Defense pick, PETE HEGSETH, is still meeting with senators today and said Wednesday he isn’t dropping out. And several Trump allies are on edge about bringing in former rival DeSantis, POLITICO’s Meridith McGraw and Jack Detsch report. — Gary Fineout and Kimberly Leonard 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.
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Learn more. | | | |  | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | |  Gov. Ron DeSantis delivers remarks and answers questions at a news conference in Orlando, Florida, on Sept. 16, 2024. | John Raoux/AP | ‘WIN WIN’ — "The Ronaissance is here: How Trump is boosting DeSantis’ political future,” by POLITICO’s Gary Fineout and Kimberly Leonard. Trump’s selections for his administration have given DeSantis the opportunity for a legacy-defining pick to fill Rubio's seat, which would let DeSantis further leave his mark on Florida. But there may be an even greater prize: The president-elect has been considering offering DeSantis the post of Defense secretary if Hegseth is unable to overcome opposition to his selection. The job would give DeSantis a major platform that would help keep him in the spotlight for another potential presidential run. “It’s a win-win situation,” said DeSantis donor ROBERT SALVADOR. “DeSantis is very aligned with Trump and his policies around rebuilding the military, removing woke from the military and securing the border.” LOOKING INTO IT — “Citizens CEO pushes back on reports about denying claims,” reports POLITICO’s Gary Fineout. “The CEO of Florida’s state-run insurance carrier, which has come under fire for denying claims related to 2024 hurricanes, has ordered an internal audit to review why Citizens Property Insurance has not made payments to thousands of homeowners. “Tim Cerio on Wednesday announced the internal audit, which he said will be done by a Citizens auditor who does not report to him but to the carrier’s board, in response to recent media stories that said that Citizens was denying as many as 77 percent of the claims filed with it after a series of storms.” REJECTED — “PSC sides with TECO on key issues ahead of key rate hike vote,” reports POLITICO’s Bruce Ritchie. “The Public Service Commission sided with Tampa Electric Co. this week in rejecting several staff recommendations to slash a revenue request as part of an upcoming rate hike vote. PSC staff had recommended cutting TECO's three-year, $445-million rate hike request by nearly half. But commissioners on Tuesday argued that some of the utility's more costly projects will help diversify Florida's fuel supply as required by state law.” BILL FILED — Republican state Sen. GAYLE HARRELL has filed a bill that would ensure golf courses and other sporting areas, as well as resort lodges, cannot be built on state parks, reports the News Service of Florida. The bill comes after a widely criticized proposal to upend state parks from the DeSantis administration crumbled earlier this year. COSTLY — More than 1,500 swatting threats to schools in Florida cost the state $65 million last year, as well as $8 million in instructional time, per a report from TDR Technology Solutions, writes Christy Waite from WPTV. — Democratic state Rep. CHRISTINE HUNSCHOFSKY is in Washington for a meeting about how to reduce gun violence, reports Florida Politics’ Jesse Scheckner.
| | | | REGISTER NOW: As the 118th Congress ends, major decisions loom, including healthcare appropriations. Key focus: site neutrality. Can aligning hospital and clinic costs cut federal spending, reflect physician costs, and lower patient expenses? Join policymakers and providers to discuss. | | | | | | | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | CLOSED DOOR — “UF governing board’s private meetings violated Sunshine Law,” reports Gabriel Velasquez Neira of WUFT. “The University of Florida board of trustees, the political appointees who govern the state’s flagship university, has repeatedly met since 2018 in private settings where the public was not permitted to attend. Those meetings include a two-day retreat earlier this fall when it discussed UF's budget, which it expects to formally approve this month.” SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS — “How a sweet deal for Cuban military dried up after Trump blocked flow of money from Miami,” by the Miami Herald’s Nora Gámez Torres. “The Cuban military, which for more than two decades profited from handling $7 billion in remittances sent from abroad, suffered significant financial losses from sanctions imposed by the Trump administration in 2020 aimed at cutting the flow of hard currency to the island’s armed forces, secret documents reviewed by the Miami Herald show … the Cuban military went from controlling almost $800 million in remittances sent to the island in 2019 to barely processing $35 million this year as of May.”
| | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | | THE SPACE BETWEEN — Trump has picked tech billionaire JARED ISAACMAN to lead NASA. YOU’RE FIRED — Trump said on Truth Social that he was responsible for his former Drug Enforcement Administration pick, Hillsborough County Sheriff CHAD CHRONISTER, withdrawing from consideration. Trump wrote that he “did not like what he said to my pastors and other supporters.” He appeared to be referring to how Chronister’s office arrested a Tampa pastor in 2020 for violating Covid quarantine orders to hold services. But the charges against the pastor, RODNEY HOWARD-BROWNE, were ultimately dropped given that the state rolled back its restrictions. Howard-Browne also publicly came to Chronister’s defense and filmed a video with him to support him for DEA administrator. OVER AT the Pentagon — Rep. MIKE WALTZ (R-Fla.) is another name being floated for Defense secretary in addition to DeSantis, The New York Times reports. SCOTT TAKES SIDES — As Hegseth’s fate hangs in the balance, Sen. RICK SCOTT (R-Fla.), said he’s prepared to back his confirmation. “One of the reasons I support him is that he has led his fellow service men and women in combat,” he wrote. — “Pam Bondi’s journey from traditional Republican to warrior for Trump,” by The New York Times’ Patricia Mazzei.
| | | | A message from Instagram:   | | | | | DATELINE D.C. | | TODAY — The House will introduce two separate resolutions that would require the House Ethics Committee to release its report into its investigation into Gaetz, which probed allegations of sexual misconduct and drug use, which the former representative denies. Gaetz dodged an ethics report release when he resigned from Congress, hours after Trump announced his intention to nominate Gaetz as attorney general, which he’s since withdrawn from. But since then, two Democrats, Reps. SEAN CASTEN (D-Ill.) and STEVE COHEN (D-Tenn.) have introduced dueling resolutions that would release the ethics report after debate among members over whether it should be released since Gaetz is no longer serving. The resolutions need to be voted on as soon as today. — Mia McCarthy INVESTIGATIVE REPORT — “A gambling underworld: Federal Covid aid went to illegal Florida casinos,” by David Fleshler of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “During the Covid pandemic, Florida’s illegal gambling arcades obtained more than $500,000 in taxpayer-backed loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration. Many of these companies appear to have included false information on their loan applications about the nature of their businesses. Four were later raided for illegal gambling. Like the majority of loans issued through the program, almost all the loans have been forgiven.” ACA ENROLLMENT — “One month into Obamacare enrollment, Florida leads the nation in sign-ups,” reports Christine Sexton of the Florida Phoenix. “Data released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services show that 1,458,792 Florida residents signed up for insurance coverage through the ‘Marketplace’ for 2025.” JOB HISTORY — “At Pentagon, DeSantis could attempt plans on lethal border force and domestic deployments,” reports Michael Wilner of the Miami Herald. “DeSantis repeatedly vowed during his presidential campaign to send troops to the U.S. southern border, authorize lethal force against migrants attempting to cross between ports of entry, and even consider firing missiles into Mexico — an extraordinary use of U.S. military power that has since been endorsed by Trump.” — Rubio’s office is sending new constituent services to Scott as the senior senator undergoes his confirmation process for secretary of state, reports Kirby Wilson of the Tampa Bay Times.
| | | | Billions in spending. Critical foreign aid. Immigration reform. The final weeks of 2024 could bring major policy changes. Inside Congress provides daily insights into how Congressional leaders are navigating these high-stakes issues. Subscribe today. | | | | | | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | | | 
Outgoing Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis arrives with his wife Katie for an inauguration ceremony at the Old Capitol, where Gov. Ron DeSantis was sworn in for his second term in Tallahassee, Florida, on Jan. 3, 2023. | Lynne Sladky/AP | TODAY — Qualifying begins this morning in the CD-1 race — Gaetz’s former seat — and runs until noon on Friday. CFO OPENING — Outgoing Florida Chief Financial Officer JIMMY PATRONIS has endorsed state Sen. JOE GRUTERS (R-Sarasota) to succeed him. He said in a post on X Wednesday that Gruters — who is a staunch Trump ally and DeSantis foe — was a “tried and true” conservative. “Joe’s the right man for the job!” Gruters told Playbook in a text that he was “honored” to have Patronis’ support and that he was especially looking forward to lowering the cost of property insurance. “He has been a steadfast leader for our state, and I know he will make an outstanding member of Congress,” he said of Patronis. STATE HOUSE — Republican BRIAN HODGERS, who is president of an insurance company, will run to succeed state GOP Rep. DEBBIE MAYFIELD in HD 32, reports Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics.
| | TRANSITION TIME | | — Republican operative ALEX GARCIA, who was deputy political director for Trump’s 2024 campaign, is the newest partner at Continental Strategy, reports Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics. — Managing editor GRETCHEN DAY-BRYANT is the next executive editor of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. The current editor-in-chief, JULIE ANDERSON, is retiring this month.
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