| | | | |  | | By Kimberly Leonard | | Presented by |  | | | |  John Morgan, a prominent Florida attorney, has endorsed the ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana in November. He also led the campaign to legalize medical marijuana use in 2016, and now marijuana doctors are worried that current program is in trouble if the legalization measure is approved. | Brendan Farrington/AP | Good morning and welcome to Thursday. JOHN MORGAN hasn’t decided if he’ll run for governor. But he does have a plan for how he’d do it. First, he wouldn’t run as an independent, but would roll out a new party called the “Capitalist Party.” Morgan — the founder of the Orlando-based mega personal injury firm Morgan & Morgan — has been registered as a no-party affiliated voter for the last few years but has long given generously to Democrats. He supports legalizing marijuana and prostitution (while cracking down on cartels, traffickers and “pimps”) and is anti-monopoly, but he says he disagrees with numerous progressive positions. For instance, he opposes transgender student athletes playing in sports that match their gender identity. “I think I know what people want,” Morgan said in an interview with Florida Playbook. “And I think what people want is what I want.” The 2026 gubernatorial election will be one of the most-watched in the nation, with Gov. RON DESANTIS term-limited. The GOP field to succeed him remains in flux with President-elect DONALD TRUMP pulling Floridians to serve in Washington — and Democrats’ ability to run statewide seems to be slipping away. But Morgan could be a real wildcard. He says he’s in a phase of his life where he’s thinking more about “significance” over “success” and how he can make the greatest difference. He believes it’s a “crime” that the working poor in America have to use food banks. And he has been involved in major Florida political fights before, including through successfully bankrolling state constitutional amendments on medical marijuana and raising the minimum wage. “What I learned from those two things was that when you take the ‘D’ and the ‘R’ down, most of us agree on most things,” he said, referring to Democrats and Republicans. “And I find that very encouraging.” Morgan plans to speak with elections lawyers in January about what it would take to start a new party. He figures a decision to run for governor would be a “tremendous sacrifice,” but said he believes the required personal financial disclosure wouldn’t be too difficult to put together because he has already been shifting assets to his family. He admits, however, that he’d find certain meetings that governors have to sit through to be a snooze. And he doesn’t believe that government meetings need to happen in Tallahassee because it’s so hard to get to. The governor’s mansion, he said, “smells moldy” and so he would prefer to sell it off, perhaps as a museum, and to live in an apartment if elected. Morgan, a billionaire who just got a daily cover in Forbes, knows one thing for sure: He wouldn’t need to fundraise. He also wouldn’t go knocking door to door like so many other politicians do. He already is well known on the airwaves, with his firm spending an estimated $350 million a year on TV ads nationally that he says “make the phone ring.” “People know me for better or for worse,” he said. “It’s not like I have to teach people in Florida who I am.” Instead, he would hold events where he gives away $100,000 a week to a charity and encourages other Floridians to join. And he would want Polk County Sheriff GRADY JUDD to be his running mate. He pledged that if he thought the other candidates running would “put people over power” on either side of the aisle, then he would back down, singling out GOP Agriculture Commissioner WILTON SIMPSON as a possible example. But if Morgan does run in 2026, he’d pledge to serve only one term because he said his age (68) makes him “tired as a mother [expletive] now.” So if he opts not to run, the teasing and flirting about the possibility he’s engaged in over the years would stop because he believes he’d be too old in later cycles. “I like to make the impossible, possible,” he said, “and this would be my last hurrah.” 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 Instagram: Instagram Teen Accounts: a protected experience for teens, guided by parents
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Learn more. | | | |  | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | BEAR HUNT — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission agreed on Wednesday to consider options for controlling the state's growing bear population, potentially including hunting. Commissioner GARY LESTER urged the agency to consider approving a hunt after wildlife officials said bear populations are increasing in four of the seven state regions. Agency staff didn't make a recommendation on allowing a hunt. Hunting opponents reminded the commission of the public uproar during the last state-approved hunt in 2015. But other speakers said bears need to be killed because they are raiding trash cans and getting hit by cars. "I will be very succinct — I would like to see a proposal from staff for a bear hunt," Lester told fellow commissioners after public comment concluded. — Bruce Ritchie
|  Tina Descovich, co-founder of Moms for Liberty, speaks before Donald Trump at a campaign rally at the Findlay Toyota Arena in Prescott Valley, Arizona, on Oct. 13, 2024, | Ross D. Franklin/AP | STATE SENATE TO REVIEW — “Moms for Liberty co-founder selected as vice chair of Florida Commission on Ethics,” reports Douglas Soule of USA Today Network-Florida. “Not waiting to see if the Senate confirms her appointment, the Florida Commission on Ethics unanimously selected conservative Moms for Liberty co-founder Tina Descovich as its new vice-chair. “Descovich, a former Brevard County School Board member, has served on the commission since Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed her last year. The Florida Senate didn't confirm her during the 2024 legislative session; concerns were raised toward the end of session that Descovich's work counted as lobbying, which would conflict with a role on the commission.” MOVING ON — “Visit Florida President and CEO Dana Young, who oversaw tourism-marketing efforts as House leaders pushed for the agency’s closure and helped guide a tourism rebound after Covid-19 slammed the industry, announced Tuesday she will step down from the post,” reports Jim Turner of News Service of Florida. “Young, a former lawmaker who has spent nearly six years at Visit Florida, will exit when a new leader is in place.” ACCESS PROBLEMS — “The federal Food and Drug Administration has approved two new Alzheimer’s medications that can offer people more time to live normally, but accessing them in Florida is complicated,” by Cindy Krischer Goodman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “Hold-ups related to insurance coverage, diagnostic test requirements, eligibility exclusions and long waits for neurologist appointments can become stumbling blocks for whether and how quickly someone can get the medications.”
| | | | 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. | | | | | | | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | ‘DOZENS OF VICTIMS’ — “Miami brothers, real estate stars, arrested in Miami Beach after sexual assault claims,” by Charles Rabin, Jay Weaver, Grethel Aguila and Milena Malaver of the Miami Herald. “Three brothers from Miami Beach who rocketed to fame through the sale of luxury real estate from Miami to Manhattan were taken into custody by Miami FBI agents and local police Wednesday morning and charged with a slew of state and federal sex trafficking and rape crimes. “The charges follow at least four civil lawsuits filed in early summer in New York State court that are filled with disturbing allegations of drugging and raping women. Twins Oren and Alon Alexander, 37, and their older brother Tal, 38, were awakened at their Miami Beach homes by police and investigators from the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office and the FBI, read their rights and hauled away in handcuffs. Tal Alexander later appeared in Miami federal court before Magistrate Judge Lisette Reid. He was dressed in blue jeans and long-sleeved shirt and cuffed by his ankles and wrists.” IN MEMORIAM — “Robert Parks, who served for decades as a Broward School Board member, dies at 79,” reports Lisa J. Huriash of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
| | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | | NEW PICKS UNVEILED — “President-elect Donald Trump announced a trio of picks Wednesday for Latin America ambassadorships, elevating major donors to critical diplomatic postings in the Western Hemisphere,” reports POLITICO’s Eric Bazail-Eimil. “In a series of late-night Truth Social posts, Trump said he would tap former Conair executive Leandro Rizzuto Jr. as ambassador to the Organization of American States. “He also said he would appoint philanthropist and urgent care network executive Peter Lamelas as ambassador to Argentina and [Florida-based] personal injury lawyer and former law enforcement officer Dan Newlin — [who spent millions boosting Trump on billboards and TV] — to the role of ambassador to Colombia.”
| | | DATELINE D.C. | | | 
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) who was then President-elect Donald Trump's pick to be attorney general, closes a door to a private meeting with Vice President-elect JD Vance and Republican Senate Judiciary Committee members, at the Capitol in Washington on Nov. 20, 2024. | J. Scott Applewhite/AP | GAETZ, PART 2 — John Morgan is actively in talks with former Rep. MATT GAETZ (R-Fla.) about joining his firm, Morgan & Morgan. The job would be in addition to the role Gaetz announced on Tuesday that he’s joining the conservative One America News Network as a prime-time host beginning in January. Morgan praised Gaetz for his positions on marijuana legalization, property insurance and processed foods. “I know he’s controversial,” Morgan said of Gaetz, “but I’m fucking controversial.” In a text exchange with POLITICO, Gaetz acknowledged that he and Morgan had “talked about collaborating professionally” and said he was grateful for their friendship. “I’ve known John Morgan for more than a decade,” he said. “I’ve taken a lot of advice from him on matters of law, policy and politics. I have great respect for how he stands to the powerful for his clients — and he wins.” CONFIRMATION STATION — Sen. MARCO RUBIO (R-Fla.) met with Trump Director of National Intelligence pick TULSI GABBARD on Wednesday, per a video he shared on X. Rubio suggested he was supporting her, saying the conversation was “great” and that he looked forward to working together. Rubio has also been meeting with senators for his own confirmation process to be Trump’s secretary of state. ON HOLD — A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Biden administration provision that would make health insurance through the Obamacare exchanges available to "Dreamers," reports The Associated Press. Florida and 18 other states sued over the health care rule.
| | | | A message from Instagram:   | | | | | ...HURRICANE HOLE... | | ‘NUMEROUS CHALLENGES’ — “Hurricane Milton takes toll on Florida’s upcoming citrus harvest,” reports Florida Politics’ Drew Dixon. “The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that the citrus crop will likely yield about 12 million boxes of oranges in the state. There will be another 1.2 million boxes of grapefruit and some 350,000 boxes of tangerines and tangelos for the 2024-25 harvest season in the Sunshine State, according to December’s projections. That’s down from the October forecast, which predicted 15 million boxes of oranges, 1.4 million boxes of grapefruit and 400,000 boxes of tangerines and tangelos would be produced during the harvest season.” DANGER — Hurricanes may be spreading invasive species to new areas, causing threats to the environment, agriculture and human health, reports Bill Kearney of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
| | TRANSITION TIME | | — The online gaming company FanDuel Group has hired former Florida Gaming Control Commission Executive Director LOUIS TROMBETTA as director of government relations. — The Fort Lauderdale-based Health Network One, a health care specialty network company, has appointed SUZANNE DOWLING chief operating officer and president of its HS1 Medical Management subsidiary, beginning in the new year. She was senior vice president of operations. Current COO and co-founder ROBERT LEAHY is retiring but will stay on as senior adviser.
| | | | Write your own chapter in the new Washington. From the Lame Duck Congress Series to New Administration insights, POLITICO Pro delivers intelligence across 22+ policy areas to help you anticipate and navigate change. Discover how a Pro subscription empowers you. Learn more today. | | | | | | | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | | — The Florida prison where reality TV star TODD CHRISLEY is serving time after a guilty verdict of tax evasion and defrauding community banks is closing, reports USA Today Network-Florida. — An iguana infestation forced a Florida school’s pool to close, per Scripps News West Palm Beach. — An estimated 7 million Floridians will travel this holiday season, reports USA Today Network-Florida. — Universal Orlando is debuting specialty license plates, reports USA Today Network-Florida. BIRTHDAYS: Former state Rep. Dick Batchelor ... former state Rep. Jennifer Webb. CORRECTION: Wednesday’s Florida Playbook incorrectly described a piece of legislation that would have Florida join the National Popular Vote compact.
| | | | A message from Instagram: Instagram Teen Accounts: automatic protections for teens
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