| | | |  | | By Kimberly Leonard | | 
DeSantis has kept this year’s budget pretty close to the vest, a departure from past years. | Joe Raedle/Getty Images | Good morning and welcome to Monday. Gov. RON DESANTIS sent his budget request to Legislative leaders late Sunday night during an already tense period in Tallahassee. The governor’s budget proposal is about more than numbers; it’s a messaging document about priorities and political dynamics. Last year, for instance, the governor leaned in hard on agriculture causes just weeks away from the caucuses in Iowa, a top producer of corn, soybeans, pork and eggs. In 2023, he signed a series of tax cuts into law that he presented as an antidote to inflation. DeSantis’ latest budget request, called the “Focus on Fiscal Responsibility” budget, is for $115.6 billion, compared with a projected $118.6 billion in spending during the 2024-25 fiscal year. The governor is expected to hold a press briefing about the budget in Tallahassee today. It calls for $505 million in spending for the division of emergency management to enforce laws against illegal immigration and for bulking up the Florida National Guard’s training and readiness facilities. Of course, this proposal is only the start. During the session that kicks off in March, the Legislature will make decisions about spending and then send their finished product to DeSantis, who in turn has the power to use his line-item veto pen to do away with budget items he doesn’t approve of. It’s not clear how much the Legislature will incorporate the governor’s wishes, especially given their current all-out dispute with him over illegal immigration. Their spending bill could serve as yet another avenue for them to assert their independence from the executive branch. Plus, lawmakers not only will be working on the upcoming fiscal year budget but can still look backwards to the 2024-25 fiscal year. In a show of defiance last week, for instance, they restored $57 million in spending on legislative support services DeSantis had vetoed previously, and more budget veto overrides could be ahead. After all, they’d have plenty to choose from, given DeSantis vetoed almost $949 million in spending last year. “All options are on the table,” Florida House Speaker DANNY PEREZ said on CBS Miami’s “Facing South Florida” when host Jim DeFede asked about the possibility of more budget overrides. At a quick glance, DeSantis’ budget calls for eliminating 741 positions in the state government and sets aside $14.6 billion in reserves. DeSantis wants to continue holding several tax cut holidays, including for disaster preparedness, back-to-school supplies and recreational supplies for the summer. He also wants to lower and eventually repeal the state sales tax on commercial real estate leases. (Pros can get much more analysis from our Gary Fineout this morning.) DeSantis has kept this year’s budget pretty close to the vest, a departure from past years when he has tended to tease different ideas over the course of months to much fanfare at press conferences. This year is different given not only the changing power dynamics in Tallahassee but budget realities. Perez has long said he thinks the state government is over-spending, and state budget analysts have noted that Florida won’t be able to rely on the surge of federal money it has gotten in recent years from Covid recovery aid. That means lawmakers will be getting ready to pull back on funding for hometown projects. 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
|  | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | THIS WEEK — Lawmakers are back in Tallahassee for Florida Senate and House committee meetings. INNER TURMOIL — “Florida Republicans just declared war on each other,” by POLITICO’s Gary Fineout. “Florida’s Republican era of good feelings appears over. “President Donald Trump’s home state is caught up in a never-before-seen power struggle between DeSantis and the Florida Legislature. It’s led to insults, promises of political payback and a mounting media offensive by the governor. “The scene is unlike any since Republicans gained control of state government nearly three decades ago. While past dustups between a GOP governor and Republican legislators have been fought over policies such as medical malpractice insurance or government subsidies for businesses, the current fight hits a top-tier issue crucial to Republican voters: illegal immigration.” INSIDE THE POLICY — “Breaking down 6 key issues within Florida’s GOP immigration debate,” by POLITICO’s Isa Domínguez. Isa breaks down issues such as who would take on the job of chief immigration officer to criminal penalties on undocumented immigrants. And the governor and Legislature’s proposals diverge in several key ways. STRONG OUTLOOK — “Florida’s economic growth is outpacing other states in an upbeat forecast published by the Florida Chamber of Commerce,” reports Drew Dixon of Florida Politics. “The business advocacy group published its 2025 Florida Economic Forecast recently and it found the Sunshine State is outpacing national growth trends. The report concluded Florida’s economy is bolstered by industries such as technology, health care, construction and others.” GAETZ OUT OF HOSPITAL — State Sen. DON GAETZ (R-Crestview) was released from the hospital ahead of the weekend after an overnight stay and series of tests, his son, former Rep. MATT GAETZ, shared over X. He’s expected to be back at the Capitol today for committee meetings. MATERNAL HEALTH APPROACH — “New Florida law allowing C-sections outside hospitals could be national model,” by Anna Claire Vollers of the Florida Phoenix. “The United States has poor maternal health outcomes compared with peer nations, and hospital labor and delivery units are shuttering around the country because of financial strain. Supporters say the Florida law could increase access to maternity care and lower costs for expecting patients. “But critics, including some physician, hospital and midwife groups, warn it’s an untested model that could put the health of mothers and babies at risk. They also note that private equity firms that have made other forays into health care have attracted state scrutiny for allegedly valuing profits over patient safety.” SWIMMING HAZARD — Several major beaches in Southwest Florida are under health alerts over red tide, reports Andrew Wulfeck of Fox Weather. Hurricanes Helene and Milton may have made the situation more dangerous after the storms stirred up materials from the ocean floor.
| | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | VENEZUELA VISIT — Venezuela released six Americans hostages on Friday after RICHARD GRENELL, Trump’s envoy for special missions, met with Venezuelan President NICOLÁS MADURO in Caracas, reports POLITICO’s Ali Bianco. Trump then announced on Saturday that Venezuela agreed to take back “all” migrants from Venezuela that the U.S. wanted to deport and would even “supply the transportation,” reports POLITICO’s Giselle Ruhiyyih Ewing. And the Department of Homeland Security confirmed to the Miami Herald on Sunday that it’ll revoke deportation protections put in place under then-President JOE BIDEN that would have allowed more than half a million Venezuelans to keep those protections, known as Temporary Protected Status, through October 2026. “The revocation of TPS is certain to have profound effects on Florida, which has the largest number of TPS beneficiaries out of any state with over 357,985 beneficiaries,” write the Miami Herald’s Syra Ortiz Blanes, Verónica Egui Brito and Antonio Maria Delgado. “Nearly 60 percent of them are Venezuelan. Some experts note that besides causing family separations if Venezuelans are deported back to their home country, the revocation could also lead to job loss and business disruptions.” The announcement was met with outcry and fear by Venezuelans who fled political persecution to live in the U.S., per Verónica Egui Brito and Milena Malaver of the Miami Herald. “It’s heartbreaking that after seven years of hard work, studying for my degree, I’m still being targeted,” Grecia Pacheco told the Miami Herald. “I’d rather seek refuge in another country than go back to Venezuela.” Another piece by the Miami Herald’s Claire Healy and Syra Ortiz Blanes points out that South Florida Republican members of Congress have been put in a difficult spot trying to support Trump's immigration actions but also their constituents.
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio will ask El Salvador to accept migrants whose home countries will not accept them. | Mark Schiefelbein/POOL/AFP via Getty Images | MORE IN THE WEEK AHEAD — Secretary of State MARCO RUBIO, during a swing through Latin America this week, will ask El Salvador to accept migrants whose home countries will not accept them, reports POLITICO’s Eric Bazail-Eimil. The plan would “restore a deal from Trump’s first term that designated it as a safe third country’ for such deportees” who would then seek asylum there. DEPORTATION FEARS — “Undocumented immigrants in Tallahassee area on red alert amid recent ICE activity,” by Ana Goñi-Lessan and Jeff Burlew of USA Today Network — Florida. “Less than two weeks after Trump — who campaigned on a promise of mass deportations — took office for his second term, fear and panic has spread through immigrant communities across the Tallahassee area and the nation. “Rumors of raids and roundups at restaurants, businesses, schools and construction sites have flooded Facebook and other social media platforms. Text messages with dire warnings have also circulated in the Hispanic community.”
| | CAMPAIGN MODE | | | 
Hogg became a national gun violence prevention advocate after surviving the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. | Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Fast Company | GEN Z FLORIDIAN ASCENDS — DAVID HOGG was elected the new vice chair of the Democratic National Committee during the party’s meeting at Maryland’s National Harbor over the weekend. Hogg became a national gun violence prevention advocate after surviving the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. WHAT’S NEXT — “A way back? Florida Democrats seek relevance after historic decline in numbers, influence,” by James Call of USA Today Network — Florida. “Some provocative ideas are circulating among Democrats to reestablish a connection as they prepare for the 2026 election, when the governor's and Cabinet offices and a U.S. Senate seat will be on the ballot. Democrats need to erase an 8-point Republican advantage in voter registration. “Among the ideas to close the gap: Invite no-party affiliated voters to vote in Democratic primaries. Others include innovative use of social media and aggressive year-round outreach at the neighborhood level.”
| | DATELINE D.C. | |
TRADE WARS — Trump on Saturday announced new tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, citing the flow of illicit fentanyl, illegal immigration and the U.S. trade deficit. They’re set to take effect Tuesday.
Per POLITICO’s Doug Palmer: “The additional tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods will be 25 percent, although only 10 percent on Canadian energy, a White House official said. The new tariff on Chinese goods will also be 10 percent.” One important fact, according to C.A. Bridges of USA Today Network — Florida: “Mexico is Florida's No. 1 trade partner and its third-largest exporter. In 2023, the state imported $10.4 billion in goods, according to the Mexican embassy (although Select Florida, the state's official international commerce organization, only lists $4.3 billion), and exported more than $4 billion in aerospace products and parts, engines, turbines and power transmission equipment, miscellaneously manufactured commodities, paper products, dairy products and more.”
| | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | | NAME DROP — “Doechii wins Grammy for best rap album, gives shout-out to Tampa,” per The Associated Press. “It was Doechii’s first Grammy. She acknowledged many may not know her and she called herself a swamp princess, ‘Because I’m from Tampa, Florida.’ “‘There is so much culture in Tampa. Whenever people think about Florida they only think about, like Miami, but Tampa has so much talent,’ she said. ‘Labels, go to Tampa. There is talent there.’” BIRTHDAYS: Former state Sen. Arthenia Joyner … Tom Gallagher, former Florida chief financial officer and insurance commissioner … Fred Hochberg, former chairman and president of Export-Import Bank of the United States … (Was Friday) Jason Delgado of Spectrum Networks … Liv Caputo of The Floridian. | | | | 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 | | | |
