Subject: POLITICO Florida Playbook, presented by Nuclear Matters: Clinton leads Trump by 2 in FL chamber poll – liberal pundits v. Wasserman Schultz – Transgender bathroom wars come to Florida – Scientists: Nile crocs are in state (!?!)
From: Marc Caputo <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 20 May 2016 05:00:47 -0600

05/20/2016 06:58 AM EDT

By Marc Caputo ([email-masked]; @MarcACaputo) with Ali Breland ([email-masked]; @AliBreland) and the staff of POLITICO Florida

PICK YOUR POISON - "Florida poll: Clinton narrowly leads Trump, but neither is well-liked," by POLITICO Florida's Marc Caputo: Hillary Clinton has a marginal two-point lead over Donald Trump in his must-win state of Florida - where voters don't really like either candidate, according to a Florida Chamber of Commerce poll. The race could essentially be called a tie, because Clinton's 45- to 43-percent advantage over Trump is well within the 622-voter poll's four-point margin of error.

"We are going into the General Election season with two major party candidates (likely the nominees) who have a real upside down problem ... not many voters like either one of them," Marian Johnson, the chamber's senior vice president of political strategy, wrote in a polling memo to members of the conservative-leaning business group. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8acf2a654b79e03a8b2fa38e96511022ed04c8999ebcd836f207e99b4b21bfc0

Thank God It's Friday, my first kinda-sorta day off after 12 straight. This being Florida, U.S. Rep. Curt Clawson made sure to unexpectedly announce his retirement yesterday, ensuring just a little more extra work. 

ELECTIONSGASM -- Consider this, of Florida's 27 congressional districts, 12 are now competitive: the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 18th, 19th, 23rd and 26th. Just counting these competitive races, there are at least 81 announced candidates (Republicans, Democrats, no party affiliations, other parties, write-ins, kooks etc.). If four Republicans hop into the now-open 19th, that'll bring us to 85 candidates. If Democrats manage to field a candidate in the 7th (they had one, but he quit), that will bring our total competitive races to 13, with 88 candidates. Then there are the FIVE major Republicans running for U.S. Senate and the two major Democrats, including
 congressman/news-machine Alan Grayson. I say "major" candidates because there are many more - at least 28 total have filed an intention to run. That's right. TWENTY EIGHT. That's just on the federal side. I didn't bother to count how many competitive races there are in the 120-member Florida House and 40-member Florida Senate. 

CURT, WE BARELY KNEW YA - "Rep. Clawson to retire, setting off mad GOP scramble," by POLITICO Florida's Marc Caputo: Citing his ailing father's health, first-term Congressman Curt Clawson unexpectedly announced he won't seek re-election to Florida's 19th District, putting in motion what's likely to be a mad Republican scramble for the seat. Clawson won the southwest Florida congressional seat in a special election in 2014 after Republican Rep. Trey Radel resigned due to a cocaine conviction. Clawson leaves behind few accomplishments, a bevy of potential successors and the legacy of an awkward as all get-out gaffe when he mistook two U.S. officials of Indian descent as representatives of the
 Indian government. 

-- CRINGEWORTHY VIDEO HERE: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8acf2a654b79e03abf3eeb7b2bc070e8df4b583561dcf4efbab605d3d7e137d9

-- Who's in/Likely in/Should be in: Consultant Chauncey Goss (definite), former state Rep. Paige Kreegel (probable) and state Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto (she's more possible, and this is a guess).

-- MACK COMEBACK? Playing coy: Connie Mack IV, the former congressman who represented the district before leaving it in an unsuccessful 2012 bid to unseat U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson. Mack said Clawson's retirement is "interesting" and that he's "processing" the info.

-- Others: state House members Matt Caldwell, Heather Fitzhagen, and Dane Eagle - especially if Benacquisto doesn't run. An open congressional seat could seem enticing for the three state representatives, considering the Benacquisto's Florida Senate seat will be open just once over the next 12 years. 

-- AND HEY, WHY NOT RADEL? http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8acf2a654b79e03a1b5910bcee0328146ec0ad4b98654d5dae33b2f1e3d9a6b3

DWS INCOMING -- "Liberal pundits blame Debbie Wasserman Schultz, not Bernie Sanders, for Democrats' division," by The Washington Post's Callum Borchers: "[DNC] Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz says Bernie Sanders added fuel to the fire that raged at last weekend's chaotic Democratic convention in Nevada, criticizing him for choosing to denounce party leaders before condemning violence in a written statement. Liberal CNN commentator Van Jones sees things very differently.

"She says that Bernie's adding fuel to the fire? She just added fuel to the fire," Jones said Tuesday, shortly after Wasserman Schultz said in an interview that Sanders's response to reports of a scuffle and threatening behavior by some of his supporters was "anything but acceptable." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8acf2a654b79e03ab7892364f73fde39a3106f5755bc2e76e36811e734a681eb

UNCOMMON CORE -- "Read the Donald Trump exam question that got a Florida teacher suspended," by Palm Beach Post's Kristina Webb: How could a Donald Trump presidency affect the United States? That's the question that, in part, led to the suspension Wednesday of a teacher at Palm Beach Lakes High School in West Palm Beach. But it may not have been the question as much as the answer choices that the school's principal found 'wholly inappropriate.'" [The choices were: Screwed, Screwed, Screwed, Screwed behind a really YUGE wall that Mexico pays for......] http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8acf2a654b79e03a9583a088782b27f510def7c3e4505099cf9587aa309c811e

OR CASH IN? -- "Marco Rubio Is Preparing to Sell Out," by Vanity Fair's Emily Jane Fox: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8acf2a654b79e03adf13fe01c1f2533555c2e2ba190d60daf35c263e17ff8563

GRAYSON GET -- Amy Ritter Valdivia, former Florida coordinator for Bernie Sanders campaign, has been hired on Grayson's U.S. Senate campaign as deputy field director.

MURPHY GET -- "Congressional Hispanic Caucus endorses Patrick Murphy," by POLITICO Florida's Matt Dixon: The Hispanic Congressional Caucus Thursday morning endorsed the U.S. Senate campaign of Democrat Patrick Murphy. Rep. Tony Cardenas of California said Murphy is "not only good for the Hispanic kids across Florida, but for all American families." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a74ce3e96c1c5e0cb78bce8c2e7915d20efd1e7e78d3f9e49bc0232346ff25b 

-- PolitiFact Florida: Grayson lacks evidence to accuse Murphy's father http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a74ce3e96c1c5e0582595bae920ec9da4810f9676fe733d2d387e733f7f5ca2

** A Message from Nuclear Matters: Nuclear energy plants play a vital role in achieving our clean-energy and carbon-reduction goals. Florida's nuclear energy fleet supports more than 2,270 jobs and provides $1.9 billion to the state's GDP. Learn more at NuclearMatters.com. **

DADE DOLLAR DIALING -- "County commissioners endorse campaign reform. After grumbling," by Miami Herald's Douglas Hanks: "The new legislation, sponsored by rookie commissioner Daniella Levine Cava, goes into effect next year and requires all candidates for local offices in Miami-Dade to register when they raise money for political action committees. The new county rules track regulations already in place for state officials." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a74ce3e96c1c5e01194a8d4a6509601f308368351298ef20bcc3198ebe57568 

BATHROOM BRAKE -- "Evers asks Scott, Bondi to protect schools that reject transgender policy," by POLITICO Florida's Jessica Bakeman: State Sen. Greg Evers is the latest to call on Gov. Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi to weigh in on the recent federal guidance directing public schools to allow transgender students to use bathrooms that correspond with their gender identities. Evers, a Pensacola Republican who is running for Congress, wrote a letter to Scott and Bondi on Friday asking them to protect school districts that refuse to comply with the directive from the federal justice and education departments. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a74ce3e96c1c5e023b3284dfff0de815e3c254fcc6ec2ccc3415348e4d2b41b

-- On Thursday, Florida's chapter of the ACLU asked Scott and Bondi to refrain from encouraging school districts to ignore the directive, arguing that supporting the Obama administration's position was "the right thing to do." More from Bakeman: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a74ce3e96c1c5e0dca00e6474c13e75db3c9d1d2111b371c4f90ab350342f90

MISMATCH -- "In deposition, Seminole gambling executive may have undercut tribe's argument," by POLITICO Florida's Daniel Ducassi: A key Seminole gambling executive gave answers in a March deposition that may serve to undermine one of the tribe's arguments in the ongoing lawsuit between the tribe and the state. The tribe is arguing, in part, that the state violated the current gaming compact by allowing some South Florida pari-mutuels to offer an electronic video blackjack game. The tribe argues the move would be in violation of the tribe's exclusivity rights under the compact to offer banked card games, like blackjack. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a74ce3e96c1c5e0664174b6ccded53a3536f9f4f64b06dddf6429bbb41b4a5e 

--"State economists uncertain about financial impact of gambling amendment," by POLITICO Florida's Daniel Ducassi: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a74ce3e96c1c5e0f880481f1ed09ea6a4466aad8c6dc79bd31700d34a56124e

POWER OUTAGE -- "State Supreme Court rejects FPL fracking investment," by POLITICO Florida's Bruce Ritchie: The Florida Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Florida Power & Light Co. can't charge customers for its investment in an Oklahoma natural gas fracking operation. In a 6-1 decision, the state's highest court overturned the Public Service Commission on a challenge by the Office of Public Counsel and industry groups. FPL had argued the investment in the Woodford project would protect ratepayers from volatility in the natural gas market. The case was a lightning rod both for critics of the state's largest utility and critics of fracking, the controversial oil and gas extraction process. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a74ce3e96c1c5e06dd8a9905f6c2d52951e338eaf86105bbdd0e617058db761

CITY POWER - "In case of city utilities, court says PSC can decide service areas," by POLITICO Florida's Bruce Ritchie: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a74ce3e96c1c5e013a75626bb8f28fe2deb47078ff9fddcf906200d9c4d27ec

SHOCKED! - "FPL parent company rejects demand for a report on impact of sea level rise to nuclear plants," by Miami Herald's Mary Ellen Klas: "In a swift 17-minute meeting held in a Oklahoma City hotel Thursday, NextEra Energy successfully won shareholder approval of a $31 million compensation package for its five top executives, and defeated two proposals aimed at increasing transparency over how the company is handling sea level rise and political contributions." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=16697e2d814660fb734a0e2e3a66152b06aa008b7f9a0a4bdcd2669c358c0c8e

COPS FOR SOTO-- "Florida PBA endorses Darren Soto in Congressional District 9 race," by The Orlando Political Observer's Frank Torres: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=16697e2d814660fb804b825a9bd87b38d7ea56692211b3c088f269b8dcfca1c7 

PILOTS FOR RANDOLPH - "ALPA Throws Support Behind Randolph in FL-09: World's Largest Air Line Pilots Association Backs Randolph for Congress," via press release.

NY STATE OF MIND -- "New York Congresswoman Nydia Vel&aacute;zquez endorses Val Demings in CD 10," by The Orlando Political Observer's Frank Torres: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=16697e2d814660fbcb21bb0b299529a0783cfc5b2591232fd81a5c3446addb4c

SLIME -- "Lake Okeechobee Toxic Algal Bloom Threatens To Spread To Coastal Estuaries," by Health News Florida's Amy Green: "Scientists have been watching a large toxic algal bloom in Lake Okeechobee. They worry the bloom could spread from the state's largest lake through man-made canals to coastal estuaries like the Indian River Lagoon. The toxic bloom began about a week ago in Lake Okeechobee and stretches several miles. Paul Gray of Audubon of Florida said unless it dissipates, the bloom likely will spread as water managers continue to send large amounts of water from the rain-swollen lake to the estuaries." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=16697e2d814660fb89caf860709baf88299f8f409c2c7855e4d43a0cc4f67958

 -- "Our opinion: Don't water down standards," Tallahassee Democrat Editorial Board: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=16697e2d814660fb466339e8c348d814f6f0302a8ed440a92fa4e740edb6b294

EAT THIS, NOT THAT -- "Florida brewery creates edible six-pack rings to protect marine wildlife" -- The Growler: "Saltwater Brewery and We Believers-an advertising agency in New York-developed the durable packaging solution for six-packs from spent grain from the brewing process. The resulting product is claimed to be not only biodegradable, but also edible for fish and other sea life." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=16697e2d814660fbcd9e3e3de17a4fa2432d1b15b6ac1a4c8df5b86dca8aa493

FAILED STATE -- "There has never been a country that should have been so rich but ended up this poor," by The Washington Post's Matt O'Brien: "Venezuela has become a failed state. According to the International Monetary Fund's latest projections, it has the world's worst economic growth, worst inflation and ninth-worst unemployment rate right now. It also has the second-worst murder rate, and an infant mortality rate that's gotten 100 times worse itself the past four years. And in case all that wasn't bad enough, its currency, going by black market rates, has lost 99 percent of its value since the start of 2012. It's what you call a complete social and economic collapse. And it has happened
 despite the fact that Venezuela has the world's largest oil reserves." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=16697e2d814660fb46bf6fa5edb10665d58689df5e62148bf745b4884693413b

AND IN CUBA... -- "Why Your Tourism Dollars Aren't Helping Ordinary Cubans," by Todd Moss: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=16697e2d814660fb7e33ae093e5702bb236c57592815967bf0b7a5fcc916e584 

INSURANCE FIGHT -- "OIR seeks study of PIP reforms, impact of nixing no-fault program," by POLITICO Florida's Christine Sexton: All signs suggest that automobile insurance will be an issue in the upcoming 2017 legislative session. The Office of Insurance Regulation last week advertised the need for an analysis of Florida's personal injury protection, or PIP, market to determine whether the sweeping changes the Legislature made in 2012 have succeeded. Insurance regulators also said they want the analysis to examine the impact of repealing the mandatory PIP requirement and replacing it with a requirement that drivers carry bodily injury or medical payments coverage. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=16697e2d814660fb76d0450ec7a96d7f66d99d6e442feb886330e12207ea9143

INSURANCE SCAM -- "Hurricane insurance scam driving up Florida premiums," by Miami Herald's Michael Carson: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=16697e2d814660fb4fca8524ce735577647b93c698f9f830b3dc5a6b1b355c11

BUBBLE GO POP? -- "Report: Miami Rents 'Likely to Tumble' as Inflection Point Nears," by Curbed Miami's Josh Baumgard: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6bd35fae9f1751bb89e55b72f3507d8ba8e016407f8b76ff978425993ba91e6b

ALMOST THAT TIME AGAIN -- "Escambia, Santa Rosa counties prep for hurricanes," by Pensacola News Journal's Hana Frenette: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6bd35fae9f1751bb33ed538e472546a90dc39bcf5d794911aea1dd4583837575

'BACK AWAY FROM THIS [FLORIDA] TREE' -- "Do Not Eat, Touch, Or Even Inhale the Air Around the Manchineel Tree," by Atlas Obscura's Dan Nosowitz: "You might be tempted to eat the fruit. Do not eat the fruit. You might want to rest your hand on the trunk, or touch a branch. Do not touch the tree trunk or any branches. Do not stand under or even near the tree for any length of time whatsoever. Do not touch your eyes while near the tree. Do not pick up any of the ominously shiny, tropic-green leaves. If you want to slowly but firmly back away from this tree, you would not find any argument from any botanist who has studied it." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6bd35fae9f1751bb4ed25a9b2ecbb42d9a201c13012c25b382475cfec0bf5a82

POLITICAL CRIME WATCH...

Jacksonville -- "Feds: State Rep. Reggie Fullwood defrauded donors, state elections office," by The Florida Times-Union's Steve Patterson: "one of the Jacksonville Democrat's attorneys, Robert Willis, said an April 15 indictment that included ten counts of wire fraud never said who was defrauded. U.S. Magistrate Joel Toomey told prosecutors to answer by Thursday.... After waiting until 5 p.m. Thursday with no reply ... [the feds] filed papers saying the Florida Division of Elections and Fullwood's campaign contributors were both victims, in different ways, of fraud that the indictment claimed funneled tens of thousands of dollars from a campaign bank account into an account for a closed
 Fullwood business." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6bd35fae9f1751bbee2a5f065775223d64b60a19fea4e1b603ce7daac76cbdff

Cape Coral -- "Cape mayor files restraining order against city employee," by Frank Bumb: "Cape Coral Mayor Marni Sawicki filed an injunction Tuesday for protection against a city firefighter. The petition came after a three-year, on-again, off-again relationship ended amid threatening phone calls, text messages and other harassing conduct, according to Sawicki in the petition. A temporary injunction was approved by the Lee County Domestic Violence Unit until a hearing can be held Monday." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6bd35fae9f1751bb11047e8fd3a36bba68514910ee38750812348609bad89a4b 

Opa-Locka -- @BillyCorben: ".@Opalocka_FL city manager steals public money during corruption probe, takes leave WITH pay http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=613f2df2405e004d1de30cc206b0db9827df4b89506d6974e2115f20eb1bb1ba

FLORIDA MAN, WOMAN, ANIMALS ETC.

-- "Former NFL player Tim Tebow writing book on 'life's storms,'" AP via The Florida Times-Unions: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6bd35fae9f1751bb086c1d8e52d18ffc60c1ea667a00080c747faaac7c0ffedf

-- "Deaf man sues Osceola County over access to jail interpreter," by WFTV http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6bd35fae9f1751bb16dae66f0661e109633b83d69c0d2a5bace7db59583f7d8d

-- Craig Pittman @craigtimes: "Oh #Florida! Man holds cops at bay for 6 hours. Standoff ends when he falls asleep. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6bd35fae9f1751bba9778aca3377a845b36b5154778e0dce1deb81f7a49e1bc4

-- Craig Pittman @craigtimes: "The story of a blind raccoon & the #Florida woman who attends its every need: feeding, bathing, exercise & grooming. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=613f2df2405e004da559d269c0caff91314fa2f869f9198ec62c19495a686291

-- "Protesters Ask County to Force Monkey Importer Worldwide Primates to Remove Fence," by Miami New Times' Jessica Weiss: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=631fdfb544de1774d7acbca6ef76e5ef08d97d081b95354be04c03798c1fb1c4

-- "Gun sales on Facebook prompts concern," by Capitol News Service: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=631fdfb544de17744cb2b0564fdbd6fa881e4ac9f0c90f5876c474699ebbab42

-- "Delray Beach man chases neighbors with machete, claims they threatened to cast voodoo spell, police say," by Sun Sentinel's Adam Sacasa: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=631fdfb544de1774fee08fc3572d42b411f32dcece5d7c260016fe8fbfbac16d

-- "Thieves walk out of Florida hotel with ATM," by ABC 2's Stepahnie Tinoco: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=631fdfb544de177413562d8a288b90f06f9ae33ba90aff4b14f2b7a7ae91906a

JUST WHAT WE NEED -- "Florida now has a Nile crocodile problem," by Orlando Weekly's Colin Wolf: "Florida researchers have now confirmed that three Nile crocodiles were indeed captured near Miami, and more are probably out there. According to the Washington Times, University of Florida researchers recently published a report showing DNA testing from three crocs captured back in 2009, 2011 and 2014 does, in fact, match DNA from Nile crocodiles. 

"They didn't swim from Africa," University of Florida herpetologist Kenneth Krysko said to the Times. "But we really don't know how they got into the wild." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=631fdfb544de1774932b09c35f085bed1c2b5021c41fe165a7e1cd882f52e142 

** A Message from Nuclear Matters: America's fleet of nuclear energy plants support 475,000 jobs nationwide and provide more than 62% of America's carbon-free electricity. Our existing, state-of-the-art nuclear energy plants play a vital role in achieving our clean-energy and carbon-reduction goals.

In Florida, nuclear energy plants provide 12 percent of the state's electricity and a large majority of our carbon-free electricity. The existing nuclear energy plants in Florida also support more than 2,270 jobs and provide $1.9 billion to the state's GDP. To help keep Florida working, we need the state's technologically advanced nuclear energy plants continuing to work for all of us. Join us at NuclearMatters.com. **

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