Top Three Takeaways – May 4th, 2021
- He’s back... Of course, he never really left, at least by choice. I’m talking about Florida’s onetime Republican governor, turned Republican senate candidate, turned independent senate candidate, turned Democrat candidate for governor turned Democrat Congressman...Charlie Crist. Florida’s most expedient politician is back for another run for governor. This is notable for multiple reasons. First, the obvious. He becomes the Democrat’s front-runner and his entrance could influence whether other would-be Democrat candidates like Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, or Congresswomen Val Demmings jump in. To them, the one thing worse than losing a governor’s race as current office holders, would be to lose it in a primary. It’s not a surprise Charlie’s running but it does raise the stakes from here. It also is a potential tell about his perception of his prospects in next year’s midterm election cycle combined with redistricting. His vacancy creates the perfect window of opportunity for an additional...
- GOP pickup. After a comfortable 15-point win in 2018, Charlie Crist only pulled out his race in 2020 by 6-points over rising GOP prospect Anna Paulina Luna. With the president’s party historically at a disadvantage in midterm elections, redistricting providing additional questions about what the district will look like going-forward, it’s understandable that Crist would make one final run at the office he vacated to run for the Senate in the first place. Irony. Anyway, with Republicans seeking to gain control of the House of Representatives next year, Crist’s decision to run for governor enhances the prospects of an additional seat flip in Florida. Usually, a run for a higher office is viewed as though one is going on offense. In the case of Crist, it could potentially be a defensive measure – lest he go out losing a House re-election race. The only race he’s not previously lost running in – in any party. Republicans have had serious momentum in Florida in recent cycles and we could prove pivotal if Republicans gain control of the U.S. House next year.
- The pandemic ends in Florida July 1st. In reality, through DeSantis’s declaration ending local restrictions you could say it ended yesterday – though he did use an emergency order to do it so that wouldn’t be technically correct. Anyway, in the event any local governments wanted to keep the emergency pandemic declarations alive...It’s all over. And it’s the law as of July 1st. That’s because Governor DeSantis signed the law limiting emergency declarations at all levels of government in Florida and issued the declaration that no local emergency orders will be allowed past June 30th. There are numerous times I’ve thought about the profound difference of the 18,000 votes that made the difference between Governor DeSantis’s policies and Andrew Gillum. I don't want to imagine what would have been different and thankfully we don’t have to, however the pandemic has been the ultimate example of all elections having consequences with those closest to you having the biggest impact on your daily life. In the United States of America our government is supposed to serve us – not control us. We should always error on the side of freedom. And while some might suggest the governor’s order is in error – what side are they willing to error on the side of?
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