| | | | |  | | By Kimberly Leonard and Kierra Frazier | |  Democratic vice presidential nominee, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, speaks during a campaign rally with Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, on Aug. 6, 2024. | Jamie Kelter Davis for POLITICO | Good morning and welcome to Wednesday. More than a year before Tim Walz became Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, the Minnesota governor had a message for Florida. “I’m pretty glad we do things our way and not their way,” he said during his 2023 State of the State address. Indeed, the two states are opposite in many respects. Walz signed a law codifying abortion protections and an executive order to protect patients’ access to gender-affirming care. Other laws containing his signature included allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses, legalizing cannabis for recreational reasons, expanding voting rights for people formerly incarcerated and mandating universal background checks for firearms. “Politicians want to be seen as ‘fighters.’ But what they don’t seem to understand is that it’s not enough to be a fighter,” Walz said in his State of the State address — where the context made it clear his message was intended for Gov. Ron DeSantis. “You have to choose the right fights. And if there’s one thing I hope folks in other states take away from what we’re doing here in Minnesota, it’s this: It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you stop complaining about corporations going ‘woke’ and start giving a damn about the lives of real people.” The state of the state address wasn’t the only time Walz went after Florida. He also has taken to social media after some back and forth over whether AP Psychology classes could be taught here, telling Floridians that they could always move to Minnesota. In September, he posted, “while we’re focused on banishing hunger with free breakfast and lunch, they’re focused on banning books, bullying LGBTQ+ students and attacking teachers.” It’s similar to the message that Harris — and sometimes her husband Doug Emhoff — has come to Florida to deliver herself. Despite the back and forth, Minnesota state House Majority Leader Jamie Long, a Democrat, told Playbook that his governor’s aim was about “bringing people together” and added, “he’s not a partisan bomb thrower like DeSantis.” He said Walz was unapologetically progressive but pointed to policies that required bipartisanship in Minnesota, including universal lunches at public schools, paid family leave and expanding the child tax credit. “The governor was drawing those contrasts because he wanted to show that Minnesota was a state that was valuing inclusion and welcoming all people,” he said. “We have seen efforts from people around the country to exclude people they disfavor.” Yesterday, Florida Republicans were quick to brand Walz as a raging leftist. Addressing the pick head on during a press conference about Hurricane Debby, DeSantis criticized Walz by raising the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests against racism and police brutality after Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd in Minneapolis. In 2020, DeSantis initially said he was “appalled” by the killing but then pushed a new “anti-riot” bill in response to those protests. Many Republicans criticized Walz for his handling of the crisis, as looting and arson broke out in Minneapolis. “We do not need an America that represents the failed policies of San Francisco or the failed policies of Minneapolis,” DeSantis said. “We do not need to see poop on the street and cities burning down.” On social media, DeSantis also criticized Walz over “unscientific coronavirus restrictions,” given that Republicans view states like Minnesota as having had prolonged school closures in trying to prevent the virus’ spread during the pandemic. Walz and DeSantis overlapped in the U.S. House. While they didn’t serve on any committees together, a Playbook analysis of legislation shows bills they both cosponsored were innocuous and largely bipartisan, including measures to prevent animal cruelty, to expand benefits of armed services members who die on duty — Walz was in the Army National Guard while DeSantis was in the Navy — as well as bills to repeal sales taxes on medical devices and another to enhance research against childhood cancer. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget in the campaign reporting that Playbook should look at? Get in touch at: kleonard@politico.com.
| | | | Breaking News Briefing: Where Tim Walz Stands on the Issues — The Democratic ticket is set now that Vice President Kamala Harris has named Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. Join POLITICO Pro on Friday Aug. 9 for a detailed discussion with specialist reporters on what Walz's track record says about the policies he and Harris will embrace in the final stretch of the 2024 presidential campaign. Register for the Briefing | | | | | |  | ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... | | NEXT MONTH — The Florida Supreme Court said it will hold oral arguments in a much-anticipated challenge to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ congressional map on Sept. 12, after the governor muscled the map through the Legislature two years ago. A circuit court judge found that the map, which dismantled the North Florida seat held by then-Rep. Al Lawson, violated voter-approved anti-gerrymandering standards. But an appeals court overturned that decision and set the case up to be considered by the high court. The court’s consideration of the case comes too late for anything to happen ahead of the 2024 elections. — Gary Fineout ‘GET THIS RIGHT’ — “Florida universities ordered to review courses for antisemitism, anti-Israel bias,” reports Annie Martin of the Orlando Sentinel. “The leader of Florida’s higher education system is directing the state’s universities to take aim at antisemitism and anti-Israel bias in their classrooms, in a move that some critics fear will threaten academic freedom. Ray Rodrigues, chancellor of the state university system, sent an email to university presidents Friday outlining a two-pronged approach for reviewing courses with a focus on those that tackle topics like Israel, Palestine and Zionism. Rodrigues did not define the terms antisemitism and anti-Israel bias in his message.” — “Much of Hurricane Debby property loss may not be insured as many Floridians lack flood coverage,” reports Anne Geggis of the Palm Beach Post. STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION — “After ransomware cyberattack, OneBlood’s computer systems are recovering,” reports Joe Mario Pedersen of Central Florida Public Media. “OneBlood, Florida’s primary distributor of blood, is able to again move supplies to hospitals but is still recovering from a ransomware attack that shifted the nonprofit into manual operations. On Sunday, the nonprofit reported that its daily operations are starting to come back online. Although the cyberattack left OneBlood unable to use a digital system, it has been able to collect, process and distribute blood at a hindered capacity as it shifted to manual operations.” NOT PARTISAN VS PARTISAN — “Conservative Florida Supremes say it’s ok for aspiring judge to tell voters she’s ‘a conservative,’” by Florida Bulldog’s Noreen Marcus. “The Judicial Qualifications Commission had quickly reached a deal with [Casey] Woolsey: She’d be chastised for what an ethics rule calls ‘inappropriate political activity’ when she ran for and was elected to her nonpartisan office in 2022 … On June 20 the Supreme Court blew up part of that deal. Woolsey still got a mild reprimand for the funding lapse via the court’s published opinion, one that drew very little media attention. But she skated on the political activity violation.”
| | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | | | 
FAMU officials accept a novelty check from the Issac Batterson 7th Family Trust and CEO Gregory Gerami during a university commencement event on May 4, 2024. | Florida A&M University | ‘IMPROPER HANDLING’ — “FAMU officials 'allowed themselves to be deceived' in botched donation, investigation finds,” reports POLITICO’s Andrew Atterbury. “The final report detailing the probe, released this week ahead of a board of trustees meeting Thursday, illustrates that top FAMU leaders failed to properly vet the gift and sacrificed ‘due diligence’ by pushing to announce it during commencement, causing officials to ‘overlook and ignore critical red flags.’ At the same time, the investigation provides key new details surrounding the donor, Gregory Gerami, who was billed as a wealthy hemp farmer from Texas but is instead alleged to have ‘orchestrated a complex and deceitful scheme to fraudulently induce’ investors.” WARNING LETTER — “Florida officials warn Port Canaveral leaders over dock plans,” reports Jim Saunders of News Service of Florida. “The state has warned Port Canaveral leaders that they are putting at risk current and future infrastructure money if they don’t reverse dock plans that appear to favor cruise ships over the space industry. In a letter Friday, Department of Commerce Secretary J. Alex Kelly and Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue expressed dismay about Port Canaveral — one of the world’s busiest cruise ports — changing cruise terminal plans in a way that would affect expansion of liquified natural-gas facilities that serve the space industry.” STINKY DEBATE — “Miami-Dade plans to build the biggest waste-to-energy facility in the country,” reports the Miami Herald’s Ashley Miznazi. “The controversial question about where it will go, however, remains undecided. AtkinsRéalis, the county’s consulting firm for the project, on Tuesday unveiled preliminary designs for a facility that would handle 50 percent more waste than the one burned beyond repair in February 2023. That older generation waste-to-energy operation burned nearly 100 million tons of trash a year but also drew constant complaints from neighbors about foul smells. The new one, estimated to cost $1.5 billion, would potentially be capable of turning 4,000 tons a day of trash into electricity and alternative fuels.”
| | CAMPAIGN MODE | | VOTING RAMPS UP — More than 700,000 Floridians have already cast ballots ahead of the Aug. 20 primary, including nearly 7,200 who voted early in-person on Monday. The latest reports posted by the Division of Elections show that more than 710,000 voters have cast their ballots by mail. Monday marked the first day that early voting is allowed, although most counties will not start until this coming Saturday. The division also reports that more than 1.68 million ballots have been mailed out but have not yet been returned. Thursday is the deadline for voters to request a mail-in ballot for the primary. — Gary Fineout WEIGHING IN ON PRIMARY — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday endorsed two candidates ahead of the Aug. 20 primaries, including former Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos’ bid in Florida’s 8th congressional District and Nick Primrose, who served in the governor’s general counsel’s office, for Florida state House District 18. DeSantis cited Primrose’s work fighting federal “Covid mandates” and “kept our schools and businesses open.” ON DEM SIDE — EMILYs List has backed Democrat Whitney Fox, a former transportation official who’s vying to challenge GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna in the 13th District. “She has worked to provide access to safe, reliable and affordable transportation, and she is committed to ensuring freedom and equality for all,” EMILYs List President Jessica Mackler said in a statement. She’s facing four other Democrats in the primary. DISTRICT 7 — “Palm Beach County Commission primary: One spot will be contested between two Democrats,” by The Palm Beach Post’s Mike Diamond. “Two long-time Democrats, State Sen. Bobby Powell Jr., and activist lawyer Richard Ryles, are seeking the Democratic nomination to represent District 7. The winner will face off against Republican Leonard Serratore and two write-in candidates, Boaz Fleurena and Javonta Jerome Taylor.” DRIVEN BY ‘ANTISEMITISM’ — “Byron Donalds blames Dems’ ‘massive antisemitism problem’ for Kamala Harris VP pick,” by Florida Politics’ A.G. Gancarski. “Donalds believes Democrats ‘did not pick [Pennsylvania Gov. Josh] Shapiro because it probably would have cost them Michigan and Minnesota,’ two states where President Joe Biden got resistance for his position on the ongoing Israeli War with Hamas since the October 2023 terror attacks.”
| | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | | THREATENING VOICEMAILS — “Evacuate everyone 'except for Trump': Florida woman charged for bomb threats to golf course,” by The Palm Beach Post’s Hannah Phillips. “Members of the U.S. Secret Service traced the call within hours to Martha Jane Schoenfeld, a part-time manicurist and mother of two adult children. Schoenfeld, who says she had neither the means nor the motive to carry out the threat, pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanors in a West Palm Beach courtroom on Friday. If convicted, she faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.”
| | DATELINE D.C. | | CONNECTIONS — “Miami lender close to Rubio got senator’s support as it fought over PPP loan spoils,” by Miami Herald’s Ben Wieder. “Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio threw his weight behind a 2021 attempt by Benworth and two other Florida lenders to convince the U.S. Small Business Administration to cap what they owed to a technology company called Womply that each of the lenders had contracted with to help automate their approval of more than $8 billion worth of Paycheck Protection Program loans.”
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