DeSantis' goes after Trump in new strategy & 500K+ Floridians lose Medicaid coverage since April
October 12, 2023 — This Week's Top Stories in Florida
Welcome to this week’s edition of Floridian Today, a newsletter about all things Florida — from politics, business, real estate, and climate. Reporting from the Sunshine State, these are the most important stories you need to know. To never miss an update, subscribe here:
Here’s the latest from Florida…
DeSantis adopts new approach in attacking Trump directly
Gov. Ron DeSantis brought his presidential campaign closer to home last week with an event in downtown Tampa, in which he accepted the endorsement of 60 Florida sheriffs while touting his commitment to law and order. The Republican governor also took the opportunity to directly criticize former President Donald Trump on a range of issues, a new strategy seen as an attempt by DeSantis to distinguish himself from the GOP frontrunner and narrow the polling gap. In prior months, he avoided being critical of the former president and even steered clear of referencing him by name. This shift comes as he embraces being the anti-Trump candidate and enters the crucial remaining months before the Iowa caucuses on January 15, 2024. He currently sits well behind Trump at No. 2 and is looking to make a breakthrough that positions himself as the better candidate to carry forward the Republican Party. During last Thursday’s campaign event in Tampa, DeSantis attacked Trump on various issues, including the border wall, his broken campaign promises, controversial tendencies, 2020 election loss, and questionable conservative credentials. He highlighted the GOP frontrunner's unfulfilled 2016 commitment to have Mexico pay for the border wall, proposing fees on remittances as an alternative funding source. The campaign event was preceded by a fundraiser at Union New American restaurant in Tampa and followed by an evening fundraising reception in Miami.
500K+ Floridians have lost Medicaid coverage since April
Concerns are being raised about the termination of Medicaid coverage for over 520,000 state residents since April. Nearly half of those affected – about 250,000 – are children. State data shows that despite the plan to automatically switch children losing coverage to alternatives like state health insurance programs, most are not being transferred to these programs. Enrollment with one health insurance program, Healthy Kids, which offers government-sponsored health insurance for Florida children from ages 5 years through 18 years, has only risen by roughly 20,000 new enrollees since April. Medicaid enrollment has been reduced due to annual reviews of Medicaid eligibility, which resumed after the COVID-19 public health emergency ended. During the pandemic, enrollment in Florida’s Medicaid program grew to 1.7 million people, boosted by additional federal funding to keep residents covered regardless of eligibility. As the federally declared public health emergency officially ended in April, the Florida Department of Children and Families began the redetermination process of nearly five million recipients. Estimates show that up to one million residents could lose coverage, primarily as Florida remains the only state that has not used waivers and other provisions available by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to limit disenrollment. The state has also neglected to raise Medicaid eligibility to provide coverage to more families who make less than the federal poverty level. Florida House Democrats are among those who have raised concerns regarding the termination and have urged the state to halt the process and allocate more resources to help families who have lost health insurance. There are also questions about why $3.3 million allocated in the state budget to improve call center capacity to assist families has not been utilized. A study by Georgetown University in 2021 ranked the state in the bottom ten nationally of uninsured children, with 7.3% lacking coverage. The national rate is 5.4%.
Healthcare poised to be top priority for Florida Legislature
While many Floridians cite property insurance, cost of living, affordable housing, and climate resilience as the top issues affecting the state, the Florida Legislature’s priorities ahead of the 2024 Legislative Session may lie elsewhere. As lawmakers descend on Tallahassee over the next couple of months for committee meetings before the session begins on January 9, both Senate President Kathleen Passidomo (R-Naples) and House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell (D-Tampa) are expecting healthcare to be a central focus. Gov. Ron DeSantis, too, stated that it would likely be a major issue discussed in 2024 during a press conference last month. Floridians can expect that legislative leaders will tackle healthcare affordability, expanding access, and increasing the number of healthcare providers statewide. The latter initiative could include creating incentives to bring more personnel such as physicians and nurses to Florida and encourage the development of new medical facilities to meet the needs of the growing population. While there have been no formal announcements on specific policies, Driskell expects it will not include Medicaid eligibility expansion. With DeSantis in the midst of a presidential campaign, some headline-grabbing policies are expected to be taken up by the Legislature at the governor’s urging. This would follow the plethora of conservative bills that became law this year, ranging from the six-week abortion ban and permitless concealed carry to universal school choice and transgender treatment. Some culture war-type bills can also be expected to grab attention.
Federal trial seeking to overturn DeSantis-drawn congressional maps concludes
The federal trial challenging Governor Ron DeSantis' congressional redistricting map in Florida wrapped up after four days of intense scrutiny. The controversial maps were drawn by DeSantis and his staff and were approved by the Republican-controlled Florida legislature last year. The trial involved arguments from voting rights groups, who argued that the redrawn districts were gerrymandered to favor Republicans and intentionally disenfranchised Black voters. The trial was largely focused on redistricting changes that eliminated a majority Black district in the Jacksonville area. The new maps split the city into two congressional districts, making it less likely that Black voters in North Florida would be able to elect a candidate of their choice. DeSantis believed that the state’s voting protections were unconstitutional and sought to do away with the decades-long majority Black district by drawing his own congressional map. A previous lawsuit in state court has already found that DeSantis and lawmakers violated the Florida Constitution and the “nondiminishment standard” by eliminating the ability for Black voters in Jacksonville to elect a candidate of their choosing. The state has appealed that decision with oral arguments scheduled on October 31. In the latest federal case, the 11th U.S. Circuit judges who heard the case indicated they aim to deliver a ruling before the end of the year, allowing sufficient time for potential redistricting changes to be made by the Florida Legislature before the 2024 elections. An appeal of the court’s decision would go to the U.S. Supreme Court.
New College of Florida selects Richard Corcoran as next president
After serving as interim president for nine months at New College of Florida, Richard Corcoran, former Florida House Speaker and state education commissioner, has been chosen as the Sarasota school's next president. The new DeSantis-appointed board of trustees voted overwhelmingly in favor of Corcoran over the two other finalists. However, his appointment still awaits approval from the Board of Governors, expected in November. Corcoran's tenure as interim president was marked by significant changes at New College, including the elimination of the women and gender studies program, denying faculty tenure, and the removal of the diversity, equity, and inclusion department. The former progressive liberal arts school grabbed the attention of Gov. DeSantis earlier this year as part of his so-called “war on woke,” setting in motion a series of changes that began by appointing conservative trustees to the board. The aggressive rightward overhaul has been met with a series of controversies and widespread opposition among existing students and faculty, including regular student-led protests. However, despite about one-third of the school’s faculty departing this year, Corcoran has emphasized record enrollment numbers and recruitment efforts. His selection as president was met with opposition among the student body, with a campus survey apparently showing the former lawmaker as their last choice to serve as the institution’s next leader. Corcoran, one of the highest-paid university presidents in the state, earned a base salary of $699,000 during his interim presidency, along with additional stipends and generous bonuses. Based on a previously approved compensation range by the New College trustees, he could receive total compensation of $1.54 million as president.
Tampa Bay’s drought forces warning to conserve water usage
As the rainy season for the Tampa Bay area ends with the region experiencing drought conditions and annual rainfall more than a foot below average, officials are warning residents to conserve water. Tampa Bay Water, the main supplier of drinking water across the Tampa Bay area, has emphasized the importance of responsible water usage amid a water shortage led by an annual rainfall deficit and a 3.7% increase in water use in September over August. Tampa Bay Water provides about 198 million gallons of water daily to surrounding several counties and many cities in the region, including Tampa, St. Petersburg, and New Port Richey. Officials with the water supplier informed the Hillsborough County Commission that the area is currently experiencing a rainfall deficit of 8.3 inches over the past year. Although the warning does not immediately impose stricter watering restrictions, it serves as an initial reminder to promote water conservation efforts. In Sarasota, which does not receive water from Tampa Bay Water, the situation is more dire as rainfall is 19.74 inches below average. Tampa has recorded 21.56 inches of rain from Jan. 1 to Sept. 21, compared to a rainfall total of 61.95 inches in 2022, according to NWS’s tracking.
Suspended State Attorney Andrew Warren explores run to get his job back
Andrew Warren, the Hillsborough County State Attorney removed from office by Gov. Ron DeSantis in August 2022, has taken a step that suggests he might be planning to challenge his appointed replacement, Susan Lopez, next year. Warren filed paperwork to open a campaign account for the upcoming 2024 election, sparking speculation about his intentions. However, Warren's spokesperson has not confirmed if he will run, stating that the filing is to ensure legal compliance while considering his options. Warren, a Democrat, was twice elected as the top prosecutor in Hillsborough County before he was suspended by DeSantis, who appointed Republican and county judge Susan Lopez to replace him. Warren was accused by the governor of "neglect of duty" and "incompetence" in failing to follow the law in certain cases, citing his signing of a letter pledging not to prosecute abortion or gender-affirming care cases, despite state law. He also earned criticism among local sheriffs for not prosecuting certain low-level offenses. Warren has been fighting in court to be reinstated, but his appeal is pending. If he decides to run, it could lead to a potentially contentious race against Lopez in 2024.
150K+ Citizens policies get approval to move to private insurers
Florida regulators have approved plans from six private insurers to assume as many as 153,000 policies from state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp., as part of a broader effort to reduce the size of Citizens, which has grown to more than 1.4 million policies due to financial instability in the insurance market. The depopulation strategy aims to move policyholders into the private market, thereby reducing the risk that all property policyholders across the state may have to assist in paying claims in the event of a major hurricane, even if they are not insured by Citizens. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) previously approved proposals from private insurers to accept as many as 184,000 and 202,000 additional policies from Citizens in July and September, respectively. Many homeowners are incentivized to remain with Citizens due to lower average premiums compared to private companies, but a law passed last December requires Citizens policyholders to accept private insurer offers if they are within 20% of Citizens' premiums. The latest order takes effect on December 19, when private insurers can begin assuming policies, but the actual number of homeowners that depart the so-called insurer of last resort is expected to be significantly less than the 153,000 approved.
Florida Democrats face recruiting challenges ahead of 2024
Florida Democrats are facing recruitment challenges as they prepare for the 2024 elections and seek to upend the GOP’s legislative supermajority in the state House. The party is striving to attract viable candidates in both competitive and longshot districts, along with securing sufficient donor funding. Despite Democratic-leaning districts in the Orlando area being won last year by Republicans, Democrats currently lack viable candidates to compete in seats held by GOP freshmen state Reps. Doug Bankson and Carolina Amesty. The race for Republican U.S. Rep. Cory Mills' toss-up congressional seat in Central Florida has drawn only one Democratic challenger and for the highest-profile race in Florida next year, former Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell is the most recognizable name vying against U.S. Senator Rick Scott – a seat that Democrats say is competitive on paper. While the goal for the party is to win just six state House seats to reverse the GOP's supermajority and cut into the Republican’s narrow majority in the U.S. House, Democrats face nearly impossible odds raising funds to match Republicans. Already facing challenges in finding suitable candidates across multiple districts, the party will have to pick and choose where to allocate its limited resources. As of August 31, Republicans boast nearly a 500,000 voter registration advantage over Democrats, adding to the daunting task facing the party after a 2022 election that resulted in significant losses for Florida Democrats.
Florida’s coral reefs are facing 100% mortality
Coral reefs along the state’s coastlines are experiencing a multi-year "mass mortality" event as a result of record ocean temperatures that worsened this year with surface temperatures reaching record highs. Elkhorn and staghorn corals face the most significant losses and are at risk of being “functionally extinct” within the Florida Reef. After their spawning season this summer, over 90% of these corals in the Key Largo area have died. These corals are already classified as "functionally extinct" in the upper Keys, and the remaining populations are unable to reproduce sufficiently in the wild to support their viability. The summer’s record ocean temperatures resulted in the worst coral bleaching event in the state’s history, which researchers warned would result in the widespread death of individual corals. This significant loss of populations is a major reversal of years of restoration efforts, with only around 10% of elkhorn and 5% of staghorn corals surviving in Key Largo. Disease is also taking its toll on these weakened corals, and researchers are concerned about further mortalities as waters cool, algae returns to surviving coral, and disease becomes more prevalent. While there are some positive signs of resilience, with color returning to some species and a relatively healthy spawning season, the overall health of Florida's coral reefs remains a dire concern.
DeSantis weighs in on Speaker McCarthy’s ouster
In the lead-up to the House of Representatives vote on whether to keep Kevin McCarthy as Speaker, Ron DeSantis expressed his apparent support for ousting the California Republican. DeSantis stated that he had opposed McCarthy for years, emphasizing that McCarthy owed his position to Donald Trump's backing. While DeSantis described the removal efforts as "performative," he suggested that House members who had endorsed him, like Chip Roy (R-TX) and Tom Massie (R-KY), would make better Speakers than McCarthy. Despite McCarthy and DeSantis having served together in the House, there have been prior back-and-forth critiques made by the two Republicans over the last year. The former Speaker previously criticized the Florida governor’s fraught relationship with Disney and credited the success of his 2018 gubernatorial candidacy to Trump's endorsement.
Former Senate President Don Gaetz files to run again
As Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz received national attention last week for leading the successful effort to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy, his father, former state Senator Don Gaetz, has officially launched his 2024 campaign for Senate District 1. This is the same district he previously served during his ten years in the chamber, including two years as Senate President from 2012 to 2014. Gaetz filed the paperwork to enter the race, seeking to replace term-limited Republican state Sen. Doug Broxson to represent Escambia, Santa Rosa, and part of Okaloosa counties in Northwest Florida. Gaetz, a well-respected figure in North Florida politics, received endorsements from former state Rep. Frank White and Sen. Broxson. He previously served as Vice Chair of the Florida Commission on Ethics and was Chairman of Triumph Gulf Coast, the nonprofit corporation tasked with overseeing the expenditures of funds recovered following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. His state senate campaign launch follows speculation on whether his son, U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz, is positioning himself for a 2026 run for Florida Governor. He has since dismissed such rumors.
Tampa Bay Rays playoffs attract historically low attendance, will a new ballpark solve this problem?
The Tampa Bay Rays, despite being one of the most successful franchises in the last five seasons, faced historically low attendance during Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series against the Texas Rangers, with just 19,704 fans in attendance. This marked the lowest attendance for a postseason game in over a century. Game 2 turnout was only slightly better with 20,198 fans in the stands. The team's consistently low attendance has raised concerns about the future of a new $1.3 billion ballpark planned for the same location as Tropicana Field – announced just weeks ago. The club drew the fourth-fewest fans in MLB in 2023, with 1.44 million, beating out only the Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins, and Oakland Athletics. The Rays will be challenged to grow their fanbase during their remaining four seasons at Tropicana Field and be as creative in marketing and ticket sales as they have been in building a winning team with a smaller payroll. The strong growth of the region and a rapidly developing downtown St. Petersburg is an argument in favor of the Rays staying put; however, the $1.3 billion bet on a new stadium must be accompanied by an interactive and alluring atmosphere that motivates fans to turn out.
Thanks for reading this edition of Floridian Today. To never miss an update, subscribe for free:
In the meantime, if you learned something or found this read interesting, please consider sharing it to grow our community!