Loss in GOP Primary Could Weaken DeSantis, Today Is Voter Registration Day, and University Rankings
Plus, meetings you should attend
This Week’s Tampa Weather
It’s mostly a repeat of last week: mostly sunny and hot with chances of isolated or afternoon thundershowers, according to this week’s forecast from The Weather Channel:
TUESDAY 🌥️ Mostly cloudy skies with a stray shower or thunderstorm possible.
🌡️90° / 73° 💦 57% / 76% 🌅 7:16 a.m. / 7:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY 🌤️ Partly cloudy with afternoon showers or thunderstorms.
🌡️90° / 72° 💦 67% / 83% 🌅 7:17 a.m. / 7:29 p.m.
THURSDAY 🌤️ Mixed clouds with sun and scattered thunderstorms.
🌡️85° / 71° 💦 75% / 89% 🌅 7:17 a.m. / 7:27 p.m.
FRIDAY 🌦 Partly cloudy early with scattered afternoon thunderstorms.
🌡️87° / 70° 💦 72% / 82% 🌅 7:18 a.m. / 7:26 p.m.
SATURDAY 🌤️ Mostly sunny skies.
🌡️86° / 71° 💦 68% / 81% 🌅 7:18 a.m. / 7:25 p.m.
SUNDAY 🌤️ Sunny with some clouds.
🌡️89° / 72° 💦 65% / 77% 🌅 7:19 a.m. / 7:24 p.m.
MONDAY ⛈️ Mostly sunny early with scattered thunderstorms later.
🌡️91° / 74° 💦 67% / 83% 🌅 7:19 a.m. / 7:23 p.m.
REPORTER
Dem leader: Loss in GOP primary could weaken Gov. DeSantis with Legislature
Fentrice Driskel thinks the balance of power could shift
By Michael Moline / Photo FL House
Would losing the Republican presidential nomination mellow Gov. Ron DeSantis?
The leader of the state House Democrats doesn’t necessarily think so, but she does think the balance of power between the Capitol’s Plaza Level and Fourth Floor might shift.
The Plaza contains the governor’s office; the House and Senate chambers are on the Fourth Floor.
“Tallahassee was broken in a lot of ways before this governor, but this governor in particular has found ways to exploit that brokenness and bend it and wield it to his advantage in a way that we’d not seen before,” Fentrice Driskell, representing the Tampa area in the House, said on a Zoom call with reporters Monday.
“Should DeSantis lose the Republican primary, he comes back here, he’ll have to face all of these problems that he’s either ignored or created in Florida. And I think he comes back to a Legislature as a lame duck [governor] and he’s also weaker. So, I don’t know that the Legislature is going to play ball with him in the same way that they have previously,” she continued.
DeSantis will retain the power to veto budget items dear to individual House members and senators, retaining that leverage, Driskell said. And the Republican Party will retain control of the “triumvirate” of Florida governance: the executive, including governor’s office and independently elected Cabinet members, the House, and the Senate, she added.
“There are no real checks and balances in terms of making sure that the voices of all Floridians are heard,” she said.
Republicans won supermajorities in the state House and Senate last year. They used their power to push through severe restrictions on abortion, permitless carry rights for gun owners, and insurance reforms that have done little to control premiums while crimping policyholders’ ability to sue for non- or underpayment of claims.
DeSantis trails Donald Trump in the latest FiveThirtyEight average of national polls, with 14.2% support to 55.5% for Trump.
Read more at the Florida Phoenix
TODAY’S SPONSOR
The Navigator is sponsored by Mary’s Little Lamb Preschool at 7311 N. Armenia Ave. in Tampa. We are a nationally accredited preschool established in 1959.
Free Childcare and a paycheck. We are currently seeking a qualified toddler teacher or teaching assistant. The ideal candidate must be creative, energetic, dependable, nurturing, patient, have a passion about the growth and development of the children, and be a team player. Requirements: pass a level 2 background screening, high school diploma or higher, completed or willing to start and complete the DCF 45 training hours, get CPR/First aid certified.
Interested in sponsoring the Navigator? We need to talk.CURRENTS
CURRENTS
Are you registered to vote? Here's how to check your voter registration in Florida. 10 Tampa Bay
Tampa City Council to hold second budget hearing on 2024 funding. ABC Action News
Appellate court will hear challenge of Florida’s congressional map. Florida Politics
Perez Poised to become next Florida House Speaker. Tampa Free Press
Report: Rays will get $600M in public funds for new $1.2B stadium. The Center Square
Tampa Bay and Florida get richer and more popular, census data shows. Axios Tampa Bay
Florida first state to officially recommend against COVID-19 boosters. The Center Square
‘We would’ve done everything differently’: Newsom reflects on Covid approach. Politico
How DeSantis Played Both Sides of the G.O.P. Rift Over the 2020 Election. The New York Times $
It’s DeSantis and Ramaswamy vs. Their Alma Maters—Yale and Harvard. The Wall Street Journal $
The Salt Shack on the Bay in Tampa makes NYT most exciting restaurant list. NYT $
Students for Socialism hold rally against cost of on-campus living, negative environmental impacts. The Oracle
USF falls three spots in public university national ranking. The Oracle
Florida’s New College experiment continues to grab national attention. Tampa Bay Times $
University of Florida, New College, stumble in latest national rankings. Politico
Mr. White was cooking again against the Chicago Bears. Creative Loafing
Suspensions given to offensive linemen, tight end after late-game scrum. GatorsWire
World’s oldest cigars, found in an 1857 shipwreck, on display in Tampa. TBT$
Got news? Send it here.
CIVIC CALENDAR
GET INVOLVED
Civic meetings of note during the coming week.
TUESDAY: The Hillsborough County School Board will discuss whether to join a national class-action lawsuit alleging that major social media firms “knowingly put young users in harm’s way to generate billions of dollars in profit.” The board also will discuss a settlement proposal in a similar lawsuit against the makers of JUUL e-cigarettes. Hillsborough County Public Schools, 901 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. 4 p.m.
WEDNESDAY: The Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners meets in regular session with guest appearances by Eric Hart, President/CEO of the Tampa Sports Authority, to present a feasibility analysis of an indoor fieldhouse facility; and Rob Higgins, Executive Director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, to present a feasibility analysis of an outdoor tournament complex for baseball/softball. The County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., 2nd flood board room, Tampa. 9 a.m.
WEDNESDAY: The Livable Roadways Committee of the Hillsborough TPO Transportation Organization meets to consider the 2050 plan revenue forecast, hear a report on coordinated plans for trails and greenway, and consider other items. County Center, Plan Hillsborough Room, 18th Floor, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. 9-11 a.m.
THURSDAY: The Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission will discuss changes to its waste management plan and noise pollution rules in Hillsborough County. 601 E. Kennedy Blvd, 2nd Floor, Tampa. 2 p.m.
FRIDAY: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission hosts a rule-making workshop on amending Rule 68D-24.003 regarding boating restricted areas. Join the public meeting/workshop virtually by clicking this link. 2 p.m.
WHAT THEY SAID
BRIEFS
Tampa Bay Derby Day: Help clean up Tampa Bay at the Tampa Bay Debris Derby where trash collectors can win the title of Debris Derby Heavyweight Champion. Participants receive raffle tickets for prizes donated by Power-Pole, Costa Del Mar, and others for every bag of trash they collect. Power-Pole, Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, and Skinny Water Culture are partnering up for this event, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Sat., Nov. 4, E.G. Simmons Regional Park, 2401 19th Ave. NW, Ruskin.
Medicare Assistance: Elderly Floridians can get free help understanding Medicare’s open enrollment period from Oct. 15-Dec. 7 by signing up with a counselor with Florida’s Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders Program, of SHINE Program. Learn more at www.FloridaSHINE.org.