Everyone seems to be running early in Florida politics nowadays.
Thanks to a chain reaction of resignations, a pair of Miami-Dade legislative races that wouldn't have taken place until at least next year were part of a slate of special elections. Some of the outcomes were relatively predictable, but another indicated that the establishment isn't quite what it used to be in the new American politics.
Meanwhile, Gov. Rick Scott revealed a portion of his budget for the coming fiscal year, which begins July 1. Even though the current spending plan just took effect earlier this month, an early legislative session next year has accelerated the timeline for his piece-by-piece rollout.
Only one thing seemed a little late: Pete Antonacci, who had already been named the head of Enterprise Florida, officially got the nod to take over at the economic development agency.
THE RESULTS ARE IN
For once, election results from Miami-Dade County rolled in pretty quickly, and in the case of a special vote in Senate District 40, the results played out pretty much as expected.
On the Republican side, outgoing Rep. Jose Felix Diaz beat former Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla and lawyer Lorenzo Palomares to advance to the general election. Diaz will face off with Annette Taddeo, who was the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor in 2014. Taddeo, who was chosen for the ticket three years ago by party-changing former Gov. Charlie Crist, beat another former Republican, Ana Rivas Logan, in the Senate primary.
The conclusion of the fierce primary contests set the stage for what could be an even more brutal general election on Sept. 26 --- especially given the rough-and-tumble politics of South Florida.
"Thank you to all my friends, family, and constituents for their support. Congrats to @AlexDLP40 and @palolaw2 on a hard fought race #SD40," Diaz tweeted about 45 minutes after the polls closed at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
In a statement following her victory, Taddeo zeroed in on what could be a weakness for Diaz, an early supporter of President Donald Trump who appeared on Trump's television show, “The Apprentice.”
“Our campaign is ready to take our people powered message to every voter in our district so we can bring change to Tallahassee. It's time our community rejects the special interests and their lobbyist, Jose Felix Diaz, and elect a champion who will fight for our public schools, take on traffic gridlock and enhance our health care system,” Taddeo said. "With tonight's decisive victory, we can, and will, send a loud message in September that the politics of division coming from President Trump and Washington, D.C. will not be tolerated in South Florida. Together, we will make history by electing the first Hispanic Democratic woman to the Florida Senate and a champion for our families."
Republicans are seeking to hold on to a seat vacated by former Sen. Frank Artiles, who stepped down after a racially charged and expletive-tinged rant at a private club near the Capitol midway through the legislative session.
To run for the Senate, Diaz had to resign from his House seat, which in turn prompted a special election in House District 116.
Jose Mallea, who managed U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio's first campaign, had rounded up much of the establishment support typically needed for an offseason House race. Former Gov. Jeb Bush, former House Speaker Will Weatherford and some business groups backed Mallea.
But he lost by nearly ten points anyway, to political newcomer Daniel Perez.
Perez will face Gabriela Mayaudon, a Democrat and former Venezuelan legislator, in the general election.
"Congrats Daniel Perez on your hard fought victory tonight," tweeted Rep. Chris Sprowls, a Palm Harbor Republican slated to become House speaker after the 2020 elections. "FL House Republicans stand ready to see you across the finish line. On to victory."
Democrats said they will fight for the House seat. Rep. Kionne McGhee, a Miami Democrat in line to become the party's House leader after the 2018 elections, issued a statement Tuesday backing Mayaudon, who was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
"We stand with our candidate in House District 116 as we work every day towards progress for working families in the Florida House," McGhee said. "The path to taking back the House runs through Miami-Dade County. We also stand firmly with Gabriela and Venezuelan-Americans all across Florida against the cruel deprivation of the people of Venezuela and the erosion of democratic rights there."
A RAISE IN PAY (AND PROSPECTS?)
There are several advantages to running for another office from the governor's mansion. One of them is getting to go around the state and unveil popular budget proposals that can help out your cause.
So when Scott on Wednesday announced he wanted to once again spend $30 million to provide a pay raise for state law enforcement officers, it was something that could set the stage for both the looming 2018 session and his run for the U.S. Senate.
The initiative would provide the boost in the budget year that begins in July 2018. It would come on top of a 5 percent increase for law enforcement officers in the current budget year.
Speaking at a Florida Highway Patrol office in Jacksonville, the governor said that many law enforcement officers were grateful for the latest salary bump.
"But we cannot stop there," Scott said. "The brave men and women who serve Florida as members of our state law-enforcement community work every day to keep Florida communities safe. And while I was proud of this important achievement, it's clear that we must continue to build on this year's pay raise."
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Rick Swearingen said the increases could help him hire the more experienced personnel that his agency seeks.
"It's getting more and more difficult to recruit those seasoned investigators when local agencies are paying more than the state investigative agency," Swearingen said.
Scott's office said the state's law-enforcement agencies would work out the details of how the $30 million would be distributed. And the Legislature would still have to approve Scott's plan in its annual session, which begins in January.
The governor's proposed pay hike is likely to have some politically powerful allies. Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, whose agency employs law-enforcement officers and who is running to succeed Scott in 2018, applauded the plan.
"Our state law-enforcement officers deserve all the support we can give them, as they've achieved a 46-year crime low and face unprecedented challenges, such as the current opioid crisis," Putnam said. "Our 240 law enforcement officers with the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement and their peers at other state law enforcement agencies deserve a raise."
THE NEW BOSS
There was no real surprise in Pete Antonacci's appointment as the president of Enterprise Florida, which recruits businesses to the state, but it became official Monday.
The public-private agency's board of directors, chaired by Scott, unanimously accepted the recommendation of its executive committee to give the president and CEO job to Antonacci, a water-management district leader and ally to the governor.
Scott, during a teleconference meeting Monday, called Antonacci “unbelievably helpful” as his general counsel.
“In this role, he will be somebody that will work with all of us,” Scott said. “He will clearly help get deals done.”
Antonacci will be paid $165,000 a year, the amount he received when he started at the water management district in 2015. The water management district will have to quickly find a replacement, as Antonacci's first day on the new job is slated for Aug. 2.
Enterprise Florida has been working under interim director Mike Grissom since March, following the abrupt departure of Chris Hart from the top position. Grissom is expected to remain with Enterprise Florida.
Hart, the former leader of CareerSource Florida, was hired in November as president and CEO of Enterprise Florida but left the post in March.
Hart pointed to a difference of opinions with Scott on the future of the agency at a time when House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O' Lakes, was pushing to eliminate Enterprise Florida.
STORY OF THE WEEK: Voters in Miami-Dade County went to the polls in a special election, putting outgoing Rep. Jose Felix Diaz and former lieutenant governor candidate Annette Taddeo on the ballot for a September election in the state Senate. Daniel Perez won the GOP primary for Diaz's seat and will face Democrat Gabriela Mayaudon.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "Legislators across the country should learn from Florida's example that if you side with the corporate gun lobby instead of your constituents, you endanger the safety of children and families, impinge upon First Amendment rights of doctors, and force taxpayers to pay millions to unsuccessfully defend unconstitutional laws." --- Jonathan Lowy, director of the Brady Center's Legal Action Project, following a legal-fees agreement five months after a federal appeals court struck down a 2011 law that sought to prevent doctors from asking patients about guns. The state will pay $1.1 million in fees.
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