Florida Man keeps returning. Republicans follow.
President DONALD TRUMP officially returned to Washington a month ago. But he can't stop coming back to Florida.
Just like in his first term and the decades before he ever ran for office, Trump spends his fall and winter weekends in South Florida. Now that he's president again, he's showing no signs of ending his sojourns to what he has called the 'Winter White House.' Today will mark his sixth day in a row in the Sunshine State — including a stop at the Daytona 500.
Many other Republicans have followed him here, as well. On Tuesday night, Trump attended a gala at Mar-a-Lago held by conservative America's Future, the organization chaired by his former, short-term national security adviser MIKE FLYNN, whom Trump pardoned before leaving office. Attendees included boxer MIKE TYSON, actor RUSSELL BRAND and performer TED NUGENT, according to Antonio Fins of the Palm Beach Post.
Today, Trump is headed to Miami to speak at the FII Priority summit, a meeting of 'global financiers and tech executives hosted by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund,' Reuters reported.
Trump's properties also continue to be a draw for political events. Last month, House Republicans spent their policy retreat at Trump National Doral near Miami. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans held their winter meeting at the Breakers Palm Beach, also joining the president for dinner at Mar-a-Lago.
Business executives and the lobbying world have followed, too. Capital City Consulting founder NICK IAROSSI — who is based in Tallahassee and expanded into Washington as managing director of BGR Group — told Playbook he spent significant time in Palm Beach during the transition. He bought property there and joined a golf club, because of 'the business opportunities and network there' and because 'so many people wanting to be in proximity to the president has made that county boom.' CCC is also opening an office in Palm Beach County at the end of the month.
'I've attended multiple events since the election at Mar-a-Lago, so that's become a real center of power,' Iarossi said. 'It has caused an excitement in Palm Beach County.'
It's not unusual for presidents to return home on the weekend. Former President JOE BIDEN often returned to his beach house in his home state of Delaware. But Trump's Florida backdrop is far more pronounced, with numerous public appearances at crowded events and Floridians serving as the braintrust of the Trump administration. On Tuesday, Trump signed executive orders at Mar-a-Lago, including one that will look at how to make in vitro fertilization more affordable.
On top of that, Trump's influence ripples through the Florida government. State lawmakers last week kept citing the president as a catalyst for their eventual actions on illegal immigration, and on Monday Florida Attorney General JAMES UTHMEIER — a Gov. RON DESANTIS loyalist — promised to champion an 'America First Agenda,' as POLITICO's Gary Fineout reported.
But Trump's trips to Florida aren't expected year-round. 'The season' — as Palm Beach's peak social period for the wealthy is known — doesn't last through South Florida's sweltering, hurricane-prone months. Trump tends to spend that period up in Bedminster, New Jersey, starting to head up sometime between Mother's Day and Memorial Day, when Mar-a-Lago closes its operations for members until Halloween.
WHERE'S RON? Gov. DeSantis is holding a press conference in Orlando at 10 a.m.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget that Playbook should look at? Get in touch at: kleonard@politico.com.
... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ...
CONDO CRISIS CONTINUES — 'By the end of this year, [condo] associations will be required to fund reserves fully for the first time. Associations that have neglected to save for years could have to scrape together millions of dollars in a matter of months. That burden will likely fall on the shoulders of owners in the form of special assessments,' reports the Tampa Bay Times' Rebecca Liebson.
''I think you're going to see bankruptcies, I think you're going to see people losing their homes,' said Jeff Brandes, a former state Senator who runs the Florida Policy Project, a nonprofit studying statewide issues including the condo crisis.'
BILL ON CAMPAIGN FUNDS FOR CHILDCARE EXPENSES MOVES ALONG — Existing Florida law prohibits the use of campaign funds for childcare, but a bill to reverse that passed unanimously on Tuesday in its first committee hearing, reports the Florida Phoenix's Mitch Perry. If the bill is signed into law, Florida will join 13 other states that allow state and local candidates to use campaign funds for childcare costs incurred during campaign events.
CRANKING UP THE HEAT — 'Republican state senators are escalating their opposition to a DeSantis appointee who has drawn criticism for controversial comments and now leads the board of trustees at the University of West Florida,' reports POLITICO's Andrew Atterbury.
'Senators agreed Tuesday to strip UWF's trustee chair from a board that advances school research in direct response to past comments made by Scott Yenor, the Boise State University political science professor that one lawmaker called a 'flat out misogynist and bigot.'
'The move is a clear indicator that there are serious doubts surrounding Yenor's future as he serves as UWF board chair while awaiting confirmation votes from lawmakers that are ramping up pushback to DeSantis' appointment.'
SEWAGE SYSTEMS — 'A representative of sewage treatment utilities asked a state Senate committee Tuesday to consider making changes to a 2021 state law that sets a goal of eliminating plant discharges by 2032,' reports POLITICO's Bruce Ritchie.
'Alicia Keeter, executive director of the Florida Rural Water Association, told the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources that state regulators need authority to consider efforts being made by utilities on a case-by-case basis. The 2021 changes in FL SB64 (21R) established a goal of eliminating 'nonbeneficial' discharges from sewage treatment plants by 2032. Utilities can meet the requirements if 90 percent of treated wastewater is being reused.'
BACKING US TIMBER INDUSTRY — Agriculture Commissioner WILTON SIMPSON joined 17 other state agriculture commissioners Tuesday in asking the Trump administration to push back on a European Union rule that seeks to restrict products produced from forest land-clearing. A letter from the commissioners argues U.S. agriculture and forest industries do not contribute to deforestation but are still subject to potentially overburdensome compliance requirements.
'This one-size-fits-all approach ignores the fact that the United States is among the most responsible suppliers of forest fiber in the world,' they wrote.
— Bruce Ritchie
MOVING TOWARD REINSTATING FUNDING — 'A House panel is recommending sparing six members' projects — including one to honor the late Sen. Geraldine Thompson and others fixing Key West's San Carlos Institute and Clearwater's performing arts center — from DeSantis' vetoes,' reports Florida Politics' Gabrielle Russon.
FACING TWO COUNTS OF THEFT — 'Former state Rep. Carolina Amesty made her first appearance in federal court on Tuesday alongside her attorney Brad Bondi, the brother of U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, to face two charges of stealing from the federal government's COVID-19 relief funds,' reports Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel.
STATE CONTRACTOR UNDER INVESTIGATION — DeSantis defended the state contractor that hired an undocumented immigrant who 'struck' Pinellas County sheriff's deputy MICHAEL HARTWICK with a front-end loader, reports the Tampa Bay Times' Lawrence Mower and Emily L. Mahoney.
DeSantis claimed that the company was the 'victim of an 'interstate fraud ring' of people who created fake IDs to pass citizenship verification screenings.' State Sen. JASON PIZZO (D-Miami) criticized the state's limited response to Hartwick's death and its hesitation to 'crack down' on businesses that hire undocumented immigrants.
VACANT STATE POSITIONS — 'As state Rep. Vicki Lopez recently found out after an examination of the length of scores of job vacancies, a roll call in state offices may actually awaken hordes of paper people — workers who exist only as a line item in the state budget,' per James Call of USA TODAY NETWORK — Florida.
APPOINTMENT FOR IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT BOARD — House Speaker DANIEL PEREZ appointed Charlotte County Sheriff BILL PRUMMELL and Duval County Sheriff T.K. WATERS to the State Board of Immigration Enforcement, reports the Florida Politics' Jesse Scheckner. Simpson picked St. Cloud Police Chief DOUGLAS GOERKE for the Immigration Enforcement Council, Scheckner also reported.
LEGISLATION ROUNDUP — State Sen. BLAISE INGOGLIA (R-Spring Hill) and state Rep. MICHELLE SALZMAN (R-Pensacola) introduced resolutions to amend the Florida Constitution to limit the terms of school board members and county commissioners to eight years, reports the Florida Politics' A.G. Gancarski. … House Minority Leader FENTRICE DRISKELL (D-Tampa) and Senate Minority Leader Pro Tempore TRACIE DAVIS (D-Jacksonville) filed legislation to repeal Florida's law that makes most abortions illegal after six weeks of pregnancy.
State Sen. RANDY FINE (R-Melbourne) filed legislation that authorizes concealed carry on colleges or university campuses, reports Mitch Perry of the Florida Phoenix.
— 'Medical marijuana expansion, grow your own plants: 7 weed bills in 2025 Florida Legislature,' by C.A. Bridges of USA Today Network — Florida.
— 'Death warrant signed for man who killed Seminole County woman, granddaughter in 1993,' reports Jim Saunders of News Service of Florida.
PENINSULA AND BEYOND
WINTER PARK ELECTION — 'Fights over development and the city's economic health are the top issues dividing the two candidates seeking a seat on Winter Park's city commission,' reports the Orlando Sentinel's Ryan Gillespie. KRIS CRUZADA, a community lawyer who hopes to be reelected for the commission seat, is up against JUSTIN VERMUTH, who works as a general counsel and lobbyist for the American Resort Development Association.
— 'Subtropical salmon: How an enormous fish farm in Homestead hopes to change the seafood industry,' by Bill Kearney of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
— ''Dump Trump!': Protestors rip into Trump at Presidents Day rally in downtown West Palm Beach,' by the Palm Beach Post's Andrew Marra.
TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP
FNC'S NEW SHOW — LARA TRUMP, Trump's daughter-in-law, will be hosting a new weekend show at 9 p.m. Saturday on Fox News titled 'My View with Lara Trump,' reports Cheryl McCloud of USA TODAY NETWORK — Florida.
OUSTED — 'The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida announced in a news release the departure of U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg, who was appointed to the position by former President Joe Biden in 2022,' reports Silas Morgan of the Orlando Sentinel.
— 'What will education look like under the Trump administration? Probably a lot like Florida,' by Clara-Sophia Daly of the Miami Herald.
TRANSITION TIME
— Ballard Partners has added a strategic alliance in Italy with MAIM Group, a public affairs and media relations firm. 'Italy is a critical market for many of our clients, and this partnership allows us to offer them the highest level of strategic counsel and representation,' BRIAN BALLARD, president and founder of Ballard Partners, said in a statement.
— REED POWELL has been promoted to be legislative director for Rep. GREG STEUBE (R-Fla.).
ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN
BIRTHDAYS: Tampa Bay Times' Emily L. Mahoney ... Carrie Johnson O'Brion, Regional Assistant Vice Chancellor of Marketing, Communications and Strategic Initiatives.
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