Backroom Briefing: PAC Attack

The News Service of Florida also noted the governor’s personal attacks on Rep. Alex Andrade (R-Pensacola).

Weekly political notes from The News Service of Florida

By Dara Kam and Jim Turner

TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis this week enlisted the aid of a political committee tied to his failed 2024 presidential bid amid a fierce clash with Florida House Republicans.

The Restore Our Nation PAC, which raised more than $45 million for DeSantis’ presidential campaign, sent text messages to voters throughout the state urging them to contact their House representatives to express support for the governor.

“It’s Gov. Ron Desantis. Florida House leaders are working with Democrats to stop our agenda and sabotage Florida’s success,” the text messages, which identified House members and listed their phone numbers, began. “Tell them to stand with the people and me to keep Florida free.”

The messages included a disclaimer saying they were paid for by the federal PAC.

House Republicans targeted by the messages include some who knocked on doors in sub-zero temperatures in Iowa before DeSantis dropped out of the presidential race after losing the Iowa caucus last year.

The unusually personal and vitriolic clash between DeSantis and House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, and their allies has mushroomed amid the House’s widening probe of First Lady Casey DeSantis’ signature welfare-assistance program, Hope Florida, and an affiliated nonprofit, the Hope Florida Foundation.

The inquiry has hinged on a $10 million donation made by Centene, Florida’s largest Medicaid managed-care company, to the foundation as part of a settlement with the state Agency for Health Care Administration.

The texts drew jeers from DeSantis’ foes as they circulated the messages on social media Wednesday.

“My constituents see through these petty lies @RonDeSantis,” Rep. Juan Porras, R-Miami, posted on X. “The FL Legislature is holding him accountable for $10 million stolen from taxpayers and these attacks will accomplish nothing. By the way, I hope this wasn’t coordinated with your federal PAC!”

DeSantis contends the Centene settlement was above board and is accusing House leaders of a political hit job targeting his wife as she mulls a potential run for governor next year.

Perez, an attorney, and House Health Care Budget Chairman Alex Andrade, a Pensacola Republican who also is a lawyer, have questioned the legality of the settlement.

Andrade laughed off the attack messages, thanking DeSantis in a tongue-in-cheek post “for all this encouragement we’re getting.”

The chairman, however, adopted a more serious note in a text message to The News Service of Florida referring to the political committee, known as “RON PAC.”

“I just want to know if he funneled Medicaid money to that PAC too,” Andrade wrote.

A SEMINOLE MOMENT

With a brief, heartfelt comment from Sen. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee, the state Senate on Wednesday held a moment of silence for the victims of last week’s shooting at Florida State University.

“Last Thursday, my FSU family … sorry, I knew this day was coming,” Simon, an FSU graduate who starred on the Seminoles’ 2000 national championship football team, said as he choked with emotion, “was rocked by senseless violence on our campus, six students being shot and two adults being killed.”

“Today, I rise and ask for a moment of silence for my Seminole family as we mourn those lost and the lives changed forever,” Simon said.

As Simon broke down, the Senate briefly recessed. Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, called Simon’s comments “beautiful and the best the Florida Senate has to offer.”

Authorities said Phoenix Ikner, a 20-year-old student, opened fire April 17 with a handgun, killing a university dining coordinator and a vendor and injuring six other people. Ikner was shot and captured after confronting police officers.

FSU students have handed out fliers to lawmakers this week and marched to the Capitol to call for tougher gun regulations.

Logan Rubenstein, an FSU junior from Parkland who was in eighth grade in 2018 when a gunman killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, called the latest shooting a failure of lawmakers as “this keeps happening.”

“This issue is not going away, as much as you want to hide from it. As much as you want to shrug it off, it keeps happening. We can’t let that continue,” Rubenstein said.

The governor released a 47-second video to thank law enforcement officers and vowed the shooter “will be brought to justice.” DeSantis and the first lady visited Tallahassee Memorial Hospital after the shooting, according to his schedule.

SOCIAL MEDIA POST OF THE WEEK: “Sandy and I are sending our prayers and well wishes to President John Thrasher as he courageously battles cancer. A former House speaker, state senator and Florida State president, he’s an incredible statesman and model leader. All of Nole Nation is with you, Mr. President!” — Sen. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, (@JimBoydFL).

— News Service Assignment Manager Tom Urban contributed to this report.

Backroom Briefing: PAC Attack

Weekly political notes from The News Service of Florida

A SEMINOLE MOMENT

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