The Buzz | Observations from DeSantis' inauguration

Plus: GOP chaos in Washington gets a Florida twist

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View this on the Web Go to our home page Subscribe to the Times Thursday, January 5, 2023 Forward this to a friend Subscribe to more newsletters Good morning, and happy new year!   I hope you are rested and restored from the holiday season. 2023 is upon us, and is likely to be another year of major political news in Florida.   Read more on what stories may dominate the headlines in the year ahead.   — Emily L. Mahoney, emahoney@tampabay.com [MATIAS J. OCNER | Miami Herald] Observations from DeSantis' second inauguration The Rundown: On Tuesday, I was in Tallahassee to watch Gov. Ron DeSantis put his hand on a Bible and deliver a speech for his second inauguration under a grey sky. (The Bible he used was from 1782 and was on loan from conservative radio host Glenn Beck.)   Speeches are about both the content and the delivery. When it comes to what he said, there were no surprises. Rather than touching on policy ideas, DeSantis kept it broad — which one Republican strategist and speechwriter, Adam Goodman, told me was smart.   This way, Goodman argued, DeSantis was outlining for a national audience not a list of promises, but instead overall principles and tone that will be his overarching themes in a potential presidential run.   Critics did not agree. They pointed out his lack of a mention about the state's urgent affordable housing crisis. He also didn't mention abortion, as Republicans have yet to define their specific intentions on future restrictions (the success of which depend on a coming Florida Supreme Court ruling).   Now let's get to performance. DeSantis is not known as a warm politician, and some observers have opined that he needs to continue humanizing himself if he is to be successful in the future. His speech did not offer much at all in terms of personal anecdotes, reflection or a sense of humor.   But he did project confidence, speaking in a slower, intentional cadence. And the image of his young family, on Tuesday coming down the steps of the Historic Capitol — with many insiders remarking that Casey DeSantis, in a mint dress with white gloves, evoked Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis — continues to be an asset for his public persona.   Read more analysis of the speech and how it was tailored for a national audience. And here's a transcript of the entire speech.   Who was there: We broke down a list of some of the notable elected officials, commentators and figures who were mingling in the audience. Breaking with tradition, the inaugural ball and other events were closed to the public and reporters, so information is more limited on which donors and supporters attended those.   According to photos on social media, some of the attendees of the black-tie ball included Florida's cadre of right-wing influencers. I did a deep-dive into this growing community and their tactics last year. They consistently get access into spaces with powerful Florida politicians.   Speaking of online influencers, Chaya Raichik, who runs the Twitter account Libs of TikTok that promotes anti-transgender messaging, met with Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz during the inaugural events.   If you read nothing else this week ... Clarice Starling. That alias, from "Silence of the Lambs," was what DeSantis aide Larry Keefe used in private emails in which he helped his former client win a state contract to operate Florida’s migrant flight program. The emails, which were released just before Christmas, were contained in records that became public because of a lawsuit.  Get the latest coverage from the Times Subscribe to the Tampa Bay Times in print or online to get the full story on local, state and national politics from Emily L. Mahoney and the rest of the Buzz team. Subscribe now! What we're watching Pasco changes school bathroom rule: Citing a recent court ruling, the Pasco County school district will set rules requiring students to use bathrooms based on their biological sex at birth. That's a change from the stance the district has had for years.   Coming recommendations: The Parkland grand jury said Florida’s mental health care system was a “mess.” Soon, a state commission will propose reforms. What we're buzzing about   [ALEX BRANDON | AP] The chaos in Washington: Republicans in the House of Representatives still have not chosen a speaker, with Rep.-elect Kevin McCarthy failing yet another vote yesterday.   A challenger emerges... from Florida: The right flank of the Republican Party is backing U.S. Rep.-elect Byron Donalds, a former state lawmaker from Naples who's still a relative newcomer to Congress. Here's some background on Donalds and the issues he's pursued in the past.   Lobbying ban fight: Voters overwhelmingly approved a six-year lobbying ban, which resulted in a prohibition of state and local elected officials from lobbying their state agencies or offices for six years after leaving office. But some officials are challenging the ban in court.    Mayors in the hot seat: Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch and Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard took questions from a local political group about everything from social media to the ousted Tampa police chief. But no one brought up the Tampa Bay Rays' new stadium pursuit.   More surgeon general backlash: University of Florida College of Medicine professors wrote in a report that the state health department's policy recommending against mRNA COVID-19 vaccines for young men was of “highly questionable merit.”  Your Thursday distraction Gisele Bündchen buys the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? A lab-created creature combines the traits of giant snails, bufo toads and lovebugs?   Read columnist Stephanie Hayes' wonderfully unhinged predictions for 2023. Contact Emily L. Mahoney at emahoney@tampabay.com. Follow @mahoneysthename. Did someone forward this to you? Get The Buzz in your own inbox next time. 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