Last Call for 7.20.26 – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida

Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.

— First Shot —

Spectrum News 13 and Spectrum Bay News 9 are teaming up with AARP to air candidate conversations featuring contenders in two closely watched Florida congressional races ahead of next month’s Primary.

The one-hour programs will spotlight candidates running in Florida’s 11th and 16th Congressional Districts and will air at 7 p.m. on July 22 and July 29, respectively. The conversations will be prerecorded at the stations’ studios and moderated by Spectrum anchors Holly Gregory and Ybeth Bruzual.

The CD 16 conversation will feature Republicans Sydney Gruters and Eddie Speir and Democrats Jon Harris, Kelly Kirschner, Tamika Lyles, Glenn Pearson and Jan Schneider. No-party candidate Mark Davis will also take part.

Gruters, the wife of Republican National Committee Chair and state Sen. Joe Gruters, is viewed as the front-runner in CD 16, which opened up this cycle after longtime U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan announced he wouldn’t seek an 11th term representing the seat. Notably, Sydney Gruters has received endorsements from Buchanan and President Donald Trump.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee put CD 16 to its “Districts in Play” list after redistricting looped a Democratic-leaning chunk of Pinellas. The seat now encompasses all of Manatee County and parts of Pinellas, DeSoto, Hardee, Polk and Sarasota counties — but most election forecasters rate it as a GOP hold.

The CD 11 conversation will feature Republicans Carey Baker, Ivette Palomo, Nizam Razack and Tim Wilkins; Democrats James Pericola, Royal Webster II and Dan Williams; and Libertarian Ralph Groves. Notably absent from the list is Joe Strada, a Republican who has seeded his campaign with a $5 million loan and racked up some notable endorsements, including a recent nod from Attorney General James Uthmeier.

The field is competing to succeed Republican U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster, another longtime member of the Florida delegation who announced his retirement earlier this year. Similar to CD 16, the Central Florida-based seat is expected to remain red. Trump carried the district over Kamala Harris 57%-42% last cycle.

The conversations will air on Spectrum Bay News 9 and Spectrum News 13 — channel 9 in the Tampa Bay media market and channel 13 in the Orlando market, respectively — and will also be available to stream through the Spectrum News app, which is available for Xumo Stream Box and Roku devices as well as the Apple App Store and Google Play.

— Evening Reads —

—”The 25 nuttiest lines from Trump’s Tuesday press conference” via Chris Cillizza of So What

—“Republicans cite an Olive Garden pasta promotion to push stricter voter ID laws” via Mariana Alfaro of The Washington Post

—”Trump’s CDC is detaining Americans in response to Ebola: A ‘wild misuse’ of power” via Katherine Eban of Rolling Stone

—”The DSA sweet spot: highly educated, downwardly mobile” via Nate Silver of the Silver Bulletin

—”How the Michigan Senate primary activated every bitter Democratic grudge” via Andrew Prokop of Vox

—”Stop saying kids can’t read” via Megan Greenwell of WIRED

—“Jay Collins says Ron DeSantis didn’t endorse him at launch to avoid ‘proxy war’ with Trump” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics

—”With one more vote, Broward County to embrace major commitment to recycling” via Rafael Olmeda of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

—“Poll points to Loranne Ausley, Jeremy Matlow runoff in Tallahassee Mayor race” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics

—”Told to cut seven projects, Orange tourist tax panel reinstates six” via Stephen Hudak of the Orlando Sentinel

— Quote of the Day —

“If you can’t be bothered to get his name correct, why would anyone believe they got his record right?”

— A Shevrin Jones campaign spox, responding to an attack ad funded by a PAC linked to Miami-Dade Commissioner Oliver Gilbert.

— Put it on the Tab —

Look to your left, then look to your right. If you see one of these people at your happy hour haunt, flag down the bartender and put one of these on your tab. Recipes included, just in case the Cocktail Codex fell into the well.

If you haven’t already ordered a Blowout for Byron Donalds, here’s yet another poll forecasting a rout in the Aug. 18 GOP Primary.

Perhaps an April O’Spritz for the spelling-challenged team behind a new CD 24 attack ad.

If you’re looking for a good Foreclosure, head to Chicago — you’ll only find the bad kind here in the Sunshine State.

— Breakthrough Insights —

— Tune In —

Marlins look to snap losing skid

The Miami Marlins continue a series in Houston against the Astros, looking to snap a seven-game losing streak (8:10 p.m. ET, MLB.TV).

Miami was swept in a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians, then again in three straight at the Milwaukee Brewers before falling 8-5 in the opener of the series in Houston. The seven-game losing streak comes on the heels of a six-game winning streak.

Despite the losing streak, the Marlins sit three games over the .500 mark. As of today, the Marlins are tied for the third wild card spot in the National League with the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates, although the Cardinals have played two fewer games than the Marlins and Pirates. There is a long way to go in the season, but Miami is positioned to make a run to the postseason.

Shortstop Otto Lopez missed the series opener against the Astros and is listed as day-to-day with a finger injury. He leads the Major Leagues with a .335 batting average and is tied for fifth in baseball in OPS at .873.

The Marlins are scheduled to send Tyler Phillips to the mound for a spot start. Phillips has started nine games while appearing in relief in 16 games this season.

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Last Call is published by Peter Schorsch, assembled and edited by Phil Ammann and Drew Wilson, with contributions from the staff of Florida Politics.