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WASHINGTON, May 17, 2022

Michelle Obama's When We All Vote's 'Culture of Democracy Summit' will bring together industry leaders across sectors for a national conversation about protecting and expanding democracy ahead of the midterms

WASHINGTON, May 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, When We All Vote announced that 82nd Attorney General of the United States and Chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee Eric Holder; Grammy, Emmy and Academy Award-winning rapper, activist and actor Common; President of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund Alexis McGill Johnson; Staff Writer at The New York Times Magazine and Creator of The 1619 Project Nikole Hannah-Jones; Emmy-winning writer, comedian, actor and producer Wanda Sykes; and more will join the organization's inaugural Culture of Democracy Summit June 10th-13th in Los Angeles, CA. When We All Vote Co-Chair and Founder Michelle Obama will serve as the keynote speaker. More participants will be announced over the next few weeks.

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Common, Eric Holder, Alexis McGill Johnson, Wanda Sykes and More to Join When We All Vote's Inaugural Culture of Democracy Summit

The Summit will include virtual programming on Friday, June 10th, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT and in-person convenings and experiences on June 11th and 12th in Los Angeles, CA. On Monday, June 13th a final series of conversations will begin at 9 a.m. PT on the main stage at the Banc of California stadium culminating Mrs. Obama's keynote speech that evening. This all day event will include on-site activations, food and an after party for attendees.

This nonpartisan convening will bring together artists, athletes, academics, artists, grassroots organizers and leaders in technology, civics and corporations to discuss the role different industries play in protecting and strengthening democracy through voter registration, education, mobilization and culture change. The organization announced the following speakers today:

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Ian Bassin, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Protect Democracy

Caty Borum, Executive Director, Center for Media & Social Impact

Latosha Brown, Co-Founder Black Voters Matter Fund; Founder, Southern Black Girls & Women's Consortium

Valeisha Butterfield Jones, Co-President, The Recording Academy

Anto Chvez, Video Producer, United We Dream

Common, Grammy, Emmy and Academy Award-winning rapper, activist and actor

Tiffany D. Cross, MSNBC Host of The Cross Connection

Marc Elias, Founder, Democracy Docket

DeNora Getachew, CEO, DoSomething

Nikole Hannah-Jones, Staff Writer, The New York Times Magazine; Creator, The 1619 Project

Julia Hartz, Co-Founder and CEO, Eventbrite

Eric H. Holder, Jr., 82nd Attorney General of the United States; Chairman, National Democratic Redistricting Committee

Valerie Jarrett, Board Chair, Civic Nation

Kyle Lierman, CEO, Civic Nation

Alexis McGill Johnson, President, Planned Parenthood Action Fund

Yvette Nicole Brown, Emmy-nominated actress and host

Judith Nwandu, Political Host and Producer, The Shade Room

Wanda Sykes, Emmy-winning writer, comedian, actor and producer

Allie Young, Founder, Protect the Sacred

Stephanie L. Young, Executive Director, When We All Vote

The Summit will explore how voting impacts criminal justice reform, reproductive rights, climate justice and more. It will also explore how the voting landscape is impacted by voter suppression, ways to counter it and culture's role in shaping democracy from the federal level down to local elected officials.

The virtual day of the Summit will be open to the press, and reporters interested in attending in-person on June 13th should email press@civicnation.org. A limited number of in-person press passes will be available. The Summit is being produced by Live Nation Urban and MKG, and ticketing is being supported by When We All Vote partner, Eventbrite. All Summit events, with the exception of a smaller gathering, will be held outside and all events will follow all CDC Covid-19 protocols. More announcements about speakers and the agenda are forthcoming. Tickets and more information are available here.

ABOUT When We All Vote:

When We All Vote, an initiative of Civic Nation, is a leading national, nonpartisan initiative on a mission to change the culture around voting and to increase participation in each and every election by helping to close the race and age gap. Created by Michelle Obama, When We All Vote brings together individuals, institutions, brands, and organizations to register new voters across the country and advance civic education for the entire family and voters of every age to build an informed and engaged electorate for today and generations to come. We empower our supporters and volunteers to take action through voting, advocating for their rights, and holding their elected officials accountable.

In 2020, When We All Vote ran a robust, multifaceted campaign and reached more than 100 million people to educate them about the voting process and get them registered and ready to vote. The initiative also led in voter education, registration, and volunteer engagement and as a result, 512,000 people started or completed the voter registration process, and nearly 500 media, corporate, and nonprofit partners joined its efforts.

Michelle Obama launched When We All Vote in 2018 and is joined by fellow Co-Chairs Stephen Curry, Becky G, Selena Gomez, Tom Hanks, H.E.R., Liza Koshy, Jennifer Lopez, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Janelle Monae, Chris Paul, Megan Rapinoe, Shonda Rhimes, Bretman Rock, Kerry Washington and Rita Wilson.

When We All Vote is a key initiative within Civic Nation, a 501(c)(3) organization, and works with Civic Nation Action, a 501(c)(4). These organizations are homes for changemakers who inspire, educate, and activate people around the issues that will define this generation.

ABOUT Civic Nation:

Civic Nation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit home for changemakers who inspire, educate, and activate people around the issues that will define this generation. Civic Nation empowers and educates individuals, companies, institutions and organizations to drive culture, systems, and policy change, working towards a more inclusive and equitable America. Seven initiatives are a part of the Civic Nation family: When We All Vote, United State of Women, ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, End Rape On Campus, It's On Us, Made to Save and We The Action. Learn more here.

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Common, Eric Holder, Alexis McGill Johnson, Wanda Sykes and More to Join When We All Vote's Inaugural Culture of Democracy Summit in June - Yahoo...

Saturday's massacre in Buffalo, New York, is the latest mass shooting in which authorities say the suspect was motivated by hate.The suspected shooter, an 18-year-old white man, shot and killed 10 people and injured three others at a supermarket in a predominantly Black area, authorities said. Eleven of the victims are Black."We'll be aggressive in our pursuit of anyone who subscribes to the ideals professed by other white supremacists and how there's a feeding frenzy on social media platforms where hate festers more hate," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Saturday.Investigators in the case have found evidence indicating "racial animosity," Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn said during a Saturday news conference. The FBI says it is investigating the incident as a hate crime and a case of racially motivated violent extremism.The attack comes amid surging levels of hate crimes across the country. An FBI report published last year found U.S. hate crime reports in 2020 rose to the highest level in 12 years. Also in 2020, the Department of Homeland Security warned white supremacists were likely to remain the most "persistent and lethal threat" in the country.Here are other high-profile massacres in recent years that authorities have said were fueled by hate.A shooter 'hated the Jewish community and Muslim community'John T. Earnest admitted to a shooting at a San Diego area synagogue that left one person dead and three others injured in 2019. In December, Earnest was sentenced to a second life sentence after pleading guilty to a 113-count indictment that included hate crime and weapons violations.He was armed with an AR-15 style rifle when he entered the crowded Chabad of Poway synagogue and began shooting. He also admitted to setting fire to a mosque in nearby Escondido several weeks before the shooting."The defendant targeted his victims because he hated the Jewish community and Muslim community," Randy Grossman, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California, previously said."The defendant and his hatred have been silenced. He will spend the rest of his days and die in prison, while he languishes behind bars," Grossman said.The deadliest attack on Latinos in modern US historyPatrick Crusius, the man accused of killing 23 people and injuring nearly two dozen others in a 2019 mass shooting at an El Paso, Texas, Walmart store, was indicted on dozens of federal charges, including hate crimes resulting in death and hate crimes involving an attempt to kill.The rampage was the deadliest attack on Latinos in modern U.S. history.Crusius was accused of killing and harming the victims "because of the actual and perceived national origin of any person," the indictment said. An earlier arrest affidavit said he told police his targets were Mexicans.He has pleaded not guilty and is yet to stand trial. Lawyers for Crusius have said he was in a psychotic state after the shooting and suffers from mental disabilities.11 worshippers killed in a Pittsburgh synagogueIn October 2018, a gunman killed 11 worshippers in Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue, in what is believed to be the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in the history of the U.S., according to the Anti-Defamation League.Authorities said Robert Bowers targeted Jews online and made anti-Semitic comments during the shooting. Later, while receiving medical care, he told a SWAT officer that he wanted all Jews to die, according to a criminal complaint.Federal prosecutors filed hate crime charges against Bowers, claiming he used anti-Semitic slurs and criticized a Jewish group on a social media site in the days leading up to the shooting.Tree of Life synagogue: Remembering the lives lostFederal prosecutors said in 2019 they would seek the death penalty on charges that include obstruction of free exercise on religious beliefs resulting in death, use and discharge of a firearm to commit murder and possession of a firearm during a violent crime.They said they are justified to seek the death penalty because of the role that Bowers' anti-Semitic views played in the shooting.He has pleaded not guilty and is yet to be tried.A Charleston church becomes a targetIn June 2015, avowed white supremacist Dylann Roof gunned down nine African American worshippers at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church -- a historic Black church -- in Charleston, South Carolina.Roof was convicted of federal charges and sentenced to death in January 2017. He was the first federal hate-crime defendant to be sentenced to death, a Justice Department spokesman said."Mother Emanuel was his destination specifically because it was an historically African American church of significance to the people of Charleston, of South Carolina and to the nation," then-U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said in 2015. "On that summer evening, Dylann Roof found his targets, African-Americans engaged in worship."Roof spent months plotting the attack, Lynch said."He was looking for the type of church and the type of parishioners whose death would, in fact, draw great notoriety for...his racist views," she said.Attacker who had talked about a 'racial holy war'Another place of worship -- meant to be a refuge -- was the scene of mass shooting in August 2012.An Army veteran opened fire in a gurdwara -- or Sikh house of worship -- in the Milwaukee suburb of Oak Creek, Wisconsin, killing six people and wounding four others.Wade Michael Page died of a self-inflicted wound after being shot by a police officer, the FBI said. The shooting came as violent attacks on Sikhs were spiking following September 11, 2001.Then-Attorney General Eric Holder called the attack "an act of terrorism, an act of hatred, a hate crime."According to a man who described himself as an old Army buddy of Page's, the attacker talked about "racial holy war" when they served together in the 1990s.Christopher Robillard, of Oregon, who said he had lost contact with Page, added in 2012 that when Page would rant, "it would be about mostly any non-white person.

Saturday's massacre in Buffalo, New York, is the latest mass shooting in which authorities say the suspect was motivated by hate.

The suspected shooter, an 18-year-old white man, shot and killed 10 people and injured three others at a supermarket in a predominantly Black area, authorities said. Eleven of the victims are Black.

"We'll be aggressive in our pursuit of anyone who subscribes to the ideals professed by other white supremacists and how there's a feeding frenzy on social media platforms where hate festers more hate," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Saturday.

Investigators in the case have found evidence indicating "racial animosity," Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn said during a Saturday news conference. The FBI says it is investigating the incident as a hate crime and a case of racially motivated violent extremism.

The attack comes amid surging levels of hate crimes across the country. An FBI report published last year found U.S. hate crime reports in 2020 rose to the highest level in 12 years. Also in 2020, the Department of Homeland Security warned white supremacists were likely to remain the most "persistent and lethal threat" in the country.

Here are other high-profile massacres in recent years that authorities have said were fueled by hate.

John T. Earnest admitted to a shooting at a San Diego area synagogue that left one person dead and three others injured in 2019. In December, Earnest was sentenced to a second life sentence after pleading guilty to a 113-count indictment that included hate crime and weapons violations.

He was armed with an AR-15 style rifle when he entered the crowded Chabad of Poway synagogue and began shooting. He also admitted to setting fire to a mosque in nearby Escondido several weeks before the shooting.

"The defendant targeted his victims because he hated the Jewish community and Muslim community," Randy Grossman, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California, previously said.

"The defendant and his hatred have been silenced. He will spend the rest of his days and die in prison, while he languishes behind bars," Grossman said.

Patrick Crusius, the man accused of killing 23 people and injuring nearly two dozen others in a 2019 mass shooting at an El Paso, Texas, Walmart store, was indicted on dozens of federal charges, including hate crimes resulting in death and hate crimes involving an attempt to kill.

The rampage was the deadliest attack on Latinos in modern U.S. history.

Crusius was accused of killing and harming the victims "because of the actual and perceived national origin of any person," the indictment said. An earlier arrest affidavit said he told police his targets were Mexicans.

He has pleaded not guilty and is yet to stand trial. Lawyers for Crusius have said he was in a psychotic state after the shooting and suffers from mental disabilities.

In October 2018, a gunman killed 11 worshippers in Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue, in what is believed to be the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in the history of the U.S., according to the Anti-Defamation League.

Authorities said Robert Bowers targeted Jews online and made anti-Semitic comments during the shooting. Later, while receiving medical care, he told a SWAT officer that he wanted all Jews to die, according to a criminal complaint.

Federal prosecutors filed hate crime charges against Bowers, claiming he used anti-Semitic slurs and criticized a Jewish group on a social media site in the days leading up to the shooting.

Tree of Life synagogue: Remembering the lives lost

Federal prosecutors said in 2019 they would seek the death penalty on charges that include obstruction of free exercise on religious beliefs resulting in death, use and discharge of a firearm to commit murder and possession of a firearm during a violent crime.

They said they are justified to seek the death penalty because of the role that Bowers' anti-Semitic views played in the shooting.

He has pleaded not guilty and is yet to be tried.

In June 2015, avowed white supremacist Dylann Roof gunned down nine African American worshippers at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church -- a historic Black church -- in Charleston, South Carolina.

Roof was convicted of federal charges and sentenced to death in January 2017. He was the first federal hate-crime defendant to be sentenced to death, a Justice Department spokesman said.

"Mother Emanuel was his destination specifically because it was an historically African American church of significance to the people of Charleston, of South Carolina and to the nation," then-U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said in 2015. "On that summer evening, Dylann Roof found his targets, African-Americans engaged in worship."

Roof spent months plotting the attack, Lynch said.

"He was looking for the type of church and the type of parishioners whose death would, in fact, draw great notoriety for...his racist views," she said.

Another place of worship -- meant to be a refuge -- was the scene of mass shooting in August 2012.

An Army veteran opened fire in a gurdwara -- or Sikh house of worship -- in the Milwaukee suburb of Oak Creek, Wisconsin, killing six people and wounding four others.

Wade Michael Page died of a self-inflicted wound after being shot by a police officer, the FBI said. The shooting came as violent attacks on Sikhs were spiking following September 11, 2001.

Then-Attorney General Eric Holder called the attack "an act of terrorism, an act of hatred, a hate crime."

According to a man who described himself as an old Army buddy of Page's, the attacker talked about "racial holy war" when they served together in the 1990s.

Christopher Robillard, of Oregon, who said he had lost contact with Page, added in 2012 that when Page would rant, "it would be about mostly any non-white person.

Read more from the original source:
The Buffalo supermarket massacre is the latest mass shooting authorities say was motivated by hate - WBAL TV Baltimore

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Former First Lady Michelle Obama raised eyebrows with her spelling of the word woman in a new Instagram post about the recent leaked Supreme Court draft opinion on abortion.

The leak, first reported by Politico, indicated that the court, in an opinion penned by Justice Samuel Alito, was poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. Obama became the most recent prominent leader in the Democratic Party to release a statement on the court leak and what it may mean for American women.

"State lawmakers will have the power to strip womxn of the right to make decisions about their bodies and their healthcare," she wrote last weekend in one slide of a lengthy post.

Pro-choice activists rally at the Washington Monument before a march to the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, May 14, 2022. (Jose Luis Magana/AFP via Getty Images)

The spelling of "womxn" has in recent years been used as an alternative because, according to some progressives, the word "woman" has problematic, patriarchal roots.

"Democrats, dont expect the Obamas to save you from weird woke terminology," Republican pollster Patrick Ruffini quipped as he posted a screenshot of the slide.

"Just asking a practical question here, how does one pronounce "womxn?" former CNN political commentator Doug Heye asked.

NPR REPORTS HOW OVERTURNING ROE V. WADE IS A 'SHARED PROJECT OF SUPREMACIST MOVEMENTS'

In her larger message, Obama opined on how women may lose rights to make decisions about their own bodies.

"Its been a tough couple of weeks since we saw the leaked SCOTUS draft opinion on abortion," she wrote. "If it comes to pass, we may soon live in a country where millions of women not to mention our children and grandchildren lose the right to make decisions about their bodies and their health. Even if we knew the courts were heading toward this day, it doesnt make the frustration, grief, and fear any less real.

Former first lady Michelle Obama during "Becoming: An Intimate Conversation with Michelle Obama," in Atlanta. Netflix says a documentary portrait of Michelle Obama titled "Becoming" will premiere on its streaming service Wednesday. (Paul R. Giunta/Invision/AP, File)

WASHINGTON POST COLUMNIST SAYS OVERTURNING ROE V. WADE IS A 9/11 ATTACK ON AMERICAS SOCIAL FABRIC

"But we dont have to stand idly by while others try to turn back the clock on progress," she continued. "Im so inspired by everyone out marching today. And I know that were going to see so many folks carrying this energy forward to the elections in November and in every election after that."

Obama completed her message by encouraging her followers to check their voter registration status.

Security fencing is in place outside the Supreme Court in Washington, Saturday, May 14, 2022. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP)

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Liberal pundits have similarly sounded the alarm on the controversial leak, with some making radical comparisons and predictions.

MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell and former Obama Attorney General Eric Holder discussed the possibility of the overturning of Roe leading to the end of interracial marriage or even reversing the Brown v. Board of Education decision outlawing racial segregation in schools. "The View" co-host Joy Behar suggested the court would next target gay marriage.

MSNBC "The ReidOut" host Joy Reid suggested several other rulings in the wake of Roe.

"That could apply to almost anything," she said. "Contraception, same-sex marriage, interracial marriage, civil rights, integration, womens rights to vote."

Continued here:
Michelle Obama worries overturning Roe v. Wade will strip 'womxn' of their right to health care - Fox News

Good Monday morning.

U.S. Rep. Charlie Crists campaign to retake the Governors Mansion this November gained an endorsement from Sen. Shevrin Jones, who cited Crists record and message as his motivation.

Jones said Crists leadership is needed now, particularly considering recent actions by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican-dominated Legislature.

We in Florida cannot continue going in this dangerous direction, which is not the direction the rest of the country is going, Jones told Florida Politics.

The events of last weeks Special Session most notably the Legislatures party-line approval of a DeSantis congressional map, which, among other things, halved the number of Black performing districts in Florida to two also factored heavily in the decision.

As someone who represents the largest Black district in the (state), sitting on the sidelines for too long is just not an option, he said. And what you see right now is Charlies message is resonating in my community of Miami Gardens.

They know him. They know the name. They know the work.

Crist, who began his political career as a Republican and served as Florida Governor from 2007 to 2011, said Jones support means the world to him.

This is one of the brightest political young stars in Florida politics today, and having the opportunity to receive his endorsement is humbling, he said. I am honored by it, and Im enormously grateful to Shev and to God.

Read the full story about Jones endorsement here.___

DeSantis already has three Democrats vying for his seat, but Roger Stone might not be making empty threats.

Someone, presumably in Stones camp, has registered the domains RogerforGovernor.com and StoneforGovernor.com, another sign the longtime Donald Trump ally could be serious about taking down DeSantis.

Stone threatened late last year to run for Governor as a Libertarian unless DeSantis vows to not run for President in 2024. And last weekend, Stone released a clip in which he whispers to Trump, Ron DeSantis is a piece of sh*t.

The latest move, registering the domain names, took place on Wednesday, as the Legislature met to pass bills targeting Disney over the companys opposition to Floridas anti-LGBTQ education law. Meanwhile, this week, former Trump campaign attorney Jenna Ellis offered to represent Disney over the retaliation, which has put DeSantis back in the limelight.

Although nothing is hosted yet at the two domains, the recent actions from Trump world could be a sign of more 2024 posturing to come.

___

With three games left in the 2022 regular season, the Tampa Bay Lightning are skating to the White House to celebrate their back-to-back Stanley Cup victories in 2020 and 2021.

President Joe Biden will be the first President to host the Bolts, even though the team has won three championships. The COVID-19 pandemic had delayed celebrations for their recent titles. But lightning struck twice because the team also couldnt celebrate its 2004 title during the 2004-05 NHL lockout.

The Lightning, who have already clinched their third consecutive Stanley Cup playoff appearance, beat the Florida Panthers 8-4 in Sunrise Sunday night before leaving for Washington. Next, the team will continue north to Ohio to play the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Biden could honor a host of Bolts, like defensemen Victor Hedman and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, the most valuable players in the 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup championships. Of course, theres owner Jeff Vinik, general manager Julien BriseBois, and head coach Jon Cooper.

___

Spotted A whos who of elected officials from Manatee and Sarasota counties who turned out to celebrate Grimes Galvano crossing the century mark.

The guest list included U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, former Senate President Andy Gardiner, and former Sens. David Simmons and JD Alexander. Sarasota Countys turnout included County Commissioner Mike Moran and Sarasota Mayor Erik Arroya. Manatee County electeds included County Commissioners Carol Whitmore, George Kruse, Misty Servia, Vanessa Baugh and Reggie Bellamy, County Administrator Scott Hopes, Clerk of Court Angel Colonneso, Superintendent Cynthia Saunders, Property Appraiser Charles Hackney and School Board member Chad Choat. The list continues with Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown and Police Chief Melanie Bevan as well as City Councilmembers Marianne Barnebey, Pam Coachman, Bill Sanders and Jayne Kocher. And Palmetto the town Grimes Galvanos founders first put up their shingle was represented by Mayor Shirley Groover-Bryant.

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Fred Piccolo joins Jackie Toledos CD 15 bid as campaign manager Piccolo will serve Toledos campaign as both campaign manager and senior adviser. Piccolo had previously been campaign manager to then-candidate Dennis Ross from 2008 to 2010 and as Chief of Staff to then-Congressman Ross from 2010 to 2012.

Ive known Jackie Toledo since I worked with her on her first campaign for the statehouse, Piccolo said in a statement. No one works harder or cares more deeply about her constituents than Jackie does. Shes demonstrated a unique ability to move legislation and articulate our conservative principles to a wide audience and expand our party into diverse communities throughout the Tampa Bay area.

Toledo added: Fred and I worked together for over a decade in my campaigns and in his time in the speakers office in Tallahassee. I value his advice and his experience, and his knowledge of the district is second to none.

This not a Polk County seat, Piccolo continued. As the only candidate in this race who grew up, went to public school, graduated from college, and raised a family in Hillsborough County, Jackie knows that the citizens of District 15 can easily distinguish between their neighbor and politicians who cant give up power. That choice is becoming crystal clear.

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If you want to arrest me, f**king arrest me, said a defiant Charlie Adelson in April 2016, covertly recorded by the FBI in a noisy Miami restaurant, talking with co-conspirator Katherine Magbanua about the murder of his former brother-in-law, FSU law professor Dan Markel.

Come back with a warrant.

That challenge was finally accepted last week, almost six years later to the day.

The long-awaited arrest has drawn renewed international attention to the Tallahassee murder-for-hire and has cracked open possibilities for the resolution of a case that has become woven into Floridas political landscape in various ways in the years since. FloridaPolitics.com has followed the case extensively, diving deep through the aftershocks of a murder that rocked Floridas capital city and left a trail of victims in its path.

Charlies arrest is a major milestone and reflects the tireless work put into this case by law enforcement and prosecutors, said Markel family friend, Karen Cyphers on behalf of the grassroots group Justice for Dan.

But how did this arrest come to be, nearly eight years later? And what does it mean for the pursuit of justice moving forward? Cyphers walked me through some details of the case that are public but often left undiscussed.

For more must-read details, get the full story here.

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS

@EricGeller: What a weird system France has, where the presidential candidate who gets the most votes wins the election.

@NikkiFried: Its been 30 hours since I called for 5 televised debates. Charlies been awfully quiet.

@TPFabricio: Hialeah is brimming with pride! Congratulations to our soon-to-be Commissioner of Education @SenMannyDiaz! You have been Floridas strongest excellence in education advocate. This is a much-deserved appointment.

@RichLowry: Corporations as institutions have been corrupted, very often through bullying and fear, and theres a chance that the Disney controversy will free them simply to fly planes, sell soda, etc. again, which would be good for these companies and good for the countrys cultural health

@ChristinaPushaw: Thought experiment for liberals: What if your childs teacher was religious & used a slideshow to tell class, some people think they were born in the wrong body, but thats impossible; God doesnt make mistakes? You wouldnt like it. Let parents teach their kids as they see fit

@ErinInTheMorn: The last 3 months, we have seen trans people: referred to as pedophiles/groomers called an infection need to be morally mandated out of existence Parents of trans people are investigated. Health care may be pulled. The eugenics/genocide language is turned up to 11.

@AGHamilton29: Im reading this NYT deep dive into the books that FL rejected from their math curriculum and its only making me think that FL actually did a good job vetting. This admits the books have a lot of nonsense that has little to do with teaching kids math.

@ChrisDorworth: I have read so much how the abolition of the Reedy Creek is going to lead to all manners of mayhem. It is much ado about nothing. The Gov/Leg definitely smacked them around, but its just paperwork. All the land will be annexed into Bay Lake or Lake Buena Vista. Those 2 cities have pops of 42 and 19 and are controlled by Disney selected people just like RCID was. 1 of those cities will gobble up the Orange County land and be about the size of San Francisco. The LBV Wikipedia says people wonder why you needed a city in the RCID.

@AGGancarski: People are really slacking on detailed accounts of how many masks they are seeing/not seeing on planes. Thats all I want in my newsfeed at this point and for months and months and months to come.

DAYS UNTIL

2022 Florida Chamber Transportation, Growth & Infrastructure Solution Summit 3; The Godfather TV series The Offer premieres 3; 2nd half of Ozark final season begins 4; White House Correspondents Dinner 5; Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness premieres 11; Florida TaxWatchs Spring Meeting 17; Obi-Wan Kenobi starts on Disney+ 31; Top Gun: Maverick premieres 32; Platinum Jubilee for Queen Elizabeth II 38; California, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota hold midterm Primaries 43; Jurassic World Dominion premieres 46; Pixars Lightyear premieres 53; Thor: Love and Thunder premieres 74; San Diego Comic-Con 2022 87; Michael Mann and Meg Gardiner novel Heat 2 publishes 106; House of the Dragon premieres on HBO 118; The Lord of the Rings premieres on Amazon Prime 130; 2022 Emmys 130; Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sequel premieres 164; Cormac McCarthys The Passenger releases 183; Jon Meachams And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle releases 183; Black Panther 2 premieres 200; Captain Marvel 2 premieres 200; The Flash premieres 206; The World Cup kicks off in Qatar 210; The U.S. World Cup Soccer Team begins play 210; McCarthys Stella Maris releases 211; Avatar 2 premieres 235; 2023 Legislative Session convenes 316; John Wick: Chapter 4 premieres 333; 2023 Session Sine Die 375; Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse premieres 403; n and the Wasp: Quantumania premieres 459; Dune: Part Two premieres 543; Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Part 2 premieres 704; Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games 823. TOP STORY

Eric Holder-backed group sues Florida over Ron DeSantis congressional map via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics Minority advocacy groups filed a lawsuit Friday challenging Floridas congressional map approved this week by the Legislature. The National Redistricting Foundation, led by Holder, will fund the case. Plaintiffs represented by prominent Democratic voting rights attorney Marc Elias filed suit claiming a map (P 0109) submitted by DeSantis violates Floridas Fair Districts provisions in the state constitution. An analysis shows the map draws Florida with 20 congressional districts where Trump won the 2020 Presidential Election and just eight seats where Biden won. The targeting of Black voting districts also plays prominently in the complaint filed in Leon County circuit court.

Voting rights groups sue Florida over new congressional map via Gary Fineout of POLITICO

Floridas congressional map: An about-face in GOP strategy and a setback for Blacks via Mary Ellen Klas and Ana Ceballos of The Miami Herald

Al Lawson responds after DeSantis upends district: My plan right now is to be on the ballot via James Call of the Tallahassee Democrat

Tour every Congressional District on Floridas new map via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics Its official. After a veto, a Special Session, and a sit-in protest on the House floor, a congressional map drawn by DeSantis has been signed into law. So, what does the political terrain in Florida now actually look like? Florida Politics presents a short tour of P 0109, Floridas now-28 congressional districts from Pensacola to Key West. The tour starts here.

DATELINE TALLY

DeSantis tests limits of his combative style in Disney feud via The Associated Press DeSantis deepening feud with Walt Disney World is testing the limits of his combative leadership style while sending an unmistakable message to his rivals that virtually nothing is off-limits as he plots his political future. DeSantis has repeatedly demonstrated an acute willingness to fight throughout his decade-long political career. He has turned against former aides and rejected the GOP Legislatures rewrite of congressional maps, forcing lawmakers to accept a version more to his liking and prompting voting rights groups to sue. Hes also leaned into simmering tensions with Trump, notable for someone seeking to lead a Party where loyalty to the former President is required.

Floridas Disney district crackdown may violate First Amendment, legal experts say via Emily L. Mahoney and Bianca Padr Ocasio of the Tampa Bay Times At DeSantis urging, Florida legislators sped this week to pass two bills stripping The Walt Disney Co. of certain special privileges, which DeSantis signed Friday. The ultrafast maneuver was a whiplash response to Disneys public opposition to Floridas recently passed Parental Rights in Education law, or the so-called dont say gay bill. It was also, experts said, legally dubious. The more high-profile of the two Disney bills eliminates the companys Reedy Creek Improvement District, which for more than 50 years has granted it broad powers of self-governance over its Disney World property, similar to being its own county. The new law dissolves that special district, and five others, on June 1, 2023.

Disneys $578 million tax break left untouched in DeSantis feud via Christopher Palmeri of Yahoo News DeSantis may have put a bulls-eye on special perks that The Walt Disney Co. has enjoyed in his state for more than 50 years, but hes keeping his hands off hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks recently lavished on the entertainment giant. For now, at least, DeSantis is leaving alone another valuable perk: $578 million in credits Disney can use to reduce its state income taxes through 2040. Christina Pushaw, a spokesperson, said DeSantis hasnt asked the legislature to repeal the tax credits because its not a carve-out for a specific corporation.

Fitch says possible downgrade in store for Reedy Creek bonds after anti-Disney bill passes via Gray Rohrer of Florida Politics Fitch Ratings Inc. placed some bonds held by the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) on negative watch, meaning a downgrade is possible in the future. The move comes one day after the Legislature passed a bill to dissolve the Walt Disney Company-controlled enclave in Central Florida. The affected bonds are $79 million in outstanding utility revenue and refunding bonds currently rated as A and $766 million in property tax-backed bonds rated at AA-. The districts utility credit profile rating of A and its issuer default rating of AA- were also placed on negative watch status. The bill (SB 4C), which DeSantis has yet to sign, first emerged only Tuesday. The issue was added to the already-scheduled Special Session to deal with redistricting and passed a little over 48 hours after it was filed.

DeSantis signs Stop WOKE Act as legal challenge looms via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics Florida has become the latest state to ban woke ideology associated with critical race theory with legislation DeSantis signed Friday. The measure (HB 7), which is already being challenged in court over First Amendment concerns, would prohibit lessons and training which tell students and employees that they are inherently racist, sexist or oppressive because of their race, color, sex or national origin. It would also ban instruction that they are personally responsible and should feel guilty for the past actions of members of their race, color, sex or national origin. We are not going to use your tax dollars to teach our kids to hate this country or to hate each other, DeSantis said before signing the bill in Hialeah.

How Floridas anti-woke bill could impact public universities via Ana Ceballos of the Tampa Bay Times Floridas cultural clashes over what to teach about race are not isolated to K-12 education. They are also spilling into the states higher education system. For about a year now, DeSantis and Florida Republicans have been fighting the influence of critical race theory and what they call woke ideologies in the classroom. Their latest effort is legislation that would place new restrictions on race-related instruction in public universities and colleges, and would threaten institutions with funding cuts and lawsuits if they violate the new regulations. These regulations are packaged in House Bill 7, titled Individual Freedom, and are tied to the proposed state budget for the upcoming fiscal year. DeSantis, who has championed his own anti-woke agenda, is expected to approve both items.

He fuels the rights cultural fires (and spreads them to Florida) via Trip Gabriel of The New York Times Christopher Rufo is the conservative activist who probably more than any other person made critical race theory a rallying cry on the right and who has become, to some on the left, an agitator of intolerance. A senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, he has emerged at the front of another explosive cultural clash, one that he sees as even more politically potent and that the left views as just as dangerous: the battle over LGBTQ restrictions in schools. Rufo aimed at opponents of a new Florida law that critics call Dont Say Gay. He declared moral war against the statutes most prominent adversary, The Walt Disney Co. And he used the same playbook that proved effective in his crusade on racial issues: a leak of insider documents.

Property insurance reserves vs. Chris Sprowls patience: Which will run out first? via Brian Burgess of the Captiolist Two opposing data sets are being carefully monitored by Sprowls and his insurance reform point man, State Rep. Jay Trumbull: mounting bad news about Floridas property insurance market, versus the slow but steady reduction in Floridas out-of-control insurance litigation. Any residual resistance from Sprowls toward more drastic action can be directly laid at the feet of insurance company advocates who promised that last years reforms would make a positive impact on the number of lawsuits within about 18 months. Sprowls, insiders say, is carefully weighing the speed of the collapse of Floridas insurance market with the reductions in litigation that are slowly, but surely starting to manifest themselves thanks to those already passed reforms.

Assignment editors Sprowls will join the Florida Sheriffs Association for its annual memorial ceremony to honor those who have given their lives in the line of duty, 1:30 p.m., Memorial Wall at the Florida Sheriffs Association Headquarters, 2617 Mahan Drive, Tallahassee. The event will be livestreaming on the FSA Facebook page.

Randy Fine: Republican lawmakers fight with Disney is only his latest battle in culture wars via Eric Rogers of Florida Today No matter what your beef with Fine, his attacks against you are calculated to hurt. Fine has gone after tech companies DeSantis accused of barring conservative viewpoints and school districts that bucked the Governors mask policy. He has called for legislation ending specific treatments for transgender children and co-sponsored DeSantis Stop WOKE Act that limits race-related discussions in classrooms and workplaces, which backers hailed as a blow to critical race theory. Fine is steadily gaining ground on the national scene, thanks to frequent headlines and network appearances in recent years for his audacious political style and a string of controversial legislation that has helped launch Florida to the front lines of the culture wars.

Bless his heart Fine threatened Special Olympics funding over school board member feud, texts show via Eric Rogers of Florida Today Rep. Fine threatened to interfere with state funding for the Special Olympics and the city of West Melbourne last week over a personal feud with Brevard County School Board member Jennifer Jenkins. A city leader said Fine later tried to block the release of the text messages through a public records request and wanted a city attorney overseeing the request to be fired. Fine denied he threatened to get the funding pulled or that he ever spoke about firing the city attorney.

Randys always been this way Scandal before service via Stephen E. Frank of The Harvard Crimson

2022

Marco Rubio talks 2022 with Bay News 9 U.S. Sen. Rubio discussed his re-election bid and more in a sit-down with Bay News 9 Tampa Bays Holly Gregory. Rubio hit U.S. Rep. Val Demings on her comments on rising gas prices, immigration and crime. Despite Demings history as Orlandos Police Chief, Rubio said his challenger had joined the chorus of attacking and second-guessing law enforcement. On Disney, Rubio said the broader argument is not just about the companys woke positions or not standing up to China but about whether companies should get special treatment in Florida.

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New Rubio ad bashes Val Demings cringe-y Spanglish Demings Senate campaign reaches out to Hispanic voters with a new slogan: Todos con Demings. Rubios campaign says its about as authentic as an arrivederci delivered by Brad Pitt. Demings is transparently following Bidens lead with every decision she makes even in her attempts to reach Floridas Hispanic communities. She copied his coalition name (Todos con Biden) and Obamas yes we can, with some cringe-y Spanglish, She Se Puede, a news release from Team Rubio says, emphasis in original. But her kitschy sayings are just at the surface of a larger issue: Demings is totally out of touch on the key issues that are affecting Hispanics in Florida.

Nikki Fried calls for five statewide debates among gubernatorial candidates via Kelly Hayes of Florida Politics Fried is calling for five statewide debates among candidates in the 2022 Governors race following the withdrawal of fellow candidate U.S. Rep. Crist from a forum in Homestead Saturday. The call for debate comes as Crist leads the Democratic field in fundraising, becoming the first to collect more than $1 million in a month. Since entering the race in May, Crists haul now comes to $8.2 million. He closed last month with $5.3 million in cash on hand after expenses. On the other hand, Fried has collected more than $3.6 million. Crist previously served a term as Governor as a Republican. He later ran as a Democrat in 2014 against then-Gov. Rick Scott.

Fried endorses all House Democrats Fried issued an endorsement to all Democratic members of the state House who protested the new congressional map that heavily favors Republicans. Sometimes, you have to make difficult decisions in politics. This is one of the easiest decisions Ive ever made, she said in a news release from her gubernatorial campaign. Any Member of the Florida House who stayed on the floor in protest of the racist, unconstitutional maps proposed by Ron DeSantis will receive an automatic endorsement from me. These brave members of the legislature will receive funding from my political action committee, as well as any support I can provide, no matter who they run against, no matter the dynamics of their race.

Chuck Nadd locked and loaded for campaign to be states next Agriculture Commissioner via Jim DeFede of CBS Miami A graduate of West Point and a former Black Hawk helicopter pilot who served two tours in Afghanistan, Nadd is challenging Senate President Wilton Simpson for the Republican nomination. Why are you running? I really grew up around water. I grew up kayaking Mosquito Lagoon. I grew up kayaking up in North Central Florida, and I saw that theres this really emerging important issue of water quality and clean water. And I think everyone watching can really attest that this is one of the critical issues that our state faces, not only now, but over the next five 10 years.

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Rory Diamond moves closer to Jax-area congressional run via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics Potential candidates continue to explore running for Congress in a new Jacksonville-area seat that favors Republicans. Diamond is considering a run for the new district in Northeast Florida that includes Clay, Nassau, and northern and western Duval County, which was passed by the Legislature this week (P 0109). Diamond represents the District 13 seat on the City Council, including the Jacksonville Beaches. If he does get in the race in the new 4th Congressional District, it will be with big-name national backing. Diamond, who runs the K9 for Warriors charity, said he has had a lot of good calls in the last 48 hours. Weve got what we need to win, Diamond said.

Vern Buchanan highlights re-election bid to packed Manatee Tiger Bay Club audience via Jesse Mendoza of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune Hours after U.S. Rep Buchanan announced that he would be running for re-election in District 16, he explained why he chose to run for the district that primarily represents Manatee County over Sarasota to a packed Tiger Bay Club audience. Buchanan currently represents District 16, but his home was drawn out of the districts boundaries by a new congressional map by DeSantis. Yet, he chose to run for re-election out of the district that primarily encompasses Manatee County and parts of Hillsborough. It looks like the Governors maps are going to prevail, Buchanan said. It was an easy decision for me. I selected Manatee.

Bonnie Jackson embraces parental rights advocacy in HD 42 contest via Scott Powers of Florida Politics Jackson is staking out a campaign platform in the House District 42 race that could make her a diametrical alternative on culture war issues compared with Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani, the incumbent Jackson seeks to replace. Take two social issues that divided Florida along cultural lines over the past couple of Legislative Sessions: parental rights in schools and immigration. Jackson is offering hard-line conservative positions that might even go beyond those many Republicans are willing to espouse, let alone whats advocated by Eskamani. For Jackson, such issues are paramount. She is also distancing herself a bit from some of the more establishment Republican positions on things like the roles businesses might play in public policy and lawyers might play in society.

Andres Althabe tops four-person HD 113 field in March fundraising via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics

Robert Gonzalez debuts with $84K in four-way GOP contest for HD 119 via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics With nearly $84,000 added in March, Gonzalez moved into second place in overall funds raised in what is now a four-way Republican contest to determine who will represent House District 119 later this year. Gonzalez, a personal injury, labor and homeowners insurance attorney was one of two people to file for the race in March. He was the only candidate in the field whose gains reached five digits last month. More than 100 people gave Gonzalezs campaign donations ranging from $10 to $1,000. In keeping with his expertise, most of the corporate contributions came from local legal and health care businesses.

Dan Horton-Diaz welcomes wave of South Miami-Dade County endorsements via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics Horton-Diaz announced 13 new personal endorsements and the support of Miami-Dade Countys southernmost Democratic organization Friday in his bid to take the House District 120 seat this November. The endorsers, including elected officials, Democratic Party leaders, and community leaders in Miami-Dade, joined one of the nations largest communications and media unions in backing Horton-Diaz over the last month. These are people that I have worked with for years, and they have proven records of service in our community, Horton-Diaz said in a statement. I am humbled by their support. He received several nods from current South Bay Community Council members, including Chair Marjorie Murillo and members Enid Demps and Christina Farias.

Palm Beach police union backs Michelle Oyola McGovern in County Commission race via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics

STATEWIDE

A look inside the textbooks that Florida rejected via Dana Goldstein and Stephanie Saul of The New York Times After the Florida Department of Education rejected dozens of math textbooks last week, the big question was, Why? The department said some books contained prohibited topics from social-emotional learning or critical race theory, but it has released only four specific textbook pages showing content to which it objects. The New York Times reviewed 21 of the rejected books and saw what may have led the state to reject them. Because Florida has released so few details about its textbook review process, whether these examples led to the rejections is unknown. But they illustrate how these concepts appear and dont appear in curriculum materials.

Everywhere Babies, a picture book celebrating infants, just got banned via Caitlin Gibson of The Washington Post The inspiration for the popular childrens picture book Everywhere Babies came to author Susan Meyers more than 25 years ago after the birth of her first grandchild. Since its publication in 2001, Everywhere Babies has become a staple of family bookshelves, a common recommendation in new parent groups, and a celebrated title on Best Books lists. The book was among dozens of works recently banned from public school libraries in Walton County, School district officials confirmed the removal of the books to WJHG-TV in Florida. Walton County School Superintendent Russell Hughes told the outlet that it was necessary (at) this moment for me to make that decision, and I did it for just (the) welfare of all involved, including our constituents, our teachers, and our students.

Ratings downgrade imperils another Florida insurer via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics Theres trouble on the horizon for another company that writes homeowners insurance policies in Florida. FedNat Holding Company, which offers insurance under the name FedNat Insurance Company, had its stability rating downgraded from A to S by Demotech, a consulting company that rates the financial health of insurance companies. Demotech defines an A rating as exceptional and says it indicates a company expects to have a positive surplus regardless of the severity of a general economic downturn or deterioration in the insurance cycle. An S rating, or substantial, is one rung down and companies in earning the rating, while not on the brink of collapse, are less able to handle turbulence in the market or the broader economy.

Floridas COVID-19 hospitalizations are rising again as BA.2 subvariant starts to spread via Chris Persaud of The Palm Beach Post Coronavirus-positive patients are filling up Floridas hospitals once again, but their numbers remain smaller than before the original omicron wave engulfed the state. Medical staff statewide tended to an average of 738 COVID-19-positive patients this week, data released Friday by the U.S. Health and Human Services Department shows. Thats higher than the week before but still lower than the four-digit levels recorded in late November and early December. HHS also reported an average of 92 adults per day this week in intensive care units in Florida, the lowest level on record.

As inflation rises, Floridians say its hard to pay their bills via Natalie Weber of the Tampa Bay Times Nearly half of Floridians included in a recent survey say inflation has impacted their ability to pay essential bills. The finding comes from a study conducted by the University of South Florida, asking 600 Floridians how price hikes have impacted their spending and attitudes on various related policy issues. The study was conducted between March 31 and April 12, using a sample of state residents whose demographics closely reflected those of the states population. The survey found that inflation has impacted Floridians spending on everything from food to housing. About 77% of those surveyed said inflation had affected their grocery spending, while nearly a quarter said theyve had difficulties paying their rent or mortgage payments in the past year.

D.C. MATTERS

Theyre going after Mickey Mouse: Joe Biden criticizes Florida GOPs rift with Disney via Jillian Olsen of WTSP Biden wasnt shy about commenting on the apparent rift between the Republican Party in Florida and Walt Disney World during two Democratic National Committee fundraisers Thursday. While speaking at the Portland Yacht Club, Biden said todays Republican Party is not the one your parents likely grew up with, saying, this is not your fathers Republican Party, by any stretch of the imagination. This is the MAGA Party. Not a joke.

Its time to head for the lifeboats: Democratic fatalism intensifies via Blake Hounshell of The New York Times The collective mood of Democratic insiders darkened appreciably in recent weeks. Pollsters and prognosticators are forecasting increasingly dire results for their party in the November midterm elections. Inflation, the No. 1 issue on voters minds, is accelerating. And despite a booming job market, the Presidents average approval rating hadnt budged since January, when it settled into the low 40s. Are you calling to ask me about our impending doom? one Democratic strategist quipped at the outset of a recent phone call. The vibes just feel very off, said Tr Easton, a progressive consultant.

Some Republicans fear party overreach on LGBT measures via Annie Linskey and Casey Parks of The Washington Post Republican lawmakers around the country are pushing an array of bills that limit the discussion of gay rights in schools under the auspices of parental rights, leading some party strategists to worry that the initiatives may backfire with moderate voters by making the party seem anti-gay. Legislation includes a recent law passed in Florida that limits what kindergarten to third grade teachers can talk about in the classroom regarding sexual orientation and gender identity, a measure dubbed the dont say gay law by critics. Several other state legislatures, including Alabama, Louisiana and Ohio, are considering or have passed similar bills.

Donald Trump says Kevin McCarthy relationship not damaged via Alex Leary and Lindsay Wise of The Wall Street Journal Trump said Friday evening his relationship with McCarthy remains good after a recording emerged of McCarthy telling other top GOP lawmakers that he would advise Trump to resign, several days after rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump said he wasnt pleased to learn of McCarthys comments in the House leadership call, but the California Republican ultimately never advised him to quit. He noted that McCarthy quickly changed his stance when he found out the facts and embraced him fully a few weeks after the Jan. 10, 2021, call. He made a call. I heard the call. I didnt like the call, said Trump.

Coach Joe Kennedy gets day in the Supreme Court Monday, drawing national floodlight to local dispute over school prayer via Andrew Binion of the Kitsap Sun Kennedy believes his rights were violated when, in 2015, he lost his position as a Bremerton High School football coach for praying on the field after games. For the former Marine and devout Christian, the prayers are a personal matter that, if given a chance to coach again, would amount to a solitary, seconds-long prayer of gratitude at midfield. I dont want to buck the school; I just want to coach football and be able to thank God for it, Kennedy said. On Monday, the controversy that started in 2015 is scheduled for argument 2,700 miles east in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, casting a nationwide floodlight on a local front in the culture wars.

LOCAL NOTES: N. FL

Should Escambia allow economic tax breaks for new business developments? Voters to decide via Jim Little of the Pensacola News Journal Escambia County voters will decide in November whether the county should be allowed to provide economic tax breaks for new business developments. On Thursday, Escambia County Commissioners unanimously approved placing a countywide referendum on the ballot in November to extend the authorization for economic development ad valorem tax exemptions, otherwise known as an EDATE. Commissioners had signed off on the concept in February, but the action Thursday confirms that a referendum will occur.

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Sunburn The morning read of what's hot in Florida politics 4.25.22 - Florida Politics

JOHNSTOWN, Pennsylvania When Ken Miller changed his party registration from Democrat to Republican in September 2020, he said he wasnt doing it for Donald Trump. He had not voted for Trump nor Hillary Clinton in 2016. Rather, he said, he was doing it for himself and his community after watching Democrats govern during the pandemic.

I am tired of what I am seeing, he said. Democrats appeared to ignore people like Miller, viewing his vote as replaceable by someone in their theoretical ascendant Democratic coalition of young people, women, intellectuals and nonwhite voters. But the thinkers in Washington may have been too clever by half.

Without working-class voters white, black and Hispanic one cannot form a coalition to win elections. This applies not just to the White House but also to congressional and state-level races. In fact, if Democrats abandon workers for the professional class, they wont even be able to hold school boards and county row offices in many places.

In September 2020, Cambria County Democrats became a minority party without much fanfare. The Pennsylvania Department of State registration numbers showed Republicans with 37,951 registrations and Democrats with just 37,826. Since that milestone, the bleeding has continued, with Democrats decreasing by nearly 3,000 voters to 35,037, while Republicans have risen to 41,128.

Just 14 years ago, Barack Obama won this county over John McCain. Four years later, Mitt Romney absolutely walloped Obama by 18 points, but the reality was that the Obama Democrats lost the county more than Romney won it. A major contributor was the escalating Democratic cry of racist! as a replacement for making reasoned arguments about policy something that took off in earnest around 2010. This was one of the factors prompting many 2008 Obama voters here, even those with familial Democratic pedigree going back to President Franklin Roosevelt, to switch sides. In both the 2020 and 2021 statewide elections, voters overwhelmingly favored Republicans in down-ballot races.

What are Democrats to do? They can always turn back to Obama, who once united them. But his effectiveness as a campaigner was never really transferable to other Democrats, as they discovered to their regret during Democratic losses in 2009, 2010 and 2014. His latest failure as a surrogate came in Virginia last fall, where even under better circumstances he failed to put former Gov. Terry McAuliffe over the top. Before that, in 2020, Obama and former Attorney General Eric Holder raised more than $50 million in an effort to win back state legislatures, including in Pennsylvania. Instead, Democrats lost legislative seats, both in Pennsylvania and nationally, instead of gaining them, despite Joe Bidens up-ticket victory.

The biggest problem is that both Washington Democrats and the press seem to have no idea who comprises the Democrats base anymore. Some base Democrats see Obama as too conservative, and the working-class Democrats see him as too liberal, one Democratic strategist remarked. The appeal he would have would be with suburban-mom voters, but even thats a stretch given how they feel about education.

In short, Obama is probably not going to save Democrats in places like Johnstown, which until now have been key to statewide Democratic victories. And Keystone State Democrats certainly arent helped by Biden nor by Gov. Tom Wolf, given that both Democrats are polling very poorly in the state. Wolf was just handed a slap in the face by voters last May, when they voted to strip him of some of his executive powers.

They are on the wrong side with voters who would traditionally consider them for a state legislative race, U.S. Senate race or congressional race. Voters are angry at Democrats about inflation; gas prices; the border and how the problem eventually hits their neighborhoods and suburbs in the form of fentanyl and methamphetamine addictions; the out-of-control crime; education control and the lingering impressions after the chaotic and deadly withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Yet to this day, their messages are about climate change and Trump. Its as though they have never left Washington to see what is really upsetting voters.

Cambria County isnt the only Pennsylvania county where Republicans are gaining registered voters. All across the state, including in suburban Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, Republicans are signing up former Democratic voters like Miller at four times the rate Democrats are making the reverse conversion.

Former Pennsylvania Republican Party Chairman Rob Gleason said when he took over the state party in 2006 that Democrats had a huge registration advantage and had just swept Republicans out of office in Congress and in the state Legislature.

They had a 1.5 million registration advantage when I started to run the party, he said. Today, that number is down to half a million.

Winning and losing in politics is generally about one thing: overreach.

When the Democrats took power in January of 2021, they believed they had won because everyone loved them again. They took this as a license to do whatever they wanted, and they behaved that way with everything they did. They put climate change into everything, racialized every issue they possibly could, and strove for a fundamental transformation of the country. When it came to such concerns as the southern border and Afghanistan, their answer was to ignore the problem.

This delusion is hurtling Democrats toward a painful defeat. But any Republican victory will be short-lived in places like Cambria County if they win and then make the same mistake.

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Salena Zito is a CNN political analyst, and a staff reporter and columnist for the Washington Examiner. She reaches the Everyman and Everywoman through shoe-leather journalism, traveling from Main Street to the beltway and all places in between.

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Pennsylvania's shift rightward is a warning sign for both parties about overreach - The Courier-Express