DDHQ Morning News Spotlight: More Wins for DeSantis in Florida, and Another Setback for New York Democrats

Welcome to this morning’s Decision Desk HQ Morning News Spotlight on Elections Daily as part of the Decision Desk HQ News Network.

Morning Headlines

• The Florida House passed a new Congressional map backed by Governor Ron DeSantis amid protests by Democratic legislators. This is the second map passed out of the Republican-controlled Florida House, the first was vetoed by the Governor. Democrats tried to disrupt the vote with a sit-in on the House floor, protesting that the new map would reduce the majority Black Congressional districts in the state from four to two.
• Also in the Florida House, Republicans there voted to pass a bill that would strip Disney of its special self-governance status in the state. This comes a day after the state’s Senate voted to pass the bill. It now heads to the Governor’s desk. The bill was originally pushed by Governor DeSantis in response to Disney’s opposition to HB 1557 which has become known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Local officials in Orange County where the parks are located are warning that this move will stick the county with $164 million in increased expenses that will have to be passed off to local taxpayers.
• A New York appeals court has partially upheld a ruling saying that the state legislature’s new Congressional map is an illegal gerrymander favoring Democrats. Governor Kathy Hochul is expected to appeal to the New York Court of Appeals, which is the highest court in the state. It is a five-member court, all of whom have been appointed by Democrats.
• The New York Times reported that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy had told his party’s leadership that he was considering asking former President Trump to resign in the wake of the January 6 attack on Congress. McCarthy unequivocally denied the report, dismissing it as an attempt to promote and soon-to-be-released book. Later in the day, however, audio of the incident was released. McCarthy is seen as the leading contender for the speakership gavel should the Republicans take the House in November, but the support of former President Trump may be key to him doing so.
• Pennsylvania Democratic Senate candidates met yesterday for a televised debate that included the first appearance by frontrunner John Fetterman. His opponents took the opportunity to take aim at the Lieutenant Governor on a number of issues, but most notably for a 2013 incident in which he pulled a shotgun on an unarmed and innocent black man he had thought had fired a gun near his house when he was Mayor of Braddock.
• The Supreme Court ruled in an 8-1 ruling that Puerto Rico, and other U.S. territories, can be excluded from U.S. social safety net programs and other benefits that are guaranteed to citizens of states. Writing for the majority, Justice Kavanaugh noted that residents of Puerto Rico are excluded from the federal income tax, although they do pay social security and medicare taxes.
• Donald Trump Jr. is expected to testify before the Jan. 6 select committee in the coming week. He is doing so willingly and has not been issued a subpoena. His fiance, Kimberly Guilfoyle, spent more than nine hours with the committee earlier this week. Other prominent members of the Trump family have already testified as well.
• Over at Elections Daily, check out their rundown of Arizona legislative candidates now the filing is complete there. They look at Democrat’s recruiting troubles, and what that means for control of both chambers of their State Legislature.

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