Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 11.5.26

 Kick off your morning right where Florida’s political insiders begin theirs.

From: Extensive Media Enterprises

Good Thursday morning.

Here is the first of several epilogue pieces I plan to write about the 2026 Election — “News media Winners and Losers emerging from the St. Petersburg Mayoral Election“

The election is over, but the media scorecard is just getting started.

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You win an election cycle; you lose the next. Whatever. But to win in life — to be loved by your wife, well-regarded by your colleagues, and respected by your adversaries — that’s truly winning. Happy birthday to our dear friend, David Johnson.

— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —

—@Redistrict: I’ve seen enough: generational wipeout.

Tweet, tweet:

—@ElonMusk: Data centers in space looking pretty appealing right now

Tweet, tweet:

—@TampaDan: This should not be treated as a victory lap for Gov. (Ron) DeSantis. This was the worst election cycle in Florida in decades. He could’ve saved countless down-ballot races by helping boost GOP turnout. We’re a team & our captain was nowhere to be seen on the campaign trail.

Tweet, tweet:

—@JaredEMoskowitz: I won, and no one talked about my ass

—@JasonBrodeur: Thank you to everyone who supported our campaign for Florida Senate. Representing Central Florida in the House and Senate is one of the greatest honors of my life — I am so proud of the work we accomplished, from transformational legislation to lower prescription drug prices to preserving millions of acres of Florida’s wild lands. I look forward to continue advocating for responsible government policies that improve and protect our citizens in any way I can.

—@Jason_Garcia: The Florida House of Representatives came shockingly close to flipping last night. Democrats netted 16 seats. I believe that leaves the GOP with a 70-50 majority. But there were also another 5 seats where the Republican won 51-49 or less and 5 more where they won 52-48 or less

—@TheMattDailey: I mean I wouldn’t call the largest # of House seat flips for either party in my lifetime “a few wins” but maybe that’s just me

— DAYS UNTIL —

‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ premieres — 1; ‘Wild Horse Nine’ premieres — 1; Florida Automated Vehicles Summit — 6; ‘Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol’ starring Johnny Depp premieres — 8; ‘Paper Tiger’ starring Adam Driver premieres — 8; Joe Biden’s memoir, ‘Promise Me, America,’ is released — 12; New legislator training sessions — 12; Senate convenes for general organization and selection of officers — 12; ‘Madden’ premieres — 13; ‘I PLAY ROCKY’ premieres — 15; ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ premieres — 15; ‘Blade Runner 2099’ premieres on Prime Video — 20; ‘The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth,’ with Brad Pitt, directed by David Fincher and written by Quentin Tarantino, premieres in IMAX — 20; Committee Week #1 — 25; ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ premieres — 43; ‘Dune: Part 3,’ directed by Denis Villeneuve, premieres — 43; ‘Six Kings Slam 2026’ begins — 52; Committee Week #2 — 60; St. Pete Mayor and Council member inauguration — 63; Committee Week #3 — 67; ‘Ahsoka’ season 2 premieres — 76; College Football Playoff national championship game in Las Vegas — 81; Committee Week #4 — 88; The 2027 Florida State Fair begins — 91; ‘Remain,’ directed by M. Night Shyamalan, premieres — 92; Grammys — 94; Committee Week #5 — 95; Super Bowl LXI — 101; Committee Week #6 — 102; Opening day of the 2027 Regular Legislative Session — 117; Tampa Mayoral Election — 117; ‘The Thomas Crown Affair,’ directed by and starring Michael B. Jordan premieres — 120; Jacksonville First Election — 124; Oscars — 129; Miami Marlins Opening Day/Home Opener — vs. New York Mets — 140; Tampa Bay Rays Opening Day/Home Opener — vs. Baltimore Orioles — 140; Democratic Mayors Association 2027 annual summit in Miami begins — 160; Jacksonville General Election — 194; ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’ premieres — 204; ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’ premieres — 225; Citrus Series — Tampa Bay Rays at Miami Marlins — 253; ‘The Bluey Movie’ premieres — 274; Citrus Series — Miami Marlins at Tampa Bay Rays — 309; 2027 Florida-Georgia game in Tampa — 359; ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ premieres — 407; 2028 South Carolina Democratic Presidential Primary — 443; College Football Playoff national championship game in New Orleans — 445; 2028 Nevada Presidential Primary — 453; 2028 New Hampshire Democratic Presidential Primary — 460; 2028 New Mexico Democratic Presidential Primary — 467; ‘The Batman Part II’ premieres — 470; 2028 Michigan Democratic Presidential Primary — 474; 2028 Virginia Democratic Presidential Primary — 481; Oscars — 486; ‘X-Men’ premieres — 547; ‘Miami Vice ’85’ reboot premieres — 561; ‘Lilo & Stitch 2’ premieres — 568; ‘Days of Thunder’ sequel with Tom Cruise and Anne Hathaway premieres — 575; ‘Incredibles 3’ premieres — 589; 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Opening Ceremony — 617; ‘Ghost Rider’ premieres — 631; 2028 U.S. Presidential Election — 733; ‘Black Panther 3’ directed by Ryan Coogler premieres — 771; College Football Playoff national championship game in Tampa — 809; ‘Avatar 4’ premieres — 1,142; ‘Avatar 5’ premieres — 1,870.

— TOP STORY —

“Ron DeSantis to call Special Session to implement property tax overhaul” via James Call of USA Today Network — DeSantis said Wednesday he will call Florida lawmakers into Special Session before year’s end to rewrite state property tax laws and implement a voter-approved constitutional amendment that could reshape local government finances for decades. “We’ve got to do it,” DeSantis said. “It has to be implemented by Jan. 1, per the amendment.”

Ron DeSantis has one more legislative assignment: putting Amendment 3 into action.

The Special Session will require an outgoing Governor and lame-duck Legislature to write the rules for one of the most significant tax policy changes in modern Florida history. Lawmakers are expected to decide how Amendment 3 will be implemented, whether local governments will receive state assistance to offset revenue losses, and how to prevent cities and counties from replacing property taxes with new fees. The Session gives DeSantis, who leaves office in January, one final opportunity to shape a proposal he spent more than a year championing.

Speaking a day after Republicans suffered major losses nationwide, DeSantis said the amendment helped drive turnout in Florida and contributed to Republicans holding statewide offices, when nationwide the GOP suffered what he called “a near-extinction event.” “I absolutely think Amendment 3 had a lot to do with that,” DeSantis said.

State economists have projected local governments could lose roughly $12 billion annually by 2031 under the measure. DeSantis said he wants lawmakers to establish “a pool of funding” that could provide grants to local governments, particularly smaller rural counties worried about maintaining Sheriff’s offices and other essential services. “There’ll be a transition period,” he said. He also wants the legislation to limit local governments from “doing an end run around the amendment and taxing them in other ways.” DeSantis said legislative leaders will largely determine the timing of the Special Session. “I’m basically on lame-duck duty at this point,” he joked.

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“DeSantis says Amendment 3 saved Florida from the blue wave” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Florida’s Republican firewall held, but the election exposed serious cracks beneath statewide victories. Democrats flipped 16 Florida House seats, gains DeSantis attributed partly to dissatisfaction with House Republican leadership. He blasted the outgoing Speaker as “rotten” and said the chamber’s performance over the past two years was unacceptable. Congressional redistricting also failed to expand Florida’s Republican delegation, which remains at 20 members. Nationally, DeSantis faulted Republicans for fighting yesterday’s battles while Democrats connected with rural voters and capitalized on the GOP’s handling of the Epstein files. He warned Democratic control of Congress could stall judicial confirmations and Cabinet appointments for years. Despite sweeping victories, Democrats lack a governing mandate, he insisted, leaving Republicans to reckon with a bruising political repudiation.

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