After 85 episodes, Trimmel Gomes’ excellent podcast on the Florida political scene, The Rotunda, is still going strong. This week, he covers the impact that Fidel Castro’s death will have on Florida politics, AND he launches a weekly email recap with brief summaries of each recent episode. It’s the perfect way to get caught up on Florida political happenings while driving to or from work. Unfortunately, this week’s episode does not feature an interview with me, but if you haven’t already had your fill, you can experience my cutting-edge political acumen in Episodes 84 and 83. That oughta hold you over at least until next time.
Here’s Gomes’ newsletter, with links to each episode. You can also listen to all of them on The Capitolist app, a free download for your iOS or Android smartphone.
Welcome to The Rotunda Weekly Newsletter! The Rotunda is a non-partisan, public affairs podcast about the people and issues shaping Florida politics. In this newsletter you will find links and descriptions for our latest episodes. You will also find links to subscribe to The Rotunda at the bottom. Listen, subscribe, and enjoy!
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Here is a glimpse at some of the changes coming to Florida politics following the death of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Gomes revisits past and present interviews with U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, State Sen. Anitere Flores and Dr. Brian Latell, Senior Research Associate at the Institute for Cuban and Cuban American Studies at the University of Miami. Gomes also talks with one of the most influential families in Florida’s capitol; veteran lobbyist Ron Book and his daughter Lauren, who is now a freshman Sen. from Plantation and was recently named Senate Democratic leader pro tempore. Book talks with Gomes about his family’s rise to power while sending a message that he will never take advantage of the process.
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The Florida Legislature gets in ‘formation’ as new members are sworn in for their first post election session. As 66 new lawmakers learn their way around the capitol, Gomes spotlights those in leadership roles in both the House and Senate. The Orlando Sentinel’s Tallahassee bureau reporter Gray Rohrer discusses the sweeping changes that lie ahead, particularly from House Speaker-designate Richard Corcoran. Gomes also chats with the publisher of The Capitolist, Brian J. Burgess, who has been digging into the financial dealings of some of Florida’s environmental advocacy organizations.
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President-elect Donald J. Trump has completed the biggest upset in modern political history. Florida politicos react to Trump’s election victory. Republican strategist and pollster Brian Graham tells Gomes that Trump was just a more exciting candidate than Hillary Clinton. Gomes also talks with retiring Leon County Supervisor of Elections Ion Sancho about voter fraud and travels to the University of Florida to see how students help ProPublica investigate election irregularities for a nationwide project called Electionland. Gomes then interviews The Capitolist publisher, Brian J. Burgess, about the impact of Trump’s victory on the future of Florida politics.
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Subscribe to The Rotunda!
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