RPOF Newsletters

RPOF Newsletter – October 1, 2020

A Note from RPOF Chairman Joe Gruters
October 1, 2020
THANK YOU, RECs! You all have really come through with historic poll-watcher representation, gathering poll watchers in every county. This is imperative in this election and you recognize it. There is still time and need to sign up more, however. You can do so here: 
If Tuesday night’s presidential debate showed anything, it showed that America needs a strong President at this moment, a President who will fight for American rights, American jobs and American hopes for a better future, dispelling the false dystopian narrative of America that is being created by the left. And in addition to battling Democrats, he must do it against the media colossus and the levers that move our culture. That means being forcefully assertive is the only option, and that’s what we saw from President Trump.
Not too surprisingly, the President ended up debating both Biden and moderator Chris Wallace, who repeatedly failed to follow his own rules of asking a question and letting the candidates answer. Wallace continually interrupted President Trump, in a way he did not with Biden.
So the President faced a two-on-one debate — which he undoubtedly will in the next two debates, also — requiring him to frequently insert himself in order to balance the stage. But this is just the assertive President the country needs right now, one who will: go after violent Antifa and BLM agitators creating carnage in our cities; support our law enforcement officers maintaining order; continue the wise economic policies that are leading to the Great American Comeback with 10 million jobs in the past few months; rapidly pursue treatments and vaccines for COVID; push back on Chinese expansion and cheating; constantly pursue peace in the Middle East, which impacts the world.
America needs a fighting president for Americans — not a president for anti-American radicals, monied special interests and Washington lifers. That’s what they have in President Trump. 
Saturday will be a full day of campaign walking and door-knocking. RPOF Chairman Joe Gruters and Vice Chairman Christian Ziegler will be walking in Manatee County at 9 a.m., beginning at Headquarters at 3027 Manatee Ave West, Suite C, Bradenton. Next we will walk Orlando at 1 p.m. (location TBD) and then in Osceola County at 4 p.m., gathering at 1818 E Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, Kissimmee.
NO on A3 Update: As media around the state begins to come out in favor of Amendment 3 — naturally — it becomes all the more important for all Republicans to vote No on Amendment 3 and to let everyone else know that it will ultimately limit their choices in a General Election and make Florida look more like California.
Amendment 3 is a pathway for more big PACs and backroom powerbrokers to squeeze grassroots Republicans out of the equation. Remember, it is the system California uses — a one-party state rapidly becoming a shell of its former greatness. No on Amendment 3.
 
Governor Ron DeSantis Update
Florida is receiving 6.4 million rapid antigen tests from the federal government to help the state protect nursing home residents and to check schoolchildren for the coronavirus, Gov. DeSantis said Tuesday.
“It’s an exciting day in terms of rolling out something new that I think will make a difference in our coronavirus response and particularly for our most vulnerable populations,” the Governor said at BayCare’s Morton Plant Hospital.
Results can be achieved in as little as 15 minutes, DeSantis said. During a news conference, a DeSantis aide was tested, and his result came back negative.
Read more here: 
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Governor DeSantis held a roundtable of healthcare experts from around the country recently and they all advocated for a return to a “normal” life for young people.
Stanford University Professor of Medicine Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya, Harvard University Medical School Professor of Medicine Dr. Martin Kulldorff, and Stanford University Professor of Structural Biology Michael Levitt were the key healthcare experts and leaders in their fields. The link below is a transcript of the virtual roundtable.
President Donald Trump Update
America has already conducted far more COVID tests than any other nation on Earth — more than the entire European Union and more than all of Latin America combined.
Now, President Trump has announced that his Administration will distribute 150 million rapid, point-of-care COVID tests in the coming weeks. This action will more than double the total number of tests already performed in the United States.
“Fifty million tests will go to protect the most vulnerable communities, which we’ve always promised to do, including 18 million for nursing homes; 15 million for assisted living facilities; 10 million for home, health, and…hospice care agencies; and nearly 1 million for historically black colleges and universities,” the President said.
Another 100 million rapid tests will be given to states and territories to support efforts to reopen their economies and schools as quickly and safely as possible. 
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U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar wrote a column in Townhall that explains President Trump’s healthcare plan for all Americans.
“If there’s one thing Americans need to know about the healthcare plan President Trump unveiled last week, it’s this: The president is delivering more choice, lower costs, and better care for every American, whatever their healthcare needs or however their healthcare is paid for.
“The previous administration’s attempt to fix our healthcare system, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), focused primarily on a tiny slice of American healthcare: the individual insurance market. President Trump’s plan goes much further, in addition to taking numerous actions already to lower costs and open up new options in the individual insurance market. His healthcare plan is for everyone—and it’s already delivered real results.”

RPOF Newsletter – September 21, 2020

Democrats are so worried about losing Florida that they appear to be resorting to financial measures to influence or induce someone to vote, which would be illegal in Florida. Democrat Michael Bloomberg had already pledged to spend $100 million in Florida. But he’s also now saying he will pay off the remaining debt of felons so they will be eligible to vote. The actions are questionable enough that Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is asking the FBI and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate.  

Politically what all this shows is that Democrats do not trust their ground game in Florida, or the enthusiasm of their voters. Nor should they. A Washington Post-ABC News poll released Wednesday shows likely Florida voters now favoring Trump over Biden 51% to 47%. That’s a big swing from two months ago.

You can read more here: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/politics/2020-election/fl-ne-trump-biden-florida-poll-september-post-abc-20200923-sqw7fydsovhnvfdcjb5bg7humu-story.html


Meanwhile, the Republican Party of Florida’s ground game is roaring along and the enthusiasm level for re-electing President Trump and Republicans is soaring. A Politico story out this morning reports: “…a concerted drive by President Donald Trump’s Florida campaign to register voters has helped cut the state’s long-standing Democratic advantage to fewer than 185,000 voters, a gap of just 1.3 percentage points.”

You can read more here: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/24/florida-republicans-voter-registration-surge-420936


Saturday campaign walking and door-knocking in Polk and Seminole counties. RPOF Chairman Joe Gruters and Vice Chairman Christian Ziegler will be meeting at the Winter Haven Repubican Headquarters, 1800 6th St NW, Winter Haven at 9 a.m. At 11a.m., the Polk County Trump car parade starts at the Headquarters. 

Then Gruters and Ziegler will head up to Sanford to walk and door-knock with Jason Brodeur and Republican volunteers in his Florida Senate race. They will meet at the Brodeur Campaign office at 1276 Upsala Road, Sanford, at noon.


NO on A3 Update: As media around the state begins to come out in favor of Amendment 3 — naturally — it becomes all the more important for all Republicans to vote No on Amendment 3 and to let everyone else know that it will ultimately limit their choices in a General Election and make Florida look more like California.

Amendment 3 is a pathway for more big PACs and backroom powerbrokers to squeeze grassroots Republicans out of the equation. Remember, it is the system California uses — a one-party state rapidly becoming a shell of its former greatness. No on Amendment  3.



CHECK OUT: @FloridaGOP and retweet and share. We need to share the Republican message around the state and you are an integral part of making that happen.


Governor Ron DeSantis Update

Governor DeSantis announced new legislation Tuesday to stop violent assemblies and protect law enforcement. The “Combating Violence, Disorder and Looting and Law Enforcement Protection Act” creates new criminal offenses and increases penalties for those who target law enforcement and participate in violent or disorderly assemblies.

“Our right to peacefully assemble is one of our most cherished as Americans, but throughout the country we’ve seen that right being taken advantage of by professional agitators, bent on sowing disorder and causing mayhem in our cities,” said Governor DeSantis. “I will not allow this kind of violence to occur here in Florida. The legislation announced today will not only combat rioting and looting, but also protect the men and women in law enforcement that wake up every day to keep us safe.”

“Peaceful protesting is a constitutional right, but looting and disorderly rioting are not,” said Senate President-Designate Wilton Simpson. “I commend Governor DeSantis for his commitment to public safety.” 

“Violence and destruction are the tools of terrorists, not reformers,” said House Speaker-Designate Chris Sprowls. “I’m proud to stand with Governor DeSantis to say that in Florida we will respect the right of people to protest peacefully while defending the rule of law.” 

Read more: https://www.flgov.com/2020/09/21/governor-ron-desantis-announces-the-combatting-violence-disorder-and-looting-and-law-enforcement-protection-act/

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Florida will distribute $2 million in CARES Act funds for rural county school districts to bolster their mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

First Lady Casey DeSantis announced the distribution during a roundtable this week with state health care and education officials, along with superintendents of rural county school districts. Districts will be able to submit applications to cover services including broadband access, telehealth and expanded counseling staff.

Of the 13,317 deaths among Florida residents with COVID-19, only 35 have been among people younger than 25, and of the 42,543 hospitalizations, 1,608 have been in that age group. But the pandemic has taken a toll on children in other ways, she said. 

Read more here: https://floridapolitics.com/archives/368779-casey-desantis-announces-2m-in-mental-health-funding-for-rural-county-schools

 

President Donald Trump Update

The U.S. Justice Department has branded Portland, Seattle and New York City as “Anarchist Jurisdictions” that may lose federal funds.

“When state and local leaders impede their own law enforcement officers and agencies from doing their jobs, it endangers innocent citizens who deserve to be protected, including those who are trying to peacefully assemble and protest,” Attorney General William Barr said. 

“We cannot allow federal tax dollars to be wasted when the safety of the citizenry hangs in the balance,’’ Barr said. “It is my hope that the cities identified by the Department of Justice today will reverse course and become serious about performing the basic function of government and start protecting their own citizens.”

Read more: https://nypost.com/2020/09/21/nyc-branded-an-anarchist-jurisdiction-targeted-for-defunding-doj/

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President Trump virtually addressed the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly, where he explained how America is leading the global fight against an invisible enemy that has claimed countless lives in 188 countries:

“In the United States, we launched the most aggressive mobilization since the Second World War. We rapidly produced a record supply of ventilators, creating a surplus that allowed us to share them with friends and partners all around the globe. We pioneered life-saving treatments, reducing our fatality rate 85 percent since April.

“Thanks to our efforts, three vaccines are in the final stage of clinical trials. We are mass-producing them in advance so they can be delivered immediately upon arrival. We will distribute a vaccine, we will defeat the virus, we will end the pandemic, and we will enter a new era of unprecedented prosperity, cooperation, and peace. 

Further, the President told world leaders: “As we pursue this bright future, we must hold accountable the nation which unleashed this plague onto the world: China.”

Read more here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/1600daily/ 

RPOF Newsletter – September 15, 2020

A Note from RPOF Chairman Joe Gruters
The election is less than 50 days away and we are in a full-court press to ensure President Trump is returned to the White House for another four years. The Democratic Party and the left are proving that they will throw everything at us in Florida.
The latest is that former New York City Mayor and failed Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg is shoveling $100 million into these last 49 days into Florida. That can buy an enormous amount of pro-Biden, Trump-bashing ads throughout the state while also funding their weak ground game and get-out-the-vote efforts.
Democrats realize the importance of our state and are willing to try to buy the election, because they sure cannot win it on the merits or efforts of their grassroots in support of a listless Joe Biden. The AP reports just how much Bloomberg alone, worth $60 billion, is willing to spend to defeat President Trump:
“Bloomberg transferred $18 million from his presidential campaign to the Democratic National Committee, and transferred its offices in six key swing states to the local Democratic parties there. The businessman has contributed $500,000 to Voto Latino to help register Latino voters, $2 million to the group Collective Future to help register African American voters, and $2 million to Swing Left, a group focused on electing Democrats in swing districts. One of the groups he has founded and funds, Everytown for Gun Safety, has committed to spending $60 million on elections this cycle, and Bloomberg himself has pledged another $60 million to support Democrats in House races.”
All this means we need to redouble our efforts. Our grassroots workers are our best weapon and we have created a far superior ground game with door-knocking and more. But we must execute it with a fervor the next 49 days, never taking our foot off the accelerator until we have victory! 
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of voting NO on Amendment 3 to maintain the integrity of the Republican Party in Florida. The Amendment destroys Republicans’ ability to choose our candidate for office and could leave only two Democrat options on a ballot in the General Election. Share widely the importance of this NO vote on Amendment 3.
Governor Ron DeSantis Update
Governor DeSantis announced Friday that bars in Florida will reopen on Monday, but they must start at 50 percent capacity for this step. At the end of June, bars, pubs and breweries that don’t serve food were required to close down.
On Thursday evening, the secretary of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation announced that Governor DeSantis rescinded the DBPR Amended Emergency Order, which means bars and other alcoholic beverage vendors may resume sales of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises on Monday, as long as they comply with the parameters of Phase 2 of the Safe. Smart. Step-by-Step Plan for Florida’s recovery.
As average daily COVID-19 case increases hover just under 3,000 over the last week, Florida is moving closer to a number cited by health experts as a standard for reopening.
Many experts say safely moving forward with reopening should be done when the state dips below a positivity rate of 5 percent, averaged over a two-week period. 
When a massive data dump this week from a national lab is removed from the equation, Florida is averaging about 5.6 percent positivity over the last 14 days for new cases in Florida residents, according to data from the state health department. 
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Governor Ron DeSantis announced the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (Department) has completed the necessary technology changes to begin paying the Federal Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program benefits to eligible Floridians. This program, authorized by President Trump, provides additional benefits for individuals who are eligible for Reemployment Assistance for weeks of unemployment ending on or after August 1, 2020.
“We thank President Trump and the Federal Emergency Management Agency for providing this relief to Floridians during this time of need,” Governor DeSantis said. “These additional funds will provide critical support to Florida’s unemployed workforce due to COVID-19.” This means the DEO is providing an additional $300 per week to eligible Reemployment Assistance claimants.
Florida economic development and tourism leaders are applauding Governor DeSantis’ support of VISIT FLORIDA’s new in-state marketing campaign to help Florida’s tourism industry and economy recover from COVID-19.
“This new intrastate marketing campaign is the latest step we’re taking to help get people back to work,” Governor DeSantis said. “While the pandemic is not over, and safety remains paramount, we encourage Floridians to venture out of their homes to enjoy everything our beautiful state has to offer.”
Leaders from Disney, Universal, Sea World, the Restaurant and Lodging Association and many more commended Governor DeSantis for his actions.
President Donald Trump Update
The President has announced 20 additions to his list of qualified potential Supreme Court nominees. The 20 men and women he named are committed to the American ideal of impartial rule of law — a value that makes our country exceptional.
“Apart from matters of war and peace, the nomination of a Supreme Court justice is the most important decision an American President can make,” President Trump said.
The new names on President Trump’s list include distinguished Federal judges as well as legislators with a long history of fighting for our Constitution, such as Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas.
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President Trump has made it a top priority to promote a clean and healthy environment for the American people with policies that are promoting economic growth, while still maintaining standards that allow Americans to have among the cleanest air and water in the world.
While America has become the world’s number one producer of oil and natural gas, our nation has continued to successfully cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality. And President Trump negotiated the historic USMCA, which contains the strongest environmental protections of any trade agreement in history.
On Wednesday, September 9, President Trump was nominated for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for his leadership in brokering the Abraham Accords, bringing about the full normalization of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and marking a major step toward a more peaceful Middle East.
This historic diplomatic breakthrough between Israel and the United Arab Emirates is the most significant step toward peace in the Middle East in more than a quarter of a century. This nomination comes amid widespread international support for the peace accords and optimism that the region finally may be turning a corner.
By uniting two of America’s closest partners in the region — something many said could not be done — this agreement will create a more peaceful, secure, and prosperous Middle East.
Christian Tybring-Gjedde, a member of the Norwegian Parliament and chairman of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, submitted the nomination. He told Fox News: “For his merit, I think he has done more trying to create peace between nations than most other Peace Prize nominees.”
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President Trump announced on Tuesday, September 8, a decade-long ban on oil drilling off the full coast of Florida, plus Georgia and South Carolina. Announced during an appearance in Jupiter, Fla., the move represents a victory for drilling opponents in Florida, where fear of oil slicks fouling the beaches has run high for decades among people in both political parties.
“In a few moments I will sign a presidential order extending the moratorium on offshore drilling on Florida’s Gulf Coast and expanding it to Florida’s Atlantic Coast as well as the coast of Georgia and South Carolina,” Trump said at the event. The current moratorium on drilling in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico expires in 2022.
 
Vote NO on Amendment 3 in November 
Voting NO on Amendment 3 is critical to the future integrity of the Republican Party in Florida. The Amendment destroys Republicans’ ability to choose our candidate for office and could leave only two Democrat options on a ballot in the General Election. 
But the backers of this Amendment are conducting a deceitful campaign, proven by the duplicitous ads that are now running on Facebook. Click Here for a must-read story that shows how underhanded the Amendment and its backers are: 
More Floridians are seeing through the Amendment 3 scam. Here’s a report from the Palm Beach Post about how black leaders are seeing it as a back door for powerful special interests:
“Black members of the Florida Legislature are sounding the alarm about a proposed constitutional amendment they argue would weaken minority voting strength and give special interests more power to determine who gets elected.
“Amendment 3 would end Florida’s closed primary system, allowing voters of any party or no party to vote for candidates of their choosing in primary elections. The top two vote-getters, regardless of party, would proceed to the general election. 
Amendment 3 is for the backroom powerbrokers, cutting out grassroots Republicans. Maybe it’s enough to point out that it is the system California uses — a one-party state with no small amount of corruption. It’s not for Florida. No on Amendment 3. 
Important points to remember about Absentee Ballots, aka Vote by Mail:
  • Florida’s Absentee Balloting (also known as Vote by Mail) is safe and secure and has been used in Florida for many years, as President Trump has said. 
  • It is important to note that Florida’s system requires a registered voter to initiate and follow a process requesting the ballots, and there have been no significant issues with this system in Florida.
  • But Florida does not have or support all-mail voting, or universal mail-ins, being discussed in other states, which President Trump and the RPOF staunchly oppose.
 

RPOF Newsletter – August 10, 2020

A Note from RPOF Chairman Joe Gruters

8/10/2020

In some great news, we’re continuing to win the registration war.

When former President Barack Obama won Florida in 2008, Democrats had a voter registration advantage of more than 500,000. The Republican Party of Florida has steadily cut that lead down, dropping it to about 259,000 in 2016 when President Trump won and is now down to 240,000 people, according to new data posted online last week by the Florida Division of Elections.

Read more here: https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2020/08/06/florida-democrats-aimed-to-register-1-million-voters-by-now-they-didnt-come-close/ 

Because we Republicans vote in higher percentages than Democrats, this sets a foundation for Florida becoming a more red state as we continue moving forward on this front.

On top of the voter registration successes, the Republican Party of Florida is gearing up like never before to deliver Florida into the Trump re-election column. The election depends in large part on Florida. That’s why you’ve seen so many visits by the president and the vice president, and you will see more. Florida is ground zero and there is intense energy and passion around the state to re-elect the President and Republicans down ballot. 

Right now, we already have 180 staffers on the ground across the state, which is a tremendous increase from the 62 we had during the 2016 campaign. And I’m fully participating in this ground game by walking and door-knocking precincts every Saturday in different locations around Florida.

This past Saturday Vice Chairman Christian Ziegler and I were in Lake County with Rep. Anthony Sabatini, Lake County Chairman Walter Price and Lake County State Committeeman Ralph Smith and a large group of volunteers. In the afternoon, I was in Gainesville going door to door with Alachua County Chairman Ed Braddy and State Committeewoman Raemi Glenn, along with many others. Then I spoke at the Headquarters opening with Sumter Chairman John Temple, Sumter State Committeeman John Black and State Committeewoman Marina Woolcock.

This Saturday I will be in Miami door-knocking from 9-11 a.m. Then we’ll be in Hendry County from 1-3 p.m. and Glades County from 4-6 p.m. If you want to get involved, sign up at http://armyfortrump.com as we walk across Florida!

 

Governor Ron DeSantis Update

Governor DeSantis held a roundtable discussion on the importance of youth sports in reopening schools during COVID-19. During the discussion held at the University of North Florida Arena in Jacksonville on Thursday, DeSantis said children need sports now more than ever because the COVID-19 pandemic has isolated them and increased mental strains.

“Understanding discipline, understanding hard work, the mentorship that you get from coaches is really, really important to the development of our young people,” he explained. The Governor also pointed out that not opening schools would mean many youth may not be able to go to college because of a lack of a sports scholarship.

Governor DeSantis was joined by Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran and coaches from around the state. They said it is also critical to have boys and girls sports available to seniors who are thinking about life after high school and want to earn college scholarships.

Read more here: https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/education/desantis-education-commission-in-jacksonville/77-1f651ecb-460b-407a-9ba2-5b43e26ca874

Governor Ron DeSantis announced late last week the formation of Florida’s Task Force on the Safe and Limited Re-Opening of Long-Term Care Facilities. Members of the task force develop guidelines on how to safely allow family members to visit their loved ones in Florida’s long-term care facilities. Visitation at these facilities has been prohibited since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The last four and a half months have been difficult for all Floridians, especially our residents in long-term care facilities and their families,” Governor DeSantis said. “I look forward to the ideas that arise from this task force on how we can continue our mission to protect the vulnerable while allowing for the much-needed human connection of spending time with family and friends.”

Members of the Task Force include:

  • Mary Daniel, Caregiver
  • Mary Mayhew, Secretary, Agency for Health Care Administration
  • Richard Prudom, Secretary, Florida Department of Elder Affairs
  • Dr. Scott Rivkees, State Surgeon General, Florida Department of Health
  • Gail Matillo, President and CEO, Florida Senior Living Association
  • Emmett Reed, Executive Director, Florida Health Care Association
  • Michelle Branham, Vice President of Public Policy, Alzheimer’s Association

 

President Donald Trump Update

While in Ohio, President Trump signed an executive order to expand “Made in America” production, bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States and ensure that our citizens have access to the life-saving medicines they need. This order comes crucially “as we fight this battle against the invisible enemy from China,” said White House Director of Trade & Manufacturing Policy Peter Navarro.

The new order will: Establish “Buy American” rules for Federal Government agencies; Strip away regulatory barriers to domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing; Spark the manufacturing technologies needed to keep drug prices low and move more medicine production onshore.

President Trump signed the order while visiting a Whirlpool manufacturing plant in Clyde, Ohio. In January 2018, President Trump challenged years of one-sided trade practices by imposing tariffs that stopped American washing machine manufacturers, including Whirlpool, from getting unfairly undercut by Chinese imports. After President Trump took action, Whirlpool’s Clyde plant alone was able to create 200 new jobs for U.S. workers.

 Enthusiasm remains strongly on the side of President Trump and Republicans. The Trump Campaign, the Republican National Committee and authorized joint fundraising committees announced $165 million raised in July — not only a record for the month, but also more than the total raised in any single month of 2016. That brings the total raised in this election cycle to more than $1.1 billion, with $300 million cash on hand. 

The RNC has invested in the largest field and data operation in party history, recently announced the hiring of 300 new staffers, bringing the total number of Trump Victory staffers to 1,500 — double the Biden/DNC operation. The Trump Victory team includes a grassroots army of 1.8 million Americans. 

“The U.S. economy added 1.8 million jobs in July and the unemployment rate fell to 10.2 percent, providing reassurance that the labor market has kept up some of its post-lockdown momentum. The numbers were better than anticipated. Economists had forecast an addition of around 1.5 million jobs and a decline in the unemployment rate to 10.6 percent from 11.1 percent last week.”

 The economy has added more than 9 million jobs in the past three months, beating economist predictions three months in a row.

Read more here: https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2020/08/07/u-s-economy-adds-1-8-million-jobs-in-july-unemployment-rate-fall-to-10-2/

 

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RPOF Newsletter – August 6, 2020

 

“The American comeback has begun.”

Vice President Mike Pence in Clearwater Beach

Vice President Mike Pence was in Tampa Bay Wednesday reminding voters that President Donald Trump has been the strongest pro-life President in history and will continue to fight for life after re-election Nov. 3.

Pence told a crowd at a Starkey Road Baptist Church in Seminole that Joe Biden would expand abortion and never defend life or liberty. “Make no mistake about it, Joe Biden would appoint activist judges to our courts who would legislate from the bench and trample on our most cherished liberties,” Pence said.

Speaking to a group at the Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa, Pence said that with the successful battle being waged against Covid by President Trump and Governor DeSantis: “The American comeback has begun.” He also visited A Woman’s Place medical clinic in Pinellas Park — the first time a sitting vice president has ever publicly visited a pro-life pregnancy center. 

Vice President Pence was joined by RPOF Chairman Joe Gruters and Vice Chairman Christian Ziegler, along with former Chairman Rep. Blaise Ingoglia and Republican state Reps. Ardian Zika and Chris Sprowls.

 

Governor Ron DeSantis Update

Governor DeSantis is forming a committee to develop creative ways to allow Floridians to visit their loved ones in elder care facilities during Covid. The committee will consider ideas brought to DeSantis during a roundtable discussion in Jacksonville on Tuesday, such as giving family members protective gear for visits to allowing them into the facilities if they carry antibodies for the virus.

“The ultimate vision may take a little bit of time,” the Governor told family members during the round-table discussion. “I don’t want to give false hope. There are going to have to be precautions…It’s worth putting forth the effort, being thoughtful about it, being innovative.”

Read more here: https://www.sun-sentinel.com/coronavirus/fl-ne-nursing-home-visits-20200804-dkrjtqinezfq5m2hdjsuhremju-story.html

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On Tuesday, Governor DeSantis announced the appointments of Laura Laurie to the Fifteenth Circuit Court and John Parnofiello to the Palm Beach County Court.

Laura Laurie, of Lakeworth, has been an Assistant State Attorney in Palm Beach County since 2007. She is the chief of the traffic homicide and felony trial units. She received her bachelor’s degree from Florida Gulf Coast University and her law degree from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law. Laurie fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Judge Edward Artau to the Fourth District Court of Appeal.

John Parnofiello, of Jupiter, has been an Assistant State Attorney for the Fifteenth Circuit since 2015. He previously served as an associate at Rosenthal, Levy, Simon and Ryles. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and his law degree from the University of Florida College of Law. Parnofiello fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Judge Paige Gillman to the Fifteenth Circuit Court.

 

President Donald Trump Update

President Trump just signed an executive order to prevent Americans from being displaced by foreign workers and offshore labor using federal dollars.

The new executive order combats the misuse of H-1B visas, which too often have been exploited to replace qualified U.S. workers with lower-cost foreign ones. President Trump is directing all federal agencies to focus on hiring Americans for lucrative federal contracts, and it requires that only U.S. citizens be appointed to the government’s competitive service. 

The decision comes following news that the Tennessee Valley Authority planned to outsource 20 percent of its technology jobs to companies based in foreign countries. That action alone risked more than 200 American jobs. 

“We’re not just solving your problem,” Vice President Mike Pence told workers gathered at the White House Tuesday. “What the President’s committing to today is to end the abuse of our worker visa program, once and for all.”

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President Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act this morning Tuesday, a historic, bipartisan law that marks the largest-ever investment into America’s public lands while creating more than 100,000 infrastructure-related jobs.

Estimates place the national deferred maintenance backlog across all public lands at approximately $20 billion. The President’s action brings this much-needed maintenance to our public lands, many of which play an important role in our economy. Last year, over 327 million people visited America’s majestic national parks. All told, America’s outdoor recreation economy accounted for more than 2 percent of our GDP—and 5.2 million jobs—in 2017.

 

Tweets of the Week

 

 

 
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RPOF Newsletter – August 3, 2020

August 3, 2020

A Note from RPOF Chairman Joe Gruters

We had an amazing and productive Trump Victory Walk in Tampa Saturday with a motivated group going door to door in the Hyde Park neighborhood to support President Donald Trump, Governor Ron DeSantis and to keep Florida red.

We’re working hard to turn Tampa and Hillsborough County Republican one door at a time. This is not only solid campaigning that is helped by having President Trump’s strong track record, but it is a lot of fun for the volunteers. Some of the fun can come in surprises, such as when we happened upon a neighborhood lemonade stand run by some future voters. Always a win! 

There is a lot of passion and energy among Republicans right now. The violence, destruction and Democrat willingness to support it all is helping make Republicans of voters everywhere. People can sense the moment we are in and it is an opportunity for us to pitch a leadership alternative to burning cities, defunding police and constant economic shutdowns. 

Thank you to everyone who joined us. Special thanks to Vice Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida Christian Ziegler, who walked with us. Everyone is onboard and pulling in the same direction!

I will be in Collier County for their headquarters opening on Tuesday and then in Sumter County for their headquarters opening with Sumter Chairman John Temple on Saturday. I’ll be walking in Sumter, knocking on doors, and then joining Ed Braddy from Alachua County for a walk on Saturday afternoon.

If you want to get involved, sign up at http://armyfortrump.com as we start walking more and more around Florida!

Governor Ron DeSantis Update

On Friday, Governor DeSantis announced the One Goal One Florida initiative to unite Floridians and urge us all to work together in the fight against COVID-19.

“COVID-19 has been a significant challenge for all Floridians but I’m 100% confident we can, and will, overcome this challenge,” Governor DeSantis said. “To that end, I’m asking all Floridians to join me in this important effort – One Goal One Florida.”

As part of the initiative, Governor DeSantis is asking all Floridians to follow these simple, yet effective guidelines:

  1. Protect the vulnerable, including the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions.
  2. Practice proper hygiene, including washing your hands.
  3. Practice social distancing by avoiding closed spaces and crowded places.
  4. Wear a mask if you are in close contact with others.

Governor DeSantis held a roundtable with aerospace leaders at Space Florida headquarters in Merritt Island Thursday to gather input and to sign a bill providing incentives for space companies to come to Florida for the state’s spaceport authority.

During the event, Governor DeSantis signed House Bill 717 that provides Space Florida more opportunities to attract companies to the state. “The bill will provide Space Florida with additional flexibility to issue bonds and provide financing for commercial space and aerospace projects,” DeSantis said.

 Governor DeSantis’ visit to the Space Coast came just hours after the launch of NASA’s next Mars rover, Perseverance.

Read more here: https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2020/07/30/gov-ron-desantis-in-merritt-island-for-space-roundtable/

We dodged Isaias, but under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, Florida was prepared for the worst. We know more tropical storms are coming and the Governor has shown that we will be prepared for those, too. This is effective leadership.

President Donald Trump Update

The Police Benevolent Association, the largest police union in Florida, has unanimously endorsed President Trump for a second term.

On Fox & Friends Friday morning, John Kazanjian, the union’s President, said he called an “emergency meeting via conference phone” last week with all chapter and charter presidents and board of directors.

“I spelled it out on what’s going on not just in Florida but across this country that, ‘Hey, you know what, we’re getting beat up. We’re getting used like a punching bag and we’re tired of it and President Donald Trump has been there for us. He supported us.’”

He added: “We’re 30,000 strong. We go from the panhandle to Daytona, to Tampa down to Miami and the Keys.”

Read more here: https://www.foxnews.com/media/florida-police-union-backs-trump

 Late last week, President Trump spoke to Americans from the Permian Basin in Texas, which stretches nearly 86,000 square miles across Texas and New Mexico — two states that have helped America lead the shale oil and natural gas revolution that is changing our world.

When President Trump took office in January 2017, he immediately ended the war that had been waged on American energy by the previous administration. Rather than expand the reach of bureaucrats, he rolled back overregulation, ended stifling rules, and unleashed our country’s energy resources.

The results of U.S. energy dominance are crystal clear:

  • America is leading the world in oil and natural gas production.
  • S. energy exports reached an all-time high last year, marking the first time in 67 years that our annual gross energy exports exceeded imports.
  • Oil production soared, surpassing records that stood for nearly half a century.

Read more here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/president-trump-is-restoring-american-energy-dominance/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=wh

Around the State Update

Michael Barnett, Chairman of the Republican Party of Palm Beach County, did a terrific job pushing back on Joe Biden’s words and actions during an interview on WPTV‘s To The Point political program on Saturday. The program included Biden’s wife, Dr. Jill Biden, and Barnett was interviewed after her.

“Biden’s campaign has made it clear they want to take resources, whether in full or in part, from police agencies and redirect that money,” Barnett said. “I think it’s funny that the Democrat Party, which eliminated every single woman and minority from the top of the ticket is now desperately trying to find a minority and a woman for the bottom of the ticket to help save Joe Biden’s failing campaign.”

”

 

Tweets of the Week

 

 

Florida GOP wins a federal court victory upholding Florida’s ban on ballot harvesting.

The Republican National Committee (RNC), the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), and the Florida GOP won a federal court victory upholding Florida’s ban on ballot harvesting.

Priorities USA, a progressive advocacy group, and other Democrat plaintiffs dismissed their claims in Nielsen v. DeSantis, a lawsuit challenging Florida’s ban on ballot harvesting which also aimed to force the state to count ballots that arrived after Election Day. The plaintiffs also dropped their claim that Florida needed to provide pre-paid postage on vote-by-mail ballots.RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement on Sunday:Today’s victory is a win for Florida voters and a win for election integrity. Democrats’ assault on our elections process is not based on fact or reason, which is why they are dismissing every claim in their radical suit. The RNC will continue to step in and fight back against Democrat attempts to circumvent existing law and weaken our elections process.

The RNC highlighted a deposition, which they say weakened the suit, in which a Yale University student claimed that he was disenfranchised by having to travel to a post office to mail his ballot, “even though there was a mailbox in front of his house or a post office six blocks from his house.”

The GOP also noted that Florida will have to highlight “election integrity measures,” including the ballot harvesting ban, in a public relations campaign.

Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL), the ranking member of the House Administration Committee, told Breitbart News in an exclusive interview in June that mail-in voting and ballot harvesting are “ripe for corruption.”

Davis said: I’m very concerned, and it’s ironic that we’ve had the same election reforms that we’ve had in the disastrous H.R. 1; the same election reforms that have been proposed by Democrats for every coronavirus bill. Now, if it was proposed last January before everyone knew that coronavirus existed, why is it an emergency now? And when you look at some of the plans that they have proposed, which is nationwide mail-in voting and nationwide ballot harvesting, we’ve seen examples of political operatives taking advantage of the ballot harvesting process and fraudulently making sure that ballots don’t get to the ballot box.

He added, “It’s wrong; it’s ripe for corruption. It’s been corrupted.”

Article originally posted by Sean Moran, a congressional reporter for Breitbart News

Statement By: RPOF Chairman Joe Gruters Florida Democratic Party Building Fund Accepting Paycheck Protection Program Funds

Statement By:  RPOF Chairman Joe Gruters
Florida Democratic Party Building Fund Accepting Paycheck Protection Program Funds

“In May, Florida Democrats chastised President Trump’s Paycheck Protection Program.  But it certainly didn’t stop them from filing an application, when rules clearly state an organization like a political party were prohibited from receiving PPP.

“Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Terrie Rizzo and her team not only submitted an application, but they gladly accepted money from the program. Did Nikki Fried know the Florida Democratic Party applied? As the state’s highest-ranked Democrat and the head of her Party she too should bear responsibility for these actions. 

“Of course, this all came to light after the release of the federal Paycheck Protection Plan database which revealed that the Florida Democratic Party Building Fund applied for and received a loan amount of $350,000 and $1 million. Their justification? Securing the jobs of 100 employees.

“Who are these employees? And why does a building fund even have employees? And if these employees are political staffers, the FDP now has an even bigger problem and a lot of explaining to do.

“This certainly raises many questions and it is becoming very clear that the FDP should never have attempted to apply for the PPP funds in the first place. 

“I don’t believe this was a mistake. They knew what they were doing from the onset— but the one thing they never contemplated was that the data would be made public, shining a light on their actions. 

“Of course, they are returning the loan – but only after public pressure mounted. They have yet to apologize and are placing blame on the bank instead of acknowledging that they should not have applied in the first place.

“The PPP eligibility language is very clear –that political organizations are not eligible for PPP loans.

“Like the rest of the public, we will be waiting for answers.”

RPOF Newsletter – June 2, 2020

Governor Ron DeSantis’ COVID Response:
Safe. Smart. Step-by-Step. 
Plan for Florida’s Recovery

Before diving into our standard Week in Review newsletter, I want to take the time to share the following messages from Governor Ron DeSantis thanking state and local leaders for their partnership to keep Floridians safe.

On Monday, June 1, 2020 Gov. DeSantis issued the following statement:

 “Florida has zero tolerance for violence, rioting and looting. George Floyd’s murder was appalling, and the Minnesota perpetrators need to be brought to justice, but this cannot be used as a pretext for violence in our Florida communities.

“I am in constant contact with state and local leaders, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), the Florida National Guard and the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP). We have devoted significant resources, including the mobilization of 700 Florida National Guard soldiers who are specially trained to support law enforcement. I have also worked with FHP to coordinate more than 1,300 sworn Florida Highway Patrol troopers to support local law enforcement efforts. We will continue to do everything necessary to keep residents safe.

“Over the past 48 hours, I have spoken with President Donald J. Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, Florida Senate President Bill Galvano, FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen, Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz, Florida National Guard Adjutant General James Eifert, FHP Director Colonel Gene Spaulding, Broward County Mayor Dale V.C. Holness, Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Representative James Bush, Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer, Boca Raton Police Chief Michele Miuccio, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, Gadsden County Sheriff Morris Young, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and Senator Darryl Rouson.

“I thank these leaders for their continued partnership and efforts to keep Floridians safe.”

On Tuesday, June 2, 2020 Governor DeSantis issued the following statement:

“Demonstrations across the state of Florida have remained largely peaceful over the past 24 hours and no significant law enforcement or civilian injuries or deaths have been reported to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). Additionally, FDLE has not received reports of widespread property damage, commercial or residential. 

“I appreciate all the hard work being done by our local officials, the Florida National Guard, the Florida Highway Patrol and our law enforcement to help ensure the safety of residents and visitors, as well as those who are engaging in peaceful First Amendment activity,” said Governor DeSantis. “Over the past 24 hours, demonstrations have remained largely peaceful thanks to these collaborative efforts. We will remain vigilant and stand ready in the event something changes. Florida will not tolerate rioting, looting or violence. We encourage all residents and visitors to continue abiding by local curfews and directives and thank everyone for their cooperation.” 

The Governor remains in constant contact with law enforcement and state and local leaders to ensure all necessary actions are being taken to protect Floridians. The Governor mobilized 700 Florida National Guard soldiers specially trained to support law enforcement and worked with the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) to coordinate more than 1,300 sworn FHP troopers to support local law enforcement efforts. 

ICYMI: WEEKLY WRAP UP

Message from Chairman Joe Gruters

The Florida model continues to grow attention on a national level. Specifically, the Governor’s targeted approach to protecting vulnerable populations in long-term care facilities. Those efforts are now being touted as one of the most important ways to mitigate the impacts of the virus. See our “In the News” section for state and national stories and articles about Governor DeSantis and Florida’s response to COVID-19.

Last week at a news conference  in South Florida, Gov. DeSantis discussed why testing remains central to Floria’s ongoing response to COVID-19.  More than 90% of people getting tested for COVID-19 in Florida are negative as our state moves forward with re-opening. To date, nearly one million individuals have been tested for COVID-19.  However, the percent of tests that come back positive for our new cases has ranged between 0.67% and 3.3%. That means more than 90% of people who are testing are coming back negative.

In other news, the Governor spent the week traveling the state highlighting Florida’s efforts to safely head down the road to economic recovery. Several major announcements were made, including his two selections to the Florida Supreme Court; Florida’s Pandemic EBT program for families that rely on free and reduced-price school meals; a key land acquisition to protect our state’s environmental heritage; hurricane recovery updates and hurricane preparedness measures; and a new COVID testing partnership with Home Depot and Publix. Lastly, this past weekend marked the breathtaking launch of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket carrying NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley in the Crew Dragon capsule. 

I was honored to have witnessed NASA’s first commercial launch with American astronauts, on an American rocket ship, on American soil since 2011 right here in the Sunshine State. With Governor Ron DeSantis’ steadfast commitment to the space industry, we will once again see human space flight from the Great State of Florida. We thank President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence for coming back to Florida to take part in the historic accomplishment at the Kennedy Space Center. 

 

A Week in Review

Tuesday, May 26 Governor Ron DeSantis traveled to South Florida where he announced his two appointees to the Florida Supreme Court. He announced the appointment of Judge Renatha Francis and she will fill the vacancy of former Florida Supreme Court Justice Robert Luck, who now serves on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit after being appointed by President Donald Trump. Francis will officially take her seat on the Supreme Court on September 24, 2020. Judge Francis will be the first Jamaican-American named to sit on the Florida Supreme Court. He also named John Couriel to the Florida Supreme Court. Mr. Couriel’s appointment fills the vacancy of former Florida Supreme Court Justice Barbara Lagoa, who now serves on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit after being appointed by President Donald Trump.

While in South Florida the Governor was also asked about the possibility of Florida hosting the Republican National Convention after tweets by President Trump expressed concerns about North Carolina still being in shut-down mode. Gov. DeSantis said that he would welcome the Republican National Convention to Florida and that he was sure several cities would love to host it. 

“Florida would love to have the RNC. Heck, I’m a Republican, it would be good for us to have the RNC in terms of the economic impact when you talk about major events like that. So my posture on all this is we should try to get it done as best we can in accordance with whatever safety requirements.” 

~~ Gov. Ron DeSantis

Wednesday, May 27  Governor Ron DeSantis announced federal approval for the implementation of Florida’s Pandemic EBT Program (P-EBT) in partnership with the the Department of Children and Families (DCF), and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). The P-EBT program automatically issues benefits during the month of June to more than 2.1 million children who have temporarily lost access to free and reduced-price school meals during COVID-19-related school closures.  Gov. DeSantis thanked President Trump and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for allowing states to identify gaps in services and develop new and needed programs that will allow parents to continue to receive healthy lunches throughout the summer months. For more information and Frequently Asked Questions about the P-EBT benefit program, please visit https://www.myflfamilies.com/covid19/access.shtml. 

Thursday, May 28 Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet approved a 17,080-acre land acquisition within the Dickerson Bay/ Bald Point Florida Forever project from The Nature Conservancy. Acquisition of this property, which is also known as The Bluffs, provides a permanent means of protecting and restoring the estuaries that recreational and commercial fishers rely on for finfish and shellfish species that are the economic lifeblood of the region. For more information and to hear what Florida conservation leaders are saying about this acquisition please click here.

Also on Thursday, Gov. DeSantis announced the appointment of Kyle Cohen to the Twentieth Circuit Court which includes Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee Counties. Cohen, of Estero, has been an Assistant United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida since 2008 and currently serves in the Civil Division of the office. 

Friday, May 29 Governor DeSantis announced the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) has partnered with Home Depot and Publix to establish six additional COVID-19 testing sites. Governor DeSantis made this announcement at the first Home Depot testing site in Boca Raton. The Florida Division of Emergency Management is providing staffing and personal protective equipment. Each of these test sites will be able to conduct up to 100 tests per day. Tests will be sent to Quest Diagnostics and results will be available within 5 – 7 days. Under the direction of Governor DeSantis, the state has established more than 15 drive-thru and 15 walk-up testing sites across the state. To date, more than 210,000 individuals have been tested at these sites. Floridians can find a site near them here.

Gov. DeSantis also encouraged Floridians to prepare for Hurricane Season by taking advantage of the Sales Tax Holiday: May 29th – June 4th. Floridians are urged to prepare for the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season by taking advantage of the Florida Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday, during which critical supplies for hurricane preparedness such as water, medicine, flashlights, batteries, and generators, are tax free. For more information click here. 

 

 

Statement from Chairman Joe Gruters regarding the RNC Intervening in Democrat Lawsuit to Protect Election Integrity in Florida

Statement from Chairman Joe Gruters regarding the RNC Intervening in Democrat Lawsuit to Protect Election Integrity in Florida

“Once again national Democrats are coming into Florida trying to change our election laws by judicial fiat right before the 2020 election in an attempt to steal as many votes as possible in President Trump’s home state.  We will do whatever we can to defeat this partisan lawsuit and ensure that every eligible voter in Florida has the opportunity to vote safely and securely.” 

For more information about the RNC lawsuit click on this link.

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