Hurricane Irma plowed right up the Florida Peninsula this month, five years ago, leaving 84 Floridians dead and a trail of destruction all over. Now we’re on alert again. Below are the latest runs from the GFS and EURO models, the two most reliable models historically. Note they are more reliable for track than for intensity, which is a science that is evolving.

Governor DeSantis has time and again deliberately taken a view of history that not only is incorrect but DELIBERATELY cuts out Florida’s role in history. Here is at it again.

For those who don’t know we’ve done multiple podcast miniseries at this site regarding Florida being a haven for runaway slaves and freedom BEFORE the US took over. In fact during the Revolutionary War which DeSantis makes reference to, Florida stayed loyal to the British and African-Americans who fled the colonies to the north were often ARMED AND ENLISTED by the British.

DeSantis’ version of history is not only wrong and contains a racist tinge but is insulting to the very state he governs. He deliberately cuts out our CRITICAL role in the conflict to fit his narrative, which is the last thing a Florida Governor should do.

Many speculate, the reason Lawson ran was not to save himself, but to boost Black turnout to help Senator Lorrane Ausley (D-Tallahassee) in her difficult reelection vs Volunteer Florida CEO, and former football star GOPer Corey Simon. 

Ausley was redistricted into a Biden +2.6 seat that is trending GOP. She is facing a tough re-election in a seat under the lines she lost in 2020. This race has been low key thus far, however, both candidates are raising a ton of money, and are on TV, but both have limited grassroots support. It is much easier to saturate media in the Tallahassee and/or Panama City markets than anywhere else in the state, so TV will play perhaps a bigger role in this Senate contest than any others in the state.

Simon appears the favorite and progressives need to rally behind Ausley, no matter what qualms they may have in order to help ensure the GOP don’t have the numbers in the Senate to push a statewide abortion ban and other radicalized policies.  

We will see y’all Sunday in The Express Lane!