Battleground Florida with Christopher Heath

In 2016 the polls were wrong. Sure, the national polls got things right on the money. But state-level polling was all over the place and missed Donald Trump's victories in several states. Now with 2020’s numbers rolling in, the polling industry is looking at hits and a lot of misses. Michael Binder is the Faculty Director of the Public Opinion Research Lab at the University of North Florida. He joins the podcast to see what went right and what went so, so wrong

Self-described “GOP Operative Turned Advocate and Political Observer” Liam Donovan joins the podcast to handicap the 2020 election. Who is going to win Florida, Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, Iowa, and the rest? Are we seeing a shift in the electorate or is this a temporary realignment? Also, how many Senate races could be headed to a run-off. This is the last episode before the election, so buckle up! It’s going to be fun!

Since February, WFTV reporter Lauren Seabrook has been covering the COVGID-19 crisis from lockdowns and masks, to schools and nursing homes. Lauren joins the podcast again to talk about what's going on right now in Central Florida, concerns as we head into the winter months, and what gives her optimism as we continue to deal with the virus.

Decision Desk HQ contributor Niles Edward Francis (@NilesGApol ) joins the podcast from Atlanta to try and convince the world that Georgia is a swing state just like Florida. With two senate races, a close presidential race, and state-specific rules, the Peach State is getting a lot of attention with both the Trump campaign and the Biden Campaign planning stops in the final week of the election. What counties he’s watching on election night and how long it could be before all the votes get counted in Florida’s neighbor to the north.

Senior Columnist for The Daily Beast, Matt Lewis, makes his triumphant return to the podcast. With the final presidential debate in the books and some 50 million Americans having already voted, Matt discuss is what we learned from Thursday night's debate and will it matter with just 10 days to go. We also talk about the very real possibility that Donald Trump is reelected but does not win the popular vote again and what that means for the country and the Republican Party, as well as what a Biden administration might look like.

Orlando businessman Chris King entered politics in 2018 running for governor and then as the running mate for Andrew Gillum. Now he's working with the Democratic Party to win seats in Tallahassee and retake the White House. from political novice to just a few thousand votes away from being Florida's Lieutenant governor King had a rollercoaster 2018. in this episode we talk about debates, crazy Florida polls, and why Democrats have struggled to win statewide.

Peter Schorsch returns to the podcast for his 4th(?) time. A record, if we kept those things. In his first appearance on the podcast since the state went into a lock down over COVID-19, Peter discuss is what Florida got right and what Florida is getting wrong as well as why much of the blame targeted at the governor is misdirected. We also squeeze in a little time to discuss the presidential debate such as it was.

Former Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Mike Ertel joins the podcast do discuss everything election in Florid and the other 49. What voters need to know ahead of November 3, how to track your ballot to make sure it’s counted, and why social media could make the election aftermath so much worse.

New York Times reporter Patricia Mazzei joins the podcast from south Florida to discuss the state of the race in south Florida, the congressional seats in play, what the national media doesn’t get about Florida, as well as her recent reporting on Judge Barbara Lagoa. Judge Lagoa is on the short-list to fill the vacant 9th seat on the US Supreme Court.

Jacob Perry is a former campaign consultant who passed on running two different presidential campaigns this cycle. He currently publishes the email newsletter Monticello (https://monticello.substack.com/ ). In this episode we’ll talk about running congressional races in Florida, what DC doesn’t get about the Sunshine State, filling the vacancy on the US Supreme Court, and the worst campaign promise you could make.

Kevin Cate, the founder of media production company CATECOMM, has been involved in several Democratic campaigns in Florida. Some wins, some losses. He knows first-hand what an influx of money can do to a race and where campaigns have to go to win. We’re talking 2020 and the one Florida county he says he’ll be watching on election night to know if Joe Biden is winning the state.

Politico Florida’s Matt Dixon suppresses his wrong opinions pro football long enough to shed some light on fight for Florida’s 29-electoral votes as well as the down-ballot races that will have much more of an impact on the state and yet are so far flying under the radar.

Christian Ziegler, the Vice Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida stops by to talk keeping Florida red, preparing for 2020, and what congressional seats the GOP is targeting in the Sunshine State

Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics and Lauren Seabrook of WFTV join the podcast to discuss the state’s response to the coronavirus and its first two confirmed cases.

The consummate Florida Man: Tampa Bay Times reporter Craig Pittman the award-winning author of "Oh, Florida!" joins the podcast to discuss his new book "Cat Tale: The Wild, Weird Battle to Save the Florida Panther" as well as the state's invasive species

Liam Donovan of the Policy Resolution Group is back on the podcast to talk Iowa, New Hampshire, and who doesn’t make it to Super Tuesday. We also discuss the entrance of Michael Bloomberg and his billions into the race, as well as why Florida probably won’t deliver a knock-out blow like it did for the GOP in its 2016 primary.

WFTV news director Matt Parcell is preparing to retire. But before he leaves the business and the station, he sits down to discuss the changing landscape of broadcast news; what we do well and where we fall short.

R-Street Senior Fellow Paul Rosenzweig served as a senior counsel to Ken Starr during the investigations of President Clinton. He joins the podcast to discuss the end of the Trump impeachment and what this means for future administrations

Documentary film director Billy Corben shakes off the Super Bowl hangover and joins the podcast to discuss tax giveaways, school vouchers, and bags full of drugs.... Florida.

Florida attorney Daniel Wallach joins the podcast to discuss sports wagering and the odds that Florida opens up sports betting in the next few years.

Fresh off a trip to Tallahassee, WFTV education reporter Michael Lopardi joins the podcast to discuss the push for teacher pay raises and why the fight for more money may not get resolved even with the backing of the governor

RealClearPolitics associate editor and columnist A.B. Stoddard joins the podcast to talk about her reporting in The Bulwark on the money trail connecting two associates of Rudy Giuliani and how so much money ended up going to politicians in Florida

Peter Schorsch is back to recap what was supposed to be a year's worth of Florida news. However, rumination and verbosity hold sway as we cap 2019, so enjoy this last pod of the year!

Kathryn Waldron a Resident Fellow on National Security & Cybersecurity from R-Street joins the podcast to discuss the looming threats posed to governments and individuals, and why Congress isn't asking the right questions

Former Florida congressman Bill McCollum joins the podcast to discuss: running statewide in Florida, how politics has changed, his role in the impeachment of President Bill Clinton, and what he thinks about Trump's impeachment

The USMCA (NAFTA 2.0) is out and that means it's time to unpack what is, and is not, in the newish trade deal. Trade expert Josh Zive from Bracewell joins the podcast with three cheers for maintaining the status quo on trade.

Tiger Bay Executive Director Gregory Eisenberg joins the podcast to talk local elections, national interest, and what people can do to get back into the local political process.

An all-star cast of people who just happened to be in the WFTV newsroom join the podcast to share Thanksgiving memories and what they are thankful for this year.

Take a break from politics in this pre-Thanksgiving episode. WFTV Anchor Martie Salt reflects on four decades in the business: her favorite memories, stories, and what advice she'd give to anyone looking to follow their passion in life.

AJC Reporter Tia Mitchell joins the podcast ahead of the November Democratic Debate in Atlanta. As Georgia shifts from solid-red to more of a toss-up, Democrats are eyeing the state as a possible battleground in 2020.

Noah Rothman, the Associate Editor of Commentary Magazine and the author of "Unjust: Social Justice and the Unmaking of America" joins the podcast to discuss a recent speech by Sen Marco Rubio entitled “Catholic Social Doctrine and the Dignity of Work”

Orlando Sentinel columnist Scott Maxwell takes a break from staining his hands with ink and fighting Twitter wars to join the podcast to discuss holding politicians accountable and why the will of the voters is not always the will of Tallahassee or DC.

With less than a year until the 2020 election, veteran political analyst Bradford Kane joins the podcast to discuss his new book "Pitchfork Populism: Ten Political Forces That Shaped an Election and Continue to Change America"

You know who won't have to change his clock this weekend? Ricochet’s Editor-in-Chief Jon Gabriel. Jon joins the podcast from Arizona to discuss another battleground in the US political map and what makes this western state so happy to be cantankerous

WFTV Traffic Expert Racquel Asa takes a break from the horror of I-4 and settles in for the horror of joining the podcast to discuss toll roads, construction, congestion, red-light cameras, and driverless cars!

R-Street Senior Manager Shoshana Weissmann joins the podcast to discuss Occupational Licensing and how barriers to employment limit job opportunities and what some states are doing to level the playing field

Veteran Florida GOP media guy Rick Wilson ( @TheRickWilson )joins the podcast to discuss a busy day of news and preview the race for Florida in 2020, as well as what 2022 might look like for Florida Senator Marco Rubio

Conservative pundit and columnist for The Daily Beast, Matt Lewis joins the show on a busy day to discuss Syria, a bizarre White House press conference, the Dems in Ohio, and what is to come of the party of Buckley, Goldwater, and Reagan

Jim Swift (@JimSwiftDC )is a senior editor at The Bulwark, he joins the podcast to preview the Ohio Democratic debate as well as discuss why Republicans are breaking with the president over his Syria policy, and what a post-Trump GOP will look like

Politico reporter Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) joins the podcast from Miami to talk: Biden, Pres Trump’s problems in FL, the bind that Rubio's in, and why Venezuela has become a political football. Listen until the end to hear things get really awkward

Kyle Foley ( @KFoleyFL ) got into politics and then walked away. A writer for several conservative outlets, Foley covered the 2016 election. Kyle talks about how values led him to writing about politics and then led him to a career-altering decision.

Veteran political analyst Liam Donovan (@LPDonovan )joins the podcast from Washington DC where Congress is on recess, the President is on Twitter, and the Georgetown University Hoyas are getting ready for another season on the hardwood. Donovan works at a DC government relations and strategic communications firm, but his resume includes four years working to get Republicans elected to the US Senate. In this episode we’ll talk impeachment, the shifting Midwest states, shifting sunbelt states, what Trump needs to do in 2020 to win, is the Democratic field weak or strong, and what happens if the electoral college ends up at 269-269? http://lpdonovan.com/about/

Florida Man and Democratic insider Steve Schale swings through Orlando to discuss how he got into politics, what it takes to win Florida, and why the Florida Democrats have struggled to keep pace with the Florida GOP.

Former Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, and current Florida House member Blaise Ingoglia joins the podcast to talk Trump 2016, Trump 2020, his frosty relationship with Rick Scott, and what playing high-level poker has taught him about politics. Gotta’ know when to hold em’, know when to fold em’, know when to attach them to an appropriations bill.

John Lux of Film Florida joins the podcast to talk about the challenges facing the entertainment industry in Florida, as other states in the southwest continue to siphon off jobs and projects that could stay in Florida. We discuss how the state got here, what’s going on now, and why the changing landscape in Tallahassee and Hollywood (CA) means a possible new lease on life for this once vibrant industry.

He’s one of the main architects of the Florida Budget, and yet we for the most part avoid talking math in this episode. State Senator Rob Bradley is a republican out of Clay County, he is also the chairman of the appropriations committee in the Florida Senate. In this episode, we talk about his time in office, why term limits are forcing him out, the challenges facing our state in the future, and the natural parts of Florida that remain unchanged for generations.

Former Congresswoman Gwen Graham stops by the studio to discuss running, cycling, her bid for governor, her backing of Joe Biden, and if the party is moving too far to the left to win in places like her former district.

South Florida-based documentary film director Billy Corben is best known for his movies “The U”, “Cocaine Cowboys”, and “Screwball” but is also an outspoken critic of Florida politics and politicians. His movies are steeped in Florida and what many people see as the glitz, excess, and corruption of Florida. In this episode we talk about how the state of Florida today is the America of tomorrow and what that means for the state and the rest of the country.

State Representative Shevrin Jones is leading the Florida effort to help the Bahamas recover from Hurricane Dorian. With family living on the islands, Jones watched as the lethal category five storm slammed into the islands, flattening homes and washing away roads. He discusses the scope of the damage and what Floridians can do to help, including where to donate (https://www.nabmiami.org ). We also talk to WFTV Meteorologist Rusty McCranie about Hurricane Dorian’s path and why it stalled out over the Bahamas, how close it came to hitting Florida, and why technology is giving us more information than ever about storm, leading to better evacuation plans.

Pinellas Republican Sen. Jeff Brandes has been leading the state to try and rain in the exploding cost of incarceration will also prepare in Florida for an automated 21st century. What he sees is the most pressing issue before the legislature, and why he says if Florida lawmakers don’t act on recreational marijuana, voters will.

Christopher Heath is joined by WFTV meteorologist Kassandra Crimi and WFTV anchor Greg Warmoth to talk about the history of Florida, hurricanes and Dorian.