Early bettors, Figlesthaler channels Trump, an Eagle in the crosshairs–SWFL’s State of Play Today

A student signs a Florida ballot petition in pre-Coronavirus days of social intimacy, pens and paper. Petitions can now be submitted by e-mail. (Photo: author)

April 15, 2020 by David Silverberg.

In pre-Coronavirus days, April 15 held the special significance of being tax filing day. This year, that deadline has been postponed. What has not been postponed, however, is the deadline for congressional candidates to file their quarterly campaign fundraising reports—and that day is today.

Once filed and posted on the Federal Election Commission (FEC) website, voters (and journalists) will get as real a look at the state of campaigns as it is possible to get, backed up by the force of law.

Last week, two candidates in the 19th Congressional District of Florida jumped the gun and issued press releases on their own fundraising prowess. State Rep. Byron Donalds (R-80-Immokalee) claimed he had raised $335,000 from 3,000 donors. Newcomer businessman Casey Askar claimed that he had raised $500,000 in just 11 days of campaigning.

Without the official FEC reports, it’s impossible for the public to verify these figures or see just how much of these fundraising totals are loans from the candidates to their own campaigns. For example, Republican William Figlesthaler’s campaign raised $536,295 in the last quarter of 2019, the highest amount of any District 19 candidate, but $410,000 of that came in a loan from the candidate himself.

Nonetheless, claiming the kinds of totals that Donalds and Askar announced last week helps keep their campaign publicity alive and has the potential to scare other candidates out of the game, like placing a big bet at a hand of poker.

On the air

The money raised by Askar and Donalds is clearly not scaring off Figlesthaler, who is the only candidate currently buying broadcast advertising time, although it’s questionable whether this is a wise move in April. It does put him ahead of the other candidates in raising his public profile at a time when no one can campaign in person but it’s debatable whether this springtime ad buy amidst the Coronavirus crisis will reach the Republicans who will be voting in August.

That said, from a policy perspective, Figlesthaler’s campaign remains very thin on substance.

Figlesthaler’s most recent video ad, “Make our economy great again,” airing on area stations, states that the Coronavirus pandemic “has left our economy in shambles—but Dr. Fig knows how to turn things around.” It then touts his past business prowess and record and vows that “in Congress, Dr. Fig will put that business expertise to use and help President Trump to make our economy great again.”

What the ad does not do is offer any specifics on how he’s going to do this but then again, that’s never the case with a 30-second spot. However, there are also no economic remedies offered on his website or Facebook page.

So on Monday, April 13, The Paradise Progressive reached out to Figlesthaler by e-mail to ask precisely what measures he would take as a member of Congress to aid Southwest Florida’s economy.

As of this posting no response had been received.

We’re not holding our breath—and neither should you.

Channeling Trump in an ‘epic dog fight’

With a dozen candidates in the 19th Congressional District race, nine of them Republicans, the contest among the nine Republicans was always going to be an “epic dog fight” as Republican candidate and Fox News pundit Ford O’Connell put it—before dropping out of the race himself.

Inspired by President Donald Trump himself, personal nastiness has indeed entered the 19th Congressional District Republican contest, although it is somewhat reduced by O’Connell’s departure.

Nonetheless, Figlesthaler proudly claims to “channel Trump” by calling Fort Myers Mayor Randy Henderson “shady.” As he declared in a Feb. 12 tweet: “Shady Mayor Randy @HendersonForFL is getting stomped so hard, even his own party is turning on him. Like most big liberal run towns, Fort Myers has gone to the dogs under Randy. The racial divide and crime under his leadership are disgusting.”

This was not Figlesthaler’s first Twitter insult. On Dec. 16 he called Florida House Rep. Dane Eagle (R-77-Cape Coral) “sick.”

Eagle in the crosshairs

Figlesthaler’s insult has some history behind it. He was attacking Eagle for the latter’s receptivity to measures to halt gun violence while serving in the Florida House of Representatives.

It’s to be remembered that after the Feb. 14, 2018 Parkland, Florida high school shooting, the Florida legislature, where Eagle served as House majority leader, passed historic gun restrictions. The legislation raised the minimum age to purchase any firearm to 21 from 18; imposed a three-day waiting period on gun purchases; funded school police officers and mental health counselors; and allowed local school districts and sheriffs to arm some school personnel. It also banned bump stocks and gave law enforcement officers the authority to seek to seize weapons from people deemed unstable or dangerous.

Gun access advocates have never forgotten the heresy.

“Interesting that @DaneEagle sends tweets promoting the second amendment, but when @Mike2020 [Michael Bloomberg] and the anti-gun lobby come knocking, he is all ears. If Dane sold out our gun rights at the state level, imagine what he will do in DC. Sick,” tweeted Figlesthaler in December.

But while tweets may sting, money hurts.

There is only one SuperPAC active in the 19th Congressional District, according to the 2019 FEC filings—and it’s aimed squarely at Dane Eagle. (A Super Political Action Committee (PAC) is one that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money on issues but not on individual candidate campaigns.)

That SuperPAC is called Drain the DC Swamp PAC and it is dedicated to Trumpism in all its incarnations.

“We support President Trump’s vision of a government of, by, and for the people,” states the PAC’s mission statement. “From protecting life to protecting our borders, we support those who fight for traditional values, our Constitution, and our Country.”

So how could Eagle, a staunch Trumper and fervent conservative, run afoul of a similarly oriented organization?

A screen shot from Drain the DC Swamp PAC’s anti-Eagle video.

“Dane Eagle sold out Florida gun owners,” snarls one of the PAC’s video ads that was posted in December, shortly after Eagle announced his candidacy.

“Make sure Dane Eagle does not go to Congress. Florida’s 19th District needs a strong Constitutional Conservative – not Dane Eagle.” The ad accuses Eagle of buckling to Michael Bloomberg and betraying gun owners. It makes it seem as though Eagle alone was responsible for the gun legislation passed by the Florida Senate, House of Representatives and then-Gov. Rick Scott.

Words are one thing but the PAC put its money where its mouth was in the fourth quarter of 2019, spending $9,200 in digital and social media advertising to oppose him.

It’s interesting that Figlesthaler’s campaign theme is “drain the swamp” and so is the name of the PAC in question. But there’s no indication of the PAC doing anything in particular that favors Figlesthaler, aside from attacking his opponent.

It will also be interesting to see what, if anything, the PAC spent in the first quarter of 2020.

On or off the ballot

All this activity will be moot for many candidates if they don’t submit the petition signatures or pay the $10,044 ballot fee to the state’s Division of Elections.

Despite numerous complaints and appeals from candidates of both parties to delay, waive or reduce the deadline because of the Coronavirus emergency, the Division of Elections has remained mum. The original deadline was March 23 to submit the signatures. The Florida Department of State subsequently relaxed the requirement that petitions be on paper and signed in ink. It now allows e-mail submissions.

However, as of this writing, there is no evidence of any change in deadlines or fees.

Unless there is that change, the currently crowded District 19 race could be winnowed considerably before the August 18 primary.

Accommodating Coronavirus

There’s no doubt that the post-Coronavirus political world is a different place. Candidates have no choice but to move their campaign and fundraising operations online. Cindy Banyai and David Holden, the Democratic candidates, have held and keep holding tele-town halls and online meet-and-greets. Social media is becoming the main medium of the 2020 campaign—at least until the all-clear is sounded.

The next major milestone in the 19th District contest will come when the first quarter 2020 FEC reports are revealed. The fundraising totals those show and any decisions by the Florida Division of Elections will determine the shape of this year’s Southwest Florida political landscape.

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Southwest Floridians can find virus cases by Zip code; new estimate puts peak on April 27 with fewer fatalities

Today’s Florida Department of Health COVID-19 dashboard showing Coronavirus cases in Southwest Florida by Zip code. Note the highlighted button on the lower band that takes a user to counties and Zip codes.

April 13, 2020 by David Silverberg.

Residents of Southwest Florida—indeed, all Floridians—can now see the numbers of Coronavirus cases in their Zip codes in addition to their counties.

The information is available on Florida’s COVID-19 Data and Surveillance Dashboard website. By clicking on the button “Cases by Zip Code,” users can find their county and specific Zip code to see how many local cases are active.

Meanwhile, the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, a respected independent population health research center at the University of Washington,, has re-evaluated its projected peak infection rate for Florida from last week, now projecting it as arriving on April 26.

04-13-20 IHME deaths chart

Projected Coronavirus deaths in Florida. The shaded area shows the range of uncertainty in the projection (how high or low the death rate per day could go), the dotted line is the projected deaths and the solid line shows actual fatalities. (Chart: IMHE)

It also lowered its projection of Florida’s deaths per day in the state to 112, down 130 from its previous week’s estimate. It is now projecting a total of 3,999 deaths in Florida by Aug. 4.

The latest IHME estimate also foresees no shortages of hospital or intensive care unit beds in Florida.

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Debate: How would SWFL Republican candidates tackle Coronavirus in Congress?

April 13, 2020 by David Silverberg.

Last week The Paradise Progressive posted the responses of the two Democratic congressional candidates in the 19th Congressional District to the question:

If you were in Congress right now, what actions would you take to serve SWFL regarding the Coronavirus pandemic?

In a spirit of fairness, last week same question was posed to all the Republican candidates.

The answers received, in full and unedited, are posted below.

Darren Aquino:

04-12-20 Darren Aquino First let me answer and say what my website has said, my long-standing history of my patriotism to country, community, which represents families across the nation as the national chief advocate for disabled veterans police firemen and families. I have posted enough information on my website and have been interviewed by credible journalists. Putting it plainly, which I hope you can understand and comprehend. Unlike the article you wrote about me without questioning me, and made libelous statements about me, demonstrating you knew nothing about me, but labeled me. This is my home now, Naples, Florida district 19. I would face the challenge, get ahead of the problem, as I’ve done for the vulnerable for 35 years. The district comes first, on the national level, I would put my many years of expertise and wisdom to work for the good of America, for all of us as citizens, As candidate for mayor in NY, my motto was, people first, it was the people first team. My home now, Naples , Florida, and the home of some of my family members, siblings included, I will fight for the needs and Address the failures of the state and the district, that have not been met by the elected officials thus far, during this pandemic , homelessness and the systemic problem around the country as a result of elected officials failing to address this systemic problem added to the pandemic problem. But, had I been congressman, there wouldn’t be a homeless problem Of veterans and disabled inclusive of mentally ill, disabled In the streets of America. I was offended by your erroneous, derogatory, and demeaning statements about me and your failing to answer me. if you ever do that again and violate federal law, as you did publicizing without rebuttal or response from me, you’ll see me in front of a federal judge. At that time I’ll be congressman, and like I’ve done for 35 years, will uplift the American spirit. I will do it myself. I have communicated with the governor DeSantis. I have communicated with the White House and I’ve communicated with my hometown. I will not communicate with the mayor of New York City because he’s just reckless, you two have something in common I am the national chief advocate for Disabled, have a nonprofit called Advocates for Americans, veterans, police, firemen ,and families, and I know that the vulnerable have been attacked by this pandemic. I have advised and continue to support and give my input even while I am home infected with the virus. New Yorkers and patriots like myself around this country are stepping up now, be a good guy and go read the press releases and you’ll know the actions that I have taken. I will get in front of the problem and not behind it and that’s what I’ve been doing For over 35 years. I’m the projected nominee and you took no time to know my platform or who I am, you’re an arrogant. How dare you put such a derogatory demeaning post without speaking with me that you would “without verifying, it demonstrates the character you lack. This time you get grace because it’s holy week for me next time you get a subpoena a copy of this went to everyone. The only reason so many lives were lost is because one reason and one only, democratic politics put policy of their own agenda before the American people, we the people, something I have supported for 35 years successfully with the respect and support for Republican presidents, that’s right, President Donald J Trump, a friend to my family for 35 years I presented solutions to the challenge that’s what New York patriots do, solve problems, not complain about them . This district has problems that were ignored not by me, the newcomer, but Is already being addressed and solved by me, yours truly, Darren Dione Aquino, proud Italian, Puerto Rican American, of the United States of America, who you disrespectfully discriminated against and made false and biased and libelous statements.

[Author’s note: All previous coverage of Mr. Aquino was done from publicly available sources, which were cited in the Dec. 20, 2019 article, “Actor files for 19th Congressional District Republican primary race.”]

Casey Askar: No response

Byron Donalds: No response

Dane Eagle: No response

William Figlesthaler: No response

Heather Fitzenhagen: No response

Randy Henderson: No response

Christy McLaughlin:

04-10-20 Christy McLaughlin If there is any positive notions that come from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is that we live and we learn. The American foundation has shown our strength and ability to improve our preparedness for global crises. My thoughts and prayers are with every family affected. On a personal note, my cousin has passed away from the COVID-19 virus. Statistics of those infected, those cured, and those who have passed will not reflect the emotional toll that the COVID-19 virus has caused. More than ever, a Congressional representative must be accessible to the people. When the people of Southwest Florida look to leadership, they have earned transparency and no disingenuous or misleading legislation during a time where the nation is suffering.

President Trump’s two trillion dollar stimulus came in a time of great need. However, despite the emergency at hand, the stimulus has been used as an opportunity to check off agenda points for partisan issues, including twenty five million dollars allocated to the John F. Kennedy Center who subsequently conducted massive lay-offs. Additionally, bureaucrats have used partisan issues as the trajectory point of all discussions for future plans of another stimulus package. If I am elected to represent Southwest Florida, first, my entire focus would be the interest of our local community. I plan to work to implement disaster infrastructure that includes proactive measures to assist Home Rule in the case of future disaster or pandemics. Federal representatives are meant to support the State’s rights and control of the area they represent. Therefore, any disaster infrastructure would be focused to support the state’s control and decision-making. Lastly, I would advocate for the Single Subject rule to be implemented into Congress. The Single Subject rule is included in the Florida Constitution for the very purpose of ensuring that citizens receive notice of the content of the legislation, and there is no misleading information in which politicians can sneak politicized law within a general bill. The Single Subject rule maintains the power of the people by ensuring representatives are transparently including law that is properly connected therewith the main subject matter of the legislation. A Congressional representative is a voice of the people. My promise to you, is that I will always put Southwest Florida first.

Daniel Severson: No response

[Note: Contact information for Antonio Demornay, the District’s Independent candidate, was unavailable.]

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The hidden story of the Democratic presidential primary–and the party’s future UPDATED

04-08-20 Beto O'Rourke high school 04-08-20 Julian Castro high school cropped 04-08-20 Eric Swalwell high school 04-08-20 Pete Buttigieg high school

High school photos of Beto O’Rourke, Julian Castro, Eric Swalwell and Pete Buttigieg.

April 9, 2020 by David Silverberg.

Updated 10:45 am with additional concluding analysis.

With the withdrawal yesterday of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the Democratic presidential nomination is now in former Vice President Joe Biden’s hands; all that remains is an official party coronation.

But amidst the excitement and heartbreak of the Democratic presidential primaries there’s another story that needs to be told. It may be the biggest to come out of the presidential campaign to date—and the most overlooked and hidden.

The coming presidential battle between Joe Biden and Donald Trump is probably the last struggle of Baby Boomers over political power. Donald Trump is 73 and Joe Biden is 77. Sanders is 78 and, just to add them to the mix, Michael Bloomberg is 78 and Elizabeth Warren is 70.

But amidst the brawling debates and the stabbing sound bites, something else happened: a new generation of Democratic leaders emerged and these are the ones who will ultimately lead the nation in the years to come. They were all on display in the first rush of candidates to seek the presidential mantle. None of them succeeded—but they stepped into the limelight, no matter how briefly, and we all got a first look at them.

If the United States remains a democracy, continues to operate under its Constitution and has regularly scheduled elections as in the past—things that can’t be taken for granted if this president remains in office—then these under-50 Democratic leaders will be on the political stage for a long time to come. All are elected officials, all are now veterans of a presidential campaign and all are likely to be back in one form or another. It gives the Democrats a deep bench.

They’re worth looking at, each in turn and examining their electoral records, their prospects and—subjectively—what they might do next to further their political careers.

So, from oldest to youngest:

Beto O’Rourke

Age: 47 years old, born September 26, 1972.

Education: Columbia University

Previous offices: El Paso City Council, 2005 to 2011; won US House Representative, Texas 16th Congressional District with 65 percent of the vote and served 6 years, 2013 to 2019.

In 2018 O’Rourke ran against Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and came within 3 percentage points of defeating him, raising $80 million in the process, the most ever raised by a Senate candidate to that time. He also created enormous enthusiasm for his candidacy, appearing as a fresh, exciting candidate who appealed to younger voters

O’Rourke announced his candidacy for president on March 14, 2019. He never inspired the enthusiasm he had in his Senate race and he announced termination of his campaign on Nov. 1, 2019, well before the first primaries and caucuses. On Super Tuesday, March 3, he briefly made headlines when he dramatically endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden for president.

Next steps: Texas Sen. John Cornyn (R) is up for re-election this year but last February O’Rourke flatly decided not to challenge him in order to concentrate on his presidential run. The next possible move is the Texas governorship, which opens in 2022. The current governor, Republican Gregg Abbott, could run for a third term and there are numerous other potential Democratic candidates (more below). When O’Rourke dropped his presidential bid there was talk among the punditry and party activists about his serving as Biden’s vice president, though Biden announced that a woman would be his running mate.

Analysis: If O’Rourke doesn’t go into the executive branch he needs to win the next election he enters to stay a credible prospect for higher electoral office.

Julian Castro

04-08-20 Julián_Castro's_Official_HUD_Portrait — Julian Castro

Age: 45 years old, born Sept. 16, 1974

Education: Stanford University, Harvard Law School

Previous offices: San Antonio City Council, 2000 to 2005 (at 26, the youngest person ever to hold that position); unsuccessful run for mayor of San Antonio, Texas, 2005; in 2008 elected mayor with 56 percent of the vote and served 2009 to 2014; US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 2014 to 2017 under President Barack Obama. He also gave the keynote address at the 2012 Democratic National Convention and was considered as a vice presidential running mate for Hillary Clinton.

Castro announced his run for president on Jan. 12, 2019. Although he participated in several debates, his campaign never caught fire and he dropped out almost exactly a year after he started, on Jan. 2, 2020. He endorsed Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) four days later.

Next steps: If he seeks Texas office, Castro’s way forward could run into Beto O’Rourke as a rival for the Texas governorship in 2022 or he could take on Sen. Ted Cruz in 2024. Until Joe Biden announced that he would be selecting a woman as running mate, Castro was seriously considered as a vice presidential candidate. Depending on the outcome of the 2020 election, he could try another presidential run in 2024.

Analysis: With his past service in the executive branch, Castro is a real possibility for a Cabinet position in a Democratic administration. Clearly a politician of both electoral and administrative ability with appeal to the Hispanic community, he has numerous options and roads open to him.

Eric Swalwell

Age: 39, born November 16, 1980

Education: Campbell University, NC, transferred in junior year to University of Maryland, College Park, BA; University of Maryland, Baltimore, JD

Previous offices: Alameda County deputy district attorney; city council, Dublin, Calif., 2010; US representative California 15th Congressional District, starting 2012.

Swalwell announced his candidacy on April 8, 2019 and made addressing gun violence the centerpiece of his campaign. His most prominent moment came in the first presidential debate when he observed that he was six years old when Joe Biden spoke of passing the torch to a new generation. His presidential campaign never caught fire, though, and he withdrew in July, before he could be disqualified for the next round of presidential debates.

Next steps: A logical next step would be for Swalwell to pursue a US Senate seat. However, both of California’s Senate seats are held by fellow Democrats. The seat of Kamala Harris, who also ran for president, is up for election in 2022. Depending on the outcome of the 2020 election, Harris could either enter a Democratic administration or seek re-election in 2022. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who has held her seat since 1992, may retire when her term is up in 2024. A run for governor in 2022 seems a stretch since current governor Gavin Newsom is a Democrat. If he seeks a second term it would be difficult for Swalwell to unseat him.

Alternatively, Swalwell could continue to build his career in the House of Representatives. He has graduated to increasingly important roles and committee assignments in his three terms to date as a representative and there may be party leadership openings in the future. He defeated two Democratic primary challengers in his congressional district on March 3 and is in a strong position to win re-election in November.

Though Swalwell did not go far as a presidential candidate, he appeared on the national stage as an intelligent and articulate politician. In the past he has proven an innovative campaigner. As a millennial himself, he made outreach to his generation a central pillar of his presidential campaign and that may pay dividends in the future. In 2015 he founded the Future Forum Political Action Committee, aimed at millennials and their issues. It raised more than $542,000 during the 2017-2018 election cycle — a significant jump from the $62,400 it raised in the 2016 election cycle, according to the Center for Public Integrity.

Whatever he does in the future, Swalwell is definitely a Democrat to keep an eye on.

Pete Buttigieg

Age: 38, born January 19, 1982

Education: Harvard University, BA, magna cum laude; Rhodes Scholar; Pembroke College, Oxford, UK, MA with a first in politics, philosophy and economics.

Military service: Joined US Naval Reserve, 2009 as ensign, promoted to lieutenant; 2014 deployment to Afghanistan, recipient Joint Service Commendation Medal.

Previous office: Mayor, South Bend, Indiana 2011-Jan. 1, 2020.

Analysis: Of all the candidates under 50, Buttigieg emerged as the media standout. He won the Iowa caucuses after a murky primary process and participated in numerous debates where he came across as very intelligent and articulate. His campaign lasted longest and for a time he seemed to have a real shot at the nomination. His options seem limitless.

Next steps: It’s doubtful that Buttigieg would have much of a political career in very conservative Indiana—then again, just becoming mayor of South Bend and going as far as he did as a presidential candidate seemed improbable. Both current Indiana senators are Republicans and their seats are not up until 2023 and 2025 respectively. The governor, Eric Holcomb, who took over when Mike Pence assumed the vice presidency, is up in 2020, but given his concentration on the presidency, Buttigieg showed no interest in pursuing the office and Indiana pundits think he would have a difficult time if he did.

Buttigieg might have a variety of possible positions in a Joe Biden administration or he could pursue a Democratic Party position.

Buttigieg came out as gay in 2015 and is married to Chasten Glezman, a sexual orientation that will certainly sway some voters against him. However, it didn’t seem to affect his presidential run much and it was never cited as a major issue by the other candidates—although it might have been had he stayed the front runner.

Of all the presidential candidates under 50 who ran in 2019 and 2020, Buttigieg’s star shown brightest. If the Democrats win the presidency and he stays healthy and politically involved, there’s no telling where Buttigieg might go.

* * *

Another Democratic presidential candidate was Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, 38, of Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District. A three-term representative with military service, Gabbard showed promise of political leadership despite some controversial actions, like meeting with Syria’s President Bashar al Assad.

But Gabbard really took herself out of the running for Democratic leadership when she voted “present” on the impeachment vote of President Donald Trump on Dec. 19, 2019, saying she could not in good conscience vote for either side. The animosity resulting from that stance has likely doomed any further advancement in Democratic Party politics. Gabbard also announced that she would not seek re-election to her congressional seat in order to pursue the presidency, leaving her without elected office.

The other bright young star in the Democratic firmament is Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 30, of New York’s 14th Congressional District. AOC, as she is widely known, will first be eligible to run for president in the 2028 presidential election. Before she does that, however, she must win re-election this year to a second term in her home district.

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IHME: Peak of Coronavirus siege in Florida could be over sooner than previously estimated

A chart showing the estimated peak of the Coronavirus pandemic in Florida. (Chart: IHME)

April 6, 2020 by David Silverberg.

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), a respected independent population health research center at the University of Washington, has revised its estimate of the peak Coronavirus impact in Florida to April 21, 15 days from today.

This is 12 days earlier than a previous estimate of one week ago, which put the peak at May 3. It means Floridians can look forward to the worst days of the siege being over sooner than previously expected.

The change in estimate is chiefly due to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ issuance of a stay-at-home order on April 3 and government-ordered social distancing measures. However, DeSantis has not closed essential services or severely restricted travel, which are measures taken into account by the IHME estimate. Those measures would further flatten the curve of infections.

The IHME estimate also lowers the estimated shortage of intensive care unit (ICU) beds in Florida from 843 to 769 beds. It estimates that 2,095 ventilators will be needed by the state.

Flattening the curve only slightly alters the expected number of deaths to 6,770, down just six from last week’s estimate of 6,776. However, the estimated number of COVID-19 deaths per day go up from 174 to 242 at the peak, the point when the numbers of infections are worst.

Nationally, IHME is estimating infections to reach their peak on April 15, nine days from today. It’s anticipating a shortage of 36,654 hospital beds and 16,323 ICU beds. It projects a need for 24,828 ventilators. At its peak, IHME expects 3,130 deaths nationwide on April 16 and total deaths at 81,766—375 fewer than projected a week ago.

Yesterday, April 5, Vice Adm. Dr. Jerome Adams, the US surgeon general warned on Fox News Sunday that the next two weeks were going to be the worst nationally.

“Well, it’s tragically fitting that we’re talking at the beginning of Holy Week because this is going to be the hardest and the saddest week of most Americans’ lives, quite frankly,” he told host Chris Wallace. “This is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment, only it’s not going to be localized. It’s going to be happening all over the country. And I want America to understand that. But I also want them to understand that the public, along with the state and the federal government, have a power to change the trajectory of this epidemic.”

He continued: “I want Americans to understand that, as hard as this week is going to be, there is a light at the end of the tunnel if everyone does their part for the next 30 days.”

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Debate: How would Democratic candidates tackle Coronavirus in Congress?

April 6, 2020 by David Silverberg.

While in-person political campaigning is suspended, vigorous discussion of the issues is still essential. With that aim in mind, The Paradise Progressive asked the two Democratic congressional candidates in Florida’s 19th Congressional District the question:

If you were in Congress right now, what actions would you take to serve SWFL regarding the Coronavirus pandemic?

The answers are presented below. Regrettably, our format does not permit side-by-side layouts so the answers are presented sequentially, in alphabetical order by last name. The length of the answers was left up to the candidates.

The answers are in full with very minor editing for grammar and to fix any typographic errors.

Cindy Banyai:

I support the components of the CARES Act and the previous two COVID19-related bills. I think it was particularly important for that bill to include provisions around the basic care and support of individuals, as well for small businesses and students. I would have voted for the bill and advocated for provisions related to the areas above to keep people moving through the necessary suppression actions to stem the outbreak and to keep our healthcare system from collapse.

In a fourth emergency bill, I would like to see an extension of direct cash support to individuals, as well as an expansion of unemployment benefits and community and food support. We will also need more funds to healthcare providers for equipment and a strategy and funding for more widespread testing and research to accelerate progress toward a vaccine and treatment. There also needs to be a strategy and coordination around getting healthcare workers to the hardest hit areas to prevent further American lives lost to the disease. Investments into transitioning state election processes to accommodate social distancing and maintain our democracy will need to be included. I would advocate for these items, as well as push for this bill to be crafted and voted on as soon as possible. This next bill should be designed to get us through the suppression of the pandemic in the US.

Following the suppression of the pandemic, Representative Cindy Banyai would work to craft a bipartisan stimulus bill to recover the economy and help struggling families. This bill will need to include fiscal stimulus policies, such as infrastructure investments, to get people back to work and get money flowing in the economy, and tax breaks for working class people. There should also be mandates related to investments in public health and pandemic readiness. We will need education supports to help students get their careers back on track and to help retool displaced workers into new and growing areas of the economy. There will need to be policies and supports to help individuals maintain their housing and fix credit issues. SBA [Small Business Administration] funding policies will need to be designed to provide funding to start or re-start small businesses and to help them explore innovative endeavors to take our economy into the future.

In terms of the procedures of Congress, I would also be advocating for telecommuting options for members, including remote voting, to ensure our government can continue to operate in emergencies like this.

David Holden:

01-18-20 Holden and supporters cropped and adjusted — David Holden

SWFL is at an especially precarious position during this pandemic: a large swath of our population is in the most at-risk category, and our coastline community is based around seasonal tourism. Our economically vulnerable hospitality industry is already stretched thin during off months. I fear this crisis has caused the industry to snap, and hard-working small business owners and their employees are now vying for limited government relief loans. Our health system will be next to fold if we don’t take dramatic action on a federal level to aid hospitals and healthcare workers. There were periods of time where Collier didn’t even have testing facilities (and its current facility can only test 50 patients a day). We’re underprepared, but we don’t have to be.

We need a follow-up bill to the CARES Act that’s similarly robust. Because of the inaction of our Republican representatives at the federal and state level, this pandemic and its associated economic injuries will persist longer than was ever necessary. This extended shutdown will cripple large and small businesses who will lay off employees at an increased rate since they are not incentivized properly (yes they don’t have to repay loans if they retain staff, but more needs to be done) to keep employees on the payroll. We need $300 billion more to go to small businesses. On the individual level, more than a one-time injection of $1,200 needs to go to working people. We need a system more akin to Canada’s, who will pay households $2,000 every month the crisis persists. More has to be done to protect our students, a significant portion of whom won’t receive that $1,200, including forgiving swaths of student loan debt. We must reopen the health insurance marketplace with affordable, quality plans. We also need another cash injection into hospitals and healthcare centers. If America can spend $400 billion on a fighter jet that can’t fly, we can spend the same on saving our healthcare workers.

Finally, we must put a stop to the damage this administration is allowing to happen while we’re all distracted with the dire issues at hand. States around the country, like Texas, are essentially barring abortions from taking place. This is unconstitutional and just another GOP grab to control women’s bodies in a crisis. Access to all healthcare needs to be built into federal guidelines. In addition, this administration is rolling back several environmental protections, like car emission standards and limiting the scope of the Environmental Protection Agency, the latter of which severely impacts a coastal community like SWFL. Imagine an especially heinous red tide coupled with even sludgier blue-green algal blooms attacking our lungs and waterways at the same time as COVID-19, all to protect corporate polluters during a pandemic. People first, always.

All of the above is to say the issues we’re seeing are simply an illumination of the cracks chiseled into our social bedrock for over 40 years by hard-right, Republican extremists. The job of a congressional representative is to bring America back to trusting experts, respecting human life, crafting policy for working people not corporations, working towards single-payer healthcare, progress on civil rights, protecting our precious environment—the list is truly never-ending for a public servant. I vow to create the space necessary for real change not only in our district but throughout America.

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Medical data: Fevers coming down in Southwest Florida thanks to social distancing

Lee and Collier counties show fewer fevers than neighboring counties to the east, according to data from a medical supply company. (Maps and charts: Kinsa)

April 2, 2020 by David Silverberg.

Southwest Florida is becoming less feverish, according to mapping by a digital thermometer company that tracks cases of atypical temperatures in users of its thermometers.

According to the company, Kinsa, based in San Francisco, Calif., this means that social distancing is working in bringing down contagious fevers.

“Social distancing is slowing the spread of feverish illnesses across the country,” the company states on its website.

The dark blue indicates a reduction in the number of reported fevers, which have been declining statewide but particularly in Collier County.

However, the company cautions that this does not necessarily mean that cases of COVID-19 are declining—in fact those are expected to rise.

Nonetheless, it does show a decline in cases of atypical temperatures across the nation.

04-02-20 Lee County fever trend In Lee and Collier counties the cases of atypical temperatures declined by 11.9 percent from their peaks, which occurred on March 18 and 19.

Nationally, fevers peaked on March 17, according to the company.

The data and what the company calls its “Healthweather Map,” comes from its QuickCare and Smart Ear digital thermometers. These connect to a Kinsa App digital application that collects the information from the thermometer and provides personalized guidance and information for the user. It also uploads anonymous data on local illnesses and fevers to Kinsa, allowing the company to map global trends.

04-02-20 Collier County fever trends “We believe that the biggest problem in healthcare globally is the spread of infectious illness. The key to stopping the spread is better information on where and when it is starting,” states the company’s mission statement. “Our mission is to stop the spread of contagious illness through earlier detection and earlier response.”

Kinsa was founded in 2012 by Inder Singh, a former executive vice president of the Clinton Foundation’s Clinton Health Access Initiative, a global non-profit organization fighting malaria and other diseases. Following clearance from the Food and Drug Administration, the company began manufacturing and distributing its thermometers in 2014, initially aiming to track the seasonal flu and other diseases that caused fevers.

04-02-20 Kinsa products — The Kinsa app and thermometer.

The company was perfectly positioned to track the rise of fevers associated with COVID-19 when the pandemic broke out.

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Florida virus cases projected to peak in May, states health research center

Florida’s Coronavirus cases. As of March 30 Lee County had 152 confirmed cases and 6 deaths; Collier had 111 and 1 death. (Map: Johns Hopkins University of Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center)

March 30, 2020 by David Silverberg.

Florida’s Coronavirus cases will peak in May according to a projection by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IMHE), an independent population health research center at the University of Washington.

The peak day is projected to be May 3—33 days from now.

By August, the Institute projects that Florida will have suffered 6,766 deaths, reaching a rate of 174 deaths per day at its peak. Deaths should cease by the end of June.

The projections do not break down by county, so a separate projection for Southwest Florida is unavailable.

Florida has the resources to cope with the pandemic, according to the Institute. On May 3, when demand will be highest, it will have 20,184 hospital beds to handle demand for 16,861 beds. However, it will require 2,538 intensive care unit (ICU) beds and be short 843. It currently has only 1,695 ICU beds. The state will also need 2,029 ventilators.

The IMHE model was cited by Dr. Deborah Birx, response coordinator for the White House Coronavirus taskforce, in an interview with journalist Chuck Todd yesterday, March 29, on “Meet the Press“.

“No state, no metro area will be spared,” warned Birx. “And the sooner we react and the sooner the states and the metro areas react and ensure that they’ve put in full mitigation, at the same time understanding exactly what their hospitals need, then we’ll be able to move forward together and protect the most Americans.”

To date Florida has not implemented a stay-at-home order, closed non-essential services or severely limited travel within the state. It is testing incoming travelers at its northern and western borders.

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is coming under increasing pressure to implement strong measures like New York’s but has so far resisted. The Lee and Collier County councils have similarly resisted strong measures, fearing their impact on the state and local economy.

The IMHE model does not project the Florida infection and death rate if such measures are taken.

Nationally, IMHE projects peak resource use on April 15, when American hospitals will need 224,321 hospital beds and be short 61,509. The US will also be short 15,103 ICU beds and need 33,440 and will require 16,753 ventilators. Ultimately, it projects 82,141 American deaths from COVID-19.

This is lower than the number cited by Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Yesterday he told Jake Tapper on CNN’s “State of the Union,” “I mean, looking at what we’re seeing now, you know, I would say between 100 and 200,000 (deaths). But I don’t want to be held to that.” Fauci added that there could be “millions of cases” of Coronavirus infection.

Yesterday President Donald Trump dropped the idea of opening the nation for business on Easter and allowed social distancing standards to remain in force until April 30.

In the same press conference Trump said that when it came to vital supplies, “Florida has been taken care of.” In response to a follow-up question he added “Florida I looked, they’re very aggressive in trying to get things and they’re doing a very good job.” He went on to say that all governors are committed to responding to the pandemic and that most states were “very happy” with the federal response.

According to the Washington Post article, “Desperate for medical equipment, states encounter a beleaguered national stockpile,” Florida has received special treatment in receiving crucial supplies.

“Florida has been an exception in its dealings with the stockpile,” states the article. “The state submitted a request on March 11 for 430,000 surgical masks, 180,000 N95 respirators, 82,000 face shields and 238,000 gloves, among other supplies — and received a shipment with everything three days later, according to figures from the state’s Division of Emergency Management. It received an identical shipment on March 23, according to the division, and is awaiting a third.”

“‘The governor has spoken to the president daily, and the entire congressional delegation has been working as one for the betterment of the state of Florida,’” said Jared Moskowitz, the emergency management division’s director. “‘We are leaving no stone unturned.’”

Florida’s treatment is in contrast to states like Michigan and New York, whom the president has criticized as being disrespectful to him and where officials are complaining about being shortchanged by the federal government.

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Coronavirus aid, a new Republican in the 19th, Figlesthaler unsuspends, journalists unionize–SWFL’s state of play UPDATED

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi signs the Coronavirus support bill today.

March 27, 2020 by David Silverberg.

Updated at 6:12 pm with Trump signature and Republican candidate chart, also at 10:20 pm with Rooney and Steube tweets.

This afternoon the US House of Representatives approved the CARES Act, (HR 748) providing $2 trillion in relief for Americans and businesses hurt by the Coronavirus pandemic.

The measure passed on a near-unanimous voice vote, so the votes of Southwest Floridian representatives were not individually recorded. The measure had bipartisan support in both the Senate, where it passed 96-0, and the House and was endorsed by President Donald Trump. Trump signed it shortly after receiving it, enacting it into law.

Rep. Francis Rooney (R-19-Fla.) praised Pelosi for the bill’s passage in a tweet: “Thank you
@SpeakerPelosi for moving the CARES Act quickly and safely through the House of Representatives, and for your work on this legislation. As Americans, we must come together to defeat this virus. #Coronavirus.”

However, Rep. Greg Steube (R-17-Fla.) still found cause for complaint. “Explain to me how allocating $1 billion of taxpayer money to fund an Obama era program that provides discounted phone service for people will save lives? Pelosi put this in her COVID-19 response bill. She is exploiting this national crisis to push her politics!” he tweeted yesterday.

Nonetheless, Steube managed to eke out praise for Congress and the legislation itself in a pair of tweets once it passed. “This bill will provide assistance for families, small businesses, and health care providers working on the front line to combat the virus. Although not perfect, and there are many pieces of this legislation I do not support, I think it’s important for unemployed workers and small businesses to get economic relief now so that we can quickly get our economy back on track.”

New candidate in the 19th

As though we did not have excitement enough, yet another Republican candidate is aspiring to attain the 19th Congressional District seat being vacated by Rep. Francis Rooney.

This time it’s Michigan businessman Casey Askar. Askar filed on March 20 and sent out a press release stating that he felt called upon to serve the nation.

According to his announcement, Asker, a Christian born in Iraq, came to the United States at the age of 7, attended Oakland College, a school in southeastern, Michigan, joined the US Marine Corps and then graduated from Harvard Business School.

Askar is a very busy entrepreneur. He started the Askar Family Office portfolio, which promotes food brand franchises. He distributes food to Askar Brands restaurants through ASC Foods. He’s involved in commercial real estate through Askar Properties and manages back office operations for franchisees. He’s also a franchisee for brands such as Church’s Chicken and Dunkin’ Donuts.

Askar doesn’t say if he lives in Southwest Florida full time or resides in District 19. His campaign committee’s mailing address is a post office box in Naples. Representatives are required to reside in the state they represent.

“My life is the embodiment of the American Dream,” Askar stated in his campaign announcement. “From fleeing tyrants in Iraq at the age of seven, to enlisting in the US Marines at eighteen, to watching President Donald Trump get elected president, I am so grateful for the life I have been able to build in my great country,”

Like all the Republican candidates in the 19th District, Askar is a passionate Trumper.

“Now, watching President Trump fight the rise of socialism and a world-wide pandemic, I feel called to serve again. America has given so much to me, my family, and my children, it’s time to give back and save our land of opportunity for future generations. Our country’s future is worth fighting for.” His campaign video shows Democratic politicians while it excoriates socialism

Other than his allegiance to Trump, Askar makes no mention of policy positions on any other issue and certainly doesn’t address local or environmental issues on his website, which only asks for donations. He lists no political or government experience.

Askar is the father of six children. He does not give his age in his campaign materials.

Askar’s entry brings the number of Republican congressional candidates to nine and keeps the total number of candidates at 12, with two Democrats and one Independent.

AQUINO, DARREN DIONE	1	REPUBLICAN PARTY	AQUINO FOR CONGRESS
ASKAR, CASEY	2	REPUBLICAN PARTY	CASEY ASKAR FOR CONGRESS
DONALDS, BYRON	3	REPUBLICAN PARTY	BYRON DONALDS FOR CONGRESS
EAGLE, DANE	4	REPUBLICAN PARTY	DANE EAGLE FOR CONGRESS
FIGLESTHALER, WILLIAM MATTHEW MD	5	REPUBLICAN PARTY	WILLIAM FIGLESTHALER FOR CONGRESS
FITZENHAGEN, HEATHER	6	REPUBLICAN PARTY	HEATHER FITZENHAGEN FOR CONGRESS
HENDERSON, RANDY	7	REPUBLICAN PARTY	RANDY HENDERSON FOR CONGRESS
MCLAUGHLIN, CHRISTY	8	REPUBLICAN PARTY	CHRISTY FOR CONGRESS
SEVERSON, DANIEL MARK	9	REPUBLICAN PARTY	SEVERSON FOR CONGRESS

Republicans currently running for the 19th Congressional District seat and their campaign committees.

The number of Republicans running dropped by one when Ford O’Connell ended his campaign on March 19. Another candidate announced suspension of his campaign the same day, but…

The unsuspension of William Figlesthaler

On March 19 Dr. William Figlesthaler solemnly announced the temporary suspension of his congressional campaign and conversion of its phone lines to Coronavirus response hotlines.

“My team has worked tirelessly over the last couple of days to transition our campaign operations into a resource center designed to help the citizens of Southwest Florida navigate the multitude of resources available to help them through this time of uncertainty,” he stated in an announcement at the time.

Normally, temporary suspension of a campaign is code for “it’s over, folks,” but that doesn’t seem to be the case here. New Figlesthaler campaign ads are appearing on Southwest Florida television channels and there’s no indication of any slowdown in his media platforms.

Commentary: The suspension, such as it was, seems to have lasted a week— perhaps in keeping with President Trump’s view of the severity of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Figlesthaler has issued a video explaining his positions and, of course, his loyalty to President Trump.

03-27-20 Fig video — Dr. Fig battles the late Sen. John McCain.

In the video, against an inset of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), he denounces Democrats, whom he says “want socialized medicine,” then he turns to the other side, saying, “while establishment Republicans have failed to implement President trump’s aggressive free market solutions”—and he shows an inset of Republican Sen. John McCain—who died two years ago.

This is the “establishment Republican” Figlesthaler is running against: a dead American hero.

It will be interesting to see if he can win against live Republicans.

Petition deadline

Both Democratic and Republican candidates have been seeking a delay in Florida’s Monday, March 23rd deadline to turn in ballot petitions to get on the August 18 primary ballot. They argued that with the Coronavirus pandemic, it was impossible to collect petitions or canvass neighborhoods. The alternative to a petition drive is payment of a $10,044 fee.

On Tuesday, March 24, Laurel Lee, Florida’s secretary of state, issued a statement to Florida Politics: “As is always the case, the Florida Department of State will closely assess all conditions that affect the August and November elections, including any ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic. We, like you and the rest of the nation, are monitoring the coronavirus pandemic, and we will recommend any appropriate accommodations or decisions as we move closer to the election dates and understand more about the ongoing impact to our state.”

An inquiry to the Division of Elections by The Paradise Progressive received a response that a reply would be forthcoming.

If the state chooses not to waive or postpone the deadline or make some other accommodation for petitions, the congressional field of candidates in the 19th District could be considerably reduced.

Union vote for local journalists postponed

Political elections are not the only ones being affected by the Coronavirus pandemic; union elections are impacted too.

Since local print journalists have endured repeated layoffs and employment insecurity, back in February they decided to unionize.

“We, the journalists of the Naples Daily News, The News-Press, The Banner and the Marco Eagle, are unionizing,” they declared. “We want a seat at the table and a stable work environment where outstanding journalism matters most.”

Members of the SWFL News Guild. (Image: SWFL News Guild)

The Southwest Florida News Guild, a unit of the Newsguild-Communications Workers of America, was to have held its union election on Wednesday, March 25. However, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the National Labor Relations Board is putting off all union votes until April.

“Newspapers have reached a critical juncture as financial pressures and corporate mergers have decimated the staff of local newsrooms, including ours. A merger between our parent company, Gannett, and GateHouse Media will continue to gut our newsrooms. Even before the merger, we faced stagnant salaries, increased workloads, rising costs for health insurance, inadequate compensation for mileage and, most critically, the inability to retain many of our most talented peers,” the organizers stated.

“The Southwest Florida News Guild is being born from these conditions. Gannett has made bargaining as individual employees ineffective, which makes bargaining as a unit imperative. Collectively, we can fight for better pay, improved benefits and a diversity in our newsrooms that better reflects the communities we serve.”

Liberty lives in light

Where’s Rooney? Congressman missing in action on eve of major Coronavirus vote

Rep. Francis Rooney, May 10, 2019 at a meeting at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. (Photo: Author)

March 26, 2020 by David Silverberg.

Tomorrow the House of Representatives is expected to take up the Senate’s $2 trillion economic stimulus bill, providing some relief to people and businesses badly hit by the Coronavirus pandemic and financial crash.

House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-12-Calif.) is hoping to make it a quick vote, perhaps by voice, so there won’t be a record of how each member voted. While getting the job done, such a vote deprives the public of seeing their representatives’ positions.

That’s too bad for Southwest Florida.

A big question going into the vote is the presence or absence of Rep. Francis Rooney (R-19-Fla.). It is exactly one month since Rooney cast a vote on anything and in that time there have been some big issues before Congress—namely two bills on Coronavirus response and relief. In both cases, Rooney was missing in action.

03-26-20 Rooney missed votes

The track of Rep. Rooney’s missed votes. (Chart: GovTrack.us)

While The Paradise Progressive reached out to his office by phone and e-mail to get an explanation, no answer has been forthcoming. He has made no statements on the state of his health. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-25-Fla.), who represents the district adjacent to the 19th, has tested positive for Coronavirus and is in self-quarantine.

It bears noting that voting is the core, the essence, of a congressperson’s job. Everything else—introducing legislation, making public statements, weighing in on local issues, debating the issues, giving speeches, whatever—is secondary to casting votes to determine the country’s course and future.

Ever since he announced his retirement from Congress last October amidst the furor over President Donald Trump’s impeachment, Rooney has faded further and further from active participation in Congress.

In fact, Rooney is now rising to the top of the congressional list for members absent, according to Pro-Publica, an independent, non-profit investigative news organization. He has missed 28.4 percent of the votes in the 116th Congress, making him the fourth most absent member. This is a far cry from the 115th Congress of 2016 to 2018 when he only missed 10 percent of the votes and was the 33rd most absent member.

There are no explanations for these absences on any of Rooney’s media platforms. At most he has posted generic Coronavirus information on his Facebook page. The most recent posting today was a link to information on the Senate Coronavirus bill. His most recent press release was posted Feb. 7.

On March 19, Rooney issued a statement calling for Congress to permit remote voting.

“We are in a serious, global pandemic and Congress should utilize modern technology to permit remote voting,” he stated. “Votes on spending and response to the pandemic are critical and will need quick action. Remote voting is the way to effectuate social distancing and follow proper health procedures. The technology exists—Estonia has used it for years.

“This remote vote capability is even more necessary now that there are two Representatives that have tested positive for the virus. The work of Congress must continue, but it need not put people at risk unnecessarily.”

While the House of Representatives is debating alternatives to in-person voting, as of this writing votes must still be done in person.

If Rooney is no longer voting, it means that the voters of the 19th Congressional District have no say in how the country is being run or in any of the issues affecting them and Southwest Florida is not represented in Congress.

With in-person town halls now impractical due to the Coronavirus, there are no scheduled virtual town halls or any other substitute for constituent input offered by Rooney’s office.

Rooney’s absence from Congress mirrors former Rep. Curt Clawson’s absence after he announced his retirement. Clawson announced in May 2016 that he would not seek re-election and his absentee rate rose as well.

03-26-20 Clawson missed votes

A student signs a Florida ballot petition in pre-Coronavirus days of social intimacy, pens and paper. Petitions can now be submitted by e-mail. (Photo: author)

A screen shot from Drain the DC Swamp PAC’s anti-Eagle video.

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Today’s Florida Department of Health COVID-19 dashboard showing Coronavirus cases in Southwest Florida by Zip code. Note the highlighted button on the lower band that takes a user to counties and Zip codes.

Projected Coronavirus deaths in Florida. The shaded area shows the range of uncertainty in the projection (how high or low the death rate per day could go), the dotted line is the projected deaths and the solid line shows actual fatalities. (Chart: IMHE)

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High school photos of Beto O’Rourke, Julian Castro, Eric Swalwell and Pete Buttigieg.

Beto O’Rourke

Julian Castro

Pete Buttigieg

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A chart showing the estimated peak of the Coronavirus pandemic in Florida. (Chart: IHME)

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Lee and Collier counties show fewer fevers than neighboring counties to the east, according to data from a medical supply company. (Maps and charts: Kinsa)

The dark blue indicates a reduction in the number of reported fevers, which have been declining statewide but particularly in Collier County.

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Florida’s Coronavirus cases. As of March 30 Lee County had 152 confirmed cases and 6 deaths; Collier had 111 and 1 death. (Map: Johns Hopkins University of Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center)

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi signs the Coronavirus support bill today.

Republicans currently running for the 19th Congressional District seat and their campaign committees.

Members of the SWFL News Guild. (Image: SWFL News Guild)

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Rep. Francis Rooney, May 10, 2019 at a meeting at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. (Photo: Author)

The track of Rep. Rooney’s missed votes. (Chart: GovTrack.us)

Rep. Curt Clawson’s missed votes. (Source: GovTrack.us)

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