* “We must maintain a strong economic embargo and make Cuba’s Communist regime pay for its human rights abuses. … I will always put the Cuban people and their struggle for freedom and democracy first and hold the corrupt regime accountable for its crimes.” That was Democratic Congresswoman Val Demings, former Orlando police chief and current candidate for U.S. Senate, sounding not unlike someone who doesn’t want to concede the South Florida Cuban vote to Marco Rubio. Too bad we can’t embargo certain rhetoric.
* The 1st District Court of Appeal reinstated a stay against a circuit judge’s decision that had blocked the state’s congressional redistricting plan favored by Gov. DeSantis.
* The Democratic Black Caucus of Florida has voted to endorse Nikki Fried for governor. The final vote: Fried: 67 percent; Charlie Crist: 25 percent; Annette Taddeo: 8 percent.
* The state’s unemployment rate: 3.0 percent. This time last year: 5.1 percent.