Trump, DeSantis on center stage as Crist, Fried debate. Will Biden still visit?

Good afternoon, I am Antonio Fins, a politics editor with the USA Today Florida Network, and here is our weekly recap of the week that was in state politics.

There was another spike in COVID-19 cases in Florida, but you know who didn't catch it here? President Joe Biden. We'll explain.

Let's start with the dual-coast debate over Florida and California ...

Nation follows Margaritaville versus California Dreaming sparring

Gov. Ron DeSantis may have gotten the last word in the Sunshine State versus Golden State rivalry with Gov. Gavin Newsom. Records show lots of Californians have been flocking to the Atlantic coast state.

DeSantis doesn't have a primary opponent, which gives him more time to court key constituencies, including Hispanic voters who have helped redden Florida.

Another is the mom vote, and the governor wooed them at a Moms for Liberty summit appearance where DeSantis told the group to get ready for a fight.

The Moms for Liberty group has embraced conspiracy theories. But when one of your major donors turns out to believe there are many aliens among us, living "right under people's noses," why let another fringe idea or two get in between votes and campaign money?

But maybe Californians aren't as flaky as we like to say they are?

Trump, DeSantis split screen; Crist, Fried take gloves off in TV debate

Florida's two hottest political main eventers, DeSantis and former President Donald Trump, will have speaking engagements in the state this weekend.

Both are scheduled to speak at the young conservatives Turning Point USA gathering in Tampa. DeSantis will also speak at a Florida Republican gathering in Broward County, but you may not hear what he says because the media is apparently not invited.

The Democrats seeking to challenge DeSantis, Charlie Crist and Nikki Fried, got some air time this week.

The two were among the headliners at the Florida Democratic Party's pre-election confab in Tampa.

With just a month to go before their Aug. 23 primary showdown, Fried has amped up her attacks and criticism of Crist, a former Republican governor of Florida.

On Thursday, the two faced off in their first and only televised debate, with Crist and Fried sharply disagreeing about their past records on abortion and affordable housing.

At grassroots, culture war issues continue to boil, roil voters

Across Florida, election rhetoric is heated, with this Panhandle school board candidate saying doctors who assist transgender youths "should be hanging from the nearest tree."

In Leon County, this state prosecutor said he would "follow the law" including charges against anyone who violates the state's new 15-week abortion ban.

In Gainesville, at least, this community group took a more measured approach with a rally aimed at addressing youth violence.

Other efforts attempted to address the political debate with public policy measures, including a call to sell the morning-after pill on a college campus' vending machines.

That idea got the backing of the University of Florida's Student Senate, which endorsed it.

The governor, by the way, touted another of his pet projects – a $106 million civic literacy – by unveiling a $6.5 million Career Pathways for Public Service Initiative at Florida State College at Jacksonville.

Biden has COVID. DeSantis takes page from Dems' playbook with checks

Vice President Kamala Harris met with Democratic lawmakers and military leaders, among others, during a two-stop visit to Tampa and Orlando.

President Joe Biden was scheduled to visit next week, but those plans may likely change in light of his COVID-19 infection.

DeSantis has been critical of "Bidenflation," but the governor is going ahead and doling out $450 checks to needy families to combat spiraling prices.But won't flooding more money in an inflationary economy worsen price increases? Not in DeSantis Land economics apparently.

That will be a timely dollar infusion into households just as another sales tax break, for back-to-school shopping, begins.

That's about it! Keep reading for this week's top headlines in politics, and remember to tune in to the Inside Florida Politics podcast. 🎙️ 

And finally, thank you for reading. We appreciate you trusting our statewide journalists to keep you informed. If you are encouraged by our work and want to support your local journalists, please consider subscribing. Know someone who would benefit from this newsletter? Forward this email so they can sign up here. 

— Producer Jon Tully and politics editor Antonio Fins curated this newsletter. Have any feedback for us? We'd love to hear from you via this form.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Ron DeSantis vs. Gavin Newsom: Who had the last word?