Four people to watch in Florida in 2021 | Editorial - Tampa Bay Times

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Florida faces a changing landscape in 2021, as lawmakers struggle to balance the budget in response to the coronavirus pandemic and as activists push a varied agenda for the nation’s third largest state. Here are a few of the key players who are expected to play starring roles.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis during a news conference Monday, Dec. 14, 2020, at Tampa General Hospital. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) [ CHRIS O'MEARA | AP ]

Gov. Ron Desantis. States have only one governor, so it’s no surprise Ron DeSantis makes the list. But the Republican governor is facing a 2021 far different from 2020. He must manage a budget crisis resulting from the coronavirus pandemic, the complex job of continuing the vaccine rollout and increased criticism from some local officials who fault him for a detached leadership style. DeSantis rode to the governor’s office on President Donald Trump’s coattails, but now he must build a working relationship with the new Democratic administration in the White House. If Trump follows through on plans to establish his post-presidency residency in Florida, DeSantis will also face the dilemma of whether to continue under Trump’s shadow or to chart a more independent course. That decision will certainly impact the political prospects for this young, ambitious governor.

Rep. Chris Sprowls, R- Palm Harbor, talks with members of the Florida House on the first day of the 2020 session in Tallahassee. [ SCOTT KEELER | TAMPA BAY TIMES ]

House Speaker Chris Sprowls. The Palm Harbor Republican is at the apex of his power as he begins a two-year term as speaker. But Florida is facing a $5.4 billion budget gap in the next two years, and the post-COVID recovery is expected to be slow and uncertain, hinging on the orderly rollout of a vaccine, and a return of confidence among travelers looking to Florida. Sprowls will need to manage the competing demands for state resources; in his remarks on taking the helm in November, he called on members to take a more restrained approach to spending. Sprowls also has sharply defined the cultural divide between conservatives and progressives, even as he has tried to move Republicans to take the impact of climate change more seriously. It remains to be seen how he will shape the House’s tone and agenda. But Sprowls is positioned to advance key regional priorities. He also could push the bipartisan interest in juvenile justice reform over the finish line.

New head of the Florida Democratic Party. Terrie Rizzo announced she would step down as chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party after its shellacking in the 2020 elections, where President Trump handily won Florida, and Republicans took new seats in the Legislature and Congress. That sets up a leadership battle between frontrunners Manny Diaz, a former Miami mayor, and Florida Democratic National Committee member Nikki Barnes, who have announced their candidacies for the party chair race in January. The next leader will need to rebuild a party infrastructure short on talent and morale, and energize an institution that has failed to mobilize Democrats or offer much of a vision for Florida’s future. And the party doesn’t have time; with statewide races on the ballot in 2022, including for governor and U.S. Senate, Democrats will have to work hard to raise money, recruit candidates and convey a winning message.

Noah Valenstein

Noah Valenstein. The secretary of Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection is entering 2021 with much more on his plate. In mid-December, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it had approved Florida taking control of development decisions in more of the state’s wetlands, a move sought for years by Florida Republicans but resisted by many environmentalists who fear the state fast-tracking more development. And Valenstein has assumed some responsibilities of Florida’s newly created post of chief resilience officer since Julia Nesheiwat stepped down in February. Nesheiwat was not in the job long enough to fashion a role for herself or a vision for Florida, prompting many Florida localities — including those in the Tampa Bay area — to create their own resiliency programs without any guidance from Tallahassee. Environmentalists and local governments will be looking for Valenstein, an Alachua County native, to demonstrate his commitment to protecting wetlands and his agenda for preparing Florida to confront the impacts of climate change.

Editorials are the institutional voice of the Tampa Bay Times. The members of the Editorial Board are Times Chairman and CEO Paul Tash, Editor of Editorials Graham Brink, and editorial writers Elizabeth Djinis, John Hill and Jim Verhulst. Follow @TBTimes_Opinion on Twitter for more opinion news

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Four people to watch in Florida in 2021 | Editorial - Tampa Bay Times
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