Hello and welcome to Tuesday.

Fly By Night — Like a comet slowly making its way across the solar system, it seems as if a presidential campaign by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is going to eventually get here.

Freewill— And that presents a choice for some of the state’s other top elected Republicans who have also been vocal supporters of former President Donald Trump. Trump has already begun to ramp up his criticism of DeSantis, including saying during a recent campaign swing that "when I hear he might run, I consider that very disloyal." Still, a couple of top Republicans contend they haven't made a decision yet on whether they will back DeSantis or Trump.

Time Stand Still— “Who knows man?” Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis said when asked on Monday. “There’s so many days between now and the presidential election cycle.”

Closer To The Heart— Patronis, however, was quick to add “I love my governor though” — and “I love Trump too.”

Circumstances — Recently elected Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson — who at times appeared to have a bumpy relationship with DeSantis — initially responded by saying “well, what kind of question is that?” When told it was a political question, Simpson replied with that's a "hypothetical question. The governor has done a great job here in the state. I’ve always supported the governor.” He then added: “If that scenario works out, we’ll determine that then.”

— WHERE'S RON? — Nothing official for Gov. DeSantis.

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CLEARING A PATH — Florida Republicans help DeSantis clean up legal and political dilemmas, by POLITICO’s Gary Fineout: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ likely presidential campaign is getting a major assist this week by Republican legislators who are moving quickly in a hastily called special session to help the governor. GOP lawmakers are taking steps to undercut or nix legal challenges against some of DeSantis’ signature programs — and are helping him resolve a year-long feud with Disney that DeSantis has used to highlight his ongoing battle against “woke” corporations.

Answer — But some acknowledged the bills teed up for passage would help DeSantis’ agenda. “Presidential campaigns aside, I have every interest in helping the governor,” said state Rep. Tom Leek, an Ormond Beach Republican and chairman of the main House budget committee which advanced the migrant proposal Monday. “What the governor is doing is helping the people of Florida.”

— “GOP-led Florida Legislature opens session to fix flaws in weapons used by DeSantis,” by USA Today Network – Florida’s John Kennedy and Douglas Soule

— “Special session is all about cleaning up DeSantis’ stunts, Democrats say,” by Orlando Sentinel’s Jeffrey Schweers

FOR YOUR RADAR — “DeSantis allies are eyeing a ’24 Super PAC,” by Puck’s Peter Hamby: “Multiple G.O.P. sources tell me that a pair of respected Republican consultants—Phil Cox, a veteran adviser to Republican governors with close connections with major donors, and Liesl Hickey, the former executive director of the National Republican Congressional Committee—have been recruiting staffers for a super PAC that would support a DeSantis bid. The governor has not made a decision on a campaign, but both Cox and Hickey are experienced, high-level strategists who helped steer DeSantis’s 2020 re-election bid.”

DIRECTIVE — “Gov. Ron DeSantis to Hillsborough: Refund sales tax. No spending on transit,” by Tampa Bay Times’ C.T. Bowen: Gov. Ron DeSantis wants the state to refund the voided Hillsborough County transportation sales tax to people who paid it and spend the rest on roads and bridges, but not mass transit. The directive is included in the governor’s proposed budget, released last week, and calls for the Department of Revenue to work with a third-party claims administrator to set up the refund procedures for nearly $570 million.

— “Meet the man in charge of DeSantis’ voter fraud cases,” by Tampa Bay Times’ Dan Sullivan

— Ron DeSantis, former (?) FairTax supporter, by POLITICO’s Bernie Becker and Benjamin Guggenheim

SHIFT— Legislation would allow DeSantis to appoint Disney oversight board, by POLITICO’s Matt Dixon: Gov. Ron DeSantis would get to appoint a five-member board to oversee most aspects of Disney World’s operations in Florida under much-anticipated legislation filed Monday as part of a special legislative session. DeSantis initially pledged to do away with Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District in Orange and Osceola counties, which has provided Disney self-governing status for more than 50 years, after company executives released a statement condemning legislation passed last year banning discussion of gender identity or sexual orientation in classrooms up until third grade.

MORE HELP — Florida lawmakers propose $50 million bridge loan for storm-ravaged localities, by POLITICO’s Arek Sarkissian: Lawmakers this week will consider a proposal that would create an emergency bridge loan for localities hit by Florida’s last two major storms — and throw in another $650 million into Gov. Ron DeSantis' state emergency fund. The bill, HB 1B in the House and SB 2B in the Senate, would create the Local Government Emergency Response Bridge Loan program with a one-time $50 million allocation from the state’s general revenue fund. The program is only available to local governments that were impacted by Hurricane Ian in September and Hurricane Nicole in November.

‘A THREE-PRONGED ATTACK’ — Opponents say growth bills cut against DeSantis environmental initiative, by POLITICO’s Bruce Ritchie: Environmentalists say bills filed in the Florida House would deal serious blows to smart growth and run contrary to a planning initiative announced last month by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The governor in January signed an executive order laying out a number of environmental initiatives related to water quality. He also directed state agencies to work with local governments to improve comprehensive planning "that ensures sustainable growth while protecting our natural resources."

REJECTED— “Mental health exams for two transgender children denied in Medicaid coverage case,” by News Service of Florida’s Dara Kam: “Two minors who are plaintiffs in a challenge to a state rule prohibiting Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming care for transgender people won’t have to undergo “mental examinations” as requested by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration, a federal judge ruled Monday. Lawyers for the state Agency for Health Care Administration, which largely oversees the Medicaid program, last month asked U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle to allow evaluations of patients identified as ‘Susan Doe’ and ‘K.F.’”

‘RESISTED FOREVER’ — “Florida’s struggle to teach Black history has become a battle over who controls the past,” by Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas: “As [Gov. Ron] DeSantis defends against charges that he is “erasing the state’s Black history,” he cites the 1994 law as evidence that it is required to be taught, but he is confronted with contradictions: Budget records show that the implementation of the law that has been on the books for decades has been not only understaffed and barely enforced, but DeSantis and legislative leaders have rejected requests to beef up resources to expand the teaching of Black history in Florida.”

— “Long shot bid to consider Medicaid expansion during Special Session shot down,” by Florida Politics’ Christine Jordan Sexton

— “Laura DiBella tapped as new head of Enterprise Florida,” by Florida Politics’ Gray Rohrer

PULLING AWAY— “Club for Growth distances itself further from Trump,” by The New York Times’ Michael C. Bender: “On Monday, [David] McIntosh spoke highly of [Gov. Ron] DeSantis and provided reporters with internal polling that showed the Florida governor beating Mr. Trump in a head-to-head primary matchup, but trailing when the poll included a wider, hypothetical field of seven candidates. ... Mr. McIntosh said that Mr. DeSantis had been invited to his group’s donor retreat, along with the other five non-Trump potential candidates in his group’s poll. … Mr. McIntosh declined to say whether any other contenders had accepted invitations to the retreat, which is set to be held in Florida, home to both Mr. Trump and Mr. DeSantis.”

— “Trump appeals nearly $1 million in sanctions for ‘frivolous’ suit he filed against Hillary Clinton,” by CNBC’s Dan Mangan

STATE OF THE UNION GUEST — “Her fetus had a fatal birth defect. She had to fly out of Florida for an abortion,” by Miami Herald’s Michelle Marchante: “After a painful discussion with her husband and her doctors, [Anabely] Lopes decided to get an abortion. But she says undergoing the procedure in Florida proved to be complicated: A new law restricting abortion access had gone into effect days earlier, and Lopes soon found herself on a plane, leaving South Florida to get an abortion at a clinic in Washington. On Tuesday, Lopes will return to Washington, this time accompanying U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address to spotlight the problems abortion-rights activists say are occurring across the country as states pass more restrictive measures on procedures to terminate pregnancies.”

DEMS UPDATE— Former state Sen. Annette Taddeo announced that she had picked up the endorsement of Chris Korge, national finance chair for the Democratic National Committee, in her bid to become the next chair of the Florida Democratic Party. Korge said in a statement that Taddeo has the “organizing skills and the respect of the donors” and said she is “exactly the kind of chair we need to turn Florida around.”

Taddeo has been trying for to build a list of endorsements — primarily from elected officials — as she seeks the position held by Manny Diaz until he abruptly resigned last month following the Democrats' disastrous midterms. She has picked up endorsements from four members of Florida’s congressional delegation, but Taddeo has not yet gotten backing from large chunks of Democratic Executive Committee members who will actually vote.

Meanwhile, one of the other candidates running for the job, Alex Berrios, rolled out a proposal Monday to create a $1.1 million funding proposal that would provide grants to various Democratic groups and clubs that sign up for regular training from the party in areas such as organizing, fundraising and candidate recruitment.

‘POTENT AMONG REPUBLICAN PRIMARY VOTERS’ — “Education issues vault to top of G.O.P.’s presidential race,” by The New York Times’ Trip Gabriel: “The messaging casts Republicans as defenders of parents who feel that schools have run amok with “wokeness.” Its loudest champion has been Gov. Ron DeSantis, who last week scored an apparent victory attacking the College Board’s curriculum on African American studies. Former President Donald J. Trump has sought to catch up with even hotter language, recently threatening ‘severe consequences’ for educators who ‘suggest to a child that they could be trapped in the wrong body.’”

FLORIDA MAN — “Women plotted with neo-Nazi to attack power grid, feds say,” by The Associated Press’ Lea Skene and Eric Tucker: “A Maryland woman spent months conspiring with a neo-Nazi leader based in Florida to plan an attack on Baltimore’s power grid, hoping to further their racist mission, law enforcement officials said Monday. The plan was thwarted when both suspects were arrested last week, adding to a growing list of similar cases as authorities warn the American electrical grid could be a vulnerable target for domestic terrorists. Sarah Beth Clendaniel, 34, was working with Brandon Russell, who founded a small Florida-based neo-Nazi group, to plan a series of ‘sniper attacks’ on Maryland electrical substations, according to a criminal complaint unsealed Monday.”

TRIAL STARTS — “Hurricane deaths at nursing home: accident or manslaughter?” by The Associated Press’ Terry Spencer: “A Florida nursing home administrator charged with causing the overheating deaths of nine patients after Hurricane Irma in 2017 went on trial Monday, with a prosecutor calling him a ‘captain who abandoned ship’ while his attorney said he’s a ‘scapegoat’ for failures of the electric company to restore power. Prosecutor Chris Killoran told the six-member jury that Jorge Carballo is guilty of manslaughter because he failed to give adequate direction to his staff at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills after power to the facility’s air conditioning system was lost.”

— “State goes after Orlando venue that hosted drag show. Will Fort Lauderdale be next?” by South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s Susannah Bryan

— “Palm Beach County schools propose axing policy references to barriers based on race, LGBTQ,” by Palm Beach Post’s Katherine Kokal

— “Miami’s airport just had its busiest year ever – and now it’s ranked No. 1 in Florida,” by Miami Herald’s Anna Jean Kaiser

— “Lakeland mass shooting suspect dies after police pursuit,” by The Ledger’s Sara-Megan Walsh

— “New College of Florida board meeting Feb. 13 to approve interim president’s contract,” by Sarasota Herald-Tribune’s Zac Anderson

— “Tampa, Orlando bars fight Florida health officials’ order blocking dogs from establishments,” by News Service of Florida: “Bars in Tampa and Orlando are challenging the Florida Department of Health over decisions to block dogs from being in the establishments. Pups Pub Tampa and Pups Pub Orlando filed a case last week at the state Division of Administrative Hearings after health officials issued orders to prevent dogs in what the case describes as ‘dog friendly bars.’ In part, attorneys for the bars wrote that the department reversed course after earlier allowing dogs.”

BIRTHDAYS: Former State Rep. Brad Drake … former Rep. Allen West