>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, FLORIDA'S EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS FACE QUESTIONS OVER HOW THEY'LL IMPLEMENT THE STATE'S NEW STOP WOKE ACT WHICH GOVERNS HOW ISSUES AROUND RACE CAN BE DISCUSSED IN CLASSROOMS AND BUSINESSES.

AMID REPORTS THAT FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP MAY MAKE AN EARLY ANNOUNCEMENT ON A 2024 WHITE HOUSE RUN, WHAT MIGHT SUCH A MOVE MEAN FOR GOVERNOR DESANTIS' POLITICAL AMBITIONS?

PLUS A LOOK AT THE FIRST IMAGES AND DATA FROM THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, I'M STEVE MORT, AND WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HOW THEY AFFECT ALL OF US.

WE DO THIS BY BRINGING TOGETHER A TEAM OF JOURNALISTS FROM DIFFERENT LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS ON THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES.

JOINING US THIS WEEK IN THE STUDIO, STEVE LEMONGELLO COVERS POLITICS FOR THE ORLANDO SENTINEL.

THANKS FOR COMING IN, STEVE.

>>GLAD TO BE HERE.

>>AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, NICK PAPANTONIS FROM WFTV CHANNEL 9.

THANKS FOR COMING IN, NICK.

>>THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>>APPRECIATE IT, GUYS.

THANKS.

>>WELL, LAST WEEK WE TALKED ABOUT HOW SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE NAVIGATING NEW LAWS SUCH AS THE STOP WOKE ACT AND HB 1557, WHAT OPPONENTS CALL THE DON'T SAY GAY LAW.

WELL, SINCE THEN A JUDGE HAS ALLOWED A COURT CHALLENGE TO THE STOP WOKE ACT, KNOWN OFFICIALLY AS INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM, TO MOVE FORWARD.

PLAINTIFFS, INCLUDING A UCF PROFESSOR WHO TEACHES COURSES ON THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND THE JIM CROW ERA, ARGUE THE LAW VIOLATES THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND LIMITS THEIR ABILITY TO TEACH CERTAIN SUBJECTS ACCURATELY.

WELL, WE WANTED TO DRILL DOWN ON THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF THIS LEGISLATION ON HIGHER EDUCATION.

SO I SPOKE WITH ANA CEBALLOS, WHO COVERS THE ISSUE FOR THE MIAMI HERALD.

>>A LOT OF THE CONCERNS THAT WERE RAISED BY A LOT OF, MOSTLY DEMOCRATS, IF NOT VIRTUALLY ALL DEMOCRATS, WAS THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A "WHITEWASHING OF HISTORY", BUT REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS WERE SAYING, "WELL, ALL WE'RE TELLING YOU IS YOU SHOULD NOT BE INSTRUCTING CHILDREN AND STUDENTS TO FEEL GUILTY BECAUSE OF WHAT SOMEONE OF THEIR OWN RACE SAID OR DID IN THE PAST."

>>SO THE STATE SAYS IT'S VERY CLEAR WHAT IT'S TELLING TEACHERS AND PROFESSORS TO DO, BUT CRITICS I'VE SPOKEN TO SAY THEY FEAR THIS LAW IS TOO VAGUE.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'VE HEARD TOO?

>>THAT'S A CHILLING EFFECT THAT CRITICS KEEP MENTIONING.

THEY'RE SAYING, "GREAT, WE HAVE THIS LAW IN FRONT OF US.

WE KNOW WHAT IT SAYS.

WE CAN READ THE WORDS.

WE KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO TELL US TO DO.

BUT IN PRACTICE HOW IS THIS GOING TO BE ENFORCED?"

IT'S THE ANXIETY AND THE ANTICIPATION OF WHAT COULD INDIVIDUALS SEE IN THIS MEASURE AND HOW WILL THEY WANT TO ENFORCE IT.

>>YEAH.

OPPONENTS SAY THIS IS PART OF A POLITICIZATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN FLORIDA.

IN YOUR REPORTING, DO YOU GET THE IDEA THAT THERE'S CONCERN ABOUT THE LONG TERM RAMIFICATIONS OF THAT FOR HIGHER ED IN GENERAL, IN THE STATE?

>>WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO A SERIES OF STORIES, REALLY, AT ONE PARTICULAR UNIVERSITY, AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, WHICH IS THE STATE'S FLAGSHIP CAMPUS, WHERE THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE UNION REPRESENTATIVES AS WELL AS JUST FACULTY MEMBERS HAVE EXPRESSED A LOT OF CONCERN.

AND SOME OF THEM DON'T EVEN WANT TO GO ON THE RECORD SOMETIMES WITH OUR STORIES BECAUSE OF THAT CONCERN.

AND THEY KIND OF JUST SAY THAT THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT COULD HAPPEN, BUT MOSTLY IT'S ABOUT WONDERING HOW THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE LAWS IS GOING TO IMPACT THEM, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE LEGISLATURE CAN PASS SOMETHING, BUT IT'S REALLY ABOUT HOW IT'S IMPLEMENTED IN PRACTICE.

BUT THERE IS CONCERN AS TO LIKE, "WELL, THEY'RE CLEARLY TARGETING SOMETHING, SO WILL I FALL UNDER THAT UMBRELLA?"

>>YEAH, BEYOND HIGHER EDUCATION, IN K THROUGH 12, YOU BROKE A STORY THAT THERE'S CONCERN FROM TEACHERS ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S NEW CIVICS TRAINING INITIATIVE, WHICH THEY SAY IS INFUSED WITH CONSERVATIVE AND CHRISTIAN IDEOLOGY.

WHAT ARE THEY WORRIED ABOUT?

>>WHAT THIS CIVICS TRAINING ENTAILED WAS A THREE DAY SEMINAR.

THE FIRST SESSION WAS IN BROWARD COUNTY AND AFTER IT CONCLUDED, WE STARTED HEARING FROM A LOT OF HIGH SCHOOL GOVERNMENT TEACHERS.

AND THEY FELT THAT IT WAS A VERY SCRIPTED TYPE OF STATE LED TRAINING SESSION, THAT WAS VERY MUCH INFUSED WITH "CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM PHILOSOPHY," IS HOW THEY DESCRIBED IT, TRYING TO TEACH TEACHERS ABOUT MISCONCEPTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN TAUGHT ABOUT AMERICAN HISTORY.

AND SOME OF THOSE MISCONCEPTIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, HAD TO DO WITH THE FOUNDING FATHERS NOT WANTING A STRICT SEPARATION BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE.

AND THERE WAS ALSO A CONSERVATIVE BENT, THEY SAID, TO SOME OF THE LESSONS THAT THE STATE WAS LEADING AND THEY JUST FELT, AGAIN, PIGEONHOLED INTO, "WE'RE BEING TOLD THROUGH LAWS THAT WE'RE RESTRICTED FROM TALKING ABOUT CERTAIN ASPECTS OF HISTORY, AND THEN THESE NEW CIVIC STANDARDS ARE COMING IN AND THEY'RE TELLING US THAT WE HAVE TO TEACH IT THIS WAY.

SO IF WE DON'T TEACH IT THAT WAY, ARE PARENTS GOING TO COME IN AND SUE US?"

>>ANA CEBALLOS FROM THE MIAMI HERALD.

NICK, LET'S START WITH YOU ON THIS ONE.

THE GOVERNOR REALLY IS CERTAINLY LASER FOCUSED ON EDUCATION.

I MEAN, YOU'VE COVERED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF HB 1557, I GUESS IN K THROUGH 3, PARTICULARLY IN ORANGE COUNTY, THE PARENTAL RIGHTS LAW.

FROM YOUR REPORTING, DO THE CONCERNS OF EDUCATORS ABOUT THAT LAW SEEM TO BE MIRRORED WHEN IT COMES TO STOP WOKE?

>>YOU SEE SOME OF THE SAME CONCERNS THAT THEY HAVE THAT THAT REPORTER WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT, HOW THERE'S LIMITATIONS THAT TEACHERS FEEL LIKE THEY'RE BEING PUT IN THE CLASSROOM THAT THERE SHOULDN'T BE.

AT THE SAME TIME THERE'S BEEN TWO DIFFERENT LEVELS OF REACTION.

1557 HAS GOTTEN A LOT MORE OF AN EMOTIONAL REACTION THROUGHOUT THE STATE, ESPECIALLY HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, VERSUS THE STOP WOKE ACT.

AND I THINK THAT'S BECAUSE IN PART IT'S A MUCH MORE PERSONAL LAW, HAS ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE HERE IN FLORIDA FEELING LIKE THEY'RE BEING TARGETED BY ANOTHER GROUP OF PEOPLE, THESE TWO DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS OF THE WORLD THAT REALLY DON'T MIX VERY WELL AND NEVER HAVE THROUGHOUT HISTORY.

WHEREAS THE STOP WOKE ACT HAS SOME OF THE EFFECTS THAT WE SEE IN 1557, BUT IT'S LESS PERSONAL.

IT'S MORE OF A BROAD BASED, "RACISM IS BAD.

DON'T TEACH THESE CERTAIN CONCEPTS."

IT DOESN'T LEAVE ONE GROUP, MAYBE MINUS CIVICS TEACHERS, FEELING THAT THEY'RE BEING TARGETED IN ANY PARTICULAR WAY.

>>WELL, CERTAINLY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO IMPLEMENT BOTH.

A NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA THIS WEEK TOOK DOWN ANTI-RACISM STATEMENTS FROM THEIR WEBSITES.

WE ASKED UCF WHY THIS HAPPENS.

HERE'S THE STATEMENT THAT WE GOT.

>>"THE UNIVERSITY RECENTLY REMOVED SOME DEPARTMENTAL STATEMENTS THAT COULD BE SEEN AS POTENTIALLY INCONSISTENT WITH OUR COMMITMENT TO CREATING A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT, ONE WHERE FACULTY OBJECTIVELY ENGAGED STUDENTS IN ROBUST, SCHOLARLY DISCUSSIONS THAT EXPAND THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EMPOWER THEM TO FREELY EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS AND FORM THEIR OWN PERSPECTIVES.

UCF IS COMMITTED TO BUILDING A CULTURE THAT VALUES RESPECT, CIVIL DISCOURSE, AND CREATING A SENSE OF BELONGING.

IN AN EFFORT TO MORE CLEARLY COMMUNICATE THAT COMMITMENT, WE'LL BE WORKING WITH DEPARTMENTS TO ENSURE STATEMENTS BETTER ALIGN WITH OUR UNIVERSITY VALUES."

>>WE WANT TO NOTE THAT WUCF'S LICENSE IS HELD BY THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA.

STEVE, THE UNIVERSITY DOESN'T MENTION THE STOP WOKE ACT THERE IN THAT STATEMENT, BUT THE OBJECTIVITY PART OF IT SORT OF SEEMS TO ECHO WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM SUPPORTERS OF HB 7.

WHAT MORE DO WE KNOW ABOUT THIS DECISION?

>>YEAH.

WELL, WE REPORTED LIKE A WEEK AGO THAT THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT TEMPORARILY TOOK THE ANTI-RACISM STATEMENT DOWN AND THEN JUST THE OTHER DAY PRETTY MUCH A GOOD NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS TOOK THEIR ANTI-RACISM STATEMENT DOWN.

YEAH, BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, THEY DON'T MENTION THE STOP WOKE ACT IN PARTICULAR, BUT YOU CAN TELL BY WHAT THEY TERM IN TERMS OF LIKE, "WE HAVE TO BE FAIR TO EVERYONE, " THAT SORT OF THING.

IT SORT OF PLAYS INTO THE RHETORIC OF DESANTIS AND REPUBLICANS WHO HAVE PUSHED THE STOP WOKE ACT IN THAT THESE SCHOOLS WITH THESE EQUITY ANTI-RACISM STATEMENTS ARE SOMEHOW TARGETING WHITE PEOPLE, AND TALKING ABOUT WHITE PRIVILEGE IS TARGETING WHITE PEOPLE.

SO YOU CAN SORT OF SEE THAT IN THE BACKGROUND, IF YOU READ BETWEEN THE LINES, THAT THE STOP WOKE ACT IS WHY THEY DID THIS.

>>I MEAN, THE GOVERNOR IN THE PAST HAS SORT OF CERTAINLY TALKED ABOUT HOW HE VALUES FREE SPEECH ON CAMPUSES.

WHAT HAS THE GOVERNOR'S STAFF TOLD YOUR COLLEAGUES AT THE SENTINEL ABOUT THIS WHOLE MATTER?

>>WELL, THE DESANTIS SPOKESPERSON SAID THAT THE ANTI-RACISM STATEMENT WAS "MOSTLY NONSENSICAL MARXIST DRIVEL AND ALSO DISMISSED THE NOTIONS OF WHITE FRAGILITY AND THE EPITHET, " WHICH THEY CALL THE EPITHET LATINX, WHICH IS NOT AN EPITHET, BUT LIKE SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN USED BY SOME HISPANIC PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR TO TRY TO NOT HAVE ANY SORT OF MASCULINE OR FEMININE THINGS FOR LATINO, BUT HAS NOW BEEN TARGETED BECAUSE A LOT OF HISPANIC PEOPLE SAY THEY DON'T LIKE THAT.

SO THEIR THING IS ESSENTIALLY JUST TO ATTACK IT, ATTACK THE ANTI-RACISM STATEMENT IN GENERAL, AND PLAYS INTO WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING IN TERMS OF ALL OF THESE SORT OF EQUITY ANTI-RACISM STATEMENTS ARE QUOTE UNQUOTE OR THEORETICALLY LIKE ATTACKING WHITE PEOPLE.

>>YEAH.

NICK, I MEAN, THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THE STATE MIGHT ENFORCE HB 7 HERE, STOP WOKE.

YOU'VE COVERED SORT OF HOW THE STATE HAS INDICATED IT MIGHT ENFORCE HB 1557.

CAN WE DEDUCE ANYTHING FROM THAT?

>>AT THIS POINT IN TIME, IF THEY ENFORCE 7 LIKE THEY ARE PLANNING AT THIS POINT TO ENFORCE 1557, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY STRICTLY ADHERING TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW ITSELF.

WE HAVE RHETORIC ON BOTH SIDES FOR 1557 THAT ARE GIVING THESE EXPANSIVE VIEWS OF WHAT MAY AND MAY NOT HAPPEN AND SO FAR THE ONLY STATEMENT THAT THE STATE HAS PUT OUT HAS BEEN TO NARROWLY DISSECT THE LAW AND SAY, "LISTEN, FOR AT LEAST IN 1557'S CASE, WE'RE GOING TO BE LIMITING OUR ENFORCEMENT TO THE ACTUAL CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION, THIS PLANNED SESSION IN THE CLASSROOM DURING THE NORMAL SCHOOL DAY, WHERE YOU CAN AND CANNOT SAY CERTAIN THINGS.

OUTSIDE OF THAT, NOT A BIG DEAL."

NOW CRITICS HAVE NOTED THAT THE LAWS, BOTH OF THEM, ARE VAGUE IN SOME AREAS AND SO THAT DOES LEAVE ROOM FOR INTERPRETATION AND FURTHER DISCUSSION.

BUT IF THEY PLAN ON DOING 7, IT'S GOING TO BE STRICTLY ADHERING TO THE LAWS SO THEY DON'T FIND THEMSELVES IN TOO MANY COURT CASES.

>>YEAH.

THE STATE'S SAYING CERTAINLY IT'S GOING TO BE PRETTY NARROW IN ITS ENFORCEMENT ACTION.

JUST TO NOTE, WE'RE RECORDING THIS PROGRAM BY THE WAY, ON THURSDAY MORNING, JUNE 14TH AND THINGS CAN CHANGE BY AIRTIME.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY FULL INTERVIEW WITH ANA CEBALLOS FROM THE MIAMI HERALD ON OUR WEBSITE, WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

>>OKAY.

NEXT TONIGHT, LET'S TURN TO ELECTIONS.

FIRST OF ALL, THE APPOINTMENT OF THE HEAD OF THE STATE'S NEWLY CREATED OFFICE OF ELECTION CRIMES AND SECURITY.

PETE ANTONACCI IS A FORMER GENERAL COUNSEL FOR GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT, AMONG MANY OTHER THINGS, AND WILL NOW LEAD THE AGENCY THAT IS TASKED WITH INVESTIGATING VOTER FRAUD AND OTHER ELECTION RELATED CRIMES.

WE SPOKE WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM SUPERVISORS OF ELECTIONS OFFICERS IN LAKE AND COLLIER COUNTIES AND ASKED THEM ABOUT THE PREVALENCE OF VOTER FRAUD AND FOR THEIR REACTION TO PETE ANTONACCI'S APPOINTMENT.

>>I COULD ALMOST BE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PETE ANTONACCI FAN CLUB.

HE IS A MAN OF INTEGRITY.

HE IS A MAN THAT WILL GO BY THE BOOK.

HE IS JUST LIKE AN UMPIRE BEHIND HOME PLATE.

HE DOESN'T CARE WHAT COLOR SHIRT YOU'RE WEARING, IF YOU BREAK THE LAW, HE'S GOING TO NAIL YOU.

CANDIDLY, THE NOISE IS MUCH, MUCH GREATER, I THINK, THAN THE NUMBER OF OCCURRENCES OF ACTUAL VOTER FRAUD.

HAVING SAID THAT, I CAN ONLY SPEAK TO THAT WHICH I KNOW ABOUT, WHICH IS HERE IN LAKE COUNTY AND IN FLORIDA.

>>THE WAY OUR OFFICE STANDS IS THAT IF IT'S GOING TO PROVIDE COMFORT AND CONFIDENCE IN OUR VOTERS, THEN WE SUPPORT THAT.

AT THIS POINT IN TIME, VOTER FRAUD OR ATTEMPTED VOTER FRAUD IS SO INCREDIBLY RARE, I JUST DON'T KNOW.

BUT AGAIN, IF THIS IS WHAT IS GOING TO PROVIDE CONFIDENCE IN VOTERS, ESPECIALLY IN THE CLIMATE THAT WE LIVE IN RIGHT NOW, THEN THAT'S OKAY BY US.

>>SUPERVISORS OF ELECTIONS REPRESENTATIVES THERE.

NICK, WHAT DOES THE STATE ACTUALLY SAY ABOUT THE EXTENT OF VOTER FRAUD IN OUR STATE?

>>I MEAN, IN 2020, THEY ESSENTIALLY DESCRIBE THE ELECTIONS HERE AS SORT OF A MODEL FOR INTEGRITY.

THEY SAID THERE WERE NO WIDESPREAD CASES OF VOTER FRAUD.

WE ALL KNOW AT THIS POINT THAT THEY ARE SUSPECTED INDIVIDUAL CASES HAS BEEN NOTED, WHICH IS NORMAL FOR ANY GIVEN ELECTION, MOST NOTABLY THE CASES OUT OF THE VILLAGES RECENTLY MAKING NATIONAL HEADLINES.

BUT IN TERMS OF WIDESPREAD VOTER FRAUD, WIDESPREAD INTEGRITY ISSUES HERE IN FLORIDA, THE STATE IS CHAMPIONING THEMSELVES AS SAYING, "HEY, OUR ELECTIONS ARE SAFE AND SECURE."

>>AND THAT THE STATE CERTAINLY HAS COME A LONG WAY FROM THOSE HANGING CHADS IN 2020 AND OTHER ISSUES.

I MEAN, STEVE, THIS OFFICE IS GOING TO HAVE A PRETTY BROAD REMIT RIGHT.

DEMOCRATS SAY THIS IS SORT OF PART OF A BROADER VOTER SUPPRESSION EFFORT BY REPUBLICANS.

WHAT ARE THEY WORRIED ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO THIS OFFICE?

>>YEAH, WELL, ACROSS THE COUNTRY, OF COURSE, A LOT OF REPUBLICANS LED BY TRUMP OF COURSE HAVE SORT OF TARGETED A LOT OF MEASURES OF VOTING, LIKE MAIL IN BALLOTS, DROP BOXES, THINGS LIKE THAT, AS FRAUD.

OBVIOUSLY IT'S NOT.

TRUMP IS FALSELY CLAIMING THESE THINGS BECAUSE HE EITHER THINKS HE WON OR WANTS TO CLAIM HE WON.

BUT A LOT OF THINGS LIKE DROP BOXES AND MAIL INS, WHICH WERE PUSHED BY REPUBLICANS AND FAVORED REPUBLICANS IN A LOT OF CASES, ESPECIALLY FOR MAIL-INS BECAUSE IT HELPED OUR OLDER PEOPLE WHO ARE MOSTLY REPUBLICAN VOTERS, ARE NOW SORT OF TARGETS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY WHO HAVE BEEN FALSELY CLAIMING FRAUD.

>>AND DEMOCRATS ARE WORRIED THAT THIS ELECTION FRAUD UNIT WILL CRACK DOWN ON THINGS, MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE.

PART OF THE NEW LAW IS ALLOWING VARIOUS PEOPLE INSIDE ELECTIONS OFFICES OR INSIDE VOTING AREAS TO SORT OF CHALLENGE PEOPLE WHO ARE VOTING AND PEOPLE ARE WORRIED THAT'S GOING TO BECOME MORE OF A PROBLEM TOO.

SO THERE'S JUST A LOT OF WORRY THERE.

>>YEAH.

WHAT ABOUT PETE ANTONACCI'S RESUME, NICK?

I MEAN, IT'S A PRETTY LONG ONE.

>>YOU KIND OF NAILED IT RIGHT THERE, RIGHT?

>>YEAH.

>>HE'S BEEN A MAJOR FIGURE HERE IN FLORIDA POLITICS AND FLORIDA'S LEGAL SYSTEM SINCE THE 1980S.

HE'S HELD POSITIONS IN TALLAHASSEE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO BROWARD COUNTY.

SO HE IS A MAN THAT IS ROUTINELY TAPPED FOR BIG NAME POSITIONS, COVERING BIG ISSUES, AND CLEARLY TRUSTED AMONG GENERATIONS, OF REPUBLICAN ESPECIALLY, LEADERS HERE IN FLORIDA.

>>AND THEY CALL HIM THE FIXER, RIGHT, STEVE?

>>YEAH.

HE'S SORT OF LIKE BROUGHT IN WHENEVER REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS NEED SOMEONE TO DEAL WITH STUFF.

SCOTT CALLED HIM IN WHEN A OFFICIAL CRITICIZED HIM FOR USING STATE POLICE AT VARIOUS ELECTION EVENTS.

SUDDENLY HE WAS GONE AND ANTONACCI IS IN.

ANTONACCI WAS BROUGHT IN FOR THE BROWARD ELECTIONS OFFICIAL POSITION.

>>SUPERVISOR, YEAH.

>>YEAH.

>>YEAH, HE WAS.

CERTAINLY A LONG RESUME.

LET'S SEE HOW HE DOES.

>>YEAH.

>>IN THIS JOB.

YOU CAN JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WE'RE @WUCFTV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND ALSO ON INSTAGRAM.

>>ALL RIGHT, NEXT TONIGHT, THE FLORIDA GOVERNOR'S ELECTORAL PROSPECTS THIS YEAR AND HIS REPORTED PRESIDENTIAL AMBITIONS.

NEW POLLING THIS WEEK FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES AND SIENA COLLEGE SHOWS RON DESANTIS GAINING GROUND ON DONALD TRUMP IN A POTENTIAL PRIMARY MATCHUP FOR THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

MAJORITY OF REPUBLICANS UNDER 35 AND THOSE WITH A COLLEGE DEGREE SAY THEY WILL VOTE AGAINST MR. TRUMP IN A PRIMARY, WITH DESANTIS LEADING THE ALTERNATIVES.

WELL, I ASKED POLITICAL SCIENTISTS.

FRANK ORLANDO FROM ST. LEO UNIVERSITY ABOUT A RECENT TIMES STORY ON A POSSIBLE EARLY 2024 DECLARATION FROM DONALD TRUMP, AND WHAT THAT MIGHT MEAN FOR RON DESANTIS.

>>HE'S BEEN GAINING MOMENTUM.

I'VE BEEN VISITING FAMILY UP HERE IN MICHIGAN, AND EVEN HERE PEOPLE ARE TALKING TO ME ABOUT HIM.

SO HE'S GAINING MOMENTUM IN TERMS OF VISIBILITY.

I THINK THAT TRUMP'S POSSIBLE DECISION TO ANNOUNCE EARLY ISN'T A SIGN OF STRENGTH ON HIS BEHALF.

I THINK IT'S A SIGN OF A LITTLE BIT OF VULNERABILITY.

BECAUSE IF YOU'VE SEEN THE PRETTY LARGE MOVEMENT, NOT JUST OF VISIBILITY, BUT OF DONORS AND LARGE REPUBLICAN DONORS KIND OF GRAVITATING TOWARDS DESANTIS OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, I THINK THAT AN EARLY MOVE BY TRUMP WOULD BE DESIGNED TO CUT THAT OFF OR TO SLOW THAT DOWN.

DESANTIS, ON THE OTHER HAND, HE NEEDS TO KEEP GOING DESPITE WHAT TRUMP DOES, BECAUSE HE HAS TO WORRY ABOUT DIMINISHING THE ANTI-TRUMP SUPPORT.

SO HE'S GOT TO CONSOLIDATE IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

>>WELL, DESANTIS HAS TO WIN RE-ELECTION FIRST IN FLORIDA THIS YEAR.

DO YOU EXPECT THE RECENT RULING ON ABORTION IN THE US SUPREME COURT TO BE AN ISSUE FOR HIM IN NOVEMBER?

>>IN THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH OF THE DOBB'S DECISION, THERE WAS A BOOST, IN TERMS OF THE GENERIC BALLOT, IN TERMS OF TURNOUT MODELS, TOWARDS DEMOCRATS, MORE ENTHUSIASM.

IN THE MOST RECENT POLLING TAKEN OVER THE LAST WEEK, MAYBE SOME OF THAT BOUNCE IS DISSIPATING A LITTLE BIT.

IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF THE DEMOCRATS CAN CONTINUE TO BRING THIS ISSUE UP, TO PUT DESANTIS' FEET TO THE FLAMES ON IT A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK HE'S AS COMFORTABLE TALKING ABOUT IT, BUT IN MOST OF THE POLLING WE'RE SEEING IN TERMS OF MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE OR MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEM, IT'S STILL UNDER 5%.

IT'S NOT A HUGE, I DON'T THINK IT'S A GAME CHANGER IN THAT WAY.

>>FRANK ORLANDO THERE.

STEVE, WHAT STOOD OUT TO YOU FROM THE LATEST 2024 POLLING?

>>WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF TALK OF THE FACT THAT, OH, HALF OF REPUBLICANS SAY THEY DON'T WANT TO VOTE FOR DONALD TRUMP IN 2024 IF HE RUNS.

BUT AGAIN, IF TRUMP HAS 49% AND DESANTIS IS AT 25, AND EVERYONE ELSE IS SORT OF LIKE THAT, IF THAT'S THE ACTUAL RESULT OF A PRIMARY ELECTION IN DIFFERENT STATES, TRUMP IS STILL GOING TO WIN THOSE ELECTIONS.

THERE'S A LOT OF WINNER TAKE ALL STATES.

THAT'S PART OF THE REASON HE WON IN 2016.

IT'S JUST WINNER TAKE ALL, IN A VERY CROWDED FIELD.

AND OF COURSE IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN IF DESANTIS ACTUALLY CHOOSES TO TAKE ON TRUMP DIRECTLY.

SO FAR, THEY'VE BEEN SORT OF AVOIDING EACH OTHER, SORT OF TAKING SHOTS AT EACH OTHER SORT OF INDIRECTLY, TRUMP ATTACKING ELON MUSK, PROBABLY BECAUSE ELON MUSK SAID HE WAS SUPPORTING DESANTIS IN 2024.

>>YES.

>>IF DESANTIS ACTUALLY GOES AND SAYS, "I'M GOING TO CHALLENGE DONALD TRUMP IN 2024, " SEEING THE FULL ARTILLERY OF TRUMP AND HIS WITHERING ATTACKS ON PEOPLE IS YET TO BE SEEN FOR HIM.

>>YEAH.

I WONDER WHAT AN EARLY TRUMP DECLARATION, THAT WE SAW THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORT, MIGHT OCCUR, MIGHT MEAN FOR THAT DYNAMIC WHEN IT COMES TO DESANTIS.

THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS THAT COULD CHANGE.

>>OH, YEAH.

ROGER STONE, ONE OF THE TRUMP ACOLYTES INVOLVED IN JANUARY 6TH SITUATION, HE HAS SORT OF ATTACKED DESANTIS IN THE PAST FOR NOT FOR PROVING DISLOYAL.

HE THREATENED TO RUN AN INDEPENDENT CAMPAIGN FOR GOVERNOR AGAINST DESANTIS IF DESANTIS DIDN'T OUTRIGHT SAY THAT HE'S NOT GOING TO CHALLENGE TRUMP IN 2024.

HE'S SINCE SORT OF BACKED OFF ON THAT.

BUT YEAH, IT'LL BE SEEN BY A LOT OF PEOPLE AS DISLOYALTY BECAUSE TRUMP ESSENTIALLY, WITH ONE TWEET, ENDORSED DESANTIS IN 2018 AND MADE HIM THE FAVORITE FOR THE NOMINATION.

AND IT'S A LOT OF TRUMP PEOPLE ARE DESANTIS PEOPLE AND A LOT OF DESANTIS PEOPLE ARE TRUMP PEOPLE, AND WE'LL WHICH SIDE PEOPLE TAKE WHEN THAT GOES DOWN.

>>OF COURSE THERE WOULD BE FUNDRAISING CONSEQUENCES FOR DONALD TRUMP WERE HE TO DECLARE EARLIER, IT WOULD CERTAINLY LIMIT HOW HE COULD RAISE MONEY, RIGHT?

I MEAN, NICK, THE GOVERNOR HAS TO WIN, AS I TALKED ABOUT WITH FRANK ORLANDO THERE, HIS RE-ELECTION BID IN NOVEMBER HERE IN FLORIDA FIRST.

I MEAN SOME POLLING, BUT NOT ALL, SHOWS THAT DESANTIS HAS A SORT OF A LEAD OVER DEMOCRAT CHRIST.

HOW ARE THINGS SHAPING UP FOR LATER THIS YEAR?

>>YEAH, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE AN INTERESTING FIGHT ON DEMOCRATIC SIDE FIRST AND FOREMOST, TO SEE IF CHRIST OR NIKKI FRIED WINDS UP TAKING THE NOMINATION.

BUT WHOEVER FACES DESANTIS IS OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE CLIMBING AN UPHILL BATTLE.

HE'S AN EXTRAORDINARILY POPULAR FIGURE AMONG REPUBLICANS, ESPECIALLY HERE IN FLORIDA.

HE'S POSITIONED STRUCTURALLY TO HAVE THAT ADVANTAGE HERE IN FLORIDA.

EVEN THOUGH WE'RE A PURPLE STATE, REPUBLICANS HAVE HAD A HISTORY OF BETTER TURNOUT HERE IN ELECTING THEIR CHOSEN LEADERS TO OFFICE.

SO HE'S GOING TO BE COMING INTO THIS 2022 FIGHT WITH WHOEVER IT MAY BE WITH THAT ADVANTAGE AND BEING THE FAVORITE TO WIN THE GOVERNORSHIP AGAIN, AGAINST WHOEVER IT IS, UNLESS SOMETHING DRASTIC CHANGES HERE BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER.

>>YEAH.

I MEAN, WHAT ABOUT THAT FIGHT, STEVE, BETWEEN THE TWO DEMOCRATS.

ABORTION SEEMS TO BE PLAYING QUITE A LARGE ROLE IN THAT DEBATE AS WELL?

>>YES.

WELL, CHRIST, OF COURSE BEING A FORMER REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR HAS A LOT OF HISTORY OF BEING PRO-LIFE.

HE CALLED HIMSELF PRO-LIFE IN 2014, WHICH THE RICK SCOTT CAMPAIGN USED GLEEFULLY TO SAY HE WAS A HYPOCRITE.

AND NIKKI FRIED HAS SORT OF JUMPED ON THAT AS A SORT OF WEDGE ISSUE AGAINST HIM WITH JUST A MONTH AND A HALF OR SO TO GO IN THIS RACE, SAYING THAT HE'S PRO-LIFE, THAT SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN PRO-CHOICE, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE KEY DIFFERENCES WHEN IT COMES TO HER AND CHRIST.

>>YEAH.

IS CHRIST'S LEAD, FROM FOLKS THAT YOU TALK TO, DOES IT SEEM TO BE INSURMOUNTABLE?

I MEAN, DOES NIKKI FRIED HAVE A PATH HERE?

>>WELL, AFTER THE LAST DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY IN 2018, YOU CAN'T REALLY SAY THAT ANYTHING IS INSURMOUNTABLE.

ANDREW GILLUM SORT OF CAME OUT OF NOWHERE TO DEFEAT THE FAVORITE GWEN GRAHAM.

SO IT'S ALWAYS POSSIBLE.

THE ABORTION ISSUE, WHETHER OR NOT IT PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN THE GENERAL, WILL PROBABLY COULD PLAY A BIG ROLE IN THE PRIMARY.

OBVIOUSLY DEMOCRATIC VOTERS, PRIMARY VOTERS, ARE GOING TO BE VERY ANGRY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH ABORTION RIGHTS.

SO WE'LL SEE IF THAT WORKS FOR HER.

>>DO PEOPLE, NICK, YOU'RE OUT IN THE FIELD A LOT.

I OFTEN WONDER WHETHER PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY PAYING ATTENTION YET TO WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN, NOT ONLY IN 2024, BUT ALSO IN NOVEMBER.

I MEAN, RON DESANTIS IS SORT OF AN ENERGIZING FIGURE ON THE RIGHT.

I MEAN, DO YOU HEAR PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THE GOVERNOR A LOT?

WE HEARD FRANK ORLANDO TALK ABOUT HOW PEOPLE IN MICHIGAN ARE TALKING ABOUT HIM.

>>I THINK HERE IN FLORIDA YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT ANY GIVEN WIDESPREAD STATE ISSUE WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THE GOVERNOR.

HE'S INSERTED HIMSELF INTO SO MANY DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF OUR LIVES IN THIS STATE, JUST ON AN ISSUE FOCUSED BASE.

2022 IS GOING TO BE LESS OF A REFERENDUM ON ANYTHING EXCEPT A REFERENDUM ON DESANTIS HIMSELF, RIGHT?

>>YEAH.

>>YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT LOVE HIM WHO ARE GOING TO BE TURNING OUT TO VOTE FOR HIM BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY ENERGIZED THIS YEAR.

THEY'RE VERY ENTHUSIASTIC BY THE DIRECTION OF THE STATE.

AND THEY'RE WANTING TO SHOW THAT SUPPORT.

AND THEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING AT WHAT HAPPENED WITH ROE V. WADE AND ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY MIGHT CARE ABOUT.

AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE TURNING OUT TO VOTE AGAINST HIM AND FOR WHOEVER WINDS UP FACING OFF WITH HIM.

PEOPLE ARE SORT OF HAVING THAT IN THEIR MIND.

THE MORE POLITICAL YOU ARE, THE MORE YOU'RE PAYING ATTENTION INTO IT, NATURALLY.

I THINK FOR THOSE VOTERS THAT ARE IN THE MIDDLE, THE ONES THAT WE TYPICALLY TALK ABOUT AS UNDECIDED VOTERS, THE ONES THAT KIND OF TAKE A BACKSEAT UNTIL RIGHT BEFORE ELECTION DAY, I DON'T THINK YET THAT THEY'RE REALLY PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S GOING ON.

I THINK ONCE WE MAYBE GET CLOSER TO THAT PRIMARY FIGHT BETWEEN CHRIST AND FRIED, WE MIGHT SEE THEM START TO PERK UP A LITTLE BIT.

>>AND WHAT DO YOU THINK, STEVE?

I MEAN, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, ABOUT WHETHER THESE SORT OF WEDGE ISSUES OR SORT OF WHAT PEOPLE MIGHT CALL CULTURE WAR ISSUES, ARE PAYING OFF FOR THE SORT OF REPUBLICAN 2024 FRONT RUNNERS.

I MEAN, DO WE GET ANY INDICATION YET ABOUT WHETHER THAT IS HELPING TO BOOST THE DESANTIS PROFILE IN FLORIDA AND ALSO NATIONALLY?

>>YES.

WELL, THIS WEEK ALONE WE SAW A BUNCH OF ATTACKS ON DESANTIS, NATIONALLY.

GAVIN NEWSOM, THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA STRAIGHT UP RAN AN AD IN FLORIDA, ATTACKING DESANTIS, SAYING CALIFORNIA'S ACTUALLY THE PLACE WHERE THERE'S FREEDOM.

DESANTIS HAS TAKEN AWAY A LOT OF YOUR FREEDOMS THE AD SAID.

COME TO CALIFORNIA.

HE BECAME AN ISSUE IN THE RHODE ISLAND GOVERNOR'S RACE.

THE RHODE ISLAND REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE SAID THAT ONE OF THE PEOPLE SHE'D LIKE TO MEET AND HER IDOL IN POLITICS IS RON DESANTIS.

AND THE DEMOCRAT ATTACKED HER FOR THAT.

SO THE WHOLE CULTURE WAR THING IS A BIG THING HERE IN FLORIDA, BUT IT'S ALSO STARTING TO GET A LOT OF ATTENTION OUTSIDE OF FLORIDA, WHERE DESANTISM AND THESE SORT OF CULTURE WAR ATTACKS ARE STARTING TO GET A LOT OF NEGATIVE ATTENTION FROM DEMOCRATS AROUND THE COUNTRY.

>>WELL, CERTAINLY TALKING TO MY COLLEAGUES IN CALIFORNIA, THEY NOW SAY, "WELL, AT LEAST WE NOW KNOW THAT GAVIN NEWSOM IS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT."

SO INTERESTING TIMES IN POLITICS FOR SURE.

>>WELL, BEFORE WE GO, WE WANTED TO MENTION THE MOMENT ASTRONOMY ENTHUSIASTS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR.

SEVEN MONTHS AFTER THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE WAS LAUNCHED, IT'S FIRST PICTURES HAVE BEEN UNVEILED.

I TALKED WITH BRENDAN BYRNE, HOST OF WMFE'S ARE WE THERE YET?

SPACE PODCAST.

>>THESE ARE EMOTIONAL IMAGES, THE DEEPEST IMAGES INTO OUR UNIVERSE THAT WE'VE EVER SEEN BEFORE.

IT'S AN INCREDIBLE MISSION.

IT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST SPACE TELESCOPES THAT WE'VE GOT, TO LOOK DEEPER INTO OUR UNIVERSE'S PAST THAN EVER BEFORE, AND ALSO TAKE PINPOINT OBSERVATIONS OF OTHER PLANETS THAT EXIST OUTSIDE OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.

SO THERE'S REALLY TWO MAIN FOCUSES OF THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE.

LOOK AT OUR PAST, IN THE INFRARED.

BY USING INFRARED WAVELENGTHS, WE CAN SEE FARTHER INTO THE PAST THAN WE'VE EVER SEEN BEFORE.

AND THEN ALSO USE THE SAME TECHNOLOGY TO PEER AT THE ATMOSPHERES OF PLANETS THAT EXIST OUTSIDE OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM AND SEE WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY MADE OF.

SO NOT ONLY ARE WE LOOKING BACK INTO THE UNIVERSAL HISTORY OF WHERE WE CAME FROM, BUT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE GETTING THE FIRST GLIMPSES OF WHO ELSE MIGHT BE OUT THERE WITH US.

>>AMAZING STUFF.

YOU CAN FIND MY FULL CONVERSATION WITH BRENDAN ON OUR WEBSITE, ALONG WITH OUR ONGOING COVERAGE OF THE SPACE INDUSTRY ON CENTRAL FLORIDA'S SPACE COAST, IT'S ALL AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

MY THANKS TO STEVE LEMONGELLO, ORLANDO SENTINEL, NICK PAPANTONIS, WFTV CHANNEL 9.

THANKS FOR COMING IN, GUYS.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 HERE ON WUCF.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, TAKE CARE AND HAVE A GREAT WEEK.