/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-wordpress-client-uploads/tbt/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/08161416/27698749979_c08eac150b_b-1.jpg "Rep. Ron DeSantis with President Donald Trump on Air Force One. (Courtesy of the Ron DeSantis campaign)")
Winner of the week 1
Donald Trump. Okay, so our president seemed last week to have more appreciation for Vladimir Putin than U.S. intellgence services. He also showed what a mighty political force he remains for Florida Republicans, with multiple polls now showing that since President Trump endorsed him for governor, Ron DeSantis has soared into a double digit lead over Adam Putnam.
Winners of the week 2
Dave Aronberg, Sherry Plymale. The Democratic Palm Beach state attorney and Republican member of the Constitution Revision Commission, filed ethics complaints against eight write-in candidates who, through a widely loathed loophole, restrict voter participation in state elections. It's about time these phony candidates feel some heat for anti-democratic games.
Losers of the week
Rick Kriseman and Kevin King. St. Pete's mayor long ago shrugged off his longtime consigliere's 2001 arrest on charges that he solicited a teenage girl for sex. (Criminal charges were expunged from court files.) Kriseman has brushed off his chief of staff's knack for antagonizing people throughout Tampa Bay. Now, come allegations that King "preys" on homeless black men.
/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/tbt/f76d61b3-1f6e-4a45-8647-dd512e9bbb99.png "Adam C. Smith - Former Times staffer")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/JDRZISCKB2COI7DSQWMNCIWYBA.jpg "Family of Florida couple kidnapped in Haiti plea for release")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/4VFKDZLOBZFL5C7H6NGNRI34NM.jpg "Editorial Cartoons for Tuesday from Times Wire Services")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/YP4XFDIG4LVXNOIU2EBHDAGC54.jpg "No, Florida isn’t a basketball state, despite FAU, Miami in Final Four")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/ZGNFUIKFLJD2RKOSOG36LXX4WQ.JPG "Reliever Kevin Kelly can finally exhale as Rays complete roster")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/E6QHEPNE2SHBEYFNYAC4CVDD7E.jpg "Florida now has school vouchers for all: 5 things for families to know.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/OJRAHXB4FRC7PJJ36V35LGU46U.jpg "Sponsor of Florida defamation bill says he’ll make changes amid outcry")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/JKLH4SY455AS5B3QOBJYM5LHSQ.JPG "James Shields will be honored on Rays’ sold-out opening day")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/ZR3TNRLVDZIMSPIQDIS6R2TJPI.jpg "School shooter drew maps, did surveillance before killing 3 kids, 3 adults in Nashville, police say")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/VNK4FQEJ2BGR5KN6UWIDN2BNWM.JPG "Florida court clerks slammed by cases just before new lawsuit rules approved")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/SDMJEDI4BFDBLD6XGAONL5MC5U.JPG "Rays’ Wander Franco declares himself ready for opener")