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Intersection: Political Round Up With Dick Batchelor & Michelle Ertel

Political analysts Dick Batchelor and Michelle Ertel. Photo: Matthew Peddie, WMFE
Political analysts Dick Batchelor and Michelle Ertel. Photo: Matthew Peddie, WMFE

Election day is here and candidates are vying for seats on the Orlando City commission. Governor Rick Scott is touting more tax cuts, fresh off a second visit to Puerto Rico to check on the pace of the recovery after Hurricane Maria. 

Meanwhile there’s Turmoil in Tallahassee. Lawmakers in the state capitol say they’ve been spied on by a private investigator. This amid allegations of sexual harassment by lawmakers.

Dick Batchelor, former Democratic state representative, and Michelle Ertel, Republican political commentator, joined Intersection with the latest on sunshine state politics.

Batchelor said with one of the Florida Senate's top Democrats, Jeff Clemens, resigning after revelations he had an affair with a lobbyist, and Republican Senator Jack Latvala facing sexual harassment allegations, Tallahassee may have to clean house.

"I think other names will come out, I mean people are gonna try to jump ship and there will probably be some finger pointing," Batchelor said.

"It's not over yet, it's just beginning."

As, for Governor Scott's response to the hurricanes, Ertel said going to Puerto Rico was a good political move for him.

"Governor Scott going over there I think is very helpful as far as optics go. Whether someone likes Governor Scott or doesn't like Governor Scott there's very little argument that he hit a home-run in dealing with Irma," she said.

"I think him showing up in Puerto Rico is a good thing."