By Gary Fineout and Kimberly Leonard

Hello and welcome to Monday.

Born to run — Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has billed himself as someone leading a “truth movement” and the voice of Republicans strongly opposed to former President Donald Trump. It’s not clear how far he will go in a crowded Republican primary where Trump remains out in front, but he has decided to bring his message to the home state of the two GOP frontrunners.

The promised land — Christie will visit South Miami this Friday for a Florida town hall, which he will follow up with a meet-and-greet at Versailles, the iconic Cuban restaurant in Little Havana that remains a required stop for Republicans who swing through South Florida. Oh, and Versailles is about nine miles from Trump National Doral Miami.

Point blank — Here’s the pitch from Christie’s campaign: “Chris Christie will go anywhere and talk to anyone about his unique message and vision for America,” said Doug Mayer, a spokesperson for the Christie campaign. “Doesn’t matter who’s backyard or how close to someone’s golf course it is.”

Wrecking ball — While Christie has spent most of his time taking aim at Trump, he also has zinged Gov. Ron Desantis a number of times. Just last Friday, Christie said in New Hampshire — where the two are very close together in the polls — that, “DeSantis sounds like an angry guy. He’s squinting his eyes all the time and pissed about something, you know. So, I’m skeptical, right. I’m skeptical that somebody who’s that angry cares about healing the divide or has the ability to do it.”

— WHERE'S RON? — Gov. DeSantis will interview with CNBC’s Brian Sullivan. The segment will air on “Last Call” in the 7 p.m. EST hour.

A moment of personal privilege — For nearly four and a half years I have tried to fill your inbox each morning with a mix of useful information as well as insights and analysis on Florida politics. After hundreds and hundreds of newsletters, I am stepping away and placing Florida Playbook in the good hands of co-worker Kimberly Leonard. This transition comes after a period that has seen this newsletter experience significant growth over the past year.

Signed, sealed, delivered — This is not goodbye. I’m remaining at POLITICO and will still be based in Tallahassee where I will continue to cover the governor and the Capitol.

For once in my life — In closing, thanks to all my readers. Thanks to Darius Dixon — my main editor over most of this time. Thanks to my wife and children who have endured my odd working hours.

Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch: [email protected]

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ABOUT THAT MAP PUSHED BY DESANTIS — Former Rep. Al Lawson’s Florida congressional seat could come back under new agreement, by POLITICO’s Gary Fineout: A major legal challenge to Florida’s disputed congressional map could result in the reinstatement of a north Florida district formerly held by a Black Democrat under a sweeping agreement reached late Friday.

Noteworthy — The agreement between the state and groups challenging Florida’s congressional map — which does not end the litigation — narrows the scope of the ongoing lawsuit to focus on ex-Rep. Al Lawson’s (D-Fla.) seat. This means that the plaintiffs suing over the maps will drop legal challenges to other revamped districts, such as those in central Florida and the Tampa Bay area. There is still a separate lawsuit over Florida’s congressional maps in federal court.

Where this goes from here — Now, the trial will no longer include issues such as whether some districts were redrawn to benefit Republicans, a violation of Florida’s anti-gerrymandering standards adopted by voters. Instead, the big remaining legal question in the litigation is whether Florida’s redistricting standards enacted by voters violate the U.S. Constitution’s equal protection clause as argued by DeSantis.

Returning? — Lawson on Saturday said that he would consider running for his old seat if the district was reinstated to a configuration similar to how it was prior to the midterms.

WHO WON THE IOWA STATE FAIR? Republican presidential hopefuls gathered for the rollicking time-honored tradition this weekend in the first-in-the-nation caucus state. Trump and DeSantis never came face to face.

Yet most headlines were still about their dueling appearances. As our colleagues at D.C. Playbook reported over the weekend, DeSantis is going all-in on Iowa, promising to visit all 99 counties in the state. He appears to have worked hard at the fair to get face time with voters, but the biggest takeaway from the headlines and articles we read was that DeSantis struggled to break through what The Associated Press called Trump’s “mega-celebrity spectacle.”

POINT DON — “DeSantis can’t escape Trump’s shadow in Iowa,” was what our POLITICO colleagues took away. The Wall Street Journal concluded that Trump was at the “center of attention,” flanked by Florida politicians who endorsed him, though he only swooped into the event for roughly two hours.

On top of that, DeSantis faced a couple of humiliating encounters, including a “pudding fingers” protest chant that erupted when he was at a campaign stop. At another point, a plane flew overhead with a banner that read, ‘Be likable, Ron!’ in reference to notes he made during 2018 gubernatorial debate practice. “DeSantis can’t seem to catch a break,” reported The New York.

All of it appears to have been carefully coordinated and planned. “Today is all about trolling Ron,” one senior Trump adviser told the Messenger.

POINT RON — But DeSantis was the one who got tight with Kim Reynolds, Iowa’s popular governor. He appeared alongside her at the Sprint Car Race and defended Reynolds against Trump's attacks — he called her “one of the best governors in the country” and said Trump's criticism of her was “totally out of bounds,” according to The Hill. Trump has accused Reynolds of favoring DeSantis, though her team says she’s neutral in the race.

PHOTO OP — DeSantis, 44, also got some easy earned media attention by enjoying a round of bumper cars with his telegenic family, helping to sell the image of a young family man, especially in comparison to Trump, 77, and President Joe Biden, who will turn 81 in three months. The family reportedly took home two giant stuffed Pikachus and a toy koala, NYT observed.

The Washington Post conceded that over the weekend “there were reminders of why the Florida governor, though distinctly trailing, remains Trump’s principal rival for the nomination.” The big takeaway in that piece was that, “interest in his candidacy remains strong and … many voters can see him as president.”

“Ron DeSantis brought his work ethic,” The Messenger concluded, and “Donald Trump brought his swagger.”

Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tosses a ball toward a large milk jug at the Iowa State Fair, Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) | AP

— Newsom vs. DeSantis debate stalling over Fox News audience, by POLITICO’s Christopher Cadelago

TOP ISSUE — “Ron DeSantis wants to win over parents — but he's focusing on the wrong issues,” by FiveThirtyEight’s Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux: Polling shows when “parents were asked to choose the topics they find most worrying, only 17 percent of Republicans selected education — less than the share who selected inflation or increasing costs (52 percent), crime or gun violence (28 percent), government budget or debt (28 percent), political extremism or polarization (21 percent), immigration (21 percent) and taxes (21 percent).”

KINGMAKER — “Ron DeSantis and his backers paid $95,000 to an Iowa religious leader’s group,” by Reuters’ Alexandra Ulmer and Joseph Tanfani: “The DeSantis campaign, a super PAC linked to him and a nonprofit group supporting him together paid $95,000 in recent months to the Family Leader Foundation, an Iowa-based nonprofit led by evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats, according to campaign finance reports and a document prepared by an Iowa state lawmaker who was helping the Vander Plaats organization raise money for a July 14 presidential candidate forum.”

JUST OUT — "DeSantis campaign struggles unsurprising, say some Florida insiders," by the Washington Post's Josh Dawsey: "Florida Republicans described an aloof governor who believed in 'sticks and no carrots,' according to a senior Florida official, and whose idea of negotiating was 'my way or the highway,' in the words of another. An insular governor who infrequently talked to some senior members in his own Cabinet, including his top law enforcement officials, or other leading Republicans."

— “Consultant to DeSantis & Co. gets friendly rulings in his tough child custody case from a judge DeSantis appointed,” by Florida Bulldog’s Noreen Marcus

— “After DeSantis suspends Worrell, new leadership fires staffer on maternity leave,” by Orlando Sentinel’s Christopher Cann

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CLOSER LOOK — “How Trump benefits from an indictment effect,” by The New York Times’ Jonathan Swan, Ruth Igielnik, Shane Goldmacher and Maggie Haberman: “The analysis highlights Mr. Trump’s dominance over the party, revealing the years of conditioning of millions of Republican voters who view Mr. Trump’s legal troubles as a proxy attack on them. And it displays an upside-down reality where criminal charges act as political assets — at least for the purpose of winning the Republican nomination.”

On why the indictments overtook the policy priorities of his top rival… “Mr. DeSantis’s fight against ‘wokeness’ became passé — a matter of small stakes when set against Mr. Trump’s potential incarceration.”

— “Donald Trump, at Iowa fair, woos crowds, rebuffs 'wise guy' question on taking plea deal,” by the Des Moines Register’s Galen Bacharier 

NEW HIRE — “Trump campaign brings in longtime political operative to lead Florida effort,” by POLITICO’s Gary Fineout: Donald Trump’s presidential campaign is bringing on Brian Hughes, a longtime Florida political operative who recently worked for Jacksonville’s Republican mayor, to lead its campaign operation in the Sunshine State.

BAR BRAWL — “Trump supporters and DeSantis super PAC officials spar at a Des Moines dive,” by POLITICO’s Adam Wren and Alex Isenstadt: “The night before the camps squared off at the state fair, an incident took place between the two at a bar in downtown Des Moines. According to three people who were at The Copper Cup, officials with the DeSantis-allied super PAC, Never Back Down, got into a shouting match with a Trump backer wearing Trump garb. The exact nature of what was said is disputed, though each side agreed that it centered on the Trump hats some of the patrons were sporting.”

— “Pence signals debate plan to attack Trump and DeSantis for not pushing national abortion ban,” by the Associated Press’ Thomas Beaumont

— “Francis Suarez: If you don’t make the debate, drop out,” by POLITICO’s Kierra Frazier

— “Does your Florida congressmember want to impeach Biden? Where the Republicans stand,” by Miami Herald’s Henry Jost

WHAT’S GOING ON HERE? — “Florida’s suspended affordable housing director struggled with debts,” by Tampa Bay Times’ Lawrence Mower: “As of Friday, 21 days after [Mike] DiNapoli was suspended, the corporation has not acknowledged his suspension or the reason for it. It’s unclear whether the DeSantis administration was aware of DiNapoli’s history. His office has not responded to any requests for comment over the last week.”

CASHED OUT — “Florida hands out last of Hurricane Ian relief fund backed by Casey DeSantis,” by the South Sentinel’s Skyler Swisher: About $7 million remained.

— “Florida billionaire Wayne Huizenga’s relationship with Clarence Thomas under scrutiny,” by Miami Herald’s Camellia Burris

— “Nikki Fried rips Ron DeSantis’ ‘outrageous’ appeals court judge, says he’d never a federal court,” by Florida Politics’ A.G. Gancarski

— “Pythons become an obsession: A night out with the hunters who caught that record-breaking 19-foot snake,” by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s Bill Kearney

BIRTHDAYS: Tim Tebow … Journalist and author Laura Wides-Munoz ... Martin J. Sweet, author and professor ... Sean Miles, principal at the Mayfair Group and a Rick Scott alum.

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