>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT.

HOSPITALIZATIONS RISE AS COVID-19 CASES SPIKE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE NEXT STAGE OF THE PANDEMIC IN OUR REGION.

AND CUBAN-AMERICANS IN FLORIDA EXPRESS SOLIDARITY WITH PROTESTORS ON THE ISLAND.

HOW MIGHT CHANGES IN CUBA AFFECT THE POLITICS OF OUR STATE?

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 YOU.

AND 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 VIA SKYPE, STEVE LEMONGELLO, WHO COVERS POLITICS FOR THE ORLANDO SENTINEL, AND DARLENE JONES OF WFTV, CHANNEL-9.

THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

NANCY ALVAREZ IS OFF THIS WEEK.

ALL RIGHT.

FIRST TONIGHT, CASES OF COVID-19 ARE CLIMBING STEEPLY IN FLORIDA, INCLUDING IN OUR REGION WHERE IN MOST PLACES THE TEST POSITIVITY RATE IS IN DOUBLE DIGITS NOW.

THE CDC SAYS FLORIDA ACCOUNTS FOR ONE IN FIVE CORONAVIRUS CASES IN THE UNITED STATES.

GOVERNOR DESANTIS THIS WEEK APPEALED FOR RESIDENTS TO GET VACCINATED, SAYING THE SHOTS SAVE LIVES AND THE FULLY VACCINATED FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL ANNOUNCED SHE HAS TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19.

WELL, VINCENT HSU FROM ADVENTHEALTH SAYS BREAKTHROUGH CASES ARE OCCURRING, BUT THE MAJORITY OF HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE AMONG UNVACCINATED PEOPLE.

>>AS WE ARE OPENING UP MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE TAKING THEIR MASKS OFF AND NOT SOCIAL DISTANCING, THAT COULD BE A FACTOR, BUT PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST FACTORS IS THE RISE IN THE DELTA VARIANTS.

WE ARE SEEING, AS MENTIONED, A GREATER NUMBER OF VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN INFECTED WITH THE DELTA VARIANT.

WE KNOW THAT IT'S MUCH MORE TRANSMISSIBLE.

WE'RE STILL LEARNING A LOT ABOUT THAT, BUT THAT IS REALLY A BIG FACTOR.

AND RIGHT NOW THE CDC ESTIMATES THAT WELL MORE THAN HALF, AND I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF IT'S 70 OR 80% NOW, OF OUR NEW CASES IN THE US ARE DELTA.

SO WE HAVE TO PRESUME IF SOMEONE HAS A NEW INFECTION, IT PROBABLY IS A DELTA VARIANT.

>>SO DR. HSU IS POINTING TO THE DELTA VARIANT AND THE FURTHER EASING AND COVID PROTOCOLS THERE.

DARLENE, LET ME START WITH YOU.

MIAMI'S JACKSON HEALTH THIS WEEK INCREASED ITS THREAT LEVEL TO HIGH.

ROLLED BACK VISITATION POLICIES AS WELL, BUT HOSPITALIZATIONS DO REMAIN LOWER THAN AT THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC, RIGHT?

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THOSE IN THE ICU'S NOW?

ARE THEY GENERALLY YOUNGER?

>>THEY ARE GENERALLY YOUNGER, STEVE, BUT WHAT'S INTERESTING THAT CAME OUT OF THAT JACKSON MEMORIAL STORY IS THAT, I THINK ABOUT 42% OF THEIR HEALTHCARE WORKERS HERE ARE ALSO UNVACCINATED WHO THEY'RE TREATING WITH THIS VIRUS, BUT THEY'RE ALSO DEALING WITH HOSPITAL STAFF WHO ARE NOT VACCINATED, AND SO THAT'S A CONCERN FOR HEALTHCARE AS WELL.

>>YEAH.

STEVE, THE LOCAL HEALTH OFFICIALS THINK WE CAN AVOID THE WORSENING SITUATION WE'VE SEEN IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD CURRENTLY, LIKE IN ISRAEL AND THE UK, THAT ACTUALLY HAVE A BETTER VACCINATION RATE THAN WE DO HERE IN FLORIDA.

>>YEAH.

THOSE SORT OF WORRIES ARE WHY ORANGE COUNTY MAYOR, JERRY DEMINGS SAID RECENTLY, THAT HE'S SUGGESTING THAT PEOPLE EVEN VACCINATE OR NOT START WEARING MASK INDOORS AGAIN.

SO, ADVENTHEALTH JUST ON THURSDAY MORNING SAID THAT THEY'RE REIMPLEMENTING A LOT OF THE POLICIES THEY USED TO HAVE DURING THE FIRST DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC.

LIMITING VISITORS, DEFERRING ELECTIVE CASES THAT REQUIRE INPATIENT ADMISSION AND REQUIRING MASKS HOSPITAL-WIDE AGAIN.

SO WE'RE SEEING THINGS FROM LOCAL HOSPITALS THAT WE SAW ESSENTIALLY BACK FROM THE BEGINNING, BACK IN MARCH OF 2020.

>>YEAH, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT MAYOR DEMINGS' COMMENTS IN A MINUTE, BUT DARLENE, BREAKTHROUGH HOSPITALIZATIONS AND DEATHS ARE STILL RELATIVELY UNUSUAL LOCALLY, BUT IN SOME PLACES THAT ARE AHEAD ON THE PANDEMIC CURVE, IT IS HAPPENING.

WHAT ARE HEALTH OFFICIALS HERE SAYING ABOUT BREAKTHROUGHS?

>>SO, THAT'S THE THING.

INITIALLY, I THINK EVEN EARLIER THIS WEEK, WE HEARD LOCAL HEALTHCARE OFFICIALS SAYING THAT PLACEMENTS IN THE HOSPITALS ARE OF THE UNVACCINATED.

BUT WE ARE SLOWLY STARTING TO HEAR ABOUT THOSE BREAKTHROUGH CASES HERE LOCALLY, AND ALSO THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

IT IS TAP [INAUDIBLE] THERE ARE CASES IN BOSTON, IN CHICAGO, WHERE SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED IN SOME OF THESE BREAKTHROUGH CASES, AND WHILE THEY MAY NOT BE DYING AT THE RATE OF THOSE WHO ARE UNVACCINATED, THESE BREAKTHROUGH CASES WHERE FULLY VACCINATED PEOPLE ARE CONTRACTING COVID-19, THEY ARE HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

>>ALL RIGHT.

WELL, LET'S TALK POLICY A MOMENT.

ORANGE COUNTY MAYOR, JERRY DEMINGS, AS WE MENTIONED, CALLED ON BUSINESSES THIS WEEK TO ASK PATRONS TO MASK UP, SAYING IT WILL BE QUOTE, "IRRESPONSIBLE, NOT TO DO ANYTHING IN THE FACE OF RISING CASES."

DEMINGS SAYS, HE'S ASKING FOR VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE.

>>WE HAVE NO WAY IN OUR SOCIETY TO KNOW WHO'S VACCINATED AND WHO'S NOT VACCINATED.

BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS, YOU CANNOT REQUIRE THE VACCINE PASSPORTS.

YOU CAN'T REQUIRE INDIVIDUALS TO PRODUCE THAT.

SO, IT'S THE ONLY OTHER WAY TO GENERALLY ADDRESS THE ISSUE IF YOU REQUIRE EVERYONE IN CROWDED PLACES TO WEAR A FACIAL COVERINGS, THEN YOU HAVE EVERYONE COVERED.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER TOOLS IN OUR TOOLBOX AT THIS POINT TO DEAL WITH IT.

SO, WHAT I SAY TO FLORIDIANS IS GO TO THOSE WHO CONTROL THE CARDS AT THIS POINT.

THAT'S THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE.

TALK TO THEM ABOUT IT.

ONE THING THEY RESPOND TO IS POLITICAL PRESSURE.

SO, I PUT THE PRESSURE RIGHT WHERE IT SHOULD BE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

WE HAVE TO LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND WHEN YOU DIMINISH THE ABILITY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO MAKE DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE WITHIN THOSE LOCAL COMMUNITIES, YOU END UP PUTTING US AT A DISADVANTAGE AND THEREBY ALSO PUTTING THE PEOPLE AT RISK AS WELL.

BUT WE FIND OURSELVES AT THIS CROSSROADS IN OUR HISTORY, AND IT IS WHAT IT IS.

>>IT IS WHAT IT IS.

DARLENE, MAYOR DEMINGS SEEMS TO HAVE NO ROOM FOR MANEUVER HERE, RIGHT?

IS THERE ANYTHING HE CAN DO BEYOND RECOMMENDATIONS?

AND IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE THAT BUSINESSES AND THE PUBLIC ARE LISTENING?

ANECDOTALLY, I DON'T SEE MUCH EVIDENCE OF IT.

>>NO, NOT AT ALL.

IN FACT, IF YOU GO AROUND, YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF BUSINESSES HAVE ACTUALLY TAKEN DOWN THE SIGNS THAT REQUIRED PEOPLE TO WEAR A MASK, VACCINATED OR NOT.

THOSE SIGNS DON'T EXIST IN A LOT OF PLACES ANYMORE AND MAYOR DEMINGS COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER.

IT REALLY IS WHAT IT IS.

NOT ONLY FOR HIM AS A COUNTY MAYOR, BUT FOR ANY MAJOR IN ANY CITY IN ANY COUNTY, THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

THE GOVERNOR ESSENTIALLY STRIPPED THEM OF ANY POWER TO ENACT ANY LOCAL ORDINANCES, PUT IN ANY RESTRICTIONS WHEN HE SIGNED THAT EXECUTIVE ORDER A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, AND SO PEOPLE REALLY WOULD HAVE TO LEAN ON THE LEGISLATURE, LEAN ON THE GOVERNOR IF THEY WANT TO SEE CHANGES HERE IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES, BECAUSE THESE LOCAL MAYORS NO LONGER HAVE POWER TO PUT IN ANY COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS.

>>YEAH.

STEVE, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE GOVERNOR A MOMENT.

HIS CAMPAIGNS 'DON'T FAUCI MY FLORIDA' MERCHANDISE HAS GAINED A LOT OF ATTENTION, BEER KOOZIES, AND THE LIKE.

BUT THIS WEEK HE BLAMED WHAT HE CALLED, 'EXPERTS' FOR MISINFORMATION THAT HE SAYS HAS ERODED PUBLIC TRUST IN VACCINATIONS.

DO WE KNOW WHAT THE GOVERNOR'S REFERRING TO?

>>YES, AND YOU MENTIONED SOME OF THE CAMPAIGN MERCHANDISE BEING SOLD ON THE GOVERNOR'S CAMPAIGN WEBSITE.

THAT ALSO INCLUDES A, 'HOW THE HELL CAN I DRINK A BEER WITH A MASK ON' KOOZIE FOR EXAMPLE, IN ADDITION TO 'DON'T FAUCI MY FLORIDA'.

BUT YES, HE WAS ASKED THIS WEEK...

HE HELD VARIOUS EVENTS AT VACCINATION SITES WHEN THIS THING ROLLED OUT.

HE WENT TO THE FIRST VACCINATION...

HE WENT TO A LOT OF VACCINATIONS EVENTS AND PRESS CONFERENCES DURING THE FIRST FEW MONTHS.

HE HASN'T DONE THAT IN A LONG TIME.

HE WAS ASKED ABOUT THAT AND ESSENTIALLY DEFLECTED THAT QUESTION AND SORT OF SAID...

HE BLAMED 'EXPERTS' FOR MISINFORMATION THAT LED TO A ERODED PUBLIC TRUST.

I THINK HE WAS REFERRING TO THE QUESTION ABOUT EARLIER IN THE 2020 ABOUT WHETHER RECOMMENDING MASKS WOULD BE EFFECTIVE.

IT WAS QUICKLY DECIDED THAT YES, IT WOULD BE, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE THEN POINTED THAT SAYING, "OH, LOOK, YOU CAN'T TRUST A WHAT FAUCI AND THE CDC SAY."

EVEN THOUGH FAUCI HAS BEEN QUITE OPEN IN SAYING, YEAH, THEY WERE STRUGGLING WITH IT, BUT THEY CHANGED THEIR MINDS AND THEY QUICKLY WENT TO PROMOTING MASKS.

THE GOVERNOR SEEMS TO IMPLY THAT PEOPLE WHO WANT THE VACCINATIONS WILL GET THE VACCINATIONS AND PEOPLE WHO DON'T, DON'T.

HE DOES NOT SEEM LIKE HE WAS ABOUT TO START DOING ANY SORT OF ENCOURAGEMENT CAMPAIGN TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO TAKE THEM.

>>AND STEVE, JUST VERY BRIEFLY, IF YOU CAN.

YOUR PAPER, THE SENTINEL, THIS WEEK, KNOCKED THE GOVERNOR FOR GOING TO THE TEXAS, MEXICO BORDERS AS COVID CASES RISE IN FLORIDA.

HAS THE GOVERNOR OR HIS TEAM RESPONDED TO THAT SORT OF CRITICISM?

>>NOT REALLY.

HE'S DEFENDED GOING THERE.

HE SAID THAT A LOT OF WHAT COMES THROUGH THAT SECTION OF THE BORDER IS DRUGS AND OTHER ILLEGAL THINGS.

A LOT OF WHICH COMES TO FLORIDA.

BUT YOU DID SEE HE... JUST AFTER THE SURFSIDE COLLAPSE, HE DID HOLD AN EVENT ESSENTIALLY SAYING...

GIVING A KICKOFF TO...

THESE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE GOING TO TEXAS.

HE SORT OF GOT SOME FLACK FOR THAT AND DIDN'T REALLY HOLD ANOTHER SORT OF EVENT LIKE THAT FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

BUT THEN YOU SAW JUST LAST WEEK, JUST WHEN THESE NUMBERS STARTED TO GO UP HERE IN FLORIDA, HE AGAIN HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE WITH THE TEXAS GOVERNOR IN TEXAS ABOUT THIS.

AGAIN, GETTING COMPLAINTS ABOUT WHY ARE YOU FOCUSING ON THIS INSTEAD OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR STATE.

>>YEAH.

AND DON'T FORGET TO JOIN THIS DISCUSSION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE'RE AT WUCF TV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT TONIGHT.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR CUBA?

THE RECENT PROTESTS ON THE ISLAND HAVE CARRIED OVER INTO SUPPORT ALONG CUBAN-AMERICANS IN FLORIDA.

>>PEOPLE BASICALLY FINALLY STOOD UP AND SAID, "I DON'T CARE IF THEY KILL ME.

I DON'T CARE IF I DIE.

I'M GOING TO STAND UP FOR MY RIGHTS BECAUSE ENOUGH IS ENOUGH."

THAT'S WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE NOW NEED TO AMPLIFY THEIR VOICES AROUND THE WORLD.

>>WE NEED TO BE UNITED AS A COUNTRY.

REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, ALL AND STAND ON THE SIDE OF FREEDOM.

LET'S STAND FOR THE PEOPLE OF CUBA AND GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO LIVE IN FREEDOM LIKE EVERYONE ELSE ASPIRES TO.

IT'S A REMARKABLE EVENT.

A REMARKABLE MOMENT.

>>WELL, GOVERNOR DESANTIS AND SENATOR MARCO RUBIO WERE AT THE VERSAILLES RESTAURANT IN LITTLE HAVANA ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOR A DISCUSSION HOSTED BY FOX NEWS.

WELL, TO TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS, I TURN TO LUIS MARTINEZ FERNANDEZ, A CUBA EXPERT FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA.

I STARTED BY ASKING HIM WHAT HE THINKS IS BEHIND THE RECENT PROTESTS.

>>FIRST OF ALL, LONG-TERM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 62 YEARS OF DICTATORSHIP.

I WASN'T EVEN BORN WHEN THE REVOLUTION TRIUMPHED.

I'M 61 AND I'M HERE TALKING ABOUT THE REVOLUTION.

SO IT'S A LONG TIME.

SINCE THE MID-1990S, CUBA HAS BEEN IN A CRISIS AND IT HASN'T LET GO.

IT CONTINUES.

THEN THERE'S THE IMMEDIATE TRIGGERS WHICH HAVE TO DO WITH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

THE FACT THAT CUBANS LACK FOOD, ELECTRIC SERVICE.

CUBANS LACK MEDICINES.

CUBANS LACK COVID-19 VACCINES.

THE FACT THAT THE PANDEMIC HAS STOPPED VIRTUALLY ALL TOURISM INTO CUBA.

SO, ALL OF THESE FACTORS COMBINED EXPLAIN THIS.

NOW, WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THAT THE EMBARGO GIVES THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT AN EXCUSE FOR ALL OF ITS FAILURES, AND IT GIVES SOME ARGUMENT, I DON'T THINK IT'S A CONVINCING ARGUMENT, TO THOSE WHO STILL, AFTER ALL OF THESE THINGS, STILL SUPPORT THE CUBAN REGIME.

>>WHAT ABOUT HOW CUBA IS VIEWED HERE IN FLORIDA?

WHAT ROLE DO CUBAN AMERICANS NOW PLAY IN THE FINAL OUTCOMES, DO YOU THINK?

>>YES.

CUBAN AMERICANS ARE PLAYING A VERY SIGNIFICANT ROLE, AND BY THAT, I MEAN CUBANS AND CUBAN AMERICANS, WHO'VE TAKEN TO THE STREETS IN NUMBERS THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN EVER.

THIS IS OF COURSE, VERY EVIDENT IN MIAMI.

IT'S ALSO EVIDENT HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

MARCHES, PROTESTS.

IT IS EVIDENT IN FRONT OF THE WHITE HOUSE.

IT IS EVIDENT IN CITIES THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY.

WE SEE THAT FROM SEATTLE TO MIAMI, NEW YORK TO CALIFORNIA, IT IS MASSIVE.

SO THE CUBAN-AMERICANS, I SHOULD SAY, WE ARE AS A GROUP, VERY FRUSTRATED.

IN 62 YEARS, WE HAVE NOT WON A SINGLE BATTLE AGAINST THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT.

REMEMBER THE ELIAN GONZALEZ AFFAIR.

I THINK FROM WHAT I'M SEEING, THAT THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO STRIKE A HIT.

THIS TIME, CUBAN AMERICANS ARE GOING TO BE PART OF A VICTORY.

>>WILL THEY BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING THOUGH?

DO THEY HAVE A BULLY PULPIT WITH THE ADMINISTRATION?

>>WELL, YES.

IT'S INTERESTING THAT BIDEN HAD AMONG HIS CAMPAIGN PROMISES, HE SAID THAT HE WAS GOING TO ELIMINATE THE SANCTIONS AGAINST CUBA THAT WERE PUT BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

NOW, VERY WISELY, HE HASN'T DONE THAT YET.

HE HASN'T DONE IT BECAUSE FRANKLY, WHEN OBAMA NEGOTIATED WITH CUBA, THE UNITED STATES MADE SEVERAL CONCESSIONS AND CUBA DID NOT GIVE IN ONE INCH.

SO THIS TIME AROUND BIDEN IS BEING MORE SENSITIVE AND SAY, "WELL, WE NEED TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF THIS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T BACK WHEN OBAMA WAS PRESIDENT."

WHAT CUBANS CAN DO... WELL, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY CONTINUE TO BE VERY VISIBLE BECAUSE THAT SENDS A MESSAGE TO CUBANS ON THE ISLAND THAT WE ARE WITH THEM.

THE OTHER DAY, I WAS AT A PROTEST DOWNTOWN ORLANDO AND ONE OF THE CHANTS WAS, "IF CUBA IS OUT IN THE STREETS, ORLANDO'S ALSO OUT IN THE STREETS."

IT'S IMPORTANT TO SEND THAT MESSAGE BECAUSE THEY SEND THE MESSAGE TO THE CUBAN PEOPLE AND THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT.

>>CERTAINLY, AS YOU MENTIONED, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN MUCH MORE CONSERVATIVE WITH A SMALL SEEDS AND THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION WAS IN ITS DEALINGS WITH CUBA, BUT SHOULD IT BE DOING MORE?

IS THIS A MOMENT THAT IT SHOULD SEIZE?

>>ABSOLUTELY.

THE RHETORIC IS ONE THING.

THE ACTIONS ARE ANOTHER, AND WE'RE AWAITING THOSE ACTIONS.

NOW, IT'S VERY INTERESTING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CUBAN POPULATION IN FLORIDA, AND AS YOU KNOW, AS ALMOST EVERYBODY KNOWS, FLORIDA IS A KEY STATE.

IT'S A BATTLEGROUND STATE IN ELECTIONS.

SO WHAT WE WANT TO SEE IS... WHAT CUBAN-AMERICANS WOULD LIKE TO SEE ARE SOME ACTIONS AND THEN PERHAPS COME THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTIONS AND ACTUALLY, THE NEXT CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS, THEN WE'LL TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.

BUT YOU'RE RIGHT.

JUST WORDS WILL NOT CUT IT.

IT HAS TO BE ACTIONS.

>>WELL, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE POLITICS OF THIS IN A MOMENT IN FLORIDA, BUT DARLENE, LET ME START WITH YOU.

WE SAW RALLIES IN MIAMI AND TAMPA, AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT, BUT ALSO HERE IN OUR AREA.

HOW HAVE CUBAN-AMERICANS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA REACTED TO THE EVENTS ON THE ISLAND?

>>SIMILARLY, TO WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE.

WE SAW HUGE CROWDS IN MIAMI AND TAMPA AND HERE, IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, THEY ARE STANDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH THEIR CUBAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO ARE SUFFERING, AND I THINK THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

SOME OF [INAUDIBLE] HEARD THERE FROM YOUR INTERVIEW...

THE VOICE HAS TO BE LOUD AND IT HAS TO COME FROM EVERYWHERE AND THEN STANDING IN SOLIDARITY TOGETHER.

I THINK IT'S SHOWING THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO GIVE UP.

THAT THEY ARE GOING TO CONTINUE FIGHTING FOR WHAT THEY FEEL IS RIGHT.

>>YEAH.

AND THIS HAS BEEN A FAIRLY BIPARTISAN MOVEMENT SO FAR, BUT THERE'S BEEN A LIVELY DEBATE HERE IN FLORIDA ABOUT WHETHER THESE PROTESTS ARE SIMPLY A RESPONSE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE FED UP WITH COMMUNIST RULE, STEVE, OR WHETHER THERE WERE OTHER FACTORS AT PLAY.

HOW IS THAT DISCUSSION PLAYING OUT HERE ON SORT OF THIS SIDE OF THE FLORIDA STREETS?

>>SURE.

SO YOU SEE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS HAVE JUST BEEN VERY ANTI-CUBAN GOVERNMENT.

DEMOCRATS SORT OF HAVE TO THREAD THE NEEDLE A BIT.

YOU'VE HAD SOME LIKE CARLOS SMITH, STATE REPRESENTATIVE HERE IN ORLANDO, HE BACKS THE PROTESTORS 100% HERE AND IN CUBA.

SAYS THAT THEY'RE BEING OPPRESSED.

THEY WANT TO CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT.

BUT HE ALSO SAYS THAT THE EMBARGO WAS A MISTAKE.

IT HASN'T DONE ANYTHING IN 60 YEARS AND IT NEEDS TO BE OVERTURNED.

THEN YOU SEE PEOPLE LIKE VAL DEMINGS WHO HAVE SORT OF... SHE'S ALSO SORT OF TRYING TO THREAD THE NEEDLE THERE.

I DON'T THINK SHE SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THE EMBARGO QUITE YET.

AND THEN YOU SEE THINGS LIKE SEVERN JONES, A STATE SENATOR, AND ANNA ESKAMANI, STATE REPRESENTATIVE, THEY WERE BACKING THE PROTESTERS LAST WEEK AND THEN THEY GOT CRITICIZED IN THE COMMENTS OF TWITTER BY PROGRESSIVES WHO WERE SAYING THAT THIS IS ENTIRELY THE US'S FAULT.

THE EMBARGO, THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THERE IS SORT OF A THIN LINE THEY HAVE TO WALK HERE.

>>YEAH AND DARLENE, ANOTHER POINT OF CONTENTION HERE IN FLORIDA WAS WHAT SOME PEOPLE SAW AS SORT OF AN UNEVEN ENFORCEMENT OF FLORIDA'S NEW HB-1 LAW, THE SO-CALLED ANTI RIOT LEGISLATION WHEN CUBAN AMERICAN PROTESTORS BLOCKED HIGHWAYS.

DID IT APPEAR THAT POLICE WERE FOLLOWING THE LETTER OF THE LAW?

I KNOW IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOUR OUTLET COVERED.

>>YEAH.

THAT QUESTION WAS RAISED BY STATE LAWMAKERS, INCLUDING FOLKS LIKE ANNA ESKAMANI WHO QUESTIONED WHETHER IT WAS BEING ENFORCED FAIRLY.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK THE GENERAL PUBLIC HAS TO REMEMBER IS THAT EVEN THOUGH THAT LAW IS IN EFFECT AS SOME [INAUDIBLE] ANTI-RIOT MEASURE, IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS LEFT TO THE DISCRETION OF LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.

IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU ARE.

THAT'S GOING TO BE DEPENDENT ON HOW YOU SEE IT ENFORCED, BUT THERE WERE CERTAINLY SOME QUESTIONS RAISED BY STATE LAWMAKERS AS TO WHETHER IT WAS BEING ENFORCED FAIRLY.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THE GOVERNOR SAID, GOVERNOR DESANTIS SAID IS THAT HE FELT THERE WERE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF RALLIES HAPPENING.

WHEN YOU LOOKED AT BLACK LIVES MATTERS RALLIES LAST SUMMER, CALLING FOR POLICE REFORM AND THE RALLIES HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, FOR FOLKS WHO ARE CALLING FOR A CHANGE IN CUBA.

I THINK THERE ARE DEFINITELY PEOPLE WHO DISAGREE WITH THAT AND SO IT DEFINITELY IS VERY INTERESTING TO SEE THE PERSPECTIVES THERE ARE AS WE NOW TRY TO SEE HOW LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES WILL ENFORCE THE LAW.

>>AND FINALLY, STEVE, JUST BRIEFLY, WE GOT A STEER FROM THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION THIS WEEK ON ITS NEXT STEPS.

WHAT DO WE KNOW AND HOW LIKELY DO YOU THINK THOSE KINDS OF DECISIONS ARE TO BE SHAPED HERE IN FLORIDA?

WE HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT MIAMI-DADE AT THE LAST ELECTION.

DOES FLORIDA PLAY A KEY ROLE IN WHAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION DOES NOW?

>>OH, DEFINITELY.

THAT'S PART OF THE REASON, AS WE'VE TALKED BEFORE, WHY BIDEN REALLY HAS BEEN MOSTLY CONSERVATIVE AND NOT GOING BACK TO THE OBAMA POLICIES ON CUBA.

SO, I THINK, YEAH.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, WHATEVER IT DOES WITH CUBA, FLORIDA POLITICS IS GOING TO PLAY A KEY ROLE IN THAT.

>>WELL, YOU CAN FIND MUCH MORE OF MY INTERVIEW WITH LUIS MARTINEZ FERNANDEZ IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH ON OUR WEBSITE AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

FINALLY, TONIGHT.

OF COURSE, CUBA IS LIKELY TO BE A KEY ISSUE FOR BOTH GOVERNOR DESANTIS AND SENATOR RUBIO IN NEXT YEAR'S ELECTION.

SO, LET'S TALK ABOUT SENATOR RUBIO'S RACE.

CONGRESSWOMAN VAL DEMINGS IS AIMING TO CHALLENGE RUBIO IN NEXT YEAR'S ELECTION.

LET'S WATCH TWO ADS.

ONE FROM RUBIO AND THIS ONE FROM DEMINGS.

>>UNLIKE SOME IN WASHINGTON, I NEVER TIRE OF STANDING UP FOR WHAT I BELIEVE IS RIGHT, BECAUSE NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.

BUT IT TURNS OUT THERE ARE SOME IN WASHINGTON WHO PREFER THE SAME OLD, TIRED WAYS OF DOING BUSINESS.

TOO TIRED TO FIGHT THE EFFORTS TO SUPPRESS THE PEOPLE'S VOTE.

THEY FALL BACK TO TIRED TALKING POINTS AND BACKWARDS SOLUTIONS.

HE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT- >>THE MEMORIZED 25 SECOND SPEECH.

THAT'S WHAT WASHINGTON D.C.

DOES.

>>I AM PROUD OF WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED FOR YOU, YOUR FAMILY, OUR GREAT STATE AND OUR NATION, BUT THERE'S STILL MUCH MORE WORK TO DO.

THAT'S WHY WE TOOK ADDITIONAL STEPS TO HELP OUR VETERANS SECURE POST-SERVICE EMPLOYMENT AND STEM CAREERS.

WE CONTINUED THE LONG OVERDUE WORK OF RESTORING THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES.

WE CREATED THE COMMISSION ON THE SOCIAL STATUS OF BLACK MEN AND BOYS, AND WE CONTINUED BUILDING A CONSENSUS FOR A NEW TYPE OF ECONOMIC POLICY AGENDA.

ONE, THAT PROMOTES THE COMMON GOOD AS OPPOSED TO ONE THAT BENEFITS WALL STREET AND BEIJING.

>>ALL RIGHT, STEVE, LET ME START WITH YOU ON THIS ONE.

WHAT HAVE ANALYSTS YOU'VE TALKED TO SAID ABOUT VAL DEMINGS CHANCES IN FLORIDA, GIVEN THE GAINS THAT REPUBLICANS HAVE MADE HERE IN RECENT CYCLES, PARTICULARLY IN DADE?

>>SURE.

SO A LOT OF THE EXPERTS I'VE SPOKEN TO SAID THAT IF ANYONE HAS A CHANCE AGAINST RUBIO, IT'S PROBABLY VAL DEMINGS.

SHE HITS A LOT OF THE RIGHT BUTTONS FOR DEMOGRAPHICS.

THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOTE DOES COME OUT IN FLORIDA ELECTION.

YOU SAW THAT WITH GILLUM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UNLIKE WHAT YOU SAW WITH GILLUM, THERE ISN'T THAT SORT OF CHARGE OF SOCIALISM THAT YOU SAW THAT WAS ATTACHED TO GILLUM BECAUSE OF HIS CAMPAIGNING WITH BERNIE SANDERS.

NOW, THE RUBIO CAMPAIGN IS TRYING ITS HARDEST TO CALL DEMINGS A SOCIALIST, BUT IT'S JUST NOT STICKING.

>>YEAH.

DARLENE, STEVE MENTIONED THERE, THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOTE.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO SAY WHETHER DEMINGS' RECORD IN LAW ENFORCEMENT MIGHT HELP OR HURT HER WITH AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOTERS AND TURN OUT IN THAT DEMOGRAPHIC?

IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S DEBATED BY POLITICAL SCIENTISTS, RIGHT?

>>IT IS.

BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT IN HER TIME IN WASHINGTON, SHE HAS DONE SO MUCH MORE THAN WHAT SHE DID PRIOR TO GOING AND SO I THINK THAT ACTUALLY IT'S GOING TO WEIGH EVEN HEAVIER THAN HER CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.

LOOK, SHE HAS A HISTORY OF FUNDRAISING.

SHE HAS PROVEN THAT SHE CAN RAISE MONEY AND STEVE THERE SPOKE ABOUT THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOTE HERE COMING OUT, BUT I THINK YOU NARROW IT DOWN EVEN MORE THAN THAT.

REPRESENTATIVE VAL DEMINGS HAS A HISTORY OF SERVING IN CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES.

SHE HAS TIES TO DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED, ELITES INCORPORATED AND WHILE THOSE ARE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, THEIR MEMBERS ARE VERY HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND ALSO CAN HELP RAISE MONEY.

THOSE ARE GOING TO BE VERY SIGNIFICANT FOR HER BECAUSE WHILE BLACK WOMEN ONLY MAKE UP ABOUT SEVEN OR 8% PERCENT OF THE POPULATION HERE IN THE US, THEY HAVE PROVEN THAT THEY WILL VOTE AND THEIR VOTE IS CONSISTENT.

SO I THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE FOR HER AS WE MOVE TOWARD THE ELECTION.

>>YEAH.

THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT.

AND STEVE, WHAT ARE THE ROUTES TO THE WIN FOR RUBIO AND HIS EVENTUAL DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGER WITH REGARDS TO THE PLACES THEY NEED TO DO WELL IN OUR REGION?

AND DO YOU THINK, TO THE SUBJECT WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, THAT CUBA IS AN ISSUE IN THIS ELECTION?

IS IT GOING TO BE AN ISSUE BY THE TIME WE GET ROUND TO 2022?

>>THAT'S THE THING.

THINGS HAPPEN SO FAST THESE DAYS, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL BE THE MAIN ISSUE IN 2022.

LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.

BUT I THINK IN THIS REGION, ONE KEY AREA IS THE HEAVILY HISPANIC, PUERTO RICAN AREAS IN SOUTH ORANGE AND THE OSCEOLA COUNTY.

THOSE SORT OF DID A LITTLE BIT BETTER FOR TRUMP IN 2020 THAN IN 2016.

REALLY CAME OUT FOR RICK SCOTT AS WELL IN 2018 OVER BILL NELSON.

THOSE AREAS, THEY'RE STILL PRETTY DEMOCRATIC, BUT REPUBLICANS HAVE PICKED OFF JUST ENOUGH TO DO VERY WELL THERE AND RUBIO, I THINK, WITH HIS HISPANIC BACKGROUND, AS A CUBAN AMERICAN CAN CERTAINLY TRY TO PLAY TO THAT CROWD.

AS WELL AS, LIKE WE SAID BEFORE, THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOTE.

AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN, AS, AS DARLENE SAID, THEY ARE THE TRUE BASE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

IF DEMINGS GETS OUT THAT VOTE LIKE GILLUM DID IN 2018... SHE PROBABLY HAS TO DO A LITTLE BETTER IN GETTING EVEN MORE TO BEAT RUBIO BUT SHE CERTAINLY HAS A CHANCE.

>>YEAH.

IT'S LIKELY TO BE A VERY COMPETITIVE RACE FOR SURE.

WELL, THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

A BUSY SHOW.

MY THANKS TO STEVE LEMONGELLO OF THE ORLANDO SENTINEL AND DARLENE JONES OF WFTV CHANNEL-9.

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

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