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  • Programming note: Apologies for the lack of the newsletter yesterday – we're back to a normal time for the rest of the week.

Here's what we're talking about:

With Phil Rosen.

Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis bill signing
Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

1. INSIDE THE MIDTERMS: Democrats think Gov. Ron DeSantis is vulnerable. They want to end the Florida Republican's presidential hopes long before the Iowa caucuses, and they're hoping that escalating their efforts to deny his reelection will also snuff out a formidable successor to former President Donald Trump's mantle.

Here's a peek at their playbook to take DeSantis down:

Florida's ongoing COVID-19 crisis plays a major role: The Democratic National Committee started singling out DeSantis in July as coronavirus cases in the state surged and as he resisted the kinds of restrictions that blue states were taking. President Joe Biden himself has played into this as the White House tussles with DeSantis over his ban on mask mandates.

  • Republicans think his approach will pay off: "The whole nation has Florida envy," Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Republican from Florida who ran DeSantis' gubernatorial transition team, told my colleague. DeSantis' staff also points out that while he opposes mandates, the governor has consistently pushed vaccination efforts.

Democrats concede DeSantis has skillfully raised his profile: He could teach "Masterclass on how to insert himself into the Republican Party primary ecosystem," Steve Schale, who steered the Obama-Biden ticket to victory both times in the state, told my colleague. But these very actions could also cost DeSantis in a general election.

  • Strategists caution about focusing too much on the governor: Schale said his party could win the state again by winning over suburban voters, getting more Democratic voters registered, and pushing back on Republican messaging trying to cast Democrats as "socialists."

Read more about how Democrats are tracking DeSantis' efforts to test the 2024 waters.

chris donahue last US soldier
US Army Maj. Gen. Chris Donahue was the last pair of American boots on the ground in Kabul, Afghanistan.
US CENTCOM

2. Biden defiant over Afghanistan withdrawal: He marked the end of America's longest war with a speech reiterating that he was "not going to extend this forever war." Biden also tried to skirt around breaking his recent pledge to not leave a single American behind, saying there was "no deadline" for the unknown number of Americans still in the country. But there are many signs the US will stay active in Afghanistan, even without troops there.

  • US made a secret deal with the Taliban to ease evacuations: The deal involved the Taliban helping transport groups of Americans to the Kabul airport as well as US special-operations forces working with militants to organize daily trips to guide those fleeing, CNN reports. More on the arrangement.

Taliban supporters hold a mock funeral for the US and the UK.

mock funeral taliban US khost afghanistan
A crowd with makeshift coffins draped in NATO, US, and Union Jack flags during a pretend funeral on a street in Khost, Afghanistan, on Tuesday.
Zhman TV/via REUTERS

3. Amazon, Google, Microsoft in a "frenzy" to help ICE build its own data-mining tool: The tech giants have shown interest in working on a system being developed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement that would target people not authorized to work in the US by mining social-media information and processing surveillance footage and biometric data, according to an Insider investigation. Up to $300 million is at stake.

4. One of the nation's strictest antiabortion laws is now in effect: A Texas law banning abortions after six weeks of pregnancy went into effect this morning, threatening access to abortions across the state. An application for an emergency injunction submitted by Texas abortion providers was not addressed by the US Supreme Court. More on the news.

  • Texas Republicans prevail in passing voting restrictions: The approval of the final version of Senate Bill 1 through both chambers of the Texas state legislature, almost entirely along party lines, is a major victory for GOP members who control the legislature. Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to sign the legislation into law.

Louisiana National Guard performs a rescue in Louisiana
The Louisiana National Guard has rescued hundreds of civilians following Hurricane Ida.
Louisiana National Guard via Twitter

5. Louisiana has rescued nearly 700 people since Ida struck: State officials say the Louisiana National Guard has rescued 359 people and 55 pets by high-water vehicle, boat, and air in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. Gov. John Bel Edwards said 671 people had been rescued from floodwaters since Ida made landfall as a Category 4 storm. So far, at least four people have been killed. Officials are begging residents not to return for now.

6. McCarthy threatens companies over Capitol riot panel's request: House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said the GOP "will not forget" any companies that comply with the panel's request for records, Politico reports. The panel asked 35 telecommunications and social-media companies for phone records and other information that could cover some lawmakers and some Trump family members, per CNN. Most Republicans led by McCarthy have staunchly opposed the panel's creation.

7. A California COVID-19 outbreak underscores the risks to kids: A CDC-backed simulation found "that in elementary schools without either masks or regular testing, more than 75% of children might be infected with the coronavirus in the first three months," The Washington Post reports. The news comes after a California teacher removed her mask to read aloud to her class. Within days, half of her students had COVID-19.

8. AOC and other progressives want a new Fed chair: A group of House Democrats argue that Jerome Powell has made some "positive changes" but hasn't done enough to address the climate crisis and racial inequality. Still, Powell has broad support from lawmakers and seems likely to win a second term by February. Here's why Powell is still Biden's most likely pick.

9. Fire could alter Lake Tahoe for years: Increasingly dismal conditions in the forested area surrounding the Caldor Fire in Northern California have already begun to tarnish the famously blue, alpine waters of Lake Tahoe - and researchers say the long-term effects on the natural wonder are still unknown. More on the Caldor Fire, which has prompted tens of thousands of evacuations and destroyed numerous structures.

10. "Jeopardy!" is entering another new era: Mike Richards, who was briefly the iconic show's new host, is now leaving the program entirely. Sony said Richards would exit as executive producer of both "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel of Fortune." An internal memo said the "disruption" had not died down following the uproar and later reversal on Richards' being named a full-time "Jeopardy!" host. Here's everything that led to Richards' departure.

Today's trivia question: Today marks the anniversary of Bobby Fischer's 1972 defeat of the Russian Boris Spassky in the world chess championship. Which US diplomat reportedly helped persuade Fischer to go to Iceland for the match? Email your guess and a suggested question to me at [email protected].

Read the original article on Business Insider