The midterms are the gift that keeps on giving. They're so much more than one day in November. For weeks to come, we'll be unpacking all the policy changes that were enacted yesterday.
One slightly odd, though generally heartwarming, amendment that passed yesterday was Amendment 13 in Florida, which will end greyhound racing in the state by 2020, and greyhound racing tracks have until 2021 to close. Presently, Florida has 11 of the 17 dog tracks remaining in the country.
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The amendment passed with a 69-31 percent victory, which the Committee to Protect Dogs described as "a knock-out blow to a cruel industry that has been hurting and killing dogs for nearly a century."
The fight that resulted in the bill's passing was in part led by Laura Trump, daughter-in-law of president Donald Trump—President Trump himself lobbied in favor of the amendment.
"These dogs are in cages 23 hours a day," Laura Trump said in a recent interview with the Palm Beach Post. "As a Republican and as a dog lover, I said here's something you can do that's great for business, great for taxpayers... and you're giving a chance to all these dogs here who otherwise are going to be in really sad, deplorable conditions."
Alongside Laura Trump was Republican Attorney General Pam Bondi, who you will remember was harassed by protestors when she went to see the Mister Rogers movie.
The historical consequences of this are incredibly significant.
Bondi had previously described dog racing as "a black eye" on the state, adding "that 419 greyhounds have tested positive for illegal drugs, including cocaine, over the last decade."
The amendment marked an interesting bipartisan accord.
Among the amendment's largest advocates was Carey Theil, executive director of GREY2K USA, a non-profit organization devoted to passing stronger greyhound protection laws and ending dog racing in the U.S.
"The historical consequences of this are incredibly significant," Theil said. "We're seeing one of the highest approvals of any animal welfare measure in the nation."
