Yesterday Kimberly Leonard and Elena Schneider reported that “A national Democratic operative, granted anonymity to speak freely about the 2024 race without angering the party, said Florida has lost its battleground status, and Democrats are coming to the state simply to raise money— not campaign for Florida Democrats or attempt to flip the state. ‘It’s the nation’s ATM,’ the person said. ‘Democrats are going to go there to raise money— as they should… And they’re going to take that money and they’re going to invest it in states that are actually competitive, unlike Florida.’ Biden’s chances in November look worse than in 2020, given that Republicans have out-registered Democrats by 780,000 voters. Unlike in other states during the 2022 midterms where Republicans underperformed, Democrats got trounced down the ballot that year thanks to a strong showing for Gov. Ron DeSantis. It’s a far cry from 2009 and 2012, when former President Barack Obama won Florida with Biden as his running mate.”
Former Orlando Congressman Alan Grayson, a candidate for the Rick Scott Senate seat could agree less. “In 1996, right around the time that I moved to Florida,” he wrote, “Bill Clinton’s campaign registered 550,000 Democrats, and he won Florida. In 2008, when I was elected to Congress, Barack Obama’s campaign registered 700,000 Democrats, and he won Florida. And following that, Stacey Abrams registered 2.6 million Georgian voters, which gave the White House and the Senate to the Democrats. Georgia, a neighboring state with a similar mix of folks, is half the size of Florida.”
“In Florida,” wrote Grayson, “we need to register 1,000,000 Democrats this year. And it will be easier than it ever was in Georgia. Here in Florida, we’re not registering people for the first time; we’re re-registering 1,000,000+ people who were registered before. Plus we have a pool of 1,500,000 convicted felons who have had their rights restored, but no one has reached out to register them. They skew 3-to-1 Democratic. Plus we have another pool of nearly 500,000 young first-time voters to register. They skew 2-to-1 Democratic.”
“This is the greatest opportunity for real change in the entire country. If we register 1,000,000 Florida Democrats, we will deprive Donald Trump of 30 Electoral Votes. He will lose (and scream that we cheated— hahahahahaha!) And we will pick up a Senate seat, currently held by Skeletor, that will help us keep the Senate. Also, the Endarkenment of the State of Florida will end; 20 million people will be liberated from #DeathSantis and his evil crew.”
“That’s what my campaign is all about this year— registering 1,000,000 Democrats, so that we can turn Florida Blue, and keep the White House and the Senate out of the hands of the MAGA nuts, forever,” he concluded. “I’m in. Are you in? Si se puede.”
What's the point of getting the state constitution abortion amendment on the ballot if you're going to concede the state?
Dems have largely given up on OH (after Obama carried it 2X and Kerry seriously contested it). Giving up on FL, too, narrows the margin for error and allows GOP to direct resources elsewhere.
What was the point of passing the amendment allow former felons to vote if you're not going to register them?
Alan all my thoughts and hopes are with you. Florida could surely use you as a Senator. Yes there should be a major effort to register voters. If I lived in Florida I’d vote for you in a heartbeat. However I have no plans moving there now for reasons you understand all too well. Good luck!!