The state that Democrats used to be able to count on from voters from up North retiring to ain’t that anymore….
Led by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis….
The state has made a strong right turn and don’t seem like it’s gonna be a place Democrats are gonna make gains….
“Nobody is coming to save us,” state Rep. Fentrice Driskell (D-Tampa), the incoming House Democratic leader said during a Saturday morning session held by Florida Black Democrats.
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, who is running in the Democratic primary for governor, flatly said in an interview that Democrats will be cut off from national donors if her rival Rep. Charlie Crist (D-Fla.) wins the primary. Crist — who served one term as governor while he was a Republican — narrowly lost to then-Gov. Rick Scott in 2014. Most polls show Crist beating Fried ahead of the Aug. 23 primary.
“I think the cavalry will be here,” Fried said in an interview. “Let me paint this picture. They will not be here with Charlie. That is without a doubt. They will not be here if Charlie is the nominee. … They don’t think there’s a fighting chance.”
Joshua Karp, a senior adviser for Crist’s campaign, replied that Fried is “turning to fiction to distract from their failing campaign. The fact is over 100 Florida elected leaders have endorsed Charlie because they know the polls prove he’s our best candidate to beat Ron DeSantis.”
Yet registered Republicans outnumber Democrats in Florida by almost 200,000 after trailing them for years. Republicans control the governor’s mansion, the Florida House and Senate and many local governments. Democrats face a sizable fundraising gap and President Joe Biden’s standing in the state is lackluster at best, especially considering he lost Florida by 3 points to former President Donald Trump.
Various Democrats said during the three-day “Leadership Blue” conference that they see openings that can be used to overcome Republican advantages. They see their best hope for a statewide victory in Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.), who is challenging Sen. Marco Rubio and has bested him in fundraising in successive quarters even as she trails in most polls….