Democratic national organizations and donors have largely pulled out of Florida ahead of the midterm elections, signaling that Democrats view the state as a lost cause, according to Politico.
As Florida becomes a GOP stronghold with surging Republican registrations, Democrats are focusing their campaign efforts on other states in a strategy that could continue into the 2024 election, according to Politico. The GOP raised about $200 million compared to Democrats’ $29 million in Florida for this election cycle.
The Democratic Governors Association spent only $685,000 in Florida during this cycle after spending $14 million in the state over the last two governor’s races, according to Politico. Contributions from major out-of-state-donors have also fallen off for Florida Democrats; billionaire Michael Bloomberg spent $1.5 million in this cycle after previously pledging $100 million to Florida in 2020.
Supporters of Democratic challenger Charlie Crist and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis argue during a gathering outside the Sunrise Theatre before the candidates’ debate ahead of midterm elections, in Fort Pierce, Florida, U.S., October 24, 2022. REUTERS/Marco Bello
“If Democrats follow this building national narrative and decide not to compete in Florida in 2024, it will be one of the most short-sighted decisions of the last 30 years,” Greg Goddard, a Florida Democratic fundraiser, told Politico. “Where do we think the pathway to winning a future presidential election lies?”
Florida, which has been viewed as a swing state for decades, has begun trending heavily Republican in recent years under the leadership of Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The state has more registered Republican than Democratic voters for the first time in its history despite the massive influx of residents from blue states like California and New York since 2020, and the GOP now exceeds Democrats by about 100,000 registered voters.
DeSantis only beat his opponent, former Democratic Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, by 0.4% of the vote in the 2018 gubernatorial race, but he’s now slated to win reelection by 11 points.
The Democratic National Committee did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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