Voted for Trump. Voted for Rubio. Voted for DeSantis. Voted for Scott.

[BlueStater]

Does Florida have ANY redeeming qualities anymore? What a sad joke of a state.

[Progressive Jones]

1. It seems to me that many Floridians are societal refuse. Not all, of course. nt

[VanillaC]

2. Nope.

Nothing at all. We're an embarrassment. Don't think we'll be able to help make a change in the next presidential election either as long as the incompetence here continues.

[juxtaposed]

5. Not true, we have a new voting block now!

[still_one]

15. All states have issues. As a non Floridian my question would be why does Boward County

Last edited Sun Nov 18, 2018, 05:31 PM - Edit history (1)

seem to have issues repeatedly?

Is the same person who created the butterfly ballot in 2000 sill there for example, and if so, I would like to ask why

Another observation I would like to point out is the Senate and Governor race in Florida was extremely close. Florida is NOT a lost cause, but very much a reflection of a very divided state

[kerry-is-my-prez]

61. Seems a bit fishy that the most Democratic county in Florida continually has "problems" and

those people's votes don't get counted. Is someone on the take?

[still_one]

66. and perhaps we should take some pre-emptive action so it doesn't happen

[hannah]

62. Theresa Lapore

Theresa Lapore designed the butterfly ballot in Palm Beach co. Thank God she is no longer in that position. Interesting to google her name and Adan Khashoggi.

[still_one]

67. Thanks

[pwb]

3. And, stand your ground?

I use to go there when my parents moved there, never really cared for it. Soon it will be a dessert anyway so i will leave it all to the pukes. When you get off the beaten path down there it is not so nice.

[RKP5637]

7. Plus it will be flooded with the rising oceans and global warming. FloraDUH! n/t

[dawg day]

28. And the governor doesn't NOTICE.

The most vulnerable place in the country-- surrounded on 3 sides by water, no elevation.

But Scott and de Santis just don't believe in that climate change stuff, so it's not happening.

[RKP5637]

31. You would think they would get a clue when some streets in Miami flood at high tide.

[RKP5637]

4. I sure hope Florida enjoys the monsters they have voted into power. WTF is wrong with

Florida.

[mcar]

6. I, and many other Floridians, worked hard for a different outcome

We are devastated and discouraged. Could you give us a little break please?

[bluestarone]

12. TY for all the FLORIDIANS there that DID EVERYTHING possible to win this

We ALL have to remember one thing THEY FUCKING CHEATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[still_one]

17. Do people realize how close this election was. Anyone who says Florida is a lost cause isn't

looking at the facts. We almost made it thanks to folks like you, and I am extremely optimistic about Florida in 2020

Florida is moving in the blue direction, and this last election reflects that

[LBM20]

39. True. VERY close, and Nelson really won! He got FUCKED by a shitty ballot and voter suppression.

[still_one]

69. agreed, and the Democratic party really needs to get in front of this issue to avoid it happening

again

[BlueStater]

23. My post wasn't directed towards you. Why get offended?

Look, I'm not going to be insane and claim that EVERYONE in Florida is a regressive fool, but there's WAY more of them here than there should be and they've successfully turned this state into red state hell.

[mcar]

46. ...

Voted for Trump. Voted for Rubio. Voted for DeSantis. Voted for Scott.
Does Florida have ANY redeeming qualities anymore? What a sad joke of a state.

[BlueStater]

59. That's called an "exaggeration". n/t

[Liberty Belle]

27. I suspect voter suppression had more to do with this than the actual will of voters.

[LenaBaby61]

63. THIS

From this outsider, I can clearly see that voter suppression is the biggest reason WHY Florida's in the disgusting death-grip of Banana-Republican's for the unforeseeable future.

[Hekate]

33. Yes. I don't like such broad brush statements either. The problem is the entrenched powers...

...are thoroughly determined to continue ruling despite being a political and probably soon racial minority, come hell or high water, same as Georgia. Fairness and democracy have nothing to do with it. This is the New Jim Crow.

It's going to take many battles to restore what gutting the Voting Rights Act took away. I for one will be cheering you on from California -- best of luck, Florida and Georgia. Thank you for your hard work, mcar.

[mcar]

47. Thanks, Hekate

[In It to Win It]

42. I still can't believe it! I thought we had it this time.

We're going to have a teabagger for a governor and two senators that do not represent us.

[mcar]

48. It is so depressing

[Wiseman32218]

55. EXACTLY, WE CANNOT CONTROL OTHER'S VOTES!!!!

We tried and now with the ability of felons to vote can turn this around!!!

[kerry-is-my-prez]

70. Things are going to change unless somehow that gets thwarted.

[Wiseman32218]

72. I totally agree!!! Jacksonville here!!!

[Cha]

83. I thought of you and my sister when

I read the OP, mcar.

Should say "the majority of Floridians".. Not Florida!

[mcar]

87. Yes, Cha

This broad brush state bashing doesn't help.

Let's also remember: who won Gov races in solid blue states like MA and MD? FL flipped 3 (I think), Congressional seats too.

[Cha]

88. Yes, Florida Flipped red Seats to BLUE!

We Carry On!

[Tommy_Carcetti]

8. Yes. Plenty.

Just very few when it comes to politics.

But thank you for your concern.

[BlueStater]

20. And over half the citizens, who like having a racist as their governor.

Also, you're so cool the way you use that extremely original line.

[OrlandoDem2]

9. The incompetence of the Florida Democratic Party is stunning.

There is no excuse for this. Obama won twice but on his own. From what I’ve read the Obama team did not rely on the Florida Democratic Party. Good advice for future candidates.

Interestingly, the leadership of this state has been silent! They are hiding! I don’t even know who they are. They should all be fired and the state party taken over by someone competent.

[radius777]

45. Agree, they need to look in the mirror.

The fact is the FL Dem Party is highly incompetent.

The job of any party is to understand who your voters are, get them to the polls and have their vote count.. the FL Dem structure fails at this miserably.

Most Dem votes come from metro areas, ie cities, near-suburbs, college areas, etc.

If Dems focus strongly on developing these voters, so that they turn out consistently, then FL is easily a light-blue state.

[mcar]

49. The FL Democratic Party was much more active this time

It deserves criticism, but we actually had a paid campaign worker here in our red county for the first time ever.

[Phoenix61]

73. Couldn't agree more.

The ones here act like it's a private club and no one under 65 is welcome. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. So very frustrating.

[OrlandoDem2]

74. The FDP has lost something like 22 out of 24 statewide elections since 2000.P

It’s got the worst record of Democratic state parties east of the Mississippi.

[Quemado]

10. Retirees and older voters in Florida

Florida is number one destination for people who move for retirement: https://smartasset.com/retirement/where-are-retirees-moving-2017-edition

Older voters are America’s most reliable voters, which is why baby-boomer boomtowns like The Villages represent the most significant threat to a potential Democratic wave in Florida in 2018—and the most significant source of Republican optimism for many years to come. https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/06/18/florida-senior-citizens-vote-election-2018-218758

[blogslut]

11. You know, state-bashing sucks

Good Democratic candidates in Florida came within a hair's width of their opponents and thousands of good Democrats worked their asses off to get them there.

Punch up or step off with this nonsense.

[DavidDvorkin]

13. You're right.

[sandensea]

14. +1

Besides, the GOPee probably stole at least half of those (black box voting).

For Medicare Rick, it must have been second nature.

[BlueStater]

18. I'm a Floridian.

I can perfectly admit this state is a piece of shit. Any state where over half the populace approves of Trump, DeSantis, and Scott is garbage.

[blogslut]

19. I'm a Texan

State-bashing still sucks. It helps no one.

[BlueStater]

21. Considering Florida will be underwater in like 20 years...

...and they keep electing people who publicly deny climate change, I think I'm allowed to express disdain for it.

I just hope I'm out of here before Mother Nature inevitably takes a steaming load on this state.

[at140]

16. Best state (FL) I ever lived in except for recent political outcomes..

Weather is never brutally cold (balmy 75 today), never snows, miles and miles of beaches, cost of living is affordable for old farts like me (I get $50k property tax break for seniors), great seafood restaurants which I love. But hurricanes are a regular here and politically speaking, republicans are mostly older folks who are dying away steadily, and I really believe we are just 2-4 years from turning this state blue from purple.

[Scurrilous]

32. ...

[YOHABLO]

22. Here's why people (especially retirees) move to FL.

It has no state income tax, which means Social Security, pension income and income from an IRA or a 401(k) are all untaxed. That alone could mean thousands in tax savings for retirees as compared with other states. Additionally, Florida has no estate or inheritance tax.

[underpants]

26. That's very true. There is a trend called "Halkbacks" though

Northerners and upper Midwesterners who are moving half way back to where they came from. Mostly to North Carolina, Tennessee, some into the Shenandoah Valley in Va. travel for them and their families is half the time and cheaper than going to Florida.

Not sure about estate and inheritance tax but the taxes are lower then their home states and the cost of living is MUCH lower.

[llmart]

36. I have read that also.

The boomers like myself are choosing places like N. Carolina and Tennessee to retire because they just don't like Florida. I wouldn't move there either because it's too freakin' hot in the summer and I have a son who lives there. I'd choose Asheville, NC any day over anywhere in Florida.

[underpants]

50. Asheville is really nice

My brother in Law got married near there. BnB in Hot Springs.

[llmart]

79. Yes, I've been there a few times...

as I lived in NC for several years. It would have been one of my choices for retirement but then my daughter had to go ahead and have a baby. It's my one and only grandchild and I didn't want to miss out on any of that. But I did seriously consider it at one time.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

68. They have a pretty screwed up political history there too.....

[at140]

35. and there is a $50,000 reduction in assessed value of homes

if you are a senior who owns the home and lives here.

[radius777]

56. Why they need to run centrist Dems

in the state, who won't scare those type of voters.

IOW, Dems who will promise to strengthen Social Security & Medicare while not being overly tax-happy, while also being centrist on immigration/crime, tough on gun control.

Gillum was not a fit for that state.

Keep in mind there are also many conservative/moderate Latino voters in FL.

I think a centrist type - one who also has appeal to young people and progressives - wins easily and pulls Nelson (who is a centrist, but not a great candidate either, too old) along with him/her.

[Awsi Dooger]

90. That was the theory with Gwen Graham

I voted for her in the primary, after considering Gillum. I mentioned this in the Florida Forum before the primary. Gillum was the activist choice but he was more liberal and he also had the Tallahhassee investigation, which wasn't much of anything but guaranteed to be exploited by Republicans.

I believe Graham would have won. We have criticized Republicans for losing races with Tea Party candidates who the state rejected. Gillum is extremely impressive and ran a great fall campaign but when 46% in the exit poll reject you as too liberal for the state, I don't see how anyone can argue it was the proper pick.

Nelson did not run a good race. He waited too long and made far too many poor assumptions. You can get away with that against an underfunded candidate but not against someone who can pay to plaster his own lies on every station all year.

[PoorMonger]

24. These kinds of threads are trash IMO

Like all states Florida is home to many Democrats who work hard for a better future. To come here to DU and see threads piling on and attacking an entire state is not helpful in any way.

It feeds a division we should play no part in adding to. It’s elitism plain and simple. I am happy for any Democrat who is fortunate to live in the relative political comfort of a state that is populated and governed by Dems but many aren’t so lucky - and it isn’t as simple as picking up and moving to ‘ better places ‘.

If we cede every ‘ Red State ‘ with scorn we only hurt our cause and say goodbye to the Senate forever. By this kind of toxic logic we would never have flipped so much in a state like Kansas. It also strikes me as nuts when we are so close to winning there again.

Do you also think we should turn back in Texas because Beto couldn’t beat Cruz? We are close to changing the trajectory but only if we realize that and keep pushing.,

Also, lets not forget that Florida is currently run by openly crooked R’s. To discount that is unfair.

There were victories there like the re-enfranchisement of formerly convicted people. This could be huge for Democrats in elections to come because of how the numbers were skewed against minorities.

In my own home of Nebraska — we failed to unseat any Republicans this year. But we did win Medicaid Expansion — something our shitty government refused to implement. Now they have to, because we Democrats came out and voted for it.

[BlueStater]

29. 20 years ago, Florida was a purple state.

We had a few prominent Democrats like Chiles, Graham, and Nelson. Now it's the state of Scott, DeSantis, and Rubio. What the fuck happened?

That's what separates a state like Florida from Nebraska. Whereas Nebraska has been a consistent solid red state for decades, Florida has not but is slowly devolving into one. It's a very sickening sight to see.

Some states which used to be very Republican like Colorado are quickly changing for the better. Unfortunately, Florida is heading in the opposite direction and this state and its people may very well be doomed because of it.

[PoorMonger]

44. Not exactly accurate about NE

When my parents moved here in 83-84 we had a Democratic Governor. Bob Kerrey ( he served from 83-87 ) He was also a long serving Senator.

A Republican took over for him but only lasted until 91 when Ben Nelson ( another Dem) beat her and served from 91 - 99. Nelson then went on to the Senate and served there as a Dem until his retirement in 2013.

Also in our second district we have often had a Democrat. The most recent was Brad Ashford who was defeated in 2016 ( with help from Russia) and that was even after we got fucked by gerrymandering in 2011 - which split our urban pop in Lincoln and Omaha to favor Rs ( beacause the old maps would have meant we could hold that seat comfortably ( and deliver one Eleectoral vote to Dems , as we did in 2008 for Obama’s first win — because it’s not winner take all out here )

[SunSeeker]

25. It will be a new state in 2020.

No more felony disenfranchisement. It will be a Presidential election year. Let's concentrate on the future and the work ahead. Florida is not irredeemable. Never give up.

[OrlandoDem2]

30. That's if the FDP can identify and cultivate these voters.

[SunSeeker]

43. We all have a responsibility to reach those voters.

I live in Dana Rohrabacher's old district, and knocked on doors for Harley Rouda. Volunteers like me got Harley elected.

Ask not what the Florida Democratic Party can do for you, ask what you can do for the Florida Democratic Party.

[OrlandoDem2]

65. My son and I volunteered for my local state representative.

[SunSeeker]

71. Thank you!

[atreides1]

34. I wonder?

No more felony disenfranchisement, is a good thing...but can the Republican controlled legislature along with a Republican governor and a Republican AG, change or even revoke that law?

If they can put a wrench into the works, then Florida won't be a new state in 2020, 2022, 2024 or ever, will it?

One other question, some of the problems seem to be the lack of strong Democratic candidates and a voting system that's all but broken...good candidates can be found, both Senator Nelson and Mayor Gillum were strong candidates, but if the system remains the same with no changes or improvements...it really won't matter who the Democrats put up for office, will it?

[SunSeeker]

37. The "system" won't stay the same unless we give up and let it.

Ex-felon enfranchisement alone will bring in 1.4 million new voters. We have GOTV work to do. Despair is not an option.

[mcar]

51. The constitutional amendment that passed

was written in such a way that it is automatic so, no, I do not think the politicians can mess with it.

Gillum was the strongest Gov candidate we've had in a long time., IMO. My understanding is that Nelson wanted to retire but he and TPTB believed he was the best candidate to take on Voldemort.

[LBM20]

38. Gore and Nelson got fucked by bad ballots and other shit. THEY REALLY WON THEIR ELECTIONS IN FL!

[LBM20]

40. TOO MANY DEM LEANERS DID NOT VOTE. True, it was better, but MORE PEOPLE NEED TO VOTE!

[mcar]

53. Yep!

When Democrats (and leaners) vote, we win.

[Blue_true]

64. Or the mailed in ballots and got fucked by the exact match BS.

Any able bodied person that mails in a ballot from a heavily democratic area is asking republicans to kick them in the ass. Our side need to vote more strategically.

[MaryMagdaline]

41. My county is 70% Democratic

We are stuck in a state that hates us and fears diversity north of Palm Beach. It’s like being in AUstin, but at least there, the elections are never close and you know you are going to lose. Here, we get our hearts broken every time.

[YessirAtsaFact]

52. There will be 1.5 million more people eligible to vote in 2020

Due to restoring the rights of felons.

Something tells me they won't break Republican.

[janterry]

54. Breaks my heart

I'm so sad. As someone who lived there for more than a decade.......it just breaks my heart.

[IADEMO2004]

57. Wrong Burt!! It was close. Don't piss all over everyone.

[Cousin Dupree]

58. Because of R rule in Fla, their elections are corrupt and their water is filthy.

Until Floridians get serious and vote R’s out, it will not change. Because of the booming tourism industry, the consequences are not as obvious as they will be when tourism is affected. SW Fla got a taste of it this summer when the red tide and green algae turned Fort Myers Beach into a ghost town. But now the water is mostly back to clean and it’s all back to stays quo attitudes. Until the water is so overwhelmed that it can’t clean itself, and until tourism and the economy suffers, they won’t get it. Some day they will.

[JI7]

60. don't a lot of people notbe to florida to avoid paying taxes ?

[Thrill]

75. I thought those HS school kids were going to play such a big role?

[crazycatlady]

89. It is Florida

A state that does not have much to offer a recent HS grad. Kids want to be around people their own age, not people old enough to be their grandparents.

[pintobean]

76. Great beaches, good food, decent climate

wonderful people, etc.

People don't vacation and retire there thinking it sucks.

[voteearlyvoteoften]

77. Half of us are Blue

They get the old folks with scare tactics.

[The Genealogist]

78. I lived in Florida for six years

Tallahassee. During my time there, I visited about every county in the northern 2/3 of the state. Most of it seemed like one big tourist trap, and the parts that didn't have that feel were often just depressing to be in. If I ever go to Florida again, it will be too soon. I didn't have issues voting in Leon County, but it sounds like a LOT of counties just can't seem to get it together. And, it seems like too many residents of the Sunshine State just don't care about that.

[kydo]

80. Yes it does! Seminole County is now blue for one.

When I moved to Winter Park back in 1994 it was deep deeper then the deepest red. Rural very repug.

It was red for Gore vs W and W vs Kerry. Went pink for the Obama years. Very light pink for the nightmare election in 2016. But we did flip the House seat. Put a dem in DC, Murphy. Big upset too. She decided to run very late in the election. Defeated a 20 year repug mica. She was voted most effective rookie congress person of her class. And she just won re-election.

This county went blue this election. Not the deep pretty blue of Orange county but not a very light blue either. Seminole County voted for Gillum and Nelson. Plus held the US Congress seat and took the state rep as well. That stuff never happens here, yet it did this time.

I will be working with the SemDems to make us a nice deep blue.

There were other counties that got bluer as well.

Sadly the racists aren't dying fast enough. You would have thought that with how much scott has tried to gut health care here more old people didn't die faster.

[rso]

81. Florida

We did flip at least two republican US House seats in South Florida, and we did vote for Obama both times.

[pansypoo53219]

82. voter suppression since 2000 or before. scotus made it open season.

[GulfCoast66]

84. The Midwest is the problem with Florida. At least a part of our problem

Every year tens of thousands of wealthy, old white people move here. And they all vote.

So while demographics change more rapidly in other states, we get asshole replenishment every year.

[MFM008]

85. In fairness

As many voted FOR the gop voted AGAINST the gop except for 35 to 12 thousand votes.

[Stidham8]

86. Looking like Florida will be tough to flip blue in 2020

Can't believe the entire state is red