Florida is definitely in play:

[Sogo]

Otherwise, the Harris campaign would not be allocating these kinds of resources to Florida, as reported by Heather Cox Richardson, and as evidenced by the DU post about The Villages rallying for Harris....

From Heather Cox Richardson, 7/26/24:
"The Harris campaign announced that it will launch 2,600 more volunteers into its ground game in Florida, a state where abortion rights will be on the ballot this fall, likely turning out voters for the Democratic ticket. The volunteers will write postcards, make phone calls, and knock on doors. "


DU Post about The Villages:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219248275

[elleng]

1. FL discussed here yesterday, thought 'not' in play.'

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219239525

[Sympthsical]

31. I would love to be delightfully wrong about these things

And if the Harris campaign feels like they're seeing something, then let's see what there is to see.

Putting Florida into play would signal that the campaign thinks the ground is moving.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

36. I disagree, at times Trump has been ahead only 4and 6 points

[elleng]

39. Thanks!

[Demsrule86]

44. Florida has abortion access on the ballot and serious economic issues with insurance,jobs etc.

Consider that no one thought Virginia would end up being one of President Obama's wins. You have to try. And I believe Florida is worth a shot.

[getagrip_already]

2. Volunteers make perfect sense....

They are a free resource, require little paid supervision or support, and can have a big impact on local down ballot races.

But they really arent that indicitive of the state being in play at the top of the ticket.

Still, its great to see a surge in local feet on the ground. Nobody knows the neighborhoods likebpeople who live there.

And thousands are impressive, in the heat of summer especially.

[servermsh]

3. Also helpful for downballot Dems. n/t

[Big Blue Marble]

4. More likely, the Harris campaign is putting enough resources there to

force Trump to play defense and draw his resources from the swing states, a very smart
move if she has the money to fight in the swing states without spreading her
resources too thin. We win this election in the swing states. Let's win them all
including NC.

[GreenWave]

6. If nothing else get that Senate seat and maybe a few more in the House.

But IQ 45 keeps discombobulating more with each passing day.

[Big Blue Marble]

12. Yes, as long as she has all she needs in the swing states,,

that is where the race will be won. Let's keep our eyes on the prize.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

7. And no state is 'in play' until the locals are stirred up. The Golf Cart Parade shows interest.

[onandup]

8. But they have to spend money to make Rump spend money

[Big Blue Marble]

10. Exactly, tie up money and people resources.

Trump dos not want to lose Florida. As he starts to look less like a sure thing,
his resources could start dwindling. He could be caught in a squeeze play.

[Traurigkeit]

16. No money for The Lawyers TSF needs when it loses

[Big Blue Marble]

19. Are we sure he will even pay them, especially when he loses anyway? N/T

[Traurigkeit]

20. They'll walk away and leave TSF with no one but legal aid lawyers, maybe.

hahahaha

[Cha]

5. Wow.. Right.. I wouldn't imagine the Harris Campaign

world use Valuble resources in Florida if it weren't.

[Kid Berwyn]

9. Florida and a big bunch more!

We the People have The Candidate.

And the more people find out about Vice President Kamala Harris, the more they like her; especially when considering her opponent, a 78-year old treasonous felon in thrall to Vladimir Putin.

[rzemanfl]

29. This election will be decided by the votes of women, men who won't vote for a crazy person, and

men who would vote for a crazy person but know that if they do, they may never get laid again. Florida is in play.

[brooklynite]

11. A Harris golf cart parade is no more significant than a Trump boat parade...

Perhaps the Harris campaign team has a different strategy, but the Biden campaign (largely the same staff) was clear they didn’t see Florida being in ply.

[rzemanfl]

26. Golf carts don't sink, so there's that.

[edisdead]

40. hahahahaha of course.

What is interesting is what state and county it is happening in. That is the difference. When a boat parade in missouri happens it doesn’t really mean shit. When a blue golf cart parade happens in a red state and red area it means a little bit. Or could potentially be representative of something else happening.

But why find a little positivity in the little people being outspoken. No, that needs to be belittled and trivialized.

Thanks for the ray of sunshine. Awesome!
Cheers! smiley face.

[brooklynite]

41. I thought we'd been through this...

I’m not here to sprinkle good news and happiness. I’m here to sprinkle facts and data relevant to winning in November.

In 2020, Biden got 5.2 million votes in Florida while still losing to Trump. It is not particularly notable that a successful golf cart parade could occur there. I’d say it wouldn’t be particularly notable for a golf cart parade to occur in Texas.

Hard data has told me (from the mouths of the Biden campaign team) that Florida is not considered in play. Until something specific happens, that campaign team is now in charge of the Harris campaign, so I see no reason to assume plans have changed until someone says so. Add to which, Party registration has gone from D +100,000 in 2020 to R +950,000 today.

The new dynamic seems likely to recapture Nevada and Arizona, and perhaps make Georgia (and perhaps even North Carolina) in play, but Florida seems to still be out of reach.

[Nimble_Idea]

45. stop with the facts

the 20 pt blowout and the almost 1M voter advantage

[TnDem]

13. Florida

I live here now and I seriously doubt Florida is in play... In fact, since we moved here four years ago, the amount of Democratic voters in my county has plummeted...Maybe Miami/Dade or even Hillsborough might have increased, but not the I-4 corridor where a big swath of the votes are.

I think I read that something like a thousand people a day move here now.. The Republican party has far superseded Democratic registrations.

[70sEraVet]

25. It's not a matter of how many voters each side has

It's a matter of which voters VOTE!
I think that Trump lost more than just a tiny piece of an ear in recent months -- he lost the enthusiasm of many of his supporters.
And Kamala has created a tidal wave of enthusiasm!
I don't think these polls that are supposed to gauge who is voting for whom, are able to gauge the level of enthusiasm of the likely voters.

[rzemanfl]

27. I have to wash socks now.

[Ligyron]

28. If they were running anybody but Trump, yeah.

But more than a few “normal” Republicans, like the ones who voted for Romney, definitely don’t like Trump. They don’t want abortion banned or Putin getting mitts into their party and our government. They don’t like Vance either.

They’re gonna not vote or vote for Kamala, you watch.

[rubbersole]

14. I've lived here since '57.

There is no doubt flipping Florida would be a heavy lift. But where there were tsf's signs and flags a few years ago, there aren't any. Bumper stickers are even scarce. Ballot initiatives and Rick Scott's unpopularity shouldn't be ignored. Social Security can tip the scales. I'm optimistic for the 1st time in 20 years.

[Akakoji]

15. Yes, it is!

Yes! And time to take out Rick Scott!

[Traurigkeit]

17. and kick his ass into The Gulf

[LostOne4Ever]

18. I don't think it is in play this year

But it could be in the future.

We should always lay some groundwork for future.

[markodochartaigh]

24. In 2020

Florida was 48D to 52R, a difference of 400k voters. About 20-25% of Black people in Florida are felons. Florida voters passed an amendment to allow ex-felons to vote. Then Republicans passed legislation to keep ex-felons from voting until they have paid off their fines and fees. Then Republicans made it very difficult for ex-felons to find out what they owed and how to pay it. It's the old voter suppression story. Probably enough money to help people pay their debts and enough attorneys to help people get through the process could turn Florida blue, but it would be a lot of work and it would be met with fierce opposition every step of the way.

I think that I remember someone, was it Mayor Bloomberg, who paid off a bunch of people's debts so they could vote.




https://www.propublica.org/article/in-florida-the-gutting-of-a-landmark-law-leaves-few-felons-likely-to-vote

[IbogaProject]

21. Worth the effort to make them spend extra to defend their position

The more we stretch them thin the better we can get a surprise pickup.

[Raven123]

22. Would be nice to even flip a House. But

Make TFG play defense too.

[moonshinegnomie]

23. It's going to he ironic

When the sc overturning RvW ends up being the impetus for Florida to turn blue with the pro choice ballot measure providing the key

[FL_Jerry]

30. It would be if they attack the dictator angle.

Lots of immigrants in FL that don't like that at all. Treating FL like a blue wall state won't cut it. Trump=Castro messaging.

[Xolodno]

32. More like testing the waters.

To see if any play is possible. One of the problems Florida has is all the California GOP transplants, the party is practically dead here and what remains are hard right, which then give up and move somewhere else. Declining them even further.

However, DeSantis has made such a mess, with starting a fight with Florida's largest employer, having them stop a major project that left some investors holding a lot of land, loans, etc. they will not make a profit off of, hands off approach on building inspections, insurance issues, coastal flooding, housing market starting to correct itself, etc. Maybe they could play on the anger of some voters.

[Self Esteem]

33. The Villages rallied for Biden in 2020 too.

He lost ground in Florida compared to Hillary in 2016.

What's funny is that he actually improved in Sumter County, home to the Villages, compared to Hillary. But all his gains were wiped out in Southern Florida.

And that's the problematic area.

[TnDem]

37. South Florida

However we like to feel about 100 golf carts for Kamala is going to make a difference statewide, much less in Sumter County, it won't.

South Florida is where we get our votes and LOTS of them BTW... However, the way this state is trending, I don't see a statewide vixtory in the immediate future.

[nycbos]

34. I have gotten my hopes up about Florida one to many times.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

35. Florida appears to be in play

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Ed McGinty was also there today. He is a Village’s Democratic hero!!

Link to tweet

[Sogo]

38. Just don't underestimate the abortion issue!

Women are motivated by Roe and by Harris!!

[ismnotwasm]

43. I heard it's very much in play

As long as people show up to vote!