is this true (Florida's "southern" status)?

[ButterflyBlood]

I was once arguing with some wingnut who's idol is George Wallace, loathes Abe Lincoln and admires the Confederacy, and lives in Florida. Anyway he argues * will win the whole south and Florida because Florida's part of the south. I say that only about 20% or so of the population lives in the northern strip bordering Georgia that's the southern part, I've been to Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale and that's NOT the south. He says that everywhere north of Lake Okeechobee except Orange couty is part of the south.

I'll admit I've never been to anywhere outside of the places listed, but I do know there are lots of places in central Florida like Daytona Beach, St. Petersburg and Cape Coral which from what I've heard about don't seem like the south. Would you agree with him?

[iamjoy]

1. We're A Border State

Funny, even in some parts of rural Orange County you might see a Confederate flag.

Drive around some of the back roads, and you'll see some one selling boiled peanuts.

South of Orlando:
Kissimmee - big rodeo every year
Yee Haw Junction - that's the name of a city, should tell you enough
cattle farmers

But for the most part, it does seem as you move further south in Florida, it gets less "Southern" However, Bush does have an advantage in South Florida not because of the confederacy but because of the Cubans.

[Zan_of_Texas]

2. I used to live there.

I found the small (non-tourist) towns to be the South. Florida cities tend to have more northerners in them, and are less tied to the traditional South.

[iamjoy]

4. Exactly (eom)

[FlaIndie]

3. Florida was the only southern state not to vote for Wallace

So I am going to say your friend is fulla Zell... er, sh*t.

[dryan]

5. Florida is a southern state....

and also a "foreign" country. The Vice-President of the Confederacy was from St. Augustine. (FYI St. Augustine was inhabitated for almost 100 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.)

[barb162]

6. I just happened to be passing by

and I wish you guys good luck.

But as to the discussion, I have visited all over the state and what I notice is the accents. Tallahassee, Pensacola and that area, to me, is like part of the deep South from the accents.

St. Augustine is like the north, along with Tampa, Sanibel,Orlando, Naples, the Keys, etc., Miami isa story unto itself, but not the South. Then all the retirees everywhere in that state. WOw, all from the north it seems.

That's my 2 cents- I really hope all of you a re safe and sound and not in harm's way. I kept wondering where the hell all of those people/cars were going, Georgia????

[SixShooter]

7. Im from SoFla(WPB)

so Im used to seeing cosmopolitan areas...Lots of people I know in rural Sarasota County fly the rebel flag...Anywhere south of Orlando is usually more forward thinking...anywhere north of Orlando is pretty much the same thing as GA,AL,or MS.

[sidestreamer]

8. From Ocala south, it's a matter of whether it's urban or rural.

Tampa/St. Pete, Orlando and I suppose Daytona Beach (I haven't been there in years) are not really southern in character, but eastern Hillsboro County, Polk County, and the surrounding areas are as Southern as they get. And as far as votes go, southwest Florida may not be "southern," but they certainly vote that way. I would argue though, that the south ends about 20 miles south of Interstate 4 on the interior, and around Pasco and Volusia counties on the west and east coasts.

[Misunderestimator]

11. Eastern Hillsborough Co here... and I couldn't agree with you more

I moved here thinking that its proximity to Tampa/St. Pete and Orlando would mean that it was more progressive than other parts of the state... I was WRONG! And I won't be staying much longer.

[gator_in_Ontario]

9. It is the south

if you venture away from the coasts and Orlando. And not all southerners will vote for the monkey. There is alot of anger in the south they don't even know about.

[The Backlash Cometh]

10. The Republicans have strongholds:

In Miami, they have the Cuban Americans.
In Vero Beach & Naples they're getting an influx of New York Republicans. In Central Florida they have Seminole County which is a White Flight County. In the panhandle, they have, er, the panhandle. Really, the panhandle is the only place I would truly call Southern.