I'm not from Florida, so what do I know, but the best bet may be to lean into 'all politics is local' and focus on building momentum around things like the Miami mayoral win. Building the local infrastructure to support smaller, local races does a few things: it builds and develops your young talent, it starts to build some positive momentum and name recognition for those candidates that actually can impact the lives of their constituents in a meaningful way.
It may be at a point where you turn the state over to a super majority that can't really deflect its failures onto the opposition, while raising up the future from the grass roots.
Are there cases, also, where it makes sense to run 'independents' in the statewide race?
You should check out Run For Something, a group which has that philosophy for Democrats nationwide. I strongly agree that you have to build from the ground up, and pay attention to the less sexy races, to eventually win big at the higher levels. It takes a long time, but the Republicans did it in the aughts and it's currently paying off big time for them.
Love the article! Hope we see some deep dives into other state party ecosystems in the future. May I suggest the California Republican Party, if we are looking for dysfunctional ones across the aisle, or the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, if we are looking for ones with great reputations.
I live in Florida, ad I can say that the FDP has been incompetent for a long time. Doesn't help that they are perpetually broke, while the GOP can just call whichever billionaire, usually Ken Griffin or Stephen Ross, to give them whatever millions they want. Its bleak.
Also it doesn't help that young people are leaving in droves because there are no jobs outside of retail and hospitality, while the people that move in are all older hardcore right wingers looking for sunshine and no taxes. All my neighbors moved here within the last 5 years, and they are all pretty damn republicans. And I live in Broward, one of the last democratic counties left, but one that is quickly becoming republican, as is the rest of the state
I wonder if there is anything to be said for, "The people of Florida think the state Republicans have done a good job".
Like, I get the partisan rat race is viewed as an infrastructure and organization and money and...etc, etc game, but there is just also the idea that people might be decently happy with the people in charge. Hard to overcome that.
People aren't happy. But they keep voting republican because taxes, or in the case of the sizable hispanic population, socialism. Hard to fight that. That's all
Eli, maybe one point of entry is how can FDP take the best advantage of the likely blue wave in 2026? Are there particular races that might swing D in that scenario?
I can’t help notice this downfall timeline also corresponds to Bernie Sanders on the campaign trail talking about how great Cuba’s socialists are. Are there any longer-term analyses of what that’s done to partisanship in Florida?
I think all mentions of Andrew Gillum should include the some variant of the phrase the meth fuelled orgy guy.
It says something about candidate selection.
I'm not from Florida, so what do I know, but the best bet may be to lean into 'all politics is local' and focus on building momentum around things like the Miami mayoral win. Building the local infrastructure to support smaller, local races does a few things: it builds and develops your young talent, it starts to build some positive momentum and name recognition for those candidates that actually can impact the lives of their constituents in a meaningful way.
It may be at a point where you turn the state over to a super majority that can't really deflect its failures onto the opposition, while raising up the future from the grass roots.
Are there cases, also, where it makes sense to run 'independents' in the statewide race?
You should check out Run For Something, a group which has that philosophy for Democrats nationwide. I strongly agree that you have to build from the ground up, and pay attention to the less sexy races, to eventually win big at the higher levels. It takes a long time, but the Republicans did it in the aughts and it's currently paying off big time for them.
Love the article! Hope we see some deep dives into other state party ecosystems in the future. May I suggest the California Republican Party, if we are looking for dysfunctional ones across the aisle, or the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, if we are looking for ones with great reputations.
Yeah, an interesting analysis of the CAGOP would be fascinating. They've got to be one of the most dysfunctional parties in the country.
I live in Florida, ad I can say that the FDP has been incompetent for a long time. Doesn't help that they are perpetually broke, while the GOP can just call whichever billionaire, usually Ken Griffin or Stephen Ross, to give them whatever millions they want. Its bleak.
Also it doesn't help that young people are leaving in droves because there are no jobs outside of retail and hospitality, while the people that move in are all older hardcore right wingers looking for sunshine and no taxes. All my neighbors moved here within the last 5 years, and they are all pretty damn republicans. And I live in Broward, one of the last democratic counties left, but one that is quickly becoming republican, as is the rest of the state
I wonder if there is anything to be said for, "The people of Florida think the state Republicans have done a good job".
Like, I get the partisan rat race is viewed as an infrastructure and organization and money and...etc, etc game, but there is just also the idea that people might be decently happy with the people in charge. Hard to overcome that.
People aren't happy. But they keep voting republican because taxes, or in the case of the sizable hispanic population, socialism. Hard to fight that. That's all
So you say.
Would love one of these about the Minnesota GOP, which (despite nominal purple-state status) has failed to win a single statewide race since 2006.
Eli, maybe one point of entry is how can FDP take the best advantage of the likely blue wave in 2026? Are there particular races that might swing D in that scenario?
I can’t help notice this downfall timeline also corresponds to Bernie Sanders on the campaign trail talking about how great Cuba’s socialists are. Are there any longer-term analyses of what that’s done to partisanship in Florida?