Florida has become in many ways the center of right wing conservatism, what with the election of Governor Rick Scott, Senator Marco Rubio, and Congressman Allen West in the midterm 2010 elections.
The state legislature is about three fourths Republican as well, and only six Democrats serve Florida in the House of Representatives.
No one is saying that the Democrats are about to take over state politics, as that will be a long haul, but public opinion polls show that Barack Obama leads both Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum in state polls about the Presidential election, and that Democratic Senator Bill Nelson has a big lead over Congressman Connie Mack IV, and that former appointed Senator George Lemieux is not even in the equation for the upcoming race.
The odds for Lois Frankel to overcome Adam Hasner for the Palm Beach County seat, that West held before he chose to move to a new congressional district in northern Palm Beach County and Martin and St. Lucie Counties, is seen as very good. And West is facing a major challenge in a young, charismatic CPA named Patrick Erin Murphy.
This is probably due to the improving economy, and the growing alienation nationwide of Independents, non Cuban Hispanics, and women to the GOP agenda.
Since Florida is the ultimate “swing state”, this might improve the possibility of Senator Rubio as the Vice Presidential running mate of Mitt Romney, even though Rubio keeps on saying that he has no interest, at age 41, rising to that level.
Florida will certainly be paid a lot of attention in this year’s political races!
Hello Professor,
Let’s hope the Democrats can close the deal in Florida.
With the Maryland Republican Primary coming early this week, I am being bombarded with the automated phone messages from Mitt and Ricky touting how they are the ones who have all the answers to be rewarded with my vote. It is getting so bad that I will get three automated messages from each per day. I refuse to even answer my home phone at all and just let the phone’s voice message intercept the calls. Now you add this to the lesser office holdings that the Republicans want to hold on the existing or gain those they do not hold; we are now reaching the levels of ridicules.
Now the really sad thing is that even though I am registered as a Republican, there is not one of the current Republican candidates I intend to be supporting in November.