Florida Democrats are buzzing with excitement less than a week after Vice President Kamala Harris announced her candidacy for the presidency. According to party members, the grassroots enthusiasm for Harris is unprecedented and the energy is “off the charts.” Meanwhile, despite the upcoming November 5th election, the GOP seems unfazed about their prospects in the Sunshine State.
Former President Barack Obama gave his endorsement to Vice President Harris for president on Friday, in a phone call with former First Lady Michelle Obama. The Harris Campaign shared a segment of the call online, providing a boost of momentum for Harris less than a week after President Biden withdrew from the race.
Democrats in Florida are witnessing unparalleled levels of enthusiasm as they await the next steps of the campaign.
Jennifer Griffith, the Chair of Pinellas County Democrats, expressed her concern for the Republicans. “I think that the Republicans should be concerned,” she stated.
According to her, the volume of volunteer interest that Griffith’s operations have received has been tremendous. However, she pointed out that the current infrastructure and resources to accommodate them are not yet in place.
According to Griffith, there can only be one reason for the sudden energy boost in this race – the announcement of Kamala Harris as the new nominee designate. “It’s clear that there was an inflection point at that moment, similar to the overnight energy surge that Obama experienced,” Griffith explained.
According to the Florida team of the Harris Campaign, they have identified the most significant signs of energy.
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- At least 1,765 have signed up for phone banks
- About a quarter of them NPA voters
- And since Sunday, more than 7,000 have offered to volunteer— which might be higher than any other state.
The Harris Florida team is in for a busy weekend ahead. They have a total of 36 events lined up across Florida, and as of now, over 2,600 individuals have already confirmed their attendance. Notably, at least 200 of them are excited to join the Harris golf cart caravan happening in the Villages, which is known for its red-leaning political views.
On Thursday, Michael Whatley, Chair of the Republican National Committee, stated that the polls do not cause any concern for Florida. “Right now, we see absolutely nothing in the polls that gives us any heartburn about Florida,” he affirmed.
During an “election integrity” volunteer event in Tampa, Whatley met with the press and dashed the Democrats’ hopes for November.
According to the latest Redfield Strategies poll, former President Donald Trump is leading by 8 points over Harris in Florida, even when third-party candidates are taken into account. State GOP Chair Evan Power issued a statement, indicating that the Democrats are “crying wolf.”
According to Power, “Since Kamala’s nomination without a vote, we have gained thousands of registered R voters.” He believes that the Florida Republicans are excelling in two crucial areas, fundraising, and voter registration. Power is optimistic about winning the election in November and winning by a significant margin.
Last week, Paul Renner, the Speaker of the Florida House, had a different approach when we conversed with him. Even though he remains optimistic about the GOP’s triumph in the upcoming elections, he emphasized that the party needs to work hard to achieve it.
Renner believes that it would be overconfident to assume that their state will always vote red. He emphasizes the importance of nominating and electing candidates who possess integrity, principles, and the courage to follow through on their promises. Renner warns that if the wrong candidates are chosen, there may be a surprise victory for the opposing party.
It remains to be seen what kind of surprise, if any, awaits Florida on election night, which is just around 100 days away.