Chris Dawson, Attorney, GrayRobinson
Note: This is the first in a two-part series outlining the efforts by Florida’s Democrats and Republicans to shape the 2024 election cycle. This month, we will take a look at the Florida Democrats’ playbook for victory.
Recent election cycles have been hard for Florida Democrats. For the first time in modern Florida history, there are no current statewide elected Democrats in the Sunshine State. Republicans’ stronghold on legislative and executive power is at an apex and the GOP also enjoys a long-sought voter registration advantage that has soared in the last 24 months. That advantage is nearing one million voters and shaping the political landscape up and down the ballot.
However, there are some signs that Florida Democrats are eyeing a comeback – at least a modest one. Following state qualifying in June, Florida Dems hit a milestone by putting up a candidate in each legislative race on the ballot. Further, several Democrats were successfully re-elected to the legislature without opposition. Ballot initiatives on recreational marijuana and abortion access are driving messaging and voter turnout efforts on the left as the party seeks to claw its way back from its current super-minority status in Tallahassee. Here are a few of the ways Democrats are looking to regain relevance.
A handful of Florida Dems have punched their tickets back to Tallahassee without opposition, freeing them up to support other Democrat candidates around the state. Nine members returning to the Florida House of Representatives include:
In the State Senate, two Democrats breezed to victory without opposition for first terms. Both previously held elected office. They are:
In fairness, these uncontested seats all leaned heavily to the left but re-election without opposition will free up time and resources that may be deployed elsewhere. For the first time in a long time, Florida Dems have a contender in each legislative race.
Florida Dems are also banking on a pair of constitutional amendment referendums to drive turnout from their base. Amendment 3 would legalize marijuana for adult personal recreational use in Florida. The effort, which follows a successful referendum on medicinal marijuana, is backed by the marijuana industry and has received the thumbs-up from Orlando trial attorney and self-proclaimed “pot daddy” John Morgan. Business groups across the state are lining up in opposition, citing risks from impaired employees and societal ills that have followed similar measures in other states. Amendment 4 would provide a constitutional right to abortion access in Florida. The measure follows a tightening of abortion regulation by the state legislature over the last several years. The RPOF and other conversative and pro-life groups are lining up significant opposition. Both measures require a 60 percent vote in order to pass this November but Democrats on the ballot hope to see a turnout push that benefits them in other contests. Rest assured, there will be millions of dollars spent on both sides of each issue but we will not know the impacts down the ballot until election day in November.
Chris Dawson is an Attorney and professional Lobbyist for GrayRobinson’s Orlando office and is licensed to practice law in both Florida and Alabama. He primarily focuses on lobbying and government relations for public and private sector clients at the executive and legislative levels of state government. Chris also holds two degrees in Civil Engineering and has experience in construction litigation and design professional malpractice defense.
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