Democrats are in big trouble. They may not have a party anymore by the time the 2028 elections get here.
And the Democrat Party is on life support thanks to this sobering report.
Florida’s Political Landscape: A Bleak Outlook for Democrats
The political tides in Florida have shifted dramatically over the past decade, transforming the once-competitive swing state into a Republican stronghold. For Democrats, reclaiming the Sunshine State may not only be a distant goal—it could take decades to achieve.
A Florida Democratic consultant admitted that it could be 25 years until Democrats are competitive in Florida again. They said that the solution is “slow, long-term and sucks.”
This sobering reality stems from years of Republican dominance, marked by former President Donald Trump’s steady gains in the state. Florida, which voted twice for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, began to lean red in 2016. Trump won Florida by 1.2 percent that year, increased his margin to 3.3 percent in 2020, and delivered a resounding 13.1 percent victory in 2024.
The Republican Party’s success in Florida didn’t stop there. In November 2021, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that Florida Republicans had surpassed Democrats in voter registration for the first time in history—a milestone attributed in part to the state’s resistance to strict coronavirus mandates. Since then, the GOP has expanded its registration lead by more than one million voters.
Compounding Democrats’ woes is the loss of traditionally blue strongholds, including Miami-Dade County, which flipped to Trump. These shifts have left the state’s Democratic Party scrambling for answers and struggling to reverse the trend.
A Crisis of Strategy
A recent Politico article, Democrats Have a Florida Problem, sheds light on the challenges facing the party. Democratic strategist Steve Schale emphasized the importance of long-term investment in Florida and other southern states to secure future electoral victories.
“If you want to elect presidents from 2032 on, we have to start winning states that we are losing,” Schale said, urging the national party to pay closer attention to Florida’s political dynamics.
Beth Matuga, a veteran Florida Democratic consultant, provided a blunt assessment of the uphill battle ahead. “Everybody wants a fast, easy solution that makes everyone feel good,” she said. “But the actual solution is slow, long-term and sucks.”
The report also highlighted warnings from Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, who has spent years appealing to national donors for greater investment in the state. Without it, she cautioned, Florida would “continue to sink into the abyss.”
Others were even more pessimistic. Filmmaker and Democratic activist Billy Corben compared the state’s Democratic Party to the Titanic, and a Florida Democrat reportedly texted Politico a coffin emoji when asked what the party’s next steps might be.
“I don’t think this is a problem that unfortunately Florida Democrats can fix on their own,” stated Fernand Amandi, a Miami-based Democratic pollster who worked on Obama’s Florida campaigns. “It will require the national party and national donors to look hard in the mirror and say, ‘We cannot afford as a party to sacrifice Florida.’”
Missteps and Missed Opportunities
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried acknowledged that the party’s strategy has been flawed, with too much focus on states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin—all of which were ultimately lost—at the expense of Florida. Jasmine Burney-Clark, the director of Kamala Harris’s Florida campaign, added that internal party issues hindered their ability to compete.
“We just never had a fighting chance from the start,” Burney-Clark admitted, reflecting on the Democratic Party’s underestimation of Florida’s political landscape.
Republicans Surge Ahead
While Democrats grapple with their future, Republicans show no signs of slowing down. Florida GOP Chairman Evan Power celebrated the party’s dominance, pointing to its voter registration advantage as evidence of its success.
“Make no mistake, Florida leads the way!” Power declared in a post on X. “If @TheDemocrats have left you with your failed radical agenda, You can join us to save the country! It’s why in Florida Republicans now have a 1.15 million voter advantage.”
For Democrats, the path forward will require significant investment, strategic recalibration, and an acceptance that progress will be painstakingly slow. Whether they can regain a foothold in Florida remains an open question—one that may not be answered for decades.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
