Florida Democrats try to take back statewide registered voter advantage

The Florida Democratic Party is kicking off its $1 million investment in voter registration by launching a statewide “Take Back Florida Tour” in Orlando today – a day after Vice President Kamala Harris was there. The tour, which will go to 18 counties across the state, will focus on Orange, Volusia and Seminole counties in its first week. That’s because of the recently declared special election for House District 35, a swing district. 

The launch features party chair Nikki Fried, U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, state Rep. Anna Eskamani, state Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis and former state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, also a state Senate candidate. En route to Orlando, Fried told City & State that the party has lacked year-round organization and communications engagement, something she hopes to reverse with the tour. She also hopes to engage Republican and independent voters. 

“The moment is now because the issues are dire, between our insurance prices and the crisis in education. So it is essential that we start putting boots on the ground and motivating not just Democrats, but everybody who is frustrated with the current leadership” in the state, Fried said.

While a million bucks isn’t something to scoff at, it likely will take much more time and effort than this tour to reverse the Republican Party of Florida’s dominance in voter outreach and registration efforts. Their lead in voter registration over the Dems has grown to 500,000, and has only increased since Gov. Ron DeSantis’ 19-point victory last year.