Florida Red Wave Building: 305,000 More Registered Republicans than Democrats

The red wave in Florida is building as the number of registered Republicans in the state continues to grow. The party is set to make history in November, as this will be the first statewide election where Republicans have a clear voter advantage over Democrats in the Sunshine State.

Speaking in Florida’s Walton County, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) discussed the growth the state has witnessed in the wake of the Chinese coronavirus pandemic, with countless Americans flocking to what the governor has continually labeled “the Free State of Florida.” However, the governor said he has encountered many Floridians, including his own friends, who are worried that these individuals will repeat the pattern of moving and continuing to vote the same way, essentially bringing bad Democrat policies to their new home.

DeSantis, however, does not believe that is an issue.

“Are you embracing Florida? Are you trying to bring California here? That’s what people ask. … Let me just show you how it’s worked. So when I got elected governor four years ago, there were almost 300,000 more registered Democrats in the state of Florida than Republicans,” DeSantis explained, noting that, prior to him being governor, the state never had more registered Republicans than Democrats.

“So we have never in the history of Florida … actually won an election where there were more registered Republicans than Democrats. Well, on November 8, that’ll change because not only do we now have more registered Republicans and Democrats, we have 305,000 more Republicans,” he said to applause.

“Walton County is obviously very good county for us. I think I won 76 percent in ’18. But if you look at the gap between Rs and Ds here, we’ve increased our market in registration by about 35 percent in the last four years in Walton County,” he explained, adding greater perspective to the figures and adding that “whatever we did in ’18, that is unacceptable.”

“We got to do better this time,” he said.

Indeed, DeSantis secured a very narrow victory during the gubernatorial race of 2018, defeating Democrat Andrew Gillum by less than half of a percentage point — a difference of roughly 32,000 votes. 

During the campaign stop, DeSantis asked supporters if they were going to vote to keep Florida free and help him “send a tired worn out old donkey out to pasture,” reviving a favorite line from Monday’s debate with Democrat Charlie Crist (D-FL).