Florida is the home state of former President Donald Trump and some of the Republican Party’s top lawmakers and congressmen. The state has turned Florida bright red.
Florida was once considered the highest-ranking state. Barack Obama won the state twice and the state had Democratic governors and members of the U.S. Senate.
But since Ron DeSantis defeated embattled Andrew Gillum in 2022, his policies, the president’s consistent presence and a wave of migration to the Sunshine State have put the GOP in the spotlight.
In Florida, 5.3 million residents are now registered to vote Republican, compared to 4.3 million Democrats. The official margin is around 995,000.
It’s a complete reversal from the GOP, because the year before DeSantis was elected, in 2017, there were 4.8 million more Democrats than 4.5 million Republicans.
The home state of the president and some of the Republican Party’s most prominent lawmakers and congressmen has turned Florida bright red
There are about 3.5 million independent voters in the state, and 373,000 registered voters with minor parties.
The number of residents registered without a party preference has fallen compared to 2022, when there were approximately four million.
Americans struggling with the rising cost of living are fleeing to cheaper states like Florida, where tax rates are more favorable.
Tens of thousands of people are moving to other parts of the country to avoid the higher costs residents have to pay for housing in lower-cost areas.
Florida is the most popular state for people to move to, with 16,259 people planning to relocate this year, according to data from Consumer Affairs.
The state remains the most popular state to move to because of the better quality of life, lower cost of living, and no income taxes.
Florida does not tax earned income or investment income, which is attractive to those looking for financial gains.
Though his bid to challenge Trump for the presidential nomination failed nationwide earlier this year, Ron DeSantis emerged as a national figure after implementing his brand of conservatism in the state.
Since Ron DeSantis (pictured) defeated embattled Andrew Gillum in 2022, his policies, the president’s consistent presence and a wave of migration to the Sunshine State have put the GOP in a positive mood.
Donald Trump has also moved to Florida in recent years. It is home to his Mar-a-Lago resort
DeSantis defeated Democrat Charlie Crist, a former senator, by 20 points, winning nearly 600,000 more votes than in 2018.
In his victory speech, he described the struggle he waged during his first term as COVID-19 paralyzed the country and culture clashes erupted.
“We saw the freedom and our way of life wither away in so many other jurisdictions in this country. Florida stood firm,” he said to cheers.
“We chose facts over fear; we chose education over indoctrination.”
Those were the arguments that propelled him onto the national stage. And the size and nature of his victory — capturing votes in the former Democratic stronghold of Miami-Dade — had many eyeing him as a White House contender.
Six years ago, a Republican victory in Miami would have been unthinkable, when Hillary Clinton won by 23 points in her failed bid for president.
Joe Biden won by seven points over Donald Trump in 2020.
When the statistic was released, MSNBC panelists reacted with astonishment.
DeSantis defeated Democrat Charlie Crist — a former senator — by 20 points, nearly 600,000 more votes than in 2018.
Trump held his most recent press conference in the state, which has been his home for several years
DeSantis has gained national prominence by opening his state earlier than others during the COVID-19 pandemic and by playing a central role in the country’s culture wars.
Shortly before the election, he ordered the state to fly migrants from Texas to the upscale, liberal enclave of Martha’s Vineyard in protest of the federal government’s inability to stop people from crossing the southern border.
Trump, however, moved to Florida and remains the dominant force in Republican politics, defeating DeSantis in 2024.
Few statewide polls have been conducted since Kamala Harris declared her candidacy, which is inherent to Florida as a Republican stronghold.
According to those polls, Trump has a six- to ten-point lead over Harris. FiveThirtyEight.
The state is now dominated by the GOP, as both senators – Marco Rubio and Rick Scott – come from the party, while a large majority of the congressional delegation and both chambers of the state legislature are largely Republican.