1y ago

'Can't believe my eyes': Florida 'hotbed of Trump support' erupts with Harris enthusiasm

www.rawstory.com 'Can't believe my eyes': Florida 'hotbed of Trump support' erupts with Harris enthusiasm

A Florida area known for being a "hotbed of Trump support" is reportedly seeing a bump in enthusiasm for Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday. As Trump and Harris gear up to face one another in November's election, each candidate has made an effort to make inroads on the territories typicall.....

226 comments

This makes for a good headline but it should not stop you from voting. It was indeed a nice turnout for Harris at The Villages, but that place is not only a cesspool, it is a fucking ginormous cesspool. That group is tint compared to the overall population of that shit hole.
SOURCE: I split my time between Wyoming and Florida amd my Florida home is unfortunately just a few exits of I-4 away from that fascist lemon party.
- This makes for a good headline but it should not stop you from voting.
  Nothing should stop you voting. Even if Harris is predicted to have a 30 point margin, you should push for a 40 point margin. Because even if she wins, the fewer Republicans in office, the more policies the Democrats can implement.
  
  Not to mention a stronger mandate for them and stronger rebuke of fascism to those getting ideas. Bigger margins shift the overton window.

With his presidential grifts and self-pardons on the line, Trump’s gotta be sweating more than JD Vance in a Ramour and Flanagan.
- I don't even know what that is, but I know it's a furniture store.
- I am surprised I have not seen the white couch meme, but nobody on the couch and 5 Vances.
  
  This one?

People are enthusiastic to vote when the party listens to them.
The party had it ass-backwards. "Vote for us and maybe we'll do what you want. But we both know we're not gonna" generates no enthusiasm at all. To the contrary, the longer that voting yields the same disappointing results, and the more that people see that the party isn't interested in anything other than preserving an untenable status quo, the more that this messaging results in apathy and resentment.
"Fine. We'll do what you want." HAS generated enthusiasm.

Look, it's great that she's doing well but I hope that she won't do what Hillary did and actually believe she's got a snowball's chance in fucking hell to win down there and screw over herself and America by trying to win over a place that's a pipe dream.
- I truly hope she doesn't. I feel kinda naive thinking she won't. I know the DNC is great at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
  
  Right fuck Florida, focus on NC instead

As a recovering ex-Floridian, the cities are pretty blue, just you know normal regressive fuckery keeps this from being apparent.
Plenty of minorities tired of old rich white men too. This year is going to be interesting.
- The Florida State Supreme Court also thoughtfully put abortion access and marijuana legalization on the November ballot. They should be expecting a pretty noticeable increase in the 18-24 age range participating in the election.
  
  I can't see Florida going for legal weed, arresting people for 3 flecks of shake is 20% of the cops' income.
- Except a large part of South Florida. They will vote for Republicans because so many Cubans and Venezuelans believe the propaganda that Democrats are socialists.
  
  Outside of Miami Cubans hold little sway but within their counties they are a very conservative and highly anti-immigration group.
- But this community is typically not blue.
  
  The thing about The Villages, it's mostly a retirement community.
  Not all the trophy wives stay conservative once their husband has passed on.
- Sounds like where I live.

I'm not going to believe Florida flips, but man, stranger things have happened. Imagine what happens if that happens? Or somehow Texas or something. GOP would fucking lose it.
(But yes, let's not get crazy, she's not exactly winning every poll. I just like to wonder.)
- Florida used to be a legitimate swing state just a couple elections ago. If Georgia can have a Blue election Florida most certainly can.
  
  The neat thing is old people die eventually. Florida Republicans depend on a regular replenishment of horrible people from outside. But they are a nonrenewable resource.
- Most states are purple states. You really don't need that much of a swing in voting to flip any of them.
- Florida has been a swing many times. It made Gore lose. It's always tight there. Texas? No way. That will always be red.
  
  If 3% of the voters flipped in 2020 Texas would have been Blue. Less than 2% in Florida. The margins aren't as big as we many make them out to be. I thought for sure it would be to late to change candidates at this point, but I never thought I'd see this much support for Harris with how many racist and sexist people I encounter in person compared to 10 years ago. Note also, Florida voted blue in 2008 and 2012. (Obama).
  Not saying either are going to flip blue, but a surprise could happen if there are any conservative "values" left in the conservative party.
  
  The less policies that target hispanics from voting, the purpler texas gets. My sister lives in Dallas and the support for Harris in the cities is colossal right now. They're a democrat president and a governor away from being swing, but those are hard to fight for.
  
  Florida actually voted in favor of Gore, but the recount was halted when the SC fucking meddled in politics.

Don't listen to the news, VOTE!
https://www.newsweek.com/harris-trump-polling-averages-one-week-after-biden-exit-1931251
- Do both.
  
  Exactly. She can’t win without votes, and we need to be informed between now and then to get more voters to the polls.
  
  Not regarding polls, just vote & help others vote.

If the Villages move against Trump, he's in big trouble.
- A social media account called Kamala's Wins flagged the development.
  "The villages in Florida, typically dominated by MAGA extremists, have been completely taken over by Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign," the account wrote Saturday. "This is a remarkable turnaround."
  Democratic influencer Jon Cooper said, Wow! I live only an hour’s drive from The Villages in Florida."
  "Trust me when I say it’s a SUPER-RED community that’s usually a real hotbed of Trump support," he added this weekend. "The fact that there are over 200 golf carts at this rally for [Harris] today is INCREDIBLE!"
  Come on, dude. That's a awful source for information.
  
  I've seen the videos. This event is like the canary in the coal mine for those that know Florida politics. In 2020, the Villages went something like 70-30 for Trump. It is unusual for them even to have a Harris rally, much less a well attended one.

much like texas; florida isn't red, it's just disinfranchised by republicans to remove democrats from voter rolls in democratic areas.
- That might have been more true before covid but during and after covid we've had a huge influx of assholes from all over the country.
  I'm hoping legal weed and abortion being on the ballot will make a difference, and I'm hopeful, but facts are facts.
  
  Is Kamala talking about legalization again?

I’m hoping she can at least turn some of the red districts of red states purple, flip the already purple areas to blue, and then the blue districts (urban areas) will stay blue.

Far right Florida isn't as red as people think. DeSantis barely won. He had to disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of black voters to win by a sliver. Then he rigged everything to make sure he'd get reelected the second time.
- Ronda won 57% to 42%. It was one of the biggest margins in the race in a long time. Florida keeps going further right. Because they've got an average of like 800 Boomer retirees moving in daily.
  https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/08/florida-governor-2022-ron-desantis-charlie-crist-00065788
  
  Boomers are dying off. Gen Z is aging into voting age. Don't take anything about that state for granted.

Don’t forget we now have to ask for mail in ballots yearly if that’s your thing. (Edit: I mean in Florida, also, we can check to ensure ours has been counted. Check with your county’s elections to see if you can sign up online or if you have to go in person or whatever to sign up for mail in ballot.)
I get them and just turn them in at a polling location especially because the best I get on election day is I don’t have to stay too long after students leave.
- In Michigan you can opt-in to always get a mail in ballot for every election. Highly recommended.
  Applications for absentee voting can be submitted online. It is recommended to apply at least 15 days before the election.
  
  Pennsylvania is yearly request sadly
  
  Used to be the same way in florida, but you know, Desantis.
- In California when you do mail in ballots you get a notification that your ballot has arrived (and will be counted). I believe you can also opt to bring your mail in ballot and vote “normal” as well.
  
  Ditto in Arizona. I get notifications when my ballot is mailed, received, and counted.

I think Trump leads in Florida by like 8 points according to recent polls..?
- don't rely on polls too much especially right now
  
  While the sentiment is solid that polls are not a very good predictor, what's even more unreliable is leaning into anecdotes of seeing "excitement" in a social media post, which is what this article is doing. So your comment comes off as 'discard the polls, someone on social media says they see lots of Harris for president signs in Florida'.
  So it seems reasonable to say the polls indicate a less rosy picture than some social media post expressing feel good about seeing signs of Harris enthusiasm, but ultimately either way don't feel defeated nor complacent and get out and vote your preference.
  
  Don't rely on data or logic? The fuq?
  fuck off, mate
- You can have a surge of support while still behind... That's how you catch up! They are just starting in Florida. Not sure if they can make up the large gap, but they damn well better try!
- We only have 2 polls out of Florida. We really need more data to say anything.
  
  Thats what I said.

Great to see the range of ages, too.

Impossible I've been told Joe Biden was the most popular candidate ever and Dems would 100% lose without him.
Next you're going to tell me that not supporting Genocide would earn her even more votes.
- I must admit that I got scared when Biden noped out of the re-election.
  I'm just glad that Kamala seems to be bringing the unification the dems need.
  Get her the nomination already! And people, people, people, don't do a Hillary and become complacent. Get out and VOTE!
  
  Anybody that feared Biden dropping out needs to re-evaluate the way they look at politics. This has been a long time coming, and has been an inevitability since 2015 when Democrat party leadership decided they could pull a fast one during the primary. Before we even knew Biden would be that incumbent, the shape of this election had already been decided.
  Now that Biden has dropped out, the Democrats have a chance. A lot of future history depends on how well Harris can turn the support for "Literally anyone else" to her advantage.
  Edit: I seem to be getting a lot of downvotes for my objectively correct assessments of politics. Seems to me like y'all are either mad that I was right, or Republicans who are mad that Biden dropped out.
  
  Not a single person voting Democrat does so because they thought Biden was a great candidate.
  It appears nobody has learned anything from Hillary's loss in 2016.
  Establishment ghouls are not popular Democrats. Conservatives will vote Republican anways, appeasing to the right is worthless.
  Only progressives get independents to vote blue.
- I'm not sure that anyone claimed Biden was the most popular demograt candidate ever, it's more that he was the safe choice, and dems have always played it safe..at least until this week where they've finally taken a chance on something.
  
  Same here. When your choice is between boring, middle of the road corporatists and 100% concentrated evil, it shouldn't be a tough choice to make.
  That doesn't mean I'm a fan of Democrats, though. In fact, I farking HATE having to vote Democrat. I've hated it for the last 20 years. But I hate the Judge Dredd universe the Republicans want even more. Check out Project 2025. They're not even trying to be subtle about what they want, anymore.
  
  Biden was not safe his polling looked horrible even before he turned out to be a walking skeleton.
  Biden was poised to lose almost all swing states to Trump in the polls. Even deep blue states suddenly turned into battlegrounds because he wants to support Genocide so badly.
  There was nothing safe about Joe Biden unless Democrats think that him winning a 1/1 elections means he has an 100% win rate indefinitely.
- "Opposing Israel is political suicide!" — Lemmy literally a week before the presumptive nominee told Netanyahu that the war needs to end.
  
  Ah yes, Lemmy the monolith. Lemmy the single person with a single thought. Nevermind that there are many Lemmy instances with very different user bases.
  
  Must've missed that quote in among the endless stream of insane "Genocide Joe" posts on here.

I think overhyping of Harris is going to backfire, similar to what happened with Clinton in 2016.
- I appreciate the concern but Hillary did not get overhyped. She wasn’t moving anyone like this.
  
  Yep most people I know had to repress feelings of repulsion voting Clinton, the disinformation campaigns were pretty effective. Harris feels different, people with no history of political interest are paying attention.
  
  That's what I remember. People not liking Hillary. It seems totally different with Harris. I hope it stays that way.
- I think successfully getting people excited for a candidate is generally a good idea.
- It's too early to be that gloomy. Hold off until after the first rubber meets the road moment in the campaign. People say she's formidable but that her weakness used to be public speaking. She's had time to practice. Let's wait.

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