Florida Republicans continue to cement their dominance in the state as they are expected to win every statewide race this election cycle, pick up Congressional seats and maintain a sizable majority in the state House and Senate.
FAU political scientist Kevin Wagner summarized a recent poll showing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ahead of his opponent by 11 percent and incumbent Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fl. leading Val Demings by 6 percent, saying that Florida is losing its status as a battleground state.
“Republicans continue to perform well in Florida,” “If these numbers hold, Florida’s status as a battleground state might be in question.” He said.
In other red wave news, @GovRonDeSantis has opened up an 11 point lead in Florida according to a just released FAU poll. This would be the biggest win for a Florida Republican in modern history. https://t.co/GS83oeh2nN
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) October 21, 2022
Florida Democrats have continued to make abortion their primary focus while giving less attention to inflation and the economy, the issue that voters consistently say is the most important to them.
In the final weeks before the midterm elections, Charlie Crist is releasing an advertisement that focuses on Florida’s 15-week abortion ban, signed into law by DeSantis.
In the advertisement, he highlights that the abortion ban does not provide exceptions for rape or incest, even though, according to the Guttmacher Institute, only one percent of abortions occur as a result of rape, and less than 0.5% occur as a result of incest.
This is Florida under Ron DeSantis: Children forced to give birth to children. pic.twitter.com/sCx3es1mmQ
— Charlie Crist (@CharlieCrist) October 20, 2022
“This is Florida under Ron DeSantis, children forced to give birth to children,” reads the ad. “Ron DeSantis shouldn’t make abortion decisions. Women and doctors should.”
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On Thursday, Crist once again focused on the issue by saying that DeSantis wants to “take away any remaining freedom Florida women have.”
“Behind closed doors, Gov. DeSantis is plotting to take away any remaining freedom Florida women have to make their own decisions about abortion,” Crist said in a statement Thursday. “We know where that leads: tragic stories like that of the middle school-aged incest survivor forced to leave the state to seek care will become more and more common. It’s barbaric.”
Thank you for sharing these graphics, @charliecrist, and laying out what is at stake and why we need to get out and vote for you and other pro-choice candidates up and down the balllot! pic.twitter.com/cQZLSqIaMG
— Representative-Elect Rita Harris (@RitaForFlorida) October 20, 2022
He took his message one step further by saying that women’s lives “depend” on the outcome of the midterm elections.
“This November, we’re fighting for our sisters, friends, and loved ones,” Crist said. “We’re fighting like our lives depend on it — because in this election, they do.”
A New York Times and Sienna poll found that only 5% of voters see abortion as the most important issue in the election, with 44% saying the economy and inflation are the most important. Polls have consistently shown that voters trust Republicans more on those issues.
NBC’s Steve Kornacki: Republicans have a “clear advantage” on voters’ most important issues — the economy and inflation. pic.twitter.com/Dy42XtqlnU
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 18, 2022
With only 18 days to go before the midterm elections, can Charlie Crist close the gap by focusing on issues like the economy and inflation? Leave a comment below.
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