With low approval numbers on President Biden and with a historic landslide victory by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2022, republicans feel that 2024 is their year.
But reality make sink in very soon.
State House District 35 has been held by GOP State Rep. Fred Hawkins since 2020. This week, it went blue for Democrat businessman Tom Keen after he defeated Republican Erika Booth. The district covers parts of Osceola County and East Orange County
Keen won with 51-48.7 percent, by a margin of 590 votes. Though the district is considered a swing district, (Biden won it by 5 points in 2020 and DeSantis won it in 2022 by 11) the GOP was in better position to hold on to the seat.
MONEY
GOP candidate Booth had a huge money advantage of having $305,000 compared to Keen’s $115,386.
GOP TURNOUT
More GOP voters showed up to the polls than Democrats. But with the two advantages, the GOP dropped the ball on issues and targeting registered Independents.
Democrats used abortion and property insurance as their key issues.
Ever since the overturning of Roe v Wade in 2022 by the U.S. Supreme Court, Republicans haven’t properly addressed the abortion issue.
“Republicans have run away from this issue,’ says Concerned Women for America, Penny Nance.
Instead of playing offense on the issue talking about Democrats views on late term abortion and not supporting some parental rights legislation, Republicans have allowed democrats to define them on the issue as extremist.
Democrats looking to engage voters on the abortion issue may have helped Keen over the finish line. Mailers sent out on Keen’s behalf telling voters that he would protect a woman’s right.
Another area where republicans are losing ground are among registered Independents. The election results of Tuesday evening showed that Keen took in more Independents ranging from 65% to 70% of the nonpartisan vote.
Analyst also point out the Keen picked up some votes from moderate republicans.
This win is another one democrats will brag about following a big in the Jacksonville Mayor’s race last May, where the GOP had held that seat for 8 years, and the democrat Donna Deegan won with more republicans showing up at the polls than democrats.
“Nikki Fried wasn’t an impressive Agriculture Commissioner, but where she lacked in that position, she is making it up in this position as the Chair of the Florida Democratic Party,” said a GOP campaign worker told Florida Daily.
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