Florida Democrats need to address their issues with the Hispanic vote

[BlueintheSTL]

Link to tweet

Rick Scott knew in order to win the Senate race he had to mitigate his losses with Hispanics and was very successful in doing so. Bill Nelson made a very poor effort in doing so and perhaps took them for granted, and in general ran pretty lousy campaign. I realize a large part of the Hispanic base in Florida is Cuban, who tend lean heavily to the right (especially older ones), but only winning this demographic by single digits is pathetic. I know a lot of Democrats were banking on Puerto Ricans giving them a boost at the polls but that never materialized. Rick Scott traveled to PR and made an effort to reach out and at least pretending like he cared. It payed off.

The Florida Democratic Party Chair really needs to go after the poor showing in this election. Two very winnable elections were lost because the Republicans are simply way better organized and always turn out there voters in SW Florida and in the Panhandle in BIG numbers. If Democrats are relying on ex-felons to put them over the top in 2020, they will be sorely mistaken, just like they did with PR voters. It all starts in SE Florida where Democratic base is. Turnout in Broward and Dade counties was terrible relative to the rest of the state. It all starts there and making a better effort in reaching out to Hispanic voters.

[manor321]

1. Or maybe citizens need to educate themselves

In a republic, citizens have a responsibility for educating themselves, and not relying on last-minute shiny objects and television ads.

This will only remain a republic if we can keep it.

[Takket]

2. Hillary had the same problem

The Cubans pummeled her in Florida, I remember reading they were angry at Obama for attempting to normalize relations with Cuba.

You would think two years of watching drumpf use ICE as a paramilitary force to brutalize Hispanic families would leave them either sympathetic to their cause, or at least wondering if "I'm next", but c'est la vie.

The house dems will protect have their back, and in 2020 they will probably still split about 50/50

[JI7]

5. Cubans get favorable treatment compared to other hispanic immigrants

[JI7]

3. the ones from Cuba tend to be Republican. not as much as before

but there was a backlash with Obama opening relations with Cuba.

just like the elian thing hurt Gore.

[Hoyt]

4. It beats the heck out of me how someone from Cuba -- likely despising Castro -- could vote for trump

and GOPers. I just do not get it. Reluctantly, I do understand Hispanics who are like your typical GOPer -- "I've got mine, the hell with you." I also understand how tough life was in Cuba, but a lot of that has to do with America.

[Awsi Dooger]

6. I don't disagree with anything

Bill Nelson is a great guy who ran a lazy campaign full of assumptions in his own favor. His late commercials were fine but by that time the damage had already been done.

We hoped Gillum would bail out Nelson via turnout but the way it worked out Gillum was successfully labeled as too liberal for the state, especially among older Cubans in western Miami, and that aspect no doubt attached to Nelson also.

Once we were relying on Gillum to bail out Nelson, that it itself was an acknowledgment that Nelson ran a weak campaign and was in trouble. But now I'm seeing threads all over the place insisting those races were stolen. That is closing your eyes to the big picture.

Donna Shalala in FL-27 is the only candidate in a decade who has contacted me frequently and by multiple methods. She ran a Clark County, NV-type campaign yet somehow she was being criticized. Unbelievable. I knew it was ridiculous and posted that here and on numerous other sites. I also wagered on her on Predictit. Gillum and Nelson never contacted me once, just like Charlie Crist four years ago and Alex Sink four years before that. I am in Miami-Dade, which is indeed the root of our problem. My sister and aunt are registered Republicans and they have the opposite complaint...too much contact.

[BlueintheSTL]

7. I compltely agree with your analysis

I love Bill Nelson. He is a good human being who genuinely cares about people, unlike most politicians. It was very unfortunate he waited so long to get his campaign in gear. You would of thought a political veteran like him would know better. He knew Rick Scott was going to be his opponent for a long time and knew as well he going against Scott's unlimited pocket book. Yet, for whatever reason, did not get a clue until it was too little to late.

As far as Gillum, he was not the right candidate for a light red state. Florida is not California or NY. I have always maintained Graham who have been the much better candidate but Florida Democrats disagreed with me on that. He made the Republican attack ads on him way too easy. That would not have worked on Graham. Oh well, it is what it is. I know how tempting it is to vote with your heart instead of your head, but you always have to go into a primary with the mindset on who can best win a GE, not necessarily who you like the best or is completely in line with your views. That is at least what I do.