Last week, Matt highlighted a Politico report on Florida Democrats who are beginning to realize their chances of defeating Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has officially announced his reelection campaign, are slim to none. But the clearest sign yet that Democrats have already raised the white flag of surrender came after a separate Politico report indicating the Democratic Governors Association “has no plans to give significant financial help to Florida Democrats” in their efforts to take out the popular and successful Republican governor.
Of course, this is a massive setback for Democratic challengers.
The DGA, which spent more than $15 million in Florida over the past two gubernatorial election cycles, is starting to deprioritize the state and is expected to have a much smaller footprint during the midterms, said two Florida Democratic consultants who have been in contact with the DGA.
It’s a move driven, in part, by the DGA’s need to use its limited resources to protect incumbent governors elsewhere, as well as the growing sense that Democrats can’t win statewide elections in Florida, these people said, speaking on condition of anonymity to characterize the private discussions.
The decision to withhold resources in Florida deals a blow to Democrats eager to knock off DeSantis, a nationally ascendant Republican with future White House aspirations. It also indicates that Florida is losing its position as the largest swing state, with some national groups deciding that, at least for now, it’s center-right terrain. (Politico)
According to one consultant who works with the DGA, “there are not going to be multi-million-dollar checks” for Florida’s gubernatorial race given how strong DeSantis is politically and financially and how expensive the Sunshine State is with 10 media markets.
A DGA staffer also explained how they prioritize where money is spent.
“First, it’s incumbent protection, and there is a bunch of that this year,” the staffer told Politico. “Then they look at open seats, then they look at challenging incumbents, and DeSantis isn’t the easiest incumbent to challenge.”
Of course, the race is a year away and much can change between now and then, but still, this is a promising development for DeSantis.
“For months we’ve said confidently that Democrats have no viable path to launch a competitive race in Florida, and today they’re finally saying it too,” said Republican Governors Association spokesperson Joanna Rodriguez. “Ron DeSantis has done a tremendous job leading Florida through the pandemic recovery and continues to fight the Biden administration’s encroachment on state and individual liberties. We look forward to his re-election next year.”
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