In this upcoming 2024 election cycle, former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (R-FL) is challenging US Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) for his Senate seat. However, Mucarsel-Powell does not just see this as an opportunity for herself, but for Democrats across Florida to take back their state.
At a campaign event recently, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell stated, "Floridians, you know it’s true, you have been living in ground zero for attacks against our democracy," The congresswoman further stated that 2024 would be the year for the Democrats to "take our state back."
Mucarsel-Powell then oddly invoked her background as a reason she could win, stating "Rick Scott has never run against a strong Latina like myself. Back home in Miami, they call me ‘DMP,’ which stands for ‘Don’t mess with my people."
Like many other Democrats, Mucarsell-Powell supports a proposed referendum to enshrine reproductive rights in the Florida constitution, which has just qualified for the ballot last week. Such proposals have garnered plenty of support for Democrats in other states, meaning Florida could become competitive once again in 2024.
Last year Leon County Republican Party Chair Evan Power (R-FL) debated with Leon County Democratic Party Chair Ryan Ray (D-FL) who talked about this exact issue. Ray stated, "I do think that in the presidential cycle in 2024 with an abortion initiative on the ballot, protecting something that 70%+ Floridians believe in, I think that's going to be a serious game changer," despite Republican success in recent years.
Power responded, "First of all, he brings up the abortion issue. They tried that in 2022 and lost the vote by 19 points, so I'd love them to campaign on that issue and make it their thing because 80% of Americans actually care about the economy under Joe Biden, and Bidenomics is failing the country."
