Florida Democrats might be feeling a little bullish after two of their candidates, LaVon Bracy Davis and RaShon Young, won their respective Special Election races on Tuesday night. Like any good coach, or in this case, Chairwoman Nikki Fried, you want to express a tone of gratitude after a pair of wins.
“Senator-elect LaVon Bracy Davis and Representative-elect RaShon Young are some of the best among us, and I am thrilled to congratulate them on their victories in this Special Election," Fried said on Tuesday.
That is what you might call "coach speak" in the sports world. The phrase is often associated with any coach; let's use football, since the Miami Dolphins play on Sunday, by using words to motivate their players before the next game or after a win or loss.
"We played well." "There are no easy games."
Or I "Believe in my guys."
Meanwhile, the Dolphis went 8-9 last season. Most of you are hoping for a better start this weekend against the Indianapolis Colts.
What were Florida Democrats also saying after Bracy Davis and Young won their respective races last night? Something similar to Head Coach Mike McDaniel after a Dolphins win, despite the team's history.
"This victory is not an anomaly. Floridians are sick of the Republican status quo, and this 70% margin of victory proves that Floridians are saying enough is enough. "Voters are fed up with political posturing, wasteful spending, and the never-ending culture wars that have left the middle class behind with shrinking healthcare coverage, crumbling public schools, and sky-high insurance premiums."
In the words of retiring college football analyst Lee Corso, "Not so fast, my friend."
According to the Florida Division of Elections, Republicans hold a 1.35 million voter registration advantage over Democrats as of July 31.
In addition, Florida Republicans detailed their advantage in once-blue stronghold Miami-Dade County, where the GOP holds a 37,000-voter edge, as further evidence of Democrats losing their ground. President Donald Trump also won the county by 11.5 points in 2024, becoming the first Republican presidential candidate to win it since President George H.W. Bush in 1988.
“Florida Republicans are on the march. Our grassroots leaders and volunteers are delivering historic results, and voters are responding to our vision for safer communities, stronger schools, and economic growth," Florida GOP Chairman Evan Power said. "Miami-Dade and Hillsborough have already fallen, and now Democrats are even on defense in Duval and Palm Beach counties. This fight is far from over, but make no mistake—Florida is red, and we’re only getting stronger.”
Are Florida Democrats really that confident about the future? Or are they just playing the typical political spin?
Hey, the Dolphins have been spinning things for 25 years. The last time Miami won a playoff game was 2000, a draught even longer than a Democrat being the governor of Florida.
But I guess it's never a bad time to believe. However, something tells me I don't see anyone putting a bet down on the Florida Democrats reclaiming their political turf, or the Dolphins winning a playoff game, let alone a Super Bowl, anytime soon.
