Florida Democratic Party on the RNC Convention Relocation

In response to the news that the RNC is moving Donald Trump’s acceptance speech to Jacksonville, Florida, Democratic Party Chair Terrie Rizzo released the following statement:

“First, let me be clear that I sincerely hope that the Republican Party is successful in keeping everyone safe at their events. However, I am deeply concerned that the impetus for moving their highest profile event to Florida was because Donald Trump wanted to give a speech to a crowd of people not social distancing — and, given his previous public events, likely not wearing masks. Those are safety protocols set forth by his own administration’s public health experts to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“Donald Trump abandoned North Carolina because he wants it to look like the threat of the coronavirus is over when he gives his big televised speech. Unfortunately, optics are not a public health strategy, nor are they a good re-election strategy. No speech this president makes can successfully gloss over his failed coronavirus response to Americans who have watched this president dither for months as more than 44 million have filed for unemployment benefits and 113,000 have lost their lives. Trump is coming to Florida to throw himself a big party — but it’s looking more and more like a goodbye party to his chance at a second term in the White House.”

BACKGROUND: Donald Trump is Losing Support Among Voters Across the Board in Florida

AP: Unemployment woes a mounting strain on Trump in Florida
[6.11.20]
“That frustration is a problem for Florida Republicans as they try to secure their state again for President Donald Trump. Trump’s path to winning reelection is exceedingly narrow without Florida’s 29 electoral votes. The broken unemployment insurance system raises the prospect that thousands of out-of-work Floridians will bring their anger to the voting booth in a state where races are decided by the slimmest of margins.

“I’ve been a Trump supporter, but I’m kind of questioning everything,” said Lynch, who voted for him in 2016 when she lived in Minneapolis. She was initially impressed by his business acumen, she said, but is now questioning his leadership in crisis.

Washington Post: In crucial Florida, some senior voters cast a skeptical eye toward Trump’s reelection
[5. 25.20]
In Florida, more than 20 percent of those who voted in the 2016 election were over age 65, according to exit polls. In 2016, Trump won the Florida senior vote by a 17-point margin over Clinton, according to exit polls. The state ranks as one Trump must almost certainly win to insure his victory, while Biden has other paths to the White House.

Yet for months, Biden has been more popular than Trump with seniors. A national poll of registered voters released by Quinnipiac University last week shows Biden leading by 10 points among voters over 65.  A Quinnipiac poll in late April found 52 percent of Florida seniors supporting Biden to 42 percent for Trump, while a Fox News poll around the same time found Biden narrowly ahead.

Florida Politics: Democrats’ poll finds Florida dissatisfaction with Donald Trump’s COVID-19 efforts
[6.9.20]
“A new poll finds a majority of Floridians are dissatisfied with President Donald Trump‘s efforts to deal with both the health and economic problems of the coronavirus outbreak.

“The poll, which Change Research conducted for the Democratic National Committee in Florida and five other swing states, finds consistent majorities agreeing with negative views of Trump’s handling of the crisis, and more generally about the unemployment rate in Florida and the national economy.”

Bay News 9: Florida Faith Leaders Call Out President Trump for “Failed Promises”
[1.3.20]
“Hours before President Trump is scheduled to speak before thousands of supporters at a South Florida megachurch, faith leaders spoke out on how the president’s behavior and policies are losing him support with the religious community.”