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The Wins in Florida Democrats Are Actually Watching For

The presidential and Senate races are longshots for Democrats. The party’s real goal: relevance in the state legislature.

The Old Capitol and current Florida Capitol buildings
Democrats in Florida say just getting a simple minority in the House or Senate could start the domino effect they’ve been desperate for. Phil Sears/AP

TAMPA, FL — Beleaguered Florida Democrats are desperate to prove they have a pulse, but their best shot is far from the White House.

The hope, political insiders on the ground say, is for Democrats to notch enough wins in the state legislature to be taken seriously. At the top of the ticket, it’s nearly a foregone conclusion that Donald Trump will get Florida’s 30 Electoral College votes. But state-level wins would be “proof of concept” for Democrats, state House Democratic Chair Fentrice Driskell told NOTUS.

“When you have reasonably well-funded campaigns, when you have terrific candidates and you have a competent plan, Florida is winnable,” Driskell told NOTUS.