There’s one thing Florida Democrats and Republicans agree on.
The Sunshine State can conduct elections with integrity and few flaws.
Top lawyers for the Florida Republican Party and the Florida Democratic Party were scheduled to brief students Monday at the Florida State University College of Law’s Election Law Center on disputes arising from the 2024 election. They spoke at a luncheon attended by about 75 people.
But there was no Election Day controversy to discuss.
“What Florida is really good at is disaster emergency preparedness and elections, and we have a lot of experience in both areas,” said Republican Chief Counsel Ben Gibson.
His Democratic counterpart agreed. Regardless of the result, Mark Herron quipped, “It was a very good night.”
Mr. Herron has represented every Democratic presidential candidate in Florida since 2000 and serves as the party’s chief campaign attorney. Mr. Gibson led the Republican Party’s legal efforts in statewide campaigns and represented Gov. Ron DeSantis through three election cycles.
What the two sides actually discussed was the changing composition of both the Republican and Democratic coalitions as the party solidifies its position as the state’s dominant party.
While the 2018 results led to recounts in three statewide elections that were decided by less than half a percentage point, this year Republican candidates easily won up and down the vote count, leaving Republicans with no debate. It also won two divisive constitutional efforts.
“The so-called condominium commanders of the traditional South Florida Democratic Party that swayed elections in the 1960s, ’70s, ’80s and ’90s are dying out and being replaced by more conservative people,” Herron said. Ta.
Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump expanded his win rate in Florida from 2.8% in 2016 to 13% in 2024, making gains in nearly every demographic category, especially young voters. Raised.
“President Trump has really expanded the power of the Republican Party,” Gibson said.
Gibson added that in Florida, “we’ve been completely dominated by Republicans,” adding, “Voters have certainly said, at least through this election, that they support Republicans.”
Gibson is a managing partner in Shutts & Bowen’s Tallahassee office. Mr. Herron is with the Messer Caparello law firm in Tallahassee.
James Call is a member of the USA TODAY NETWORK Florida Capital Bureau. Contact him at jcall@tallahassee.com and on X as @CallTallahassee.
