comment: >
  
  
  That means that the only people who can run are rich or own a business.
  
  When did we start talking about the GOP.
context: Just as bad or worse here in Texas >
  
  Texas is trying and Texas is improving. It's not as fast as anyone would like but every election the margins are narrowing. >
  
  Dems in Texas should stop trying we’re fine we don’t need any bullshit >
  
  Nothing like freezing to death every winter over easily avoidable problems. >
  
  the fact that DeSantis won by almost 20 points while running a campaign rich in bigotry and full of promises that he will work to make sure the right people die(trans kids, PoC, the unvaxxed) should be a horrific wake up call. The state is more or less a 50/50 purple state according to polling, the Democratic party might want to try to craft a policy message that actually lands with the the average voters in FL. as crazy as that sounds it just might work. >
  
  DeSantis ran a racist bigoted campaign in 2018 and won by only 0.4%, and he ran a racist bigoted campaign in 2022 and won by 20 points. Seems to me the difference is that Charlie Crist is an absolute dogshit candidate that for some reason Florida Democrats just cannot stop running despite his record of getting wrecking in election after election. Every single time it's the same argument "He's a former Republican, so the Republicans will vote for him!", and every single time it's proven wrong again. What happens is Democrats don't want to vote for a former Republican, and Republicans don't want to vote for a Democrat. I just can't with these self proclaimed political strategy grandmasters. >
  
  Exactly. I’ve lived here my whole life in the morons that put him in charge? Good God. >
  
  Here's a hint: oldies aren't goldies. Jerry Brows serving 2 terms as governor in California DECADES after having served 2 terms as governor in California is the EXCEPTION. >
  
  Andrew Gillum was 39 when he ran.
  Do you remember what happened?
  Younger isn't always better either. >
  
  He lost by .4% so…. Yeah it is better????? >
  
  Was a progressive who lost in a blue wave year.
  It was there for the taking 
  Shoulda slamdunked it but lost. >
  
  Perhaps the same thing happened to Mandela Barnes in Wisconsin in 2022. Granted 2022 was not a blue wave year, but RonJohn was unpopular enough to have been beaten had Wisconsin Democrats not nominated their progressive ideal. >
  
  This is gonna sound absolutely batshit insane, but I think the Democratic Party needs to poll their voter base, find out what they want, and attempt to give it to them. What do Miami voters want? What about Tallahassee? Pensacola? Orlando? Tampa? You want their votes, they have to want you. I don’t think there was any desire for Charlie Crist, and we learned that again this election cycle, didn’t we? Don’t run him next time! Try someone with original ideas that resonates with real Florida voters. I’m from Florida, regrettably, and while I would have voted blue across the ticket if I still lived there, I would be and am deeply mistrustful of Crist and would have preferred literally anyone else over another geriatric conservative-leaning compromise Democrat that hopes to get red votes by virtue of being as Republican as possible for a Democrat and hoping to “meet people in the middle”. 
  There is NO middle anymore. If you wanna be a Democrat governor, represent Democrats! Why is this so hard? >
  
  They could start by not running Charlie Crist in every single statewide election. >
  
  He ran himself and he won the primary. There was no backroom deal to run him by party bigwigs. Anyone can run. Why don't you run? >
  
  Something people ignore is a great deal of voters in Florida sat this election out. Pair that with the candidate choice in Crist - a former R governor - who was probably a part of the reason for turnout issues & with Crists spending being less than 20% of DeSantis's (also likely tied to candidate choice) and you should be surprised DeSantis didn't just capture 100% of the vote. >
  
  A bit late! >
  
  Have they considered not running Republicans for Governor? >
  
  We ran a progressive in a blue wave year. Should have gotten an easy win. Instead we got DeSantis.
  And the FL bench is thin. So this time it was either Crist or Fried who was fine I guess (although being an ex lobbyist and pal if Matt Gaetz was sus). >
  
  The Florida bench is thin because Florida Dems haven't figured out they need to market candidates like a company markets a product.
  Florida Dems are skipping the marketing aspect and just expect people to come to the store without knowing what they want and hoping they leave with their product. >
  
  They also don't support down ticket candidates.
  That means that the only people who can run are rich or own a business.
  The average net worth of an FL congressperson is $3m.