Like many of you, I had to take a break from politics after last Tuesday's midterm blowout. I sensed it would be bad, but not Texas going fully blue bad. I needed to reflect, take a break and lock in (also my son's wedding is a few days away so we are busy with last minute preparations). I am starting to feel a bit better in hindsight.
Admittedly, that's easier for me because I live in Florida. The GOP pulled it out by the hair of our chinny-chin-chin's but an ugly win is still a win.
The longer you’ve lived in Florida, the more likely you were to vote Democratic. 1–5 yrs: R+25 🟥 6–10 yrs: R+9 🟥 11–20 yrs: D+5 🟦 20+ yrs: D+5 🟦 (NBC Exit polls) https://t.co/klq0wLyAq3
— Politics Watch (@politics_watch1) November 8, 2026
Also, I'm happy to report those who moved here from blue states, did not bring the nasty politics of their homeland with them. Overwhelmingly, they still voted Republican and we are grateful they held up their end of the deal. If only all the Californians who moved to Texas did the same.
This is the real dividing line in FL that most political commentators have never talked about Less than a third of Floridians were born here
— Holly Bullard (@HollyBullardFL) November 8, 2026
I am one of those people who was born here and I voted for Republicans. I truly am in the minority, apparently.
The Democrats were able to successfully convince many of the older farmers and ranchers in Florida Byron Donalds was going to pack their empty land with data centers. The person in the Democrat Party who came up with that propaganda is truly a genius.
People I know who have never voted Democrat (my son's grandfather owns a ranch in North Florida) voted for David Jolly for just that reason. In this day of artificial intelligence and social media, a lie can circulate before the truth has time to get its pants on. What a world.
I’ve always assumed the Florida GOP vote sink theory was true but never appreciated how stark it is. Florida’s rightward turn is entirely driven by GOPers from other states moving there. (I don’t know if naturalized Venezuelans are part of this mix too).
— Aaron Astor (@AstorAaron) November 8, 2026
Clearly, the GOP needs to work on getting some of their long time voters back under the tent.
Florida is an example of blue state emigration making a state redder. Domestic migrants vote more Republican than locals do. Idaho and Arizona are the same way. By contrast, blue state emigration has made North Carolina and Georgia more democratic. The data is mixed on Texas.
— 𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖊 🕯 (@atlanticesque) November 8, 2026
It would be informative for a group to dig into that and figure out why some blue state refugees vote red and why some go back to their old ways. With what is happening in Georgia and Texas, this is important information.
@politics_watch1 That’s Florida main problem to why Democrats have been unable to win since DeSantis hit the scene. Too many of the new residents are ultra Republican and the state population has grown massively for a while now.
— Jon Carlos Hardwick (@JonHardwick98) November 8, 2026
Thank goodness their loyalty held. They saved Florida.
