It is an exciting and expensive time! Election season is on the horizon, with primaries wrapping up soon later this month on August 28th. Yet the importance of these elections is not to be underestimated. 

Florida has a tough choice to make, especially in the fallout of the overturning of Roe v. Wade which effectively put women’s rights on the ballot. Now more than ever is it important for people to vote. 

The primary for the gubernatorial seems like a clean sweep for both leading candidates. On the Republican side we have the incumbent Ron DeSantis who is running without opposition. He has done well to appease his supporters and their fervent appetite for culture war. 

The Democrats on the other hand are trying to field candidates they feel can put a wrench in the Republican political machine. The current gubernatorial primary is between Representative Charlie Crist, former governor of Florida as a Republican, and Nikki Fried. 

Fried is a relative newcomer being the only Democrat elected in a statewide race in years, but she was elected as Agriculture Commissioner which many Democrats don’t feel can be equated. 

On the other hand the Crist campaign runs off his credentials as an experienced leader that can defeat DeSantis, the Biden 2020 strategy. However, many detractors of his campaign point out the obvious that he previously ran and was elected on a Republican platform.

Crist maintains that many of his principles have not changed and he has simply opened his heart to popular progressive policies. In a similar bend, the Fried campaign suffers scrutiny for her previous donations made to Republican candidates in Florida. 

In most polls Crist leads over Nikki by a considerable margin, so he is the likely candidate for the gubernatorial from the Democrats. He consistently polls tied with DeSantis and as a result is the most logical candidate for the “vote DeSantis out” strategy.

DeSantis on the other hand has a little Trump clique following here in Florida thanks to his conservatism which will garner a fearsome Republican turnout, while Democrats have to work towards turning out their voters. 

The gubernatorial is not the only thing on the ticket however, Florida will deliberate on who should represent us in the Senate. Marco Rubio’s seat is up for re-election and isn’t facing a primary opponent, as most incumbents don’t. The Democrat’s are most likely fielding progressive liberal Val Demings, given her frontrunner status across most polls. 

The Senate is a race of considerable interest given the recent Supreme Court decisions regarding abortion and the importance behind codifying important civil liberties for minority groups, women, and queer individuals for the Democrats.

Republicans on the other hand want to try to kneecap the Biden agenda and take back control of Congress. They also feel they have to due to recent economic struggles and gas prices.

The Biden presidency is incredibly topical to the Democrat’s success. Typically midterms see the President’s party make losses in both chambers. So the success of Biden’s presidency will influence Democratic victories. 

As of late Biden’s approval rates have bounced up to 40% as a result of lowering gas prices and the recent legislative successes of the Democrats.

Their passing of the Inflation Reduction Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, and other such Biden accomplishments spin a counter-narrative to the Republican “inefficient Democrats” running topic.

Overall the timing of the overturning of Roe and signs of a recovering economy are not working out in the favor of the Republicans. As most predictions tend towards Democrat gains in the senate, losses in the house, and a tied general ballot.