(UnitedReader.com) – The 2022 elections are less than a year away, and then it’s on to the 2024 election, which could include a stacked team of political powerhouses. In the center of the next presidential election is the Sunshine State, as it houses several potential contenders. With so many possible candidates, Florida has become the wildcard of 2024.
Floridian Free-For-All
There are currently at least four potential presidential candidates in the Sunshine State: former President Trump, Governor Ron DeSantis, Senator Rick Scott and Senator Marco Rubio, all of whom are members of the GOP. With all of the potential candidates in one region, Florida-based Republican strategist Ford O’Connell believes it’s almost a guarantee that the GOP nominee will be from this state. Florida is going to heat up quickly, and not because of the weather.
The Trump Factor
The former president has been hinting at making a potential 2024 presidential bid but so far hasn’t officially announced whether he will run again. The uncertainty is making the political landscape of Florida unclear. Both Rubio and Scott have insisted on conceding to support Trump should he run.
DeSantis claims his main focus is winning the Florida gubernatorial race. The Florida governor is a favorite among Republicans to run for president in 2024, but he hasn’t officially announced anything.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll shows that 54% of Republican voters would support Trump in a 2024 campaign. Governor DeSantis is in second place by a large margin, with only 11% of voters indicating they’d support his presidential bid. In the end, Florida’s political landscape for the 2024 election heavily relies on what former President Trump decides to do, making him an X-factor.
From Battleground to Stronghold
Florida has a long history of being a swing state for federal elections, although it has become more of a Republican stronghold in recent years. University of Central Florida political science professor Aubrey Jewett noted that its history of being a battleground state has attracted numerous presidential hopefuls.
Jewett mentioned that Florida had become a centerpiece of the Republican movement. Despite the implications, neither political party wants to write Florida off as a win for the GOP. The political science professor argued that Florida is still a competitive state at the federal level, but Republicans dominate local elections.
With Florida only having a red tint, Republicans are far from being guaranteed wins in federal elections for seats in the chambers of Congress and the White House. The state is looking to be a potential turning point as Republicans want to regain majorities in the House and Senate in 2022 and then on to the presidency in 2024.
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