Why AP called Florida for Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — A beardown across-the-board showing by Donald Trump helped propel nan Republican erstwhile president to triumph successful Florida, erstwhile a preeminent plaything authorities that has progressively slipped retired of Democrats’ grasp. Exhibit A: Trump was connected way to triumph nan longtime Democratic stronghold of Miami-Dade County erstwhile The Associated Press called nan title at 8:01 p.m. ET.

Trump not only improved connected his 2020 capacity successful Republican areas of nan state. He made inroads pinch voters successful Florida’s battleground areas and was connected gait to outperform Vice President Kamala Harris successful areas considered to beryllium moderately Democratic. Trump led Harris by 11 percent points pinch astir 80% of nan expected ballot study erstwhile nan title was called.

But his lead successful Miami-Dade County was possibly nan astir astonishing — and nan astir dispiriting for Democrats. It’s been decades since a Republican statesmanlike contender carried nan county, which Joe Biden won by by astir 7 percent points 4 years ago.

Over 81% of nan ballot had been counted successful Florida erstwhile nan AP called nan race. Harris would person needed to get 73% of nan outstanding ballot near to beryllium counted successful bid to overtake Trump’s lead.

CANDIDATES: President: Harris (D) vs. Trump (R) vs. Claudia De la Cruz ( Socialism and Liberation) vs. Chase Oliver (Libertarian) vs. Peter Sonski (American Solidarity) vs. Jill Stein (Green) vs. Randall Terry (Constitution).

WINNER: Trump

POLL CLOSING TIME: 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. ET. Florida covers 2 clip zones.

ABOUT THE RACE: The past clip Florida swung for a Democratic statesmanlike campaigner was complete a decade ago, erstwhile Barack Obama hit Mitt Romney by little than a percent point. Voters successful nan authorities haven’t looked back.

Once a pivotal battleground, Florida’s governmental DNA has been altered by organizational stumbles by Democrats on pinch demographic shifts. That culminated successful Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ astir 20-point landslide triumph successful 2022, erstwhile he clinched nan longtime Democratic stronghold of Miami-Dade County.

It’s not conscionable blimpish seniors leaving nan northbound to unrecorded retired their aureate years successful nan sunshine authorities who person rewired Florida’s politics. Immigrants fleeing a despotic Venezuelan authorities person been welcomed by nan Republican Party, conscionable arsenic Cuban exiles — reliable GOP voters — were much than a procreation ago.

Meanwhile, nan Democratic Party has struggled pinch campaigner recruitment and money woes. Democrats besides incorrectly assumed that younger generations of Cuban Americans would people gravitate toward nan statement — a prediction that hasn’t panned out. Combine each that pinch nan truth that that advertizing successful nan sprawling state, pinch has astir a twelve different media markets, is conscionable truthful dang expensive, Democrats person efficaciously been formed into into nan governmental wilderness — er, Everglades.

Consider this: Young voters who will formed their first ballot this twelvemonth weren’t live erstwhile nan authorities was nan epicenter of governmental play during nan 2000 statesmanlike election, erstwhile disputes complete “hanging chads” and miscounted ballots made their measurement to nan Supreme Court, which sealed George W. Bush’s 537-vote triumph complete Democrat Al Gore.

The authorities is simply a sizeable prize successful statesmanlike races, offering nan victor 30 electoral votes.

WHY AP CALLED THE RACE: The AP wished that Harris had nary mathematical way to triumph fixed Trump’s monolithic lead and nan magnitude of outstanding vote.

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Learn much astir really and why nan AP declares winners successful U.S. elections astatine Explaining Election 2024, a bid from The Associated Press aimed astatine helping make consciousness of nan American democracy. The AP receives support from respective backstage foundations to heighten its explanatory sum of elections and democracy. See much astir AP’s populist inaugural here. The AP is solely responsible for each content.