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Tuesday, 11 November 2008 |
No more Flori-duh!
Florida finally got it right and in what was an historic election, figured prominently in Barack Obama’s victory on Tuesday. Obama won the traditional Republican state, 51 to 48 percent over John McCain. For Democrats this was, at last, redemption for what they perceived as the dubious recounting process that resulted in the US Supreme ruling that the Republicans won the state, thus electing George W. Bush president over Al Gore in 2000.
This time aided by massive turnout by Black voters, and unusual high support from Hispanics, the Democrats won in many areas that were considered to be Republican strongholds.
The vote for Obama was significant in South Florida. In Miami-Dade Obama won 58 to 42 percent, Broward County 68 to 32 percent, and in Palm Beach County 62 to 38 percent. But it was the interstate 4 corridor in Central Florida that really surprised. Considered the swing region in the state, it went for Obama, 50 – 49 percent in Hillsborough County; 60-40 percent in Osceola County, and 59 to 41 percent in Orange County. Gainesville and Tallahassee also voted heavily for Obama.
It was in Jacksonville that McCain made a major gaffe in his campaign, when, as stock markets crashed and banks failed at the end of September he announced that “the fundamentals of the economy are strong.” This did not go over well with Floridians in a state with record unemployment and foreclosures. It was obvious that Obama’s Florida campaign was far superior to McCain’s especially in getting out votes for early voting. The Obama campaign poured over $75 million into the state on field offices, voters’ registration, getting out the vote and television ads. During the month of October, Obama established a lead in the Florida polls, and had a lead of 2 percent on Elections Day, eventually winning by 3 percent.
Exit polls showed that Obama did exceptionally well with young and first time voters, independents, and beat McCain comfortably among Hispanics, long regarded as a strong Republican constituency.
Local Races
Obama’s victory in Florida did not help his Democratic colleagues who ran for congressional seats in Miami-Dade. The three Republican incumbents, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Mario and Lincoln Diaz-Balart all defeated their challengers, Annette Taddeo, Joe Garcia and Raul Martinez, respectively.
In Broward County as expected, Democrats Robert Wexler, Alcee Hastings and Debbie Wasserman-Schultz easily regained their seats in the U.S. House. Democrat Ron Klein also regained his seat representing parts of Palm Beach County.
In the races for the Florida Senate, the victors included Democrat Dan Gelber who won District 35 over Republican Dean Santoro, and in District 25 Republican, Jeff Atwater defeated Democrat, Linda Bird.
In a keenly contested race incumbent Broward Sheriff Republican Al Lamberti sneaked a win over Democratic challenger Scott Israel, who was Republican and switched parties before the race.
In the races for the Florida House of Representatives, Democrat Kiar defeated Republican challenger Todd Goberville, while Republican Adam Hasner upset Democrat Robert Ostrov.
Lois Wexler easily retained her seat on the Broward County Commission, and former Lauderdale Lakes commissioner Barrington Russell defeated fellow commissioner Levoyd Williams for mayor of that city. New commissioners elected to that city commission are Gloria Lewis, Patricia Williams, Edwina Coleman and Benjamin Williams.
In Lauderhill, Commissioner Howard Berger held off the challenge of Tyson Jones and Commissioner Dale Holness handily re-gained his seat from a field of four challengers.
Victorious circuit judges include Bernard Bober, Merrilee Ehrlich and Steven Feren.
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