I live on that coast, and while there are plenty of transplants, you are wrong about the demographics.
We get refugees now from most every blue state and it doesn't appear that they bring liberal baggage with them.
Quite the contrary. - Check out the population changes over the past 2 years.
If you think that the demographics of Florida are similar to that of Alabama and Mississippi then I'm sorry I just give up.
The fact that Florida is so much more urbanized than other southern states should tell you something.
If it doesn't help then just look at the 2004 presidental results...
Georgia - Bush by 17%
Alabama - Bush by 26%
Mississippi - Bush by 20%
S Carolina - Bush by 14%
N Carolina - Bush by 12%
Kentucky - Bush by 20%
Florida - Bush by 5%
Surely that helps you understand that the demographics of Florida are quite different than that of other southern states.
Florida has a lot more urban areas than other southern states and it also has a lot more transplants than other southern states. This might not be having an affect exactly where you live but the effect does exist.
The culture of southeast Florida is also quite different than the rest of the south except for maybe Atlanta.