Living in Florida, I believe that’s a common misrepresentation of what is actually happening.
The reason rents are high in many places is so many people are moving here, it’s almost impossible to keep up with the demand, in North Florida where I live, they are building hundreds of new homes and new apartments all over the place and they get rented out as soon as they open up.
In terms of registered voters Florida has never been this red before, the number of registered Republicans surpassed Democrats about 3-4 years ago and the gap has steadily increased to now over 500,000 more registered Republicans versus Democrats.
Republicans now hold super majorities in the State House and Senate, for the first time since reconstruction following the Civil War, Democrats do not hold any statewide office, the current congressional delegation is 20-8 Republican, with 2 Republican Senators.
Look at what is actually happening versus what is perceived to be happening.
You got me curios about the Florida Voter registration breakdown. Florida make it easy to look at the last several years.
Voter Registration - By Party Affiliation
Webpage last updated: November 17, 2023.
Totals reflect the number of active registered voters in the State of Florida.
Data as of October 31, 2023.
Year~~~~~~~~~Republican Party~~~~~~~~~Democratic Party~~~~~~~~~Minor Parties~~~~~~~~~No Party Affiliation~~~~~~~~~Total
2023~~~~~~~~~5,153,695~~~~~~~~~4,473,665~~~~~~~~~306,955~~~~~~~~~3,618,968~~~~~~~~~13,553,283
2022~~~~~~~~~5,312,122~~~~~~~~~4,928,168~~~~~~~~~263,790~~~~~~~~~4,032,731~~~~~~~~~14,536,811
2021~~~~~~~~~5,123,799~~~~~~~~~5,080,697~~~~~~~~~253,843~~~~~~~~~3,829,372~~~~~~~~~14,287,711
2020~~~~~~~~~5,218,739~~~~~~~~~5,315,954~~~~~~~~~231,246~~~~~~~~~3,799,799~~~~~~~~~14,565,738
2019~~~~~~~~~4,761,405~~~~~~~~~4,986,520~~~~~~~~~147,546~~~~~~~~~3,641,359~~~~~~~~~13,536,830
2018~~~~~~~~~4,718,720~~~~~~~~~4,975,895~~~~~~~~~113,489~~~~~~~~~3,588,518~~~~~~~~~13,396,622
2017~~~~~~~~~4,544,708~~~~~~~~~4,807,950~~~~~~~~~65,526~~~~~~~~~3,449,005~~~~~~~~~12,867,189
Interestingly, although the population of Florida continues to increase, the total number went down in 2023 by 1 million registrations. At the same time the number of Republicans rose and the Democrats dropped.
It’s the same here in SW Florida. They can’t build homes and apratments fast enough.
I had to move out of Sarasota when my rent went from 2200 a month to 3600 a month. I looked in the panhandle, but had friends around the Fort Myers area. Ian hit and kept growth down here, but I see it becoming like Sarasota. So it will relocation again, into the panhandle or north central fl. Floridian since 1961.