Dems See A “Blue Wave,” Heading Toward Tallahassee In 2018

Florida Democrats hope that an energized base will help them charge Tallahassee

Starting now and ending in November Florida Democrats are hoping that they will get a “Blue Wave,” that will wash the Republicans out of power in Tallahassee. As their number one enemy Gov. (R) Rick Scott gave his State of the State Address, Sunshine State Democrats took aim the man whose office they want in 2018.

Florida Democrats are energized like never before and they are ready to start the process of getting ready for November, now.

“2018 finally offers Floridians not only a new year but a new way, a unique chance to build a new Florida,” Senate Minority Leader Oscar Braynon, D-Miami Gardens, said in response to the Gov. Scott’s address.

Democrats in the state House and Senate are pushing Gov. Scott on the issue of jobs and the economy in Florida. They are pushing the narrative that more half of the state’s 67 counties have fewer jobs in 2018 than they did before the recession a decade ago.

Health Care remains a major issue in the state and the Democrats feel that they have an opening for 2018. Tuesday they started what most people will see in political ads in the future.

They have been driving the point that Gov. Scott promised to expand Medicaid during his campaign four years ago. But then he “flip-flopped” on expanding Medicaid coverage to an additional 800,000 people.

Gov. Scott took a very hard line in opposing Obamacare, and the Medicaid expansion included in it leaving millions of Floridians, health care in flux.

The Democrats are using the Medicaid expansion bypassing by Gov. Scott to unify their base. According to Karen Woodall, executive director of the Florida Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy, noted that Florida ranks 48th in the nation for health coverage according to the Census Bureau, with 2 million Floridians uninsured.

It remains to be seen if 2018 will a “big blue wave,” for Florida Democrats and if they can push jobs and health care as their key issues. It is a long time between January and the November elections, with all eyes will be on Tallahassee.