Will Donald Trump’s rally rhetoric give Florida Democrats a new opportunity to flip an increasingly red state?

While recognizing the shortcomings of early voting, Florida Democrats see an opportunity. Donald Trump rally rhetoric targeting Florida’s immigrant communities.

“It’s about respect. We saw’floating island made of garbage.’ Seriously,” said U.S. Rep. Darren Soto. “Do you know how angry the people in Florida got?”

The Kissimmee Democrat referenced the comedian’s much-discussed joke. Tony Hinchcliffe at a Trump event held at Madison Square Garden. Soto, Florida’s first Puerto Rican congressman, on the other hand, called Kamala Harris “our Caribbean sister.” The Democratic presidential candidate’s father is Jamaican.

During a Florida Democratic Party press conference, Soto suggested that the rhetoric at the rally provided another reason for the Florida community to come out on the side of Democrats.

Since the meeting began, the Florida Democratic Party Nikki Fried acknowledged that the party must defy expectations if it hopes to win the state’s electoral votes for Harris. Republicans significantly ahead of Democrats early votingwith turnout approaching 600,000 voters there, erasing the advantage Democrats enjoyed in voting by mail.

“I know many of you look at the early voting results and immediately write us off,” she said. “But to that I say: Florida is still in the game.”

Democrats say the Trump campaign’s xenophobic rhetoric could make a difference in the week leading up to the Nov. 5 general election.

State Representative Marie WoodsonDemocrat from Miami Gardens, said there is already anger in the Haitian American community over past comments by Trump and his running mate. JD Vance blaming legal immigrants in Ohio for eat dogs and cats.

“I don’t know why we discuss elections anymore. I don’t know why we’re here. Because this man (Trump) has proven who he is,” she said. “He showed you. I don’t know what else he needs to do to prove to people that they need to elect Kamala Harris.”

According to Center for Immigration Studies51% of all Haitians settled in the United States live in Florida. There are about 1.2 million Puerto Ricans living in Florida, according to the agency. Center for Puerto Rican Studies.

It is also home to 64% of Cubans in the United States, according to the data. Pew Research Centeralthough this ethnic group has historically been a Republican voting bloc.

But Shevrin JonesThe chairman of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party said South Florida faces a stark choice between Harris’ campaign, which aims to improve the lives of all Americans, and Trump’s campaign, which increasingly tends to divide Americans along racial and political lines.

Jones noted that Hinchcliffe also made a joke about watermelons, pointing out a black man at the rally. Meanwhile, Trump himself increasingly refers to the “enemy within” when discussing political rivals.

“This race has become more than just politics, y’all, and after this rally, it was really the icing on the cake of his attacks on Puerto Rico, black people and our Haitian community,” Jones said.

“Now it has become personal. It’s not even politics anymore.”

Democrats say the comments could also have implications in other races in Florida.

“In Washington, D.C., Florida can be decided by the Senate majority and the Senate majority leader,” Fried said. “We can flip congressional seats and take back the House and Congress.”

While U.S. Sen. Rick Scott Republican on this year’s ballot distanced himself based on comments at the rally, he faces a Democratic challenger Debbie Mucarsel-Powellwho will become the first Latino senator from Florida.

Samuel Vilches Santiagochairman of the Orange County Democratic Party, also noted that many of the Florida legislative seats being contested have large Latino populations.

He noted that 30% of voters are Latino in the state Democratic Party’s 35th House District. Tom Keen faces tight race with Republicans Erica Booth. The same goes for about 56% of voters in the 47th House District, where Democrat Maria Revelles hopes to unseat a Republican state representative. Paula Stark.

About 20% of voters in the 45th Congressional District are Latino. Carolina Amesti faced a democrat Leonard Spencer. South Florida also has a majority Latino district, House District 113, where Democrats Jackie Gross-Kellogg hopes to unseat a Republican state representative. Vicky Lopez.

“People know and understand exactly what Donald Trump is saying,” he said.

Jones said Republicans know Trump’s rhetoric could jeopardize some elections in Florida precisely because it will rally voters around Democratic alternatives.

“That’s what we’re seeing in Miami-Dade County,” he said. “There are many coalitions that are being created in our clubs and meetings in South Florida.”

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