Florida Democrats say they’re being flooded with volunteers after VP Harris’ candidacy

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The energy is “outrageous,” Florida Democrats say less than a week after Vice President Kamala Harris entered the presidential race. Statewide voters told us Friday they’ve never seen the grassroots enthusiasm building for her. That’s because the GOP isn’t cornering the Sunshine State ahead of Nov. 5.

Vice President Harris’ latest endorsement for the presidency came Friday from a previous POTUS. Former President Barack Obama signed on with former First Lady Michelle Obama in a phone call. The Harris Campaign then posted a segment online. It’s the latest boost for Harris, less than a week after President Biden withdrew.

As her campaign plans its next steps, Democrats here in Florida say they are seeing unprecedented enthusiasm.

“I think Republicans should be concerned,” said Jennifer Griffith, chair of the Pinellas County Democratic Party.

Griffiths operations, she said, are overwhelmed by the amount of volunteer interest she has seen. The infrastructure and positions to post them are not yet available.

“It can only be one thing, because it has a tipping point and that tipping point was when Kamala Harris was announced as the new nominee for this race,” Griffith said. “The only thing I can attribute it to or compare it to is like Obama landed an energy overnight.”

The Harris Campaign’s Florida team detailed what they believe are the most important indicators for energy:

• At least 1,765 have registered for telephone banks
• About a quarter of them are NPA voters
• And since Sunday, more than 7,000 people have volunteered, perhaps more than any other state.

No breaks for the Harris Florida team this weekend either. They’re scheduled to do 36 events in Florida. More than 2,600 people have already signed up, officials said. At least 200 of them for a Harris golf cart in the traditionally red Sumter County area of ​​The Villages.

“Right now, we see absolutely nothing in the polls that gives us any headaches about Florida,” RNC Chairman Michael Whatley said Thursday.

Whatley was in Tampa for a volunteer event on “election integrity” and spent some time with the press, undermining Democrats’ expectations for November.

The latest poll from Redfield Strategies backed up his claims. It showed former President Donald Trump leading Harris by 8 points in Florida, when third-party candidates were taken into account. The state’s Republican Party chairman, Evan Power, also said in a statement that Democrats were “crying wolf.”

“We have gathered thousands of registered R voters since Kamala was crowned without a single vote,” Power said. “The credible metrics are fundraising and voter registration, both areas where Florida Republicans dominate. I look forward to winning in November and winning big!”

Florida House Speaker Paul Renner struck a different tone when we spoke with him last week. While he still predicts victory on all GOP ballots on Election Day, the Republican leader said the party has to earn it.

“I think it’s a sign of hubris to declare us a red state forever,” Renner said. “We owe it to the voters to nominate and try to elect and put forward people who have integrity, who have principles and who have the courage to do what they tell people they’re going to do. And if you don’t do that, and you elect people who are bad apples, then don’t be surprised if a Democrat surprises us.”

But how big a surprise Florida will get, if it even comes, will have to wait until election night, which is now almost 100 days away.