ICYMI: America Reacts to Florida Democrats’ Over Performance in CD 1 and 6 Special Elections

In the wake of Florida Democrats’ historic over performance in the CD 1 and 6 special elections, media outlets all over America are buzzing about the future of Florida.

Chris Jansing Reports (MSNBC, April 2)

• “[The Wisconsin judicial results], combined with narrower than expected losses in two Florida House races, is a shot of adrenaline for a party badly in need of one. It’s also a shot across the bow for President Trump and Elon Musk…”

Morning Joe (MSNBC, Symone D. Sanders, April 2)

• “…Nikki Fried and Democrats in Florida have clawed themselves back from the brink, when Democrats were just ready to write Florida off. They are not there yet, but they are competitive because of the investment in the organizers.”

Public Affairs Events (CSPAN, Jeff Allen, April 1)

• “The state Democratic party here in Florida — Nikki Fried, she was re-elected to lead that — they have really tried to make a push to at least put up Democratic candidates against Republican candidates in every contest in the state….They’re trying to be as competitive as they can all throughout the state, no matter if they’re Democratic hold areas in the bigger cities or our in the rural areas that are more Republican strongholds. And so they feel like they have a better organization and they hope to get dividends from that in the years to come.”

“Breaking down the Wisconsin, Florida special elections” — The Hill

• “ the results have given Democrats a much-needed shot in the arm as they look toward both the Virginia governor’s race in November and next year’s midterms, when historically the party in power loses seats in Congress….Florida state Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried added that Tuesday’s results should “send shivers” down the spines of every Republican running in a district who won by 15 points.  

“Nikki Fried says Special Election overperformance lays groundwork for future Dem success” — Florida Politics

• “These races should have never been competitive, but we outworked them, we outraised them, and we slashed their margins by more than half, and they panicked,” Fried said. “They had to call daddy, hosting emergency town halls, slashing last minute cash and even sacrificing (New York U.S. Rep. Elise) Stefanik’s nomination to protect their very slim majority.”
  
  
• “People are coming out of their homes, wanting to be part of this revival of the Democratic Party and this retaking back of our state,” she said. “These important elections are a message test. It is an opportunity to organize, to galvanize our base, but also to make sure that we are creating this momentum going into the ‘26 actual elections year,” Fried said.

Democrats take hope in flipping a county in a ruby red corner of the Florida Panhandle — Associated Press

• The leftward shift around Pensacola and shrinking margins in the rest of the 1st Congressional District and another on Florida’s Atlantic Coast may foreshadow big challenges ahead for Republicans as they look to next year’s midterm elections. It could also illuminate a path forward for embattled Democrats in Florida and elsewhere.
  
  
• Fried noted there are four military bases in or near Pensacola. And in Florida’s 6th Congressional District, about 60% of residents receive benefits through Veterans Affairs, Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid. “Those are the issues that are really going to be waking up the sleepy beast,” she said.
  
  
• Heather Lindsay, the Republican mayor of the city of Milton in neighboring Santa Rosa County, voted for Valimont, the Democrat challenging Patronis.
  “It’s not about being loyal to one party or the other,” she explained. “It’s about making sure we have a functioning democracy.”

Democrats try to make the most out of Tuesday night’s election results in Florida — Florida Phoenix

• “Put money into a strong ground game and organized in red counties like never before. Investment on the ground matters. Money spent in specials was largely on the ground, not TV,” Fried continued. “So, don’t tell me Florida is too expensive. We have proven that we can raise the money and spend it wisely. … We put a down payment on our future, and we’re going to make Republicans pay for it in the long run.”