- Florida
« Activity by Progressive/Democratic-Aligned Groups
Activity by Progressive/Democratic-Aligned Groups in Florida
• There has been a lot of
activity around the implementation
of Amendment 4,
the
Voting Rights
Restoration for Felons
Initiative, which voters approved in
Nov. 2018. more
September 24, 2020
NEWS: Nuestro PAC Launches One of the Largest Bilingual Latino Outreach Programs in Florida
“Intentional direct spending on outreach to Latinos in Florida is exactly what Vice President Biden needs at this moment to ensure victory against the most racist president in modern American history,” said Chuck Rocha, founder of Nuestro PAC. “Nuestro PAC is building a broad coalition with partners like SEIU and VoteVets to double down on outreach to the Latino community and deliver the vote for Biden and Harris. We are going to make sure every single Latino voter in Florida has all of the information they need to cast their vote on November 3rd.”
The program encompasses millions of bilingual mailers to every persuadable and newly registered Latino voter in Florida, as well as three major video spots running on TV and on digital. The first ad, called “Back”, highlights Biden’s background and record for Latino voters, focused on his upbringing in a working class and Catholic family, his role in raising his sons after the death of his wife and daughter, and record as Vice President.
Nuestro PAC, in partnership with SEIU, will also run a long-form, three-minute ad called “If I Were President,” based on the song it features from the Chicano band Las Cafeteras. The ad features Biden in his own words describing his platform for Latino families. The ads will run in conjunction with “Mi País,” an ad released yesterday in partnership with VoteVets targeting Puerto Rican voters in Orlando.
Recent polling has Biden and Trump running neck-in-neck in the swing state of Florida, while questions remain about the efficacy of Biden’s Latino outreach as he continues to underperform compared to Hillary Clinton in 2016. Nuestro PAC and America’s Progressive Promise PAC are some of the few independent expenditure PACs focused solely on Latino outreach.
“In the primary campaign, we saw the extraordinary power Latinos have to shift election outcomes and political narratives-- but we must work for their votes,” said Jeff Weaver, founder of America’s Progressive Promise PAC. "Joe Biden has an economic agenda of higher wages, more jobs, and better educational opportunities that will uplift the Latino community and people everywhere. The challenge in these final weeks is to speak to the community with the incredibly high testing creative we have produced. Sadly there's a lot of cookie cutter advertising out there that just does not move the needle. We are working day and night to change that.”
The PACs were created by senior aides to Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential runs which saw overwhelming support from the Latino community. Last week, Nuestro PAC announced they will send seven-figures worth of bilingual mail to persuadable and newly registered Latino voters in Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
"With less than 40 days left until Election Day there remain some critical and urgent gaps to meet the levels of Latino support that we will need to see this year,” said Stephanie Valencia, co-founder of EquisLabs. “We cannot take anything for granted in these closing days of the election as anything can happen. There is a short and quickly closing window to communicate to Latino voters to ensure we achieve the levels of support and turnout of Latino voters to propel Joe Biden to the White House."
Last month, Nuestro PAC released an ad featuring Kristin Urquiza speaking about her father’s death and endorsing Joe Biden. They have also launched one of the largest Spanish-language ad campaigns of the cycle in Arizona, Michigan and North Carolina.
September 23, 2020
Press Release: Priorities USA Action, Latino Victory Fund and Mike Bloomberg Announce New Spanish Language Florida Ad Campaigns
Priorities USA Action and the Latino Victory Fund are launching a new Spanish language ad campaign focused on Hispanic voters in Florida funded by a new $6 million donation from Mike Bloomberg. The campaign will consist of $4 million in Spanish language TV and $2 million in Spanish language radio ads.Both the radio and TV ads will run in the Miami, Orlando and Tampa media markets — part of a culturally competent multi-channel media strategy to reach Hispanic voters in Florida — with a focus on outlets that reach the largest Hispanic audiences in the state. The ads will make the case against Donald Trump’s reckless and dangerous administration that affects Hispanics at disproportionate rates.
Additionally, Priorities USA Action will be investing another $2 million into its digital program targeting Hispanic voters in Florida via a contribution from Mike Bloomberg.
Priorities has already spent nearly $20 million in Florida, having identified it as one of the key states most likely to represent the 270th electoral vote. Priorities has been running a Hispanic-focused digital ads program in the state since November 2019. This spending includes an ongoing partnership with Latino Victory Fund on Spanish language radio in Orlando and Tampa.
Mike Bloomberg last week funded a $5.4 million statewide TV campaign through Priorities USA Action, and has committed to spend $100 million in Florida to support Vice President Biden in defeating Donald Trump.
“Joe Biden’s path to victory runs through Florida. With Mike Bloomberg’s continued support, Priorities is able to do the important work of reaching Florida’s Hispanic community — a key constituency in Joe Biden’s winning coalition,” said Guy Cecil, Chairman of Priorities USA. “The Hispanic community has been disproportionately harmed by Donald Trump’s failed leadership. Now, it is almost assured that Trump will rush a Supreme Court justice onto the bench, weeks before Election Day, who will vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act, threatening the health care coverage of millions in the Hispanic community.”
“Florida is home to one of the largest Hispanic communities in the nation and it is our duty to talk to our Spanish-speaking neighbors about Donald Trump’s reckless, ineffective administration, which have brought mourning to countless families because of COVID 19,” said Luis A. Miranda Jr., Chairperson of the Latino Victory Fund. “Thanks to Mike Bloomberg’s investment and our partnership with Priorities USA, we will be able to continue our work of bringing the truth to the Hispanic community – who will decide the outcome of this election.”
“President Trump has fueled division in our country including through his relentless attacks on the Hispanic community. But, this November, Hispanic voters will play a critical role in the election,” said Mike Bloomberg. “I’m supporting Latino Victory Fund and Priorities USA Action to persuade and mobilize as many voters as possible and make sure that Hispanic voices are heard — and their votes counted.”
Mike Bloomberg
Mike Bloomberg and Priorities USA Action Announce New Statewide Florida TV Ad Buys
Less than a week after Mike Bloomberg committed $100M to support Joe Biden in Florida, Priorities USA Action Airs Two Ads Across Florida
Priorities USA Action is expanding its paid media program in Florida, buying a week of statewide broadcast television, funded by a $5.4 million donation from Mike Bloomberg as part of his recently announced $100 million investment in the Sunshine State to support Joe Biden and defeat Donald Trump.
The ads, which will begin running Friday in all 10 of Florida’s media markets, will be updated versions of ads that Priorities has run in other battleground states, including the ad that the Trump campaign is currently in court suing Priorities and a small Wisconsin TV station over.
With support from Mike Bloomberg, Priorities USA Action will run “Responsibility,” an updated version of “Exponential Threat,” which Donald Trump sued over in an attempt to censor, to reflect the nearly 200,000 American deaths from COVID-19 as a result of Trump’s deliberate campaign of misinformation about the virus and failure to control the spread. Priorities is also running “America First,” an updated version of “First,” emphasizing just how far behind America is in mitigating the spread of the virus compared to every other country on earth. Since “First” was initially released in April, the number of deaths, coronavirus cases, and jobs lost have only gotten worse.
In testing the ads against others, “Responsibility” and “America First” proved to be most effective in driving up support for Biden and away from Trump.
“America First” will run in markets in the Florida Panhandle. “Responsibility” will cover additional media markets throughout the state. Florida is a must-win state for Donald Trump, whose chaotic administration and failed leadership on the pandemic have caused the state to increasingly slip away from him. Priorities is committed to reminding voters, wherever they get their information, of Donald Trump’s inability to meet the moment and keep Floridians safe.
Priorities has already invested $12.5 million in Florida including in digital and television ads in both English and Spanish.
“If Joe Biden wins Florida, he wins the election. Mike Bloomberg’s support means we can continue the important work of connecting with Florida voters to hold Donald Trump accountable for his utter failure in combating the coronavirus,” said Guy Cecil, Chairman of Priorities USA. “Trump lied to the American people and downplayed the virus, and many more people have died or lost their jobs because of it. The stakes have never been higher and we are fortunate to have Mike Bloomberg as a partner and are looking forward to continuing to work together in this fight to elect Joe Biden and move our country forward.”
These ads, supported by Mike Bloomberg, are part of Mike’s $100 million commitment to support Vice President Joe Biden and defeat Donald Trump in Florida. As Election Day nears, Mike’s commitment in Florida will focus on additional TV and radio ads, digital ads, and GOTV, particularly vote by mail mobilization, and with a strategy to reach Black and Latino voters.
• Alianza for Progress "seeks to unite the Puerto Rican and Hispanic population in the state of Florida and develop leaders from within the community that will support progressive policies." Executive director Marcos Vilar leads the 11-person organization.
https://alianza.org
https://www.facebook.com/AlianzaForProgress/
"Alianza for Progress was created out of the need to organize the Puerto Rican and Hispanic population in the state of Florida and develop leaders from within the community that will support progressive policies. We will transform Florida by empowering and organizing our communities through voter education, civic engagement, and issue advocacy programs. Our efforts will also focus on getting out the Latino vote - the largest growing demographic in the state - to hold elected officials accountable and demand a seat at the table. We are committed to establishing genuine relationships with the Latino community, its leaders, and its allies to ensure that we change the current system that only benefits corporations and wealthy individuals. By combining innovative digital campaigns and grassroots efforts with the unique way Latinos participate in politics; we will build a long-lasting power base that fights for economic, social, and environmental justice for all."
[graphic posted on facebook July 18, 2020]
• "America Votes
Florida operates
throughout the state and has been
a part of the progressive
community there since 2007.
America Votes Florida is headed by
State Director Josh Geise."
https://americavotes.org/state-network/
• Florida is one of twelve states
targeted by SwingLeft as part of its
Super State Strategy.
https://swingleft.org/p/florida
FLORIDA
SUPER STATE STRATEGY
Our primary objectives in Florida are
to: 1) win the state’s 29 Electoral
College votes and 2) break unified
Republican control of the state
government by flipping the Florida
State House.
In the state House, we are currently
targeting 18 districts—14 GOP-held
seats and four Democratic holds.
Winning the majority requires targets
across the Sunshine State, with four
districts near Tampa/St. Petersburg,
three in the Orlando area, and eight
in South Florida and the Miami metro
area.
In the state Senate, we are currently
targeting two GOP-held seats that
Democrats are poised to flip now that
the Republican incumbents are
term-limited out of office.
BY THE NUMBERS:
4 Seats needed to flip the state
senate
14 Seats needed to flip the state
house
29 Electoral College votes
OUR TARGETS:
State Senate: SD-9, SD-39
State House: HD-15, HD-21, HD-26,
HD-28, HD-29, HD-42, HD-59, HD-60,
HD-69, HD-72, HD-84, HD-89, HD-93,
HD-105, HD-115, HD-118, HD-119, HD-120
WHAT'S AT STAKE
2.7 million Floridians without
health insurance (before the
COVID-19 pandemic): If Florida
expanded Medicaid, more than 800,000
uninsured, low-income Floridians would
gain access to coverage, including
400,000 residents who are stuck in the
Medicaid “coverage gap.” Although the
majority of Floridians support
Medicaid expansion, state lawmakers
have refused to pass expansion
legislation.
24 states adopted Florida’s
"stand your ground" law since 2005:
Florida’s “stand your ground” law
allows a person to use deadly force in
public without the responsibility to
retreat from a perceived threat. In
2012, the law was used to justify the
killing of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed
17-year-old, in Sanford, Florida.
While Florida set this policy in
motion, eight additional states have
also expanded the “castle doctrine,”
which states that a person is
permitted to use deadly force in
self-defense, to apply outside the
home.
65% of Floridians voted to end
felony disenfranchisement: Before
the 2018 election, Florida was one of
three states to automatically—and
permanently—strip the right to vote
from people with felony convictions.
Following the passage of Amendment 4,
Florida Republicans attempted to
undermine voting rights restoration
for up to 1.4 million people by
requiring payment of outstanding court
fines and fees. This state law was
overturned by a federal judge in 2020.
What's at stake facts updated June
2020
• Florida was
one of four states where Priorities
USA established an on-the-ground
presence from July 2019 to July 1,
2020.
July 23, 2019
Priorities USA Launches Priorities Florida
Today, Priorities USA is coming to Florida with the launch of Priorities Florida and a new battleground state communications program. As part of Priorities USA’s $100 million investment in key states including Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, Priorities Florida is an innovative new program that will merge press and digital communications operations to better communicate with voters across all the places they get their news and information.Working in partnership with local organizations, the Florida-based team will collect and capture stories from real people and families who have felt the negative impact of living in Trump’s economy. These stories will be used for original content on social platforms and amplified across local media. On-the-ground work will also serve to inform Priorities’ national paid media program, so that the messaging is well-tailored to Floridians’ concerns. The team will also provide media with hard research and data supporting these stories about the difficulties of making ends meet in Trump’s America.
“Trump loves to boast about how he always wins, but Floridians know that in Trump’s economy, they’ll never win. Health care costs are rising, and paying the monthly bills, let alone saving for a comfortable retirement, is becoming increasingly difficult for average families,” said Guy Cecil, Chairman of Priorities USA. “Trump has shown again and again that as long as his billionaire friends benefit, he’ll pass policies that hurt everyday Americans. Florida will be a crucial state in 2020, and we’re committed to finding creative new ways to show the cruel impact Trump’s policies are having on everyday Floridians.”
Priorities Florida will work to show that in reality, Trump’s economy isn’t working for Florida families.
- Recent data shows that nearly half of Florida households are struggling to make ends meet and a third can’t pay for basic expenses.
- Florida has the nation’s second-highest level of income inequality, and Trump’s economic policies are only making matters worse for everyday Floridians.
- Over 500,000 Florida families will pay more in taxes this year because of his tax law, and the average family is paying an estimated extra $2,860 because of Trump’s health care policies.
Daniela Martins, serving as the Florida Outreach Director and National Hispanic Media Director. Daniela will work with Florida media, influencers, and allied organizations to tell the story of Trump’s negative impact in the state. Daniela will also lead Priorities’ strategy and outreach to national Hispanic media. Previously, Daniela served as Communications Director for former gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum’s organization, Forward Florida, after working on his campaign in 2018. Fluent in five languages, she served as statewide Hispanic Communications Director for For Our Future during the 2016 cycle. Her background includes extensive experience in international gender and reproductive rights advocacy, having led programs at Planned Parenthood Global, UNESCO, and UNDP. Daniela is a Bolivian native and received her Master’s degree from Paris’ Sorbonne University.
This program comes as part of Priorities USA’s transition into the 2020 presidential cycle. This also includes a new program to provide partners with in-depth modeling, targeting, and opinion research for digital, TV, mail and field programs; continued efforts to train progressive operatives in understanding, planning, and executing digital campaigns; as well as a strong focus on both persuading moveable voters and mobilizing the Democratic base.
• 2018 gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum had looked to be a force, leading Forward Florida, but he ran into personal and legal issues and has withdrawn from public life.
See: Jeffrey Schweers. "Andrew Gillum PAC fund keeps getting drained for legal, other expenses." USA Today Network, June 12, 2020.
Forward Florida Action
Nov. 2019
Voter Registration Update: Forward Florida Action Announces Over 100,000 New Voter Registrations
Milestone is the Result of Registration Efforts by Numerous Grassroots Partners and AlliesMiami, Fla. — Today, Forward Florida Action made a voter registration progress update following the release by the State of Florida of new voter registration statistics.
Allied groups in Florida have registered over 100,000 new voters between April and October, the seven months since Andrew Gillum issued his call to Florida progressives to register and reengage one million voters.
Earlier this year, Andrew Gillum set an audacious goal for Florida’s progressive movement: 1 million voters registered and reengaged to defeat Donald Trump. Building on the progressive momentum of the 2018 election, Florida progressives are on track to meet this promise in 2020. Forward Florida Action is joined in this work by numerous grassroots partners, including the Florida Democratic Party, New Florida Majority, and Organize Florida.
Voter Registration Update:
Forward Florida Action allies have registered 106,000 voters between April and October, 2019.
In August, Forward Florida Action projected we would reach this milestone by the end of 2019. We are pleased to have crossed it two months ahead of schedule.
In both September and October allied groups doubled the number of new voter registrations from April through August, an acceleration that we are on track to continue.
Forward Florida Action has invested over $1 million in grassroots voter registration.These resources are deployed in partnership with groups across Florida to empower grassroots activists to register and reengage voters in their communities.
Forward Florida’s grassroots mini-grant program has received over 50 applications, many from first-time activists and communities of color. The Forward Florida mini-grant is a unique program to empower local grassroots groups to re-engage and register voters in their communities with $1,000 to $5,000 grants.
“This milestone is only one of many that we will cross as we work with all who want to move Florida forward to build historic infrastructure in this state,” said Forward Florida Action spokesperson Joshua Karp. “The fact is that Donald Trump cannot win reelection without winning Florida, and we are proud to stand with Democrats across Florida to roll up our sleeves and do the hard work of democracy by engaging and registering voters.”
Data for this voter registration update was obtained from the State of Florida and Forward Florida Action’s quality control processes. The State of Florida engages in regular “off year” purges of active and inactive voters — 371,043 so far in 2019. As a result, the total number of voters in Florida has been declining month-over-month throughout this year. Despite these purges and because of these new registrations, in October these new registrations brought Florida’s total of registered Democrats on the voter rolls above the total at this time last year.
Copyright © 2019 Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in
Action. All rights reserved.