Scott Powers
The latest Cook Political Report’s Partisan Voting Index finds that just one Florida congressional district leans more than 20 percent Republican while two lean more than 20 percent Democrat – and two Republicans occupy seats in districts that lean Democratic.
The report, on the partisan makeup and voting records of all 435 districts in the 115th Congress, shows that Florida still has a number of districts drawn with sure-fire party preferences, though nothing like some other states, notably Texas, New York, Tennessee, and California.
Two members of Florida’s 27-member delegation represent districts that lean toward the other party: Republican U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo of Kendall, whose Congressional District 26 leans six points toward Democrats; and neighboring Republican U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Miami, whose Congressional District 27 leans five points toward Democrats, according to Cook’s scoring.
Both of their districts went for Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election, and also went for President Barack Obama in the 2012 election.
Not so much confusion among voters in Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz‘s Congressional District 1; nor in Democratic U.S. Reps. Frederica Wilson in Florida’s Congressional District 24, and Alcee Hastings Congressional District 20. They all have extraordinarily safe districts for their parties.
Wilson’s Miami Gardens-based district has a whopping 34 percent lean for Democratic voters, while Hastings’ Miramar district has a 31 percent lean, according to Cook.
Gaetz is Florida’s only Republican with a 20 point or greater cushion for his party: 22 points total in his Fort Walton Beach-based district.
However, there are plenty others with safe seats of 10 or more points, in both parties.
Here are how Florida’s other members of congress, stack up, according to Cook:
– Republican U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn of Florida’s 2nd Congressional District, +18 Republican.
– Republican U.S. Rep. John Rutherford of Florida’s 4th Congressional District, +17 Republican.
– Republican U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster of Florida’s 11th Congressional District, +15 Republican.
– Republican U.S. Rep. Francis Rooney of Florida’s 19th Congressional District, +13 Republican.
– Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney of Florida’s 17th Congressional District, +13 Republican.
– Democratic U.S. Rep. Al Lawson of Florida’s 5th Congressional District, +12 Democratic.
– Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida’s 23rd Congressional District, +11 Democratic.
– Democratic U.S. Rep. Val Demings of Florida’s 10th Congressional District, +11 Democratic.
– Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Posey of Florida’s 8th Congressional District, +11 Republican.
– Republican U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho of Florida’s 3rd Congressional District, +9 Republican.
– Democratic U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel of Florida’s 21st Congressional District, +9 Democratic.
– Republican U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis of Florida’s 12th Congressional District, +8 Republican.
– Republican U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis of Florida’s 6th Congressional District, +7 Republican.
– Democratic U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida’s 14th Congressional District, +7 Democratic.
– Republican U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida’s 16th Congressional District, +7 Republican.
– Republican U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross of Florida’s 15th Congressional District, +6 Republican.
– Democratic U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch of Florida’s 22nd Congressional District, +5 Democratic.
– Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Mast of Florida’s 18th Congressional District, +5 Republican.
– Democratic U.S. Rep. Darren Soto of Florida’s 9th Congressional District, +5 Democratic.
– Republican U.S. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida’s 25th Congressional District, +4 Republican.
– Democratic U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist of Florida’s 13th Congressional District, +2 Democratic.
– Democratic U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy of Florida’s 7th Congressional District – even.
