Janelle Irwin Taylor
There appears to be at least some exodus from the Republican Party in the Tampa Bay area since dramatic events unfolded Wednesday in Washington D.C.
A total of 290 voters in Pinellas County left the Republican Party since Wednesday, according to the Supervisor of Elections office.
A mob of President Donald Trump supporters breached the U.S. Capitol Wednesday afternoon as Congress was convened in a joint session to certify President-elect Joe Biden as the victor over Trump. It was the first time since 1814 the Capitol had been breached.
It led many, including much of the mainstream media, to describe the event as an insurrection and an act of domestic terrorism. It left five people dead including one Capitol police officer struck over the head with a fire extinguisher and a Trump supporter who was shot by Capitol police.
Of those who have abandoned the Republican Party since the insurrection, most, 175, changed their affiliation to no party while 59 opted for the Independent Party and 47 became Democrats. Another seven converted to the Libertarian Party. The remaining opted for other third parties.
By comparison, in the same time, only 34 Democrats changed their affiliation, 10 of whom became Republicans.
Likewise, the Republican exodus was sudden, making it hard not to attribute the affiliation changes among former Republican voters to the dramatic events that occurred Wednesday. Only 12 Republicans changed their party affiliation from Tuesday to Wednesday.
Pinellas County is not alone. In Pasco County, 128 Republican voters had changed their affiliation since Wednesday while only 23 Democrats changed theirs, according to the Pasco Supervisor of Elections office.
The Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections office did not immediately respond Friday with its voter roll update.
Wednesday’s Capitol siege has led to a crisis within the Republican Party as they face the final 12 days under a Trump White House. Congressional Democrats almost unanimously support removing Trump from office after he encouraged his supporters to take drastic action against the election results as Congress was convening to certify Biden as the winner.
Even as the chaos was unfolding, prompting Congress members to take cover and even don gas masks to protect from tear gas, Trump tweeted encouragement maintaining false assertions of rampant voter fraud and a stolen election.
In a video address to his supporters calling for them to go home, he continued with his baseless conspiracy theories while telling supporters “we love you” and that they were “very special.”
His failure to adequately call off the mob led to Twitter temporarily suspend his account and Facebook to suspend that account at least through the end of his presidency.
Trump’s own party has responded in a variety of ways including through Senate Republicans abandoning, for the most part, plans to challenge election results in swing states Biden won in November. Rather than challenging electors in six states, the GOP Senators challenged only electors in Arizona, a challenge that occurred before the insurrection, and Pennsylvania.
Later, at least one Republican member of Congress indicated support for removing the President while some others said they would consider voting in favor of a second impeachment.
Florida’s own senior U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio issued a video address Friday taking a right of center approach as he faces a likely contested reelection in 2022.
5 comments
Sonja Fitch
January 8, 2021 at 12:35 pm
Thank you for being Americans! There is no Republican Party! There are only goptrump death cult sociopaths traitors! Thank you! Rutherford have you found your courage to admit you were suckered! Rutherford resign!
Ron Ogden
January 8, 2021 at 1:42 pm
Let’s see, that would be about, hmmm, one tenth of one percent. And you do not know the reason why any of them left. You are merely having fun speculating–just like the Democrats in Washington. Let’s see, one-tenth of one percent taken off President Trump’s colossal advantage in Florida leaves–well, it leaves little impression what so ever.
“Drastic action”? I defy you to show me a line in the President’s speech on Wednesday that encouraged “drastic action.” When did he say, “break into the Capitol?” When did he say, “Set fires and loot businesses”? When did he say, “take over communities and hold them against the law for months”? Didn’t happen. He said that they were going to march, which they were–which is their right as American citizens. Unless, of course, you are unwilling to admit these throngs of people were, indeed, real American citizens.
Sandra Steele
January 8, 2021 at 6:27 pm
Donald Trump is the only President not to take 1 penny of pay for 4 years of trying to shore up our boarders. He came right to our aide in the pandemic which was not his doing whatsoever. He put money in everyone’s pocket and assured us that things would get back to normal as soon as possible. And with the empty cabinets. He actually takes Ford into halting manufacturing cars and making the expensive equipment needed to fight the virus. He came up with the best minds to create a shot made by 3 company’s to get this world back on track. He was the only President that pushed the *Everybody pay their own share”. All this without sticking one dollar in his pocket for his travels and fuel. Yet we are so anxious to move on like he’s a bad seed. He didn’t ask anyone to invade Capital Hill yesterday. He wants the credit he deserves for getting the Covid vaccine to a point of being used in under a year. He had a boat delivered to New York for sick people. He had Bethlem named as the most blessed place. And to take back what Is real was trying to take away. He made a great deal with Mexico and Canada. All at no cost to anyone in America. I can’t remember anyone doing that since John F. Kennedy. Seems to me when one person seems to be able to have the power to fix what’s been wrong in this country forever. They are shunned and treated poorly. All those people who left the Republican party yesterday we didn’t need you anyway. You just keep blaming Donald Trump for everything since 2016. Harrassing him as though he caused theese problems that he told you. When they went to get resperators the cubbards were bare. Thanks to prior Government. It breaks my heart that probably the best President we have seen in years is being thrown aside like he should be ashamed. I’m ashamed that a 46 year politician. Who had 8 years as vise president already doesn’t have 1 positive thing to hang his hat on. The next 4 years will make you see what a mess we have truly made of our Government. I pray that we even make it 4 years. Reinstating DACA and putting Obama Care back in buisness. When Obama was president Social Security got not one penny as an annual cost of living adjustment. Get ready Seniors were about to be forgotten again. And Mr. Biden will be accepting full pay whether he accomplishes anything or not. God Help Our Country. I pray Governor Ron DeSantis will run for President in 4 years. Please, Governor, consider my thoughts. And Thank You President Donald Trump for being who are and not being upset at the way you’ve been treated I’m truly sorry. Sandra Stwele
Philip
January 8, 2021 at 6:44 pm
Amen!
Faroutfreak
January 12, 2021 at 11:28 am
More lies from the Socialist Party ( Democratic Party ) if anyone is leaving it is because they never were in the first place, probably registered just so they could attend Republican Ralleys and disrupt them, let the Socialst go.
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