A.G. Gancarski
Florida Democrats are buzzing over Vice President Kamala Harris’ latest speech in the Sunshine State.
Harris will speak Wednesday at Jacksonville’s Prime Osborn Center near Downtown, and will address an issue Democrats are betting heavily on: reproductive rights, and recent restrictions imposed by the Gov. Ron DeSantis administration and GOP-controlled Legislature.
“The event will take place on the day the state is set to implement an abortion ban even more extreme than the one currently in effect,” the Joe Biden campaign says, referring to the state’s Heartbeat Protection Act, which restricts termination of pregnancy after the sixth week of pregnancy except in cases of rape, incest or danger to the mother. That replaced the ban on the procedure after the 15th week of pregnancy as of Wednesday.
Harris, who has been in Jacksonville before to liken the way the DeSantis administration allegedly marshaled Black history to “powerful forces” to “distort history,” including to “minimize or even deny the Holocaust,” continues to make her play in the Northeast Florida city. In an interview with Florida Politics, Fried offered her take on why the Vice President is returning.
“I think that everybody understands how diverse Duval is, that there is a convergence of different types of people, opinions and, you know, of course, flipping the (Mayor’s Office) last year really shows how much Duval is in play for the Presidential race and for the rest of our election cycle,” Fried noted, adding that Democrats carried the county in statewide races in 2018, and Biden won it in 2020.
“They want to make sure that it stays in the blue column for this election in ’24,” she added.
In the context of having flipped the top job in the city back in May 2023, Fried described what Donna Deegan’s election showed.
“She is doing the work on the ground to show what it means after a Democrat gets elected into office. She’s bringing people together. She is making progress on all of her campaign promises. And she really is showing how to listen to the people and make sure that the issues are in the forefront of the people’s minds,” Fried said, noting that Deegan’s example shows that voters “can have good things when (they) elect Democrats.”
Harris’ critics have had their say also, including Gov. DeSantis, who on Tuesday mocked opposition efforts in a state that has nearly a million more Republicans than Democrats at this point (a phenomenon Democrats attribute to making their voters inactive).
“I welcome Biden-Harris to spend a lot of money in Florida. Light up the airwaves. Do it; light it on fire. We are fine with you doing that here. But I can confidently predict that you’ll see Republican victories not just at the top of the ticket, but up and down the ballot,” DeSantis said.
Fried’s take diverges, as one would expect. She said DeSantis “should maybe look at his mentor’s comments before he was in court today very clearly saying that Florida is in play,” referring to remarks Donald Trump made to reporters in New York. She hypothesized about why the state is winnable for Democrats.
“It’s in play because we are building a broad coalition talking about issues that transcend partisan politics and it’s not just abortion. It is the affordability of the state,” Fried said.
“The fact is that our inflation rate is the No. 1 in the nation. Our property insurance is in a dire crisis because of the Republicans and Ron DeSantis. Our access to health care is more expensive than a majority of the country and we have Republicans who refuse to expand Medicaid and Rick Scott, who wants to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and sunset Medicare and Social Security,” Fried said.
“All of those issues are on the ballot this year and are why Florida is competitive, and the Republicans have been spending the last few years under Ron DeSantis creating voter suppression, kicking people off the rolls, been having more and more Democrats go on the inactive list because of the laws that they pass,” Fried said, before noting that independent voters are “breaking for Democrats” in Deegan’s local races as well as in special elections in House Districts 35 and 118 more recently.
Additionally, Republican Party of Florida Chair Evan Power suggested that Harris’ visit is a distraction from tasks the Biden administration has neglected. He blames “Bidenomics” for the high cost of living, and takes Harris to task for ” the open border lawlessness of the Biden Bloodbath.”
“Just north of Jacksonville, in Georgia, the family of Laken Riley has to live with these tragic failures. Maybe while on the ground, Vice President Harris can drive north a bit and ask Laken’s family to forgive the deadly mistake she and Biden have made,” Power snarked.
Fried framed Power’s attack as a distraction from the real issues this campaign cycle, one replete with the “MAGA extremism” she believes characterizes the opposition party.
“That’s all the Republicans do. They distract from the actual everyday issues that are relevant to the people of the state,” Fried said.
“We have the largest teacher shortage in the nation. We have teachers that refuse to go into the classroom. We have the highest ACA enrollment in the country because we refuse to expand Medicaid. We have the highest property insurance costs in the entire country,” Fried said. “That lies solely on the Republican Party.”
“You’re seeing it in every part of our economy that people are hurting because of the Republican leadership in the state. And that is why Florida will continue to be in play. It will continue to be a battleground and we will be holding them all accountable in November,” Fried vowed.
24 comments
Earl Pitts "AMERICA'S BIG VOICE ON THE RIGHT" American
May 1, 2024 at 6:59 am
Good Morn ‘Ting Dook 4 Brains Leftys,
In this case y’alls Dook 4 Brains Leftist Leader, Nikki, is correct in her “Theres A Reason Statement”.
EARL PREACHES ON:
Duvall County along with the Tampa/St. Pete areas are the only 2 remaining “Evil Bond Villan Lairs” of disgusting and perverse “Dook 4 Brains Leftism”.
So yeah America, why would anyone affiliated with the “Failed 08iden SadMinistration” even consider going any place else in the Free State of Florida?
“BUT WAIT THERES MORE” said The Sage Earl Pitts American.
America, I, Earl Pitts American, cant expect everyone to “Keep Up” with the latest political trends. You are busy ….. but now isent that why you have EARL?
HERES THE LATEST & GREATEST:
America have you noticed the “Bond Villen 08iden SadMinistration” has lately avoided the Tampa/St Pete area of The Free State of Florida?
The reason is the high population of Beloved Florida Jews in that region of Florida. The Evil Bond Villen 08iden SadMinistration hates All Jews, especially The Jews in The Free State of Florida. That being said, there you have it, America, yet another Golden Nugget Truth Drop from your boy,
Earl Pitts “Earl Loves All of God’s Chosen Jewish People” American
rick whitaker
May 1, 2024 at 10:38 pm
EARL, you superstitious fool, there is no god. so your whole life has been a lie and a joke. no wonder you are so crazy.
Earl Pitts "AMERICA'S BIG VOICE ON THE RIGHT" American
May 2, 2024 at 11:54 am
Dont worry Rick I’ll tell St Peter what a good employee you have been when I get to Heaven and ask him if he will please bring you up from hell as I may need you in heaven to help run some of my business up there.
Earl Pitts
rick whitaker
May 2, 2024 at 9:32 pm
EARL, get in line, the other nuts at the nuthouse are all talking to this saint or that saint. that’s what nuts do, they talk to imaginary people like saints. no one with a brain would ever mistake you for anything but a nut in a bag of nuts. EARL, because of your foolish belief in jesus, saints, and all that other bull, you will never be taken seriously. i suspect you will go to your grave in ignorance and full of that poison called religion.
Impeach Biden
May 1, 2024 at 7:22 am
This is all they got. They can’t campaign on the economy. They can’t campaign on the Southern Border chaos. They can’t campaign on city crime. How many police officers have been killed lately? They can’t campaign on foreign policy. Now, they have allowed these college campuses to run roughshod all around the country. Biden doesn’t say a word because he is a coward, and believe it or not many of these agitators are Democrats and he wants their votes.
MH/Duuuval
May 1, 2024 at 1:31 pm
The economy is chugging along because unemployment remains low — by any standard. Crime is down overall according to FBI stats over the last few years.
Every country in the world except Russian and China have people trying to get asylum from their native countries. The ones that keep coming here are nearly all working and doing crap jobs Americans don’t want.
Maybe you should look in the mirror when you ask about the killings in Charlotte, which were done by a weapon of war that MAGAs are happy to see widely disseminated. (The weird thing is the FOP supporting MAGA.)
Gary H
May 1, 2024 at 1:53 pm
So what new gun law would you propose that would have solved this problem? On top of the nearly 30,000 that already exist at the local, state and federal level, it’s illegal for felons to have guns, it’s illegal to shoot at police officers while serving a warrant for a felon having a gun, it’s illegal to murder people, so what law has not been passed heretofore that will revolutionize gun safety? I’ll wait…
MH/Duuuval
May 1, 2024 at 6:02 pm
You’ll be waiting until doomsday if you are waiting for weapons of war, enlarged magazines, ghost guns and unlicensed sales to be abolished in MAGAland. (See anything in this paragraph that could be a good law and protect citizens from the armaments of war?)
Impeach Biden
May 1, 2024 at 4:31 pm
Hey MH I do have a concealed weapon permit but I don’t carry. You are living in MSNBC, CNN, or La La land if you believe crime is going down. Your party has many political leaders that were endorsing the “Defund” movement. The press and the White House once touted “Bidenomics” but they don’t use that term anymore. Now why is that? You and I both know.
MH/Duuuval
May 1, 2024 at 6:06 pm
You are either too sorry or too damned lazy to google US crime statistics for yourself. Quit taking the Putin line, hook, and sinker.
One thing I like about Bidenomics is that the IRS has been focusing on tax evaders in the income brackets above $400,000 — not that this would harm you.
rick whitaker
May 1, 2024 at 7:19 pm
MH/DUUUVAL, i would say peachy is both, sorry and lazy. why these idiots go for putin, i can’t figure out.
Impeach Biden
May 1, 2024 at 9:25 pm
Are we talking about America or Russia? I don’t care about Putin. You and that hillbilly just sit there and say Russia, Russia, Russia! Oh and yes MH I do pay lots of taxes. Go ahead and try to discredit my economic status. You have no clue.
MH/Duuuval
May 1, 2024 at 10:06 pm
If Peachy is making more than $400k and he has been paying pennies in taxes, the fun may be about to begin. Though one would hope that with increased personnel IRS can go after the BIG tax cheats and not little shavers like Peachy.
rick whitaker
May 1, 2024 at 9:53 pm
PEACHY, we see things the opposite of you . you are wrong, we are right., get over it. i think iv’e told you this exact same thing before, yet you ignored me. your loss, our gain. you are one of the most inane guy i have ever conversed with. you have no shame it seems. your last post about russia is proof you are very very dense.
JD
May 1, 2024 at 4:34 pm
It’s the Republicans that cannot campaign on the economy, or anything else. And it’s why they only have culture war issues.
You want to talk about being a coward, ask Mr. Bone Spurs.
And everyone of their impeachments failed to come to even a vote. Trump was impeached TWICE and wasn’t convicted because the Republican in Senate at the time had ZERO spine.
For the GOP monkeys in FL legislature, fix our FL f@cking insurance and get the f@ck out of people’s bedrooms.
It’s not the heat, it’s the stupidity – of Republicans.
Impeach Biden
May 1, 2024 at 9:27 pm
You do know that Biden was a draft dodger as well, don’t you? How do you propose to fix the insurance issue? Hurricane season is one month away.
MH/Duuuval
May 1, 2024 at 9:57 pm
His son died from a service-related illness. Isn’t that enough sacrifice for two generations? And you know as well as I there are a dozen GOP elected officials who were Vietnam-era draft dodgers, including Newt, Cheney, Trump himself, and W who was in the Guard but awol for most of his time “in uniform.”
JD
May 1, 2024 at 10:13 pm
Am I in public service? These assh0les have had 2 and half decades to see the coming crisis, but instead they were worried about non-existent grooming drag queens reading books to kids. So GTFO with that it’s a month a way.
One will hit and it will wreck havoc. Then DickSantis will be standing there with his d!ck in hand waiting on Daddy Biden to give him a FEMA money bailout like some petulant child.
As for fixing it, I have mentioned this before with a slew of things to fix it, but you ignore it because it doesn’t fit your narrative of hate.
That list:
Implement a temporary rate freeze or cap on premium increases to provide immediate financial relief.
Develop state-backed insurance pools for high-risk areas to provide more competition and lower premiums.
Mandate more robust reinsurance programs to spread risk and reduce individual insurer exposure. (Enacted)
Offer tax incentives to encourage more insurance companies to operate in Florida.
Enforce stricter building codes to enhance structural resilience against hurricanes and floods. (Enacted)
Increase transparency in insurance pricing to prevent unjustified rate hikes.
Subsidize mitigation efforts for homeowners to make homes more resistant to damage. (Enacted but the program has already ran out of money and paused)
Pursue legislative reform to reduce litigation costs which can inflate insurance prices. (Enacted)
Expand consumer education programs about insurance to help homeowners make informed decisions.
Foster the development of private flood insurance markets to relieve pressure on traditional homeowners policies. (Enacted)
As for Biden and Trump – they both had about the same number of education deferments and medical (Mr. Bone Spurs and Asthma as a teenager). So if Biden is a draft dodger, so it f@cking Trump.
You can’t hang.
rick whitaker
May 1, 2024 at 10:49 pm
PEACHY, 5 of my most accurate posts to you recently were rejected. it seems someone is protecting you from the truth i am giving you. whatever dude.
What happen to americanism
May 1, 2024 at 4:19 pm
Back on moral scruples..the right wants moral scruples. Left field wants to blame it in its because if you.
America was the only country with so much trouble’s
JD
May 1, 2024 at 4:29 pm
What “right” are you talking about that wants morals?
Surely not the morals in Donald Trump and his affairs, failed businesses, and screwing over contractors.
Or lets talk about Evan Powers and his DUI?
Or lets talk about the Zeiglers?
Yeah, keep trying to float that trope the right wants morals. If they did, they’d not support the cast of clowns they have.
MH/Duuuval
May 1, 2024 at 6:10 pm
I believe the relevant comment here should be “the Right says it wants moral scruples” unless it involves them. Check out the updated ethics code in Florida — not that it was previously an onerous code, but it has fewer enforcement teeth left.
Earl Pitts "AMERICA'S BIG VOICE ON THE RIGHT" American
May 2, 2024 at 7:06 am
Good Morn ‘Ting Sage Patriots,
Thank you for your Bold and Fearless Courage of coming into this former “Den Of Exclusive Dook 4 Brains Leftys” who would just exchange their Dook Opinions back and forth amoungst each other.
BUT THATS ALL OVER NOW:
Since I, General Earl Pitts American, led the invasion of The Sage Patriots we have a much more balanced exchange of ideas here.
AND THE DOOK LEFTYS CANT STAND IT:
Thank you one and all this is what Sweet Victory Looks Like.
Earl Pitts American
rick whitaker
May 2, 2024 at 10:37 pm
WTF SPHINCTER MAN YOU MAKE NO SENSE.
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