Editor’s Note – With an increasingly unpopular Democrat President and a Democrat controlled Congress that is the lowest rated in history, and with the tea party movement still going strong, which promotes conservative values,  Republican registration numbers are still down from ’08.

Are these numbers a reflection of the public’s view of the Republican Party of Florida?  Is the RPOF aware of these numbers and are they concerned about the trend?  Is is a stretch to say that these numbers are a repudiation of the RPOF by the citizens of this state?  Is there a concerted effort by the RPOF to register more voters?

I recall after the 08′ Presidential election the realization that Hispanic voters were overwhelmingly voting Democrat, even though many identify with Republicans on the social issues.  I recall the rhetoric coming out of Tallahassee about reaching out to the Hispanic community and doing a better job of selling the Republican brand.   Can anyone name any current initiative that reflects this goal?

The opposition often refers to the Republican Party as the party of old, white men.  A demographic that is shrinking by the day.  One gets the impression that long term planning by the RPOF extends only until the next election and all resources are committed to retaining what is felt to be inheritably theirs. 

It’s safe to say that if the RPOF focused on voter registration trends and diversity within the ranks in the same manner as it focuses on fund raising and retention of power, registration numbers would look more promising – and deliver the very same results…

More Floridians Shun Party Labels

By Lloyd Dunkelberger
The Ledger.com

As an unsettled electorate heads toward the Aug. 24 primary, new voter registration numbers show many Floridians are ditching the traditional parties and identifying themselves with no party affiliation.

The final registration numbers for the Aug. 24 election show 2.15 million voters – or 19.4 percent of the 11.1 million voters – have opted for an NPA. It means the non-affiliated voters account for 19.4 percent of the state’s electorate, up from 18.8 percent in 2006, the last time Floridians elected a governor and state Cabinet members.

Of the nearly 800,000 voters who have newly registered since the presidential election in 2008, 36 percent of voters chose to identify themselves as NPA, compared to 39 percent who identified themselves as Democrats and 36 percent who registered as Republicans.

Democrats account for 41 percent of the 11.1 million voters, followed by 36 percent for the Republicans, with the NPAs at 19.4 percent and various minority party members at 3 percent.

In 2006, Democrats had 40.4 percent of the electorate and Republicans claimed 37.7 percent, with the NPAs at 18.8.

In sheer numbers, Democrats hold a 612,000-voter edge over their Republican rivals – compared to a 658,000-voter edge in the last presidential election.