Another Thanksgiving has arrived and this year Floridians have plenty to give thanks for.
- President Obama’s reelection means that affordable Health Care, meaningful environmental protection and social justice are much more likely in the next few years than had he been defeated.
- The President became the first Democrat to carry Florida twice since FDR, and this is the first time Democrats have carried Florida in consecutive elections since 1948.
- The victories of progressives in Democratic Florida Senate Primaries. Dwight Bullard, Jeff Clemens and Geraldine Thompson will all help move the Senate caucus to the left and hopefully offset the loss of several moderate Republicans who were term limited.
- Senator Nelson’s reelection was never really in doubt but we are still thankful for it.
- Florida Republicans have selected a more temperamentally suited person to be Speaker of the House than in previous years. Will Weatherford will likely be a fairer leader whose attempts to impose a strict ideological dogma on the state will either not be attempted or be done in a more respectful way than his immediate predecessors.
- The aforementioned moderate Senate Republicans joined with a united Democratic caucus under the excellent direction of Minority Leader Nan Rich to defeat the dangerous “parent-trigger” bill on a 20-20 tie vote.
- Lois Frankel’s election and Alan Grayson’s return to Congress should provide plenty of progressive fight on the floor and in committee.
- Fair Districts. Thanks to the 2010 Amendment the Republicans no longer enjoy a super majority in either legislative chamber.
- Self-recruited Democratic candidates who beat incumbent Republicans like Mark Danish, Mike Clelland and Carl Zimmerman.
- Self-recruited Democratic candidates who lost to incumbent Republicans in close elections like Karen Welzel, Ross Hancock and others. They took the fight to arrogant GOP incumbents when the Florida Democratic Party would not.
- The return of Mike Fasano to the State House. Fasano can present a more reasonable approach on labor and insurance issues than his ideologically driven Republican colleagues. Fasano’s voice will be an important one these next few sessions.
- The defeat of Chris Dorworth. This one election result should serve an a deterrent to future GOP leadership excess.
- Charlie Crist. Why? Without him Florida Politics would be less entertaining.
I completely concur on Will. He will be a classy speaker like his in-law Alan Bense and unlike Cannon.
How about this
ELLYN BOGDANOFF AND ALLEN WEST ARE NO LONGER IN PUBLIC OFFICE COME THE NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOO HOO!
Scott Plakon losing. We are all thankful! Thanks Karen Castor!
I am thankful for the blog. We needed a good liberal commentary site in the worst way. Something like Kos on the state and county level.
Thankfully Mike Haridopolous Senate Presidency has ended. Unfortunately now we have Don Gaetz.
Having Alan Grayson back in Congress and the defeat of Allen West is
a good start……
Thanks to the DCCC for exposing all of Vern Buchanan’s ethical lapses and corruption.
Oh wait a second. They pulled those ads and ensured the crook another term.
Thankful for Dave Aronberg defeating the Post smear campaign and Eric Johnson’s excellent strategy winning for Murphy!
The Dave situation is not over he will be cleaning up big time now! Eric John should not be applauded. He didn’t want to count any votes. Scumbag. Patrick should be applauded. Now dump the putz. Go Patrick!
Thanks so much Jeff, we are thankful for our readers and those who have helped make us relevant in the debate.
A bit bitter are we?
Thanks to Val Demings for taking on Danny Webster and coming within 3 points of knocking him off in the strongly GOP 10th.