Continuing our Thanksgiving weekend series we look back at the Almanac of American Politics 2000 (published in 1999)At the time President Clinton was being tried in the Senate for the two charges of impeachment having been brought by the House, the US was going to war in the Balkans and Jeb Bush had just become Florida’s Governor, and our beloved Lawton Chiles had passed away. As a Democratic legislative aide in Tallahassee at the time, it was a confusing and somewhat depressing time.
Depression was justified as more than a decade later Florida’s Democrats are even in worse shape as an organized state party as they were when we hit “rock bottom” in the 1998 elections. In hindsight, the 1998 election looks golden when compared to 2002, 2004, and 2010 debacles.
The Almanac focuses on Florida’s emerging Republican majority in voter registration (Democrats went from a 36 point edge in registration in 1979 to just a five point edge in 1999, but the GOP tide stopped at this point and more than a decade later Dems still hold a five point registration advantage further demonstrating the ineptitude of the FDP) and the focus on environmental issues which is the only area where core Florida Republicans may crossover and back a Democrat. The Gold Coast is by this time producing huge margins for Democrats but they are being cancelled out by the I-4 corridor and what we now call the exurbs in many races. North Florida is still mixed as historical Democratic advantages in rural, southern oriented counties have not completely disappeared at this point in time. It is also worth noting that between 1992 and 2000 no Florida incumbent lost a Congressional seat, and no district flipped parties in the 1996, 1998 and 2000 election cycles.
Full elected official lineup below.
Voter Registration:
D – 45%
R – 40%
Other – 15%
US Senators:
Bob Graham (D)
Connie Mack (R)
Governor: Jeb Bush (R)
Lieutenant Governor: Frank Brogan (R)
Secretary of State: Katherine Harris (R)
Attorney General: Bob Butterworth (D)
Treasurer: Bill Nelson (D)
Comptroller: Bob Milligan (R)
Commissioner of Agriculture: Bob Crawford (D)
Commissioner of Education: Tom Gallagher (R)
State Senate: 25 R 15 D
State House: 72 R 48 D
Congressional Delegation ( 15 R 8 D)
1st: Joe Scarborough (R) of Pensacola
2nd: Alan Boyd (D) of Monticello
3rd: Corrine Brown (D) of Jacksonville
4th: Tillie Fowler (R) of Jacksonville
5th: Karen Thurman (D) of Dunnellon
6th: Cliff Stearns (R) of Ocala
7th: John Mica of Winter Park
8th: Bill McCollum (R) of Altamonte Springs
9th: Michael Billirakis (R) of Palm Harbor
10th: Bill Young (R) of Indian Rocks Beach
11th: Jim Davis (D) of Tampa
12th: Charles Canady (R) of Lakeland
13th: Dan Miller (R) of Bradenton
14th: Porter Goss (R) of Sanibel
15th: Dave Weldon (R) of Palm Bay
16th: Mark Foley (R) of West Palm Beach
17th: Carrie Meek (D) of Miami
18th: Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R) of Miami
19th: Robert Wexler (D) of Boca Raton
20th: Peter Deutsch (D) of Lauderhill
21st: Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R) of Miami
22nd: E. Clay Shaw (R) of Fort Lauderdale
23rd: Alcee Hastings (D) of Miramar
While 1998 may look better in hindsight it was still the cycle where the infrastructure completely collapsed and Democrats started looking out for themselves supporting Bush, lobbying for business and cutting deals. We still have not recovered.
Oh I agree. 1998 was the cycle which started us down this slippery slope of constant defeat and accommodation with the GOP majority.
Crawford endorsed Bush in 1998 btw.
That cycle we didn’t even field enough candidates to win back the House, even though we had still held the House two cycles earlier. Terrie Brady, Mike Spellman, Scott Fallman and the alliance between north Florida conservatives and Broward Jews that caused all the racial strife like Logan made it e worst cycle ever. It was rock bottom. As bad as oer cycles have been they haven’t been as bad.
Well we keep using the same old time consultants and campaign methods so why expect different results ?
Keep in mind Mitch Caeser was the state party chair during this disastrous cycle.