WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — As Republicans won Election Day across the country, it was also a red sweep in Florida.
WPTV Reporter Matt Sczesny spoke with both sides on how Florida has changed politically and what may be ahead.
Sczesny spoke with Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis who said the change in Florida politics did not happen overnight.
"It's been probably been a 12-year process," Patronis said.
The change in Florida from blue, to purple, to red, is something that really accelerated under Gov. Ron DeSantis during the COVID-19 pandemic, Patronis says.
"A lot of the policies that Gov. DeSantis championed is because he's a young dad, young husband, he's been through some real tragedy with his wife and I think he just looks at life as any family would, and I think that was appreciated," Patronis said.
The policies ended up luring so many Republicans to the state that they now outnumber Democrats by one million.
"I think that the low-point for Democrats in Florida was actually two years ago, I think that's when the Democratic party hit rock-bottom," out-going Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg said.
Aronberg said Democrats in Florida are trying to rebuild, but may need to change their message.
"Voters right now have shifted to the right. That doesn't mean you abandon our core principles, people are still pro-choice, they're still pro-equality, they're for economic fairness and perhaps that's where they should go," Aronberg said.
For Republicans, the job is still to hold a majority. DeSantis has two years left, leaving WPTV's Sczesny to ask Patronis if he'd be interested in the job.
"I never thought anyone would ask me if I'd run for governor, that is a very serious question and I love this state, it would be an honor to be that guy," Patronis said.
