Florida Democrats got one nasty surprise that left them in a state of disbelief

Florida Democrats thought they had something to celebrate last weekend.

They gathered more than 1,000 supporters for their biggest event in years.

But Florida Democrats got one nasty surprise that left them in a state of disbelief.

Florida Democrats desperately try to rebuild after years of crushing defeats

The Florida Democrat Party held their 2025 Leadership Blue event at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood last weekend.

According to multiple news reports, more than 1,000 Democrats from across Florida gathered for the full Leadership Blue weekend event, with another 1,000 tuning in virtually for the opening night livestream.

Party officials claimed it was “one of the largest and most energized events in recent party history.”

U.S. Senator Cory Booker from New Jersey and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear served as the headline speakers for the event.

Both politicians delivered messages about their vision for Democrat leadership during challenging times.

Florida Democrat Party Chair Nikki Fried unveiled a new year-round organizing program called “Pendulum.”

The program aims to focus on re-enrolling vote-by-mail voters, registering new Democrats, and recruiting local candidates statewide.

Fried explained the name by saying “the pendulum is starting to swing here in the state of Florida.”

“When we show up for every voter in every zip code in every year, we will win,” Fried stated.

She said the party would spend $1 million this year to start the program and increase that amount later.

Since the 2024 elections, the party claimed it has seen a 200% increase in Floridians looking to run for office.

Training sessions like “Recruiting Strong Candidates for Office” were among the most popular at the weekend event.

Beshear and Booker’s desperate attempt to inspire Florida Democrats

Governor Beshear tried to reassure Florida Democrats that they could win again in a state that has turned solidly Republican under President Donald Trump.

“I know that people call Florida a red state these days. But I’m here as living proof. If a Democrat can win in Kentucky, Democrats can win in Florida,” Beshear said Saturday night.

The Kentucky governor said Democrats need to focus on practical solutions for working families.

Beshear then took a pointed shot at Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, saying the state deserves “a governor who is more interested in lifting up families, and less concerned about the lifts in his boots.”

Senator Booker warned Democrats about what he called “scary times” under President Trump’s leadership.

“These are scary times. These are really, really scary times. And if you say they’re not, you’re not telling the truth,” Booker said.

He urged Democrats not to make Trump the center of their political strategy, explaining his approach: “I haven’t mentioned his name. Because I don’t think he is the center of the story.”

The brutal reality Florida Democrats can’t escape

Despite all the talk about momentum and energy, Florida Democrats are facing a harsh political reality they can’t spin away.

Republicans have been dominating Florida politics for years and continue to expand their advantage.

Democrats are far behind Republicans in registered voters and elected officials throughout the state.

Those trends have been getting worse for Democrats, not better, in recent election cycles.

President Trump won Florida decisively in both 2020 and 2024, turning what was once a purple swing state into reliable Republican territory.

Governor DeSantis was reelected by nearly 20 percentage points in 2022, carrying traditionally Democrat strongholds like Miami-Dade County.

Republicans control the Governor’s mansion, both U.S. Senate seats, and a supermajority in both chambers of the state legislature.

The Congressional delegation is overwhelmingly Republican, with only 8 Democrats out of 28 total seats.

Democrats’ delusional strategy won’t work

The most telling part of the Florida Democrats’ event wasn’t what they said, but what they didn’t address.

They completely ignored the reasons why voters have been rejecting their party in droves.

Instead of acknowledging that their far-left policies are out of step with Florida voters, Democrats doubled down on the same failed approach.

Their “Pendulum” organizing program assumes the problem is just getting more Democrats to vote, not that their message is fundamentally flawed.

Florida voters have repeatedly shown they want leaders who will secure the border, fight crime, protect parental rights in education, and defend traditional values.

Democrats continue to push policies that are the exact opposite of what Florida families want.

No amount of organizing or voter registration will change that fundamental disconnect.

The presence of Booker and Beshear at the event also revealed another problem for Florida Democrats.

Both politicians are clearly positioning themselves for potential 2028 presidential runs, using Florida Democrats as a stepping stone for their own ambitions.

Laurie Plotnick, president of both the state and Broward Democrat senior caucuses, acknowledged the party needed to change its approach, saying they were “hoping that by doing things in a different manner” they would see better results.

But the “different manner” they’re proposing is just more of the same liberal organizing tactics that haven’t worked.

The harsh truth is that Florida Democrats are living in denial about why they keep losing.

Until they’re willing to admit their policies are the problem, all the organizing and energy in the world won’t save them from continued electoral disasters.

Florida voters have made their choice clear, and it’s not the radical agenda the Democrat Party is still trying to sell them.