Over the years the country has become more and more fascinated by Florida and its politics. Throughout a global pandemic, the Sunshine State slowly but surely became synonymous with liberty and freedom from an oppressive government.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' (R) bold leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic became a sort of barometer for governing. As many blue state's economies were crippled and citizens were shuttered inside many Americans decided to pack their bags in search of greener — or sandier — pastures. (RELATED: Florida Governor Goes to War Against ‘Radical Vigilante Woke Mob')
In 2021, Florida reported the highest rate of domestic migration in the entire country with more than 200,000 Americans packing their bags for the Sunshine State.
DeSantis's approach to governing through the pandemic launched his political career into the stratosphere and there seems to be no stopping his imminent rise to the top. The governor has become the odds-on favorite to become the 2024 Republican presidential nominee if former President Trump doesn't run, and even if he does many conservatives have already shifted their support to DeSantis. (RELATED: Unlikely Republican Rising Star About to Take Message Nationwide)
However, Florida has become a hotbed for conservative politicians, and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez is looking to make waves ahead of the 2024 presidential election. During an interview with Fox News, Suarez said that his success in Miami will hopefully spur a shift in other major cities and his openness to running for higher office in the not-so-distant future.
Fox Business reports:
“Look, it's a long way aways,” Suarez admitted to FOX Business' Maria Bartiromo. “Right now, I'm excited to preside over the presidency of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and try to convince other mayors across America that the Miami model works, that they need to adopt it so that they can create prosperity in their cities.”
“If that continues to work, and if Miami continues to be successful,” the mayor added, “then I think there's going to be tremendous amount of options available for me politically if I decide that I want to continue to serve.”
“We're doing our due diligence and, of course, doing what I have to do as mayor to try to continue to highlight the things that are happening in Miami,” Suarez noted, “which we think, again, should be a model for the rest of the country.”
“Miami was voted the happiest city in America and the healthiest city in America. So it turns out if people are healthy, if people are happy, if they're paying low taxes, if they're working, they're not going to be committing homicide,” Suarez said. “So it's a very easy recipe for success. It can be scaled to the rest of the country, but it takes political courage.”
Some analysts have raised concerns that the drastic number of citizens moving from Democrat-leaning areas to conservative Florida could cause a crack in the state's political armor. However, Suarez says he's not worried.
“The numbers that we're seeing actually tell a different story, that either more Republicans are moving over here or people are changing to become Republicans because they're sort of fleeing the socialist model, which we know has never worked in the history of humanity, hasn't worked in any country, and it hasn't worked in any setting,” Suarez said.
In March, Fox News Digital obtained records that reported registered Republican voters outnumbered Democrats by over 100,000 for the first time in the state's history.
The report also noted that Republicans also gained on Democrats in traditionally blue Miami-Dade County. Currently, Democrats hold the lead in the county with 589,429 registered voters to Republicans' 426,861, which accounts for roughly a 162,500 difference.
READ NEXT: Miami's Republican Mayor Reveals Plan He Says Will Create a City ‘Without Taxes' >>
You can never have enough successful Republicans representing the people.
The headline is a little misleading though. Suarez is not seeking the 2024 nomination yet. He states “Look, it’s a long way aways”. Right now he is working on being one of the best mayors in the Nation.
Interesting perspective. I do agree that Florida is a recent phenomina. We have always thought of Florida as a pretty blue area of (mostly retirees) who leaned that way. However, I have a good friend in Jacksonville that has informed me that over the past 25 years, the state of Florida has been battling it’s citizenship over not ponying up on taxes and support of government. But, that is another discussion. The real thing in this article points out that there are likely to be a lot of comers (on the Republican side) throwing their hats in the ring. My take on this is for two reasons: 1) Trump is not a done deal. I wish it were so, but they are trying so hard to rule him out. 2) The democrats have not one viable candidate to put forward (best chance they have is run a recent sensation…. Clinton, well, that’s about the list. 3) the current administration (+the left minded agitators; pelosi, AOC, Shiff, et. all) have messed things up so badly, it is very easy to take pot shots from even the most unlikely opposing candidate. They have given an war chest of ammunition to the Republican side without realizing it. But again, I look back to 2020, maybe they are unconcerned, because they all know, they can steel it again.
The Republicans made an ignorant mistake last election, they had too many candidates running for one office. Make the Democrats run too many candidate, and dilute their base! Democrats, support one , not 16! Republicans want to be Democrats , not conservatives with backbone!
FAKE NEWS. “… It can be scaled to the rest of the country, but it takes political courage.” If this means he’s hinting at a 2024 run, hahahahahahaha. This is such FAKE NEWS designed try an distract from Trump and/or DeSantis running in 2024.