A Small DEM Victory in Florida Tonite

In a special election to replace Republican Bob Allen, who resigned in the wake of his conviction for soliciting an undercover male police officer in a local park, the Democrats have gained a seat in the Florida House of Represenatives.

Tony Sasso has won the special election by approximately 400 votes in a traditionally Republican district that includes Cape Canaveral and vicinity and parts of western Orange County.

The county has a Republican registration advantage of 10 percentage points and was a stronghold of Bush support in 2000 and 2004.

This continues a streak of Democratic victories, including 6 in the 2006 general election. We have a long way to go before we can take back the Florida house. The current balance is 77 Republicans, 43 Democrats. But success in this very Republican district, especially in a special election where Republicans have traditionally dominated, can offer another glimmer of hope to the Florida Democratic Party.

•  A little love for Florida

  It's been a tough year (ok a tough decade)

  by kansasr on Tue Feb 26, 2008 at 09:04:52 PM PDT

  •  heck, it's been tough

    for a long time. Especially since Lawton Chiles' death.

    Congratulations, Central Florida Democrats! You hold the key to us regaining seats in the legislature. South Florida cheers right along with you.

    by CocoaLove on Tue Feb 26, 2008 at 09:11:54 PM PDT

  •  You beat me to the punch

    My diary on Sasso's win a few minutes too late...but I've got some pics and links...

    Cheers.

    by Greg in FL on Tue Feb 26, 2008 at 09:16:49 PM PDT

  •  not a SMALL victory

    for the fine folks in that district!

    by psycho liberal on Tue Feb 26, 2008 at 09:27:54 PM PDT

•  Two special election wins in one night

  We've now almost tied the long-Republican New York Senate, and made another gain in the Florida House.

  by Nathaniel Ament Stone on Tue Feb 26, 2008 at 09:07:30 PM PDT

•  In Brevard

  Sasso definitely had the better radio ads.

  This is great news.  We need about a dozen or so more of those small victories here.

  Had to have been hard to follow a fellor goper who wanted to go down on a cop in a public restroom.

  by Sam Loomis on Tue Feb 26, 2008 at 09:09:17 PM PDT

  •  Ha!

    Doing the Sunday Talk victory lap in 2004, Karl Rove said on MTP that the GOP registered over 27,000 new republicans in Brevard County.

    Lot of good that did them tonight.

    Having said that, our state senator just praised John McCain the other day becasue he is a dipshit.
    But what can you do....at least we don't have Senator Katherine Harris.

    by Sam Loomis on Tue Feb 26, 2008 at 09:11:27 PM PDT

    •  I'm not sure where he gets his information

      Since the 2004 general election, Republicans have lost 8,840 registered voters; Democrats have lost 8,144;

      by kansasr on Tue Feb 26, 2008 at 09:18:04 PM PDT

      •  Now I gotta check the transcript

        I'm almost positive he said that.
        He could be lying.

        by Sam Loomis on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 04:36:18 AM PDT

•  Two tonight and the black

  Democrat winning in a 96% white republican district in Alabama a couple of weeks ago all add up to a sign that things go much deeper than the presidential race.  This is a good year to make sure we have a candidate in every race from bottom to top, from east to west, and from north to south.

  by jimG on Tue Feb 26, 2008 at 09:12:50 PM PDT

•  That's great news

  Every seat helps, and keep the faith. The PA state legislature used to be pretty heavily Republican, but the Democrats managed to take over the statehouse last year.

  Why is the Florida legislature so lopsided anyway? Gerrymandered districts?

  by democrattotheend on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 04:37:00 AM PDT

  •  Severely gerrymandered

    They managed to take a slight Democratic registration advantage and turn it into almost 2:1 advantages in congress and both state houses. Democrats are lumped together in districts that are usually at least 2:1 Democrats, while Republicans have just of enough advantage to pretty much assure victory.

    The good news is that voter registration changes have been favoring Democrats over Republicans since 2004 and in the closer districts Democrats have been able to eek out victories, especially in open seats caused by term limits.

    by kansasr on Wed Feb 27, 2008 at 06:19:37 AM PDT