Republican state Representative Ray Pilon filed a proposal that would end Florida’s “winner takes all” practice of awarding all the electoral votes to the presidential candidate that carries the state.
The split would mean that all 29 votes would no longer go to the candidate who won the most votes statewide; they'd be awarded by congressional district.
Democratic Strategist Gary Yordon calls the bill an act of desperation.
“The Republicans are seeing what was once a purple state turning more and more blue,” said Yordon. “Independents registering in record numbers, I mean, really, it's slipping way.”
The Republican backers state that the big cities in Florida vote for the Democratic candidates and that is unfair to the rural and small towns in the State.
They are right. The big cities do vote Democratic.
Obama dominated South Florida in 2008 winning Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties by comfortable margins. The vote from Miami-Dade came in very late in the evening, stopping the major networks from calling the state for Obama earlier in the evening, although Obama maintained a lead of at least 200,000 votes from the moment polls closed in the state.
In 2012 Obama won the state by 74,000 votes. Considering the widespread voter purge and multiple tricks by the Republicans to suppress the vote, that total was very sweet.
Of course we all remember that in 2000 George W. Bush controversially won the state's 25 electoral votes against Democrat Al Gore of Tennessee by 537 votes. Well , I still believe that George was appointed to the presidency by his daddies Supreme Court Buddies.
The Republican legislature is dominated by Republicans and with Rick Scott as Governor if this bill is advanced it will pass. Splitting electoral votes is not new as other states are planning this trick as well. I mean come on, how else can the Republicans win a Presidential election
If you can't beat them then by golly, cheat.