Weekly Talking Points – May 13, 2024
Every week, talking points are provided to party leaders and membership.For questions or feedback about talking points, please contact Eden Giagnorio, Communications Director, at eden@floridadems.org. To request for someone to be added to the mailing list, direct them to press@floridadems.org.
STORMS IN NORTH FLORIDA
On Friday, North Florida was ravaged by a fast-moving storm system that damaged hundreds of buildings and left over 100,000 people without power.
The Florida Democratic Party continues to monitor the recovery efforts, especially in Leon County, where one woman died during the storm and thousands are still without power. For up-to-date information on recovery efforts, please visit the Facebook pages for Leon County Government and the City of Tallahassee.
ABORTION BAN
Women in Florida are now living under one of the most extreme abortion bans in the country. The six-week ban signed into law by Ron DeSantis went into effect on May 1st.
TOPLINE: For the first time in over 50 years, this Mother’s Day, women and children in Florida have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers.
- On Mother’s Day, we are reminded of our obligation to both our own children and the generations ahead.
- Women have won and lost rights throughout history, and we have a chance to swing the pendulum towards progress this November.
- Florida’s extreme six-week abortion ban has virtually no exceptions and puts women’s lives at risk.
- The near-total abortion ban is even more extreme because of Florida’s mandatory 24-hour waiting period — signed into law by Rick Scott — and a requirement to have two in-person doctors appointments before accessing abortion care.
- Florida voters can reverse this extreme ban and restore reproductive freedom in our state by voting yes on Amendment 4 and re-electing President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
CANDIDATE RECRUITMENT
Last month (April 17), the Florida Democratic Party announced the launch of a targeted candidate recruitment campaign.Since the campaign launched, the Florida Democratic Party has successfully fielded candidates in all 28 congressional districts.
Qualifying is closed for federal races, but is still open for county offices, special districts, and state legislative races. The deadline to qualify by petition has passed, but the deadline to qualify for by filing fee is Friday, June 14 at noon.
TOPLINE: Since the party launched our candidate recruitment campaign last month, Florida Democrats are running a full slate of congressional candidates and over 150 candidates have applied to FDP for support to run for office.
- Florida Democrats are giving Republicans a run for their money — we refuse to let them walk into office without being held accountable.
- By contesting every race and competing everywhere, Republicans will have to spend hundreds of thousands — if not millions — of dollars defending their positions and unpopular policies.
- When we compete everywhere, we give Democrats from Pensacola to Key West a reason to show up and vote on Election Day.
RICK SCOTT
TOPLINE: Rick Scott is a fraud who cares more about his own political ambitions than serving Floridians.
- Last week, Rick Scott skipped voting on legislation to improve aviation safety and address the crippling aviation workforce shortage.
- Instead of doing his job, Scott was in NY kissing up to Trump and reminding everyone how he oversaw the largest Medicare fraud in history.
- Despite not being invited by Trump, Scott followed him around like a pathetic superfan.
TOPLINE: Rick Scott is fully behind Florida’s near-total abortion ban.
Now that Florida’s near-total abortion ban is now in effect, Florida women are living under one of the most extreme abortion bans in the country.
- Florida is ground zero in the fight for reproductive freedom and the fight for control of the Senate.
- Rick Scott is running from his support for the ban, but take his own word for it — he would’ve signed the bill into law himself: “If I was the sitting governor, and the six-week abortion ban came in front of me, I would sign it. I’ve always said I would sign it.”
- This month, Scott pledged to “sign any anti-abortion bill.”
- Rick Scott is hiding because his extreme anti-abortion agenda is at odds with Floridians, nearly 70 percent of whom support reproductive freedom.