Weekly Talking Points – August 2, 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.
LESS THAN 100 DAYS UNTIL THE GENERAL ELECTION
Sunday, July 28th marked 100 days until the November elections.
TOPLINE: With less than 100 days until the November Elections, and Florida Democrats are more fired up than ever.
- Vice President Kamala Harris has energized the entire Democratic base and inspired millions of people across the country to re-engage in the democratic process.
- In just the last week, nearly 10,000 new Floridian volunteers — many from traditionally conservative places like the Villages — have stepped up to fight back against Donald Trump, J.D. Vance, and the extremism of the Republican Party.
- Florida Democrats aren’t just focused on the top of the ticket — we’re fighting to break the Republican supermajority in the state house, flip SD-3, take back our school boards, restore reproductive freedom and lay the groundwork for taking back Florida.
- With a full slate of legislative candidates, we’re going to get out the vote from Pensacola to Key West and prove to the critics and the trolls that Democrats are alive and well in Florida — and our state is worth fighting for.
TAKE BACK LOCAL
The Florida Democratic Party has announced our slate of Take Back Local candidates for the August 2024 elections. The Take Back Local program is an initiative to provide resources to candidates in competitive local races across the state. Eleven candidates, selected through a rigorous application and vetting process will receive grassroots organizing and fundraising support from the Florida Democratic Party.
The Take Back Local slate for August 2024 elections includes Stephanie Arguello (Seminole), School Board Member Nadia Combs (Hillsborough), School Board Member Debbi Hixon (Broward), School Board Member Sarah Leonardi (Broward), Sarah Mannion (Duval), Jeremy Rogers (Leon), School Board Member Luisa Santos (Miami-Dade), Rebecca Thompson (Broward), Max Tuchman (Miami-Dade), Stephanie Vanos (Orange), and School Board Member Jessica Vaughn (Hillsborough).
TOPLINE: Our Take Back Local program is our way of investing in the candidates we feel will be most competitive in the upcoming election.
- We’re not going to let Ron DeSantis and his allies take over our school boards with far-right Moms for Liberty candidates.
- The Take Back Local slate represents the best of Florida’s education system and offers a clear contrast to the culture wars Republicans have been waging in our school systems.
- Florida Democrats are proud to support our school board members and candidates in their fight to make life better for students and teachers across our state.
ABORTION
Floridians 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: 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.
- Polling shows that 65% of Florida voters — including nearly half of Florida Republicans — support the right to safe, legal abortion.
- Donald Trump has made it clear that he’s not satisfied with overturning Roe v. Wade and unleashing extreme abortion bans across the country — he’s even signaled that he would even be open to restricting access to birth control.
- Counting Iowa, where an extreme six-week abortion ban went into effect today, there are now 22 states with abortion restrictions — nearly half the country.
- Make no mistake: Trump has ensured that abortion bans are now the law of the land.
- Florida voters can reverse this extreme ban and restore reproductive freedom in our state by voting yes on Amendment 4 and electing Kamala Harris to the presidency.
AFFORDABILITY
TOPLINE: Floridians are paying the price of 30 years of failed Republican leadership in this state.
- Florida is home to the highest property insurance premiums in the country, worst inflation nationally, out-of-control housing costs and skyrocketing utility bills.
- Republicans have had years to propose solutions to this problem and pass policies to deliver relief to Floridians and have repeatedly failed — last year, they held two special sessions at taxpayers’ expense that accomplished nothing.
- Earlier this year, the Republican Party released their list of top 10 priorities and fixing the property insurance crisis was not one of them.
- During the past legislative session, Republicans spent more time banning rainbow flags and lights on bridges than addressing the number one concern for voters in this election — the economy.
- Floridians can’t afford more political games from the Republican Party.
VENEZUELAN ELECTIONS
On Sunday, July 28th, Venezuelans at home and abroad went to the polls to vote for their next president. After exit polls showed a clear advantage for the opposition party, Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro declared victory in his re-election campaign.
TOPLINE: The Florida Democratic Party unequivocally condemns Nicolas Maduro’s attempt to steal the Venezuelan presidential election.
- Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of the democratic process, and the will of the Venezuelan people — clearly expressed in yesterday’s exit polls — must prevail.
- Millions of Venezuelans went to the polls yesterday to exercise their right to vote, and any attempt to disrespect their voices is an outrage.
- We’re proud to stand with Venezuelans in Venezuela, Florida, and beyond as they fight for a free democratic society
- We call on President Biden and world leaders to demand transparency and accountability for Maduro and his administration — starting with an internationally supervised recount.
PROJECT 2025
TOPLINE: A second Trump presidency would be even more harmful than the first — thanks to Project 2025.
- Project 2025 is an extreme takeover plan by Trump and his MAGA loyalists that rolls back Americans’ rights and freedoms, hurts the middle class, and undermines our democracy by giving Trump power like no president has ever had over your daily life.
- Trump is willing to tell any lie in his quest for power, but the truth is Project 2025 was written for him, by those closest to him.
- Project 2025 should scare every single American. If you don’t know what it is, you should look it up – but here’s a brief overview:
- Guts checks and balances to give Trump total power to use the presidency for revenge and retribution and be a dictator on “day one.”
- Consolidates power in the Oval Office and defunds government agencies like the Department of Education.
- Bans abortion nationwide and punishes women who get an abortion.
- Raises taxes for the middle class while giving handouts to billionaire donors.
- Trump’s conservative Supreme Court has already given him a blank check to do virtually whatever he wants with no regard for the rule of law. If he wins, there is no question Trump will use it to pass his Project 2025 agenda.