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Florida’s rightward political shift reached new heights in the 2024 election when Donald Trump secured a decisive 13.1-point victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, capturing 56.1% of the vote to her 43%. This margin significantly exceeded his 2020 performance, demonstrating Florida’s transformation from a swing state to solid Republican territory.
The magnitude of Trump’s victory was evident even in traditionally Democratic strongholds like Coral Gables. In this Miami-Dade County coastal city of 50,000 residents, Trump earned 50% of votes compared to Harris’s 49%, marking a significant shift from 2020 when Biden had won the area 53% to 47%.
Trump’s Florida success contributed to his broader national victory, where he secured 312 electoral votes to Harris’s 226, along with a popular vote margin of 49.9% to 48.4%. As he prepares for his second term, Trump has tapped numerous Florida political figures for key administration positions.
The president-elect’s Florida-centric appointments include Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff, Marco Rubio as Secretary of State, Pam Bondi as Attorney General, and Michael Waltz as national security adviser. This concentration of Florida talent has created what some call Trump’s crew of Florida Men and Women, transforming a once-pejorative term into a badge of political honor.
“Floridians are very independent,” said Jamie Miller, a former executive director of the Florida Republican Party who has also worked on campaigns in Mississippi, North Carolina, and West Virginia. “We want to live our lives without government interference. It’s in our DNA to try and reduce government regulation.”
“The good news is these are highly qualified people,” Miller added. “I think it’s good for the country to see these policies that worked well in Florida.”
Democratic consultant Steve Schale notes that this Florida-heavy administration will likely prioritize issues crucial to the state. “Understanding things like the space industry, hurricane response, flood issues — having folks who know those issues is very helpful,” Schale said in an interview.
The administration’s Florida connections extend beyond top-tier appointments. James Blair is set to become White House deputy chief of staff for legislative, political, and public affairs, while Taylor Budowich will serve as deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel. Miami-Dade County Commissioner Kevin Cabrera has been tapped as U.S. ambassador to Panama, a position gaining prominence following Trump’s December 2024 statements about the Panama Canal.
Florida’s emergence as a Republican stronghold coincided with Trump’s residency at Mar-a-Lago, which became a central hub for MAGA movement figures. The state’s political transformation accelerated with Governor Ron DeSantis’s commanding 19-point reelection victory and the growing Republican voter registration advantage, now reaching one million in a state of nearly 23 million residents.
This Florida influence extends to Congress, where Senator Rick Scott, who won reelection by almost 14 points in 2024, is pursuing the majority leader position in a Senate where Republicans will hold a 53-47 majority.
The state’s political importance dates back to 1928 when Herbert Hoover first shifted Florida toward Republican presidential candidates. Now, with Trump’s return to office and his Florida-heavy administration, the Sunshine State’s influence on national politics appears set to reach unprecedented levels.
For Aubrey Jewett, a political science professor at the University of Central Florida, Trump’s Florida focus reflects both strategic and personal considerations. “I think Trump believes many of these Florida Republicans are died-in-the-wool MAGA supporters,” Jewett said in an interview. “If not originally, they’ve at least come around to it. Trump moved to the state himself. We know for Trump it’s often about personal relationships. He tends to pick the people he knows and likes.”
