In the 1972 presidential election, Republican President Richard Nixon’s camp attacked his opponent, Democratic Sen. George McGovern, as the candidate of “acid, abortion, and amnesty.”
The phrase referred to McGovern being soft on drugs, abortion, and Vietnam War draft dodgers. McGovern once said he hardly considered responding because he didn’t think the allegation would stick.
He was wrong. Nixon won 49 states in one of the most lopsided routs in U.S. history.
In Florida in 2024, however, Democrats are now actually embracing their own version of acid, amnesty (for illegal immigrants), and abortion.
Read: The Satanic Temple Vs. Florida Gov. DeSantis: A Debate On Religious Freedoms
Already soft on border security, Democrats in Florida believe their winning message revolves around promoting abortion beyond the state’s soon-to-take-effect six-week limit and legalizing recreational marijuana.
According to the Epoch Times, Democrats hope those issues will bring their voters to the polls, as both issues are on the ballot as possible additions to the state Constitution.
“We definitely see Florida as in play,” Biden-Harris Campaign Manager Julie Chávez Rodríguez recently told reporters during a campaign call, the Times noted.
But polls suggest doubts about that.
Florida Atlantic University released a poll last week that showed former President Donald Trump leading President Joe Biden 50-42.
The marijuana ballot initiative is supported by 47% of Florida voters, while the abortion measure, which would allow abortion up to 24 weeks, one of the most liberal standards in the world, garnered 49% support.
Constitutional issues need at least 60% to pass.
Some political consultants interviewed by the Times said Biden could possibly gain ground because of those issues being on the ballot. But others dismissed it.
The Times noted Trump and other Republicans won in 2020 in places that also legalized pot.
But those issues just aren’t important to most voters in Florida.
The Times noted that voters identify the economy, inflation immigration, and crime as more important.
Political consultant Aron Solomon told the Times of abortion or marijuana being on the ballot and helping Biden: “It’s something nice for the media to discuss, but it’s like discussing a 4–13 NFL team being a Super Bowl contender next year. Could happen, probably won’t.”
Rep. Matt Gaetz agreed.
“Michael Bloomberg incinerated a fortune in Florida in 2020 only to see Trump win by an even larger margin than 2016,” Gaetz said. “I hope Democrats get fooled again into allocating resources to Florida. Because it’s very expensive. And now it’s ours.”
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