“Voting for Ron DeSantis in Miami: Governor Yes, President No!

The state of Florida has always been a battleground in national politics. With the upcoming presidential election, all eyes have turned to Florida once again. But it looks like two of the Sunshine State’s biggest population centers, Miami-Dade County and Hillsborough County, could be voters’ greatest source of uncertainty. Miami-Dade County has long been a Democratic stronghold, but this election cycle, there is an unlikely candidate for governor that has captured the hearts and minds of many voters in the county – Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. DeSantis’ popularity in the county can be attributed to his focus on the environment and on local issues that appeal to Miami-Dade voters, such as the Everglades and sea-level rise. But while Miami-Dade voters might be all in for DeSantis as governor, they might not be as enthusiastic about his potential candidacy for president. In a recent survey conducted by Univision, only 35 percent of Miami-Dade residents said that they would support DeSantis for president. This reluctance can partially be attributed to the divide between the Democratic and Republican parties in the state. Despite DeSantis’ relative popularity in Miami-Dade County, the same cannot be said for Hillsborough County, which is widely considered to be one of the swing counties in Florida. The survey showed that only 24 percent of Hillsborough residents would support DeSantis for president. The results of this survey suggest that the upcoming presidential election in Florida could be anyone’s game, and that the two populous counties of Miami-Dade and Hillsborough could be the deciding factors in who becomes our next President. While many in Miami-Dade may prefer to have DeSantis as Governor, it seems that they would like to see someone else in the Presidential race.