More than 36,000 Florida Republicans leave the Republican Party after the election, electoral records show

ORLANDO, Fla. – More than 36,000 Florida voters previously registered as Republicans have left the Republican Party since the November election, revealed a News 6 review of the state’s electoral records.

Although three times as many Republicans changed their party affiliation as Democrats after the election, the more than 57,000 Florida residents who recently changed parties are a small fraction of the state’s 14.5 million registered voters.

[TRENDING: ‘Naked Cowboy’ arrested at Bike Week | ‘I think we’re in the Black section’ of the restaurant | Holy Hail: Crazy weather hits Daytona Beach]

Ads

Several ex-Republicans cited the January 6 US Capitol rebellion as a factor in their decision to leave the party, while others expressed frustration that some Republican Party leaders did not support former President Donald Trump as much as they would like.

“(Changing party affiliation) gives people the feeling that they have somehow protested,” said Jim Clark, political analyst at News 6, a professor of history at the University of Central Florida. “It won’t make any difference in an election.”

State leaders of the Republican Party downplayed the recent defections, believing that the majority of former Republican voters will eventually return.

“It’s not a big deal,” said Joe Gruters, president of the Florida Republican Party. “I think these people will end up voting for the Republican candidate at the end of the day because, when they registered as Republicans, they believed in the fundamental principles of personal responsibility and individual freedom.”

Ads

In the past, voters had to visit their county’s Electoral Supervisor’s office to change their party affiliation. About three years ago, the state began allowing voters to update their registration information online.

“It’s extremely easy to do,” said Clark. “So, if you’re upset with your political party today, you can join another one tomorrow. And then join another one the next day. “

The largest volume of voters who change party affiliation usually occurs just before the last day of registration to vote before the primary election, according to Orange County Election Supervisor, Bill Cowles, followed by the period after an election.

But this year, Orange County saw a greater-than-normal volume of post-election party changes.

“The change was more extreme due to the January 6 attack on the Capitol,” said Cowles.

News 6 spoke to about a dozen former Republicans who changed their party affiliation after the election.

Ads

Almost everyone refused to be named, citing concerns about their personal safety.

“They are dangerous. You saw what they did with Capitol, ”said a man who claimed to be a Republican since 1988.

“I’m a Republican at heart, but I’m registered as a Democrat,” he said. “The party no longer represents decency, in my opinion. I am completely enchanted by this fanatical belief in (Trump). “

Another former Republican voter, who asked to remain anonymous because of concerns about the safety of his family, also blamed the former president for his decision to change his electoral record to No Party Affiliation.

“I honestly felt that Donald Trump had something to do with those people who invaded the Capitol,” the US Marine Corps veteran told News 6. “As soon as I witnessed this, I decided I didn’t want to be part of this party anymore” .

But other Florida voters who left the Republican Party expressed frustration that Republican colleagues did not do more to support Trump.

Ads

“The reason I changed was because of my anger at the Republican Party for not fighting for the people who voted for it and for getting to the bottom of the allegations of electoral fraud,” said John Howley. “I will not be returning to the party until they learn to fight for their voters. At least the Democrats fight, although I disagree with 99% of their ideas ”.

The Florida Republican Party heard similar concerns.

“Basically, we track all the data and all the people that are exchanging (parties),” said Gruters. “Most of them are voters who were upset because we may not have supported the president as we should.”

Nearly 10,100 Democrats changed their party affiliation from December 8 to February 9, state election records show.

During the same period, 36,219 Republicans switched parties.

About 6,200 of these ex-Republicans are now registered as Democrats, the records show.

Ads

Meanwhile, more than 21,000 ex-Republicans have recently registered as No Party Affiliations.

Only Florida voters registered with a political party can participate in that party’s primary elections.

“These people are not going to want to give up their vote,” said Clark. “Many of them will return to their respective parties next year, when the primaries get hot. And even if you went from being Republican to not politically affiliated, that doesn’t mean that in the general election you would vote for Democrat. “

Registered Democrats outnumbered Republicans in Florida by less than 111,000 on Jan. 31, according to the state’s Elections Division.

Gruters said the Florida Republican Party is launching voter registration efforts to win back those who recently left the party while recruiting newcomers to the state.

Ads

“I think we will overtake the Democrats later this year here in Florida. We are focused on making Florida red permanently, ”said Gruters. “The benefit we have is the thousands of people who are fleeing these liberal states with high taxes that have been closed in search of freedom and freedom.”

More than 126,000 Florida Democrats changed their party membership to Republican in the two years leading up to the November 2020 election, News 6 previously reported, while 72,000 Republicans switched to the Democratic party.