Democratic registration surges in Florida

[WI_DEM]

www.dailykos.com

One could be forgiven for thinking 2009 was a disastrous year for Democrats nationwide, yet a closer look at the numbers often betrays the CW.

Take Florida (PDF), for example.

Over the course of 2009, Floridians continued to join the Democratic Party in record numbers, ending the year with Democrats having a nearly 800,000 person voter registration advantage. According to the Florida Division of Election data, by registering 144,468 new voters last year, Democrats widened our advantage by 43,443 voters in 2009. As Democrats continued to out register Republicans every month since the 2008 election, this voter registration gap will continue to be a major advantage for Florida Democrats in 2010 and beyond.

Wait, what? Democrats increased their voter registration advantage versus Republicans? Yup.

Democrats Independents Republicans Total
FL Voters 5,199,964 2,867,672 4,406,370 12,474,006
Newly Reg'd 144,468 141,621 101,025 387,114
in 2009



Democrats outpaced both Republicans and Independents, not exactly the sign of a moribund and flailing party. And the party's voter registration advantage is now almost 800,000 larger than Republicans, and Democrats retain dominant numbers among the fastest growing demographic segments. Among the newly registered:

Democrats Independents Republicans Total
African-Am 36,626 11,826 1,713 50,165
Hispanic 28,158 24,468 9,483 62,109
Caucasian 71,659 93,480 86,124 251,263
Other 8,025 11,847 3,705 23,577

[fl_dem]

1. Hell yeah!!! n/t

[gratuitous]

2. Now translate this into electoral power

And you might have something. But this is undeniably a better sign than if Republican registrations had been gaining. Who constitutes the 1,713 new African-American Republican registrants, though?