Florida’s governor’s race is starting to sound a lot more like a fight over kitchen-table issues. The deeper we get into this election year the more Floridians and politicians are sparing over how to fix Florida’s affordability woes.
WATCH THE FULL REPORT BELOW:
Affordability topics are quickly dominating this year’s election cycle for governor.
A recent UNF poll found affordability, the top issue for likely Florida midterm voters — cutting across party lines. That’s as a separate statewide survey found independents breaking sharply toward Democrats and the governor’s race nearly tied — frustration over affordability part of the reason.
“We tested a few different affordability related issues, property taxes, property insurance, housing affordability, nearly 70% of voters ranked those issues as one of their top three issues,” pollster Michael Worley said.
It helps explain why Republicans like Byron Donalds and Paul Renner are both leaning into cost issues. Donalds — this week — vowing to expand zero-tuition training for skilled workers while streamlining government.
“If your primary concern is affordability, let me tell you something. 30% of the cost of a new home is government costs,” Donalds said.
Renner is doing “Affordability Now” roundtables, even pressing state lawmakers to enact property tax reform immediately.
“The Governor's been calling for major reform for over a year and a half, and the legislature has failed to answer and he can't put it on the ballot. There's not anything on the ballot as we speak, to save $1 not $1 in property tax reform," Renner said.
James Fishback posting online that’s he’s running so that “our brothers and sisters don’t have to sleep on the street.”
And Lt. Gov. Jay Collins continues to align himself with Gov. DeSantis.
“I dream of a state — just like Gov. DeSantis — where you can have your home, once you pay it off, free and clear of the government," Collins said.
For Democrats — Jerry Demings has been blasting a message that the GOP owns an unaffordable state, saying they’ve “had a legislative trifecta in Tallahassee since 1999. It’s time for change.”
David Jolly is hitting lawmakers for doing little this year on education, housing, and insurance.
“I’m most disappointed they did nothing about insurance for homeowners. The crisis is in insurance,” Jolly said.
With the August 18 primary still ahead, both parties appear to be reading the same warning signs: voters, and especially swing independents, want relief more than rhetoric.
Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website.
Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Instagram and X.
