Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said during a virtual briefing Monday that the Republican supermajority in the legislature is breakable and Democrats are going to break it this cycle. The party pointed to more than 30 local and special-election flips since the 2024 election, more than 3,000 volunteers, increased candidate recruitment and an advantage in requests for vote-by-mail ballots. The party's tally includes local offices as well as recent legislative special elections, not 30 seats in the Florida Legislature. Fried said the difference this cycle is the party's Pendulum Project, a year-round organizing operation designed to maintain voter contact between major elections. Democrats are building their message around affordability, blaming nearly three decades of Republican control for rising housing, property-insurance, healthcare and everyday living costs. Party leaders said they will challenge a Republican-backed property-tax amendment headed to voters, arguing that cutting local-government revenue could threaten services or shift costs elsewhere.
Republicans remain at or above the two-thirds threshold needed for supermajority power in both legislative chambers. A two-thirds majority amounts to 80 of the 120 House seats and 27 of the 40 Senate seats when every member is present. As of May 31, Florida had about 5.54 million active registered Republicans and 4.03 million Democrats, according to the state Division of Elections. Another 3.32 million voters were registered without a party affiliation. Democrats will continue making their case at Leadership Blue, the state party's annual gathering, scheduled for July 17 through 19 at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will deliver the keynote address at the July 18 gala.