Election Wrap Up

No Senate Race.

US HOUSE: District 16 was riddled with scandal all year.
Republican Mark Foley of West Palm Beach battled issues of scandal. Then his opponent the democrat, Mahoney, was served with divorce papers after allegedly having inappropriate sexual relations with a campaign worker. It ended up to be a lucky break for the Republican Rooney an attorney and retired marine corps officer best known for his family’s ownership position with the Pittsburg Steelers, he won the seat.

Gay marriage amendment prohibiting same sex marriage needed pass by 60 percent and passed by 62 percent.

The big one.

Very popular and once considered VP prospect, Gov. Charlie Crist, was unable to deliver Florida for McCain. As expected the SE went Obama, this area caters to northern transplants.

The I-4 corridor, the highly contested “decider” of the state, went for Obama. The population along these counties consist of 1st time Hispanic voters, a group the Republicans typically draw well from. Hillsborough county typically votes with dems. The growth of central Florida within Orlando’s Orange and Volusia counties alluded to the possibility of the region going with Obama.

The areas surrounding the universities, FSU and UF, also went for Obama. A change from the 2004 election shows the surrounding areas turning more “purple.” Researchers are led to believe that more and more government officials or university workers are moving further away from campus, which caused this demographic change.

Obama won 51/49.

The winner is

Endorsements for Obama

Daytona Beach News-Journal Kerry ‘04
Florida Today (Melbourne) Kerry ‘04

The Gainesville Sun Kerry ‘04
The Ledger (Lakeland) Bush ‘04
The Miami Herald Kerry ‘04
Naples Daily-News Bush ‘04
Orlando Sentinel Kerry ‘04
The Palm Beach Post (West Palm Beach) Kerry ‘04
Pensacola News Journal N/A '04
St. Petersburg Times Kerry ‘04
Sarasota Herald-Tribune Kerry ‘04
South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale) Kerry ‘04

Obama picked up two Bush endorsements but the most interesting is the Pensacola News Journal. The paper's readership is considered some of the most conservative in the state.