Post #33, Bob McKnight's Subscription Commentary
"These Times, They Are A Changing."
Bob Dylan
The political voting axiom in Florida has for years been, "It is all up to the I 4 Corridor." That strip of land cuts across the very middle of the state from Tampa, through Orlando over to the Space Coast of Melbourne. Historically it has been very conservative and mainly voting Republican. But, as Bob Dylan's song goes, "These times, they are a changing."
The 2018 Mid Term elections shows a very different I 4 corridor. Joining Tampa as a blue county now is Orlando and it's two adjoining and rapidly growing counties of Seminole and Osceola. Locals say the growing Democratic numbers are coming from Puerto Rico and a continuing migration of urbanites up from Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties.
I wonder if President Trump regrets throwing the paper towels at the Puerto Ricans after the Hurricane Maria.
But, here is the real surprise. It would appear the Blue movement is spreading into the additional mega I 4 counties of Volusia, Polk and Lake. All three of those counties showed Republican votes only in the 50 % area this voting cycle, unheard of even 5 years ago. If that trend holds, I 4 will become the dividing line for the state. South of that imaginary line will be predominately Democrat, and North of it, Republican. And I predict then we will begin to hear more voices for succession and splitting the state in two.
These times, they are a changing.