Statewide, more than 30,000 Republicans switched to other parties in January. That reverses the trend going into the election, said Aubrey Jewett, associate professor of political science at the University of Central Florida. It was something Republicans had pointed to with great hope going into the election: Despite some of the polls, we ve gained registration. At least in the short run, this reverses that trend. One presumes there s a reason for it, and the biggest reason would certainly be (former President Donald Trump s) comments and behavior post-election including the riots on Capitol Hill, Jewett said.
Missed opportunity for Dems
The biggest beneficiary of the Republican defections has not been the Democratic Party, but the ranks of no-party affiliation (NPAs) followed by the Independent Party of Florida.