Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has never been popular among LGBTQ advocates in Florida, but his recently waged culture war against the community has made him even more of an adversary. That could be a big problem for him in the upcoming midterm election, according to a new poll by GLAAD.
GLAAD’s polling found that over half of Florida’s LGBTQ and ally communities are concerned about DeSantis and other Florida lawmakers “stripping away” civil rights through legislation like the Parental Rights in Education, aka “Don’t Say Gay” law that went into effect last month.
77% of survey respondents “strongly agree it’s more important than ever to vote this year because ‘basic human rights for women and LGBTQ Floridians are starting to be taken away by elected officials currently in charge of Florida’s government.’”
Related: Florida high school enacts insane new LGBTQ policy and everyone’s thinking the same thing
GLAAD further reports that LGBTQ residents make up 4.6% of Florida’s total population, and its analysis says that could be enough to sway the governor’s race.
In the last gubernatorial race, DeSantis beat his Democratic opponent, Andrew Gillum, by around 32,000 votes. 8.2 million people voted in that election, according to the Florida Department of State.
“In a midterm election where mobilizing turnout is critical (and challenging) for each side, Florida is poised to see a surge in voting participation by LGBTQ voters and LGBTQ allies who voted in the last Presidential election but not the last midterm,” the polling group, Pathfinder Opinion Research, said. “Both groups say they are even more motivated to vote in this midterm election than they were in the last Presidential election. In a tight governor’s race, like in 2018, turnout from these voters could be pivotal.”
Just this week, Kansas saw near-presidential-election-level turnout as voters took to the ballot box to protect abortion rights in the state. When there’s a pressing issue at play, voters tend to turn out.
Related: Florida students are getting screwed over “Don’t Say Gay” law — now they’re fighting back
“The governor’s race in Florida in 2018 was decided by only 32,463 votes out of 8+ million. The results of the poll suggest that LGBTQ and ally voters are positioned to be decisive in Florida this November if the governor’s race is similarly close,” GLAAD reported. “77% of LGBTQ and ally voters have an unfavorable opinion of Gov. DeSantis.”
“Florida’s LGBTQ voters and ally voters have grave concerns about their basic human rights, including access to abortion, freedom of speech, and evidence-based healthcare for LGBTQ youth,” GLAAD President and CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis, added. “They’re motivated to make a difference in this crucial election.”
According to GLAAD, 67% of Florida’s LGBTQ and allies are “extremely motivated” to vote in this year’s election.
CNY1983
so when does he go back to his job at the desantis car wash?
msfrost
Better sooner, than later!
mz.sam
Dear DeSantis: Our community will be thinking of you and your venom this November and towards 2024 at the voting booth.
nm4047
how exactly is that going to work? Florida has a gerrymander put in place by the republicans that pretty much wipe out any democratic votes or democracy as such. Unless a massive number of democrat voters move and enrol in an area that the electoral college boundary is drawn to enforce the republic strong hold, all the protests and words will mean nothing. The US voting system is one of it not the most corrupt electoral system in the world. I’ll suggest that there’s not a person alive today that will see a democrat in the whitehouse after the next presidential election.
BrownFriedRice
With the way red states have gerrymandered cities, I’m not sure queer voters will have the influence we need to sway an election.
Gtrpckr1
Perhaps not, as it’s related to localized and district representation, but as far as the Gubernatorial and Presidential elections go, we’ll have quite the impact..!
Paulie P
32,000 votes is not a lot to win by so gather your LGBTQ pals.. so we can hope that many of those votes come the midterm will vote this hideous repulsive man out.
BigJohnSF
not the queer ones, but the gay ones will
Rambeaux
Curious that “over half” are concerned about DeSantis.
That leaves about 45 % who are not concerned.
Seems strange. Would think that the “concerned” would be 100%.
mikeTigg
That’s because 45% of US citizens are dumber than a sack of hammers and are feeble minded enough to vote for scumbag grifters like Trump or DeSantis.
Just like the idiot who posted here that thinks that kindergarten kids would be taught subjects related to sex.
GayEGO
I hope DeSantis loses the election!
[email protected]
As someone who actually lives in Florida and actually knows what the law erroneously labeled as “don’t say gay” actually means, I’m proud to support Governor DeSantis. Teaching kindergarten children about anything related to sex is sick. These kids are trying to just learn the abcs. The word “gay” is nowhere to be found in the law. The LGBT community does itself a disservice by demanding little children be inculcated with sex, gender, etc.
TommyIL
Sex is not at all what anyone is trying to teach kindergarteners.
Just.my.opinion
Such an incredibly stupid comment.
unreligious
All your comment shows is how ignorant you are about the law you claim to know.
strap2900
They are not teaching sex, they are teaching the real world. It does no good to try to shield children from the real world. There are many gay, and trans children who are conflicted and confused at why they feel different. the earlier they learn, the less shame and pain they will have to deal with as they grow up. We have to tell children the truth. No more Santa or Easter bunny, the truth.
Sotzume
it is clear that you are deeply mentally disturbed…please begin taking the psychotropic drugs that your worried psychiatrist prescribed for you when you mentioned these sick fantasies. You are clearly a menace to others in your community and you should be detained in a mental health facility as soon as can be arranged by your local authorities.
intensityderen
You are ignorant! It isn’t about the law! Kindergarten kids aren’t taught those things. We all know that. If you were a kindergarten teacher you would know that. It’s about the LGBTQ community being singled out so the simple-minded Desantis/Trump followers will shame us. Keep voting for him. You’re like a chicken campaigning for Colonel Sanders! You need to watch the YouTube Video of “Pete Buttigieg Perfectly Articulates Republican Behavior In 2 Minutes” and then pull your head out of your ass. Thank you for contributing to a cult targeting our community.
Samoset59
As someone who also lives in Florida, you need a course in reading comprehension. The “don’t say gay” prohibits trained elementary teachers from handling reasonable questions by young children about everyday living situations. If a child has two dads or two moms, they can speak of them without be shamed. Trained elementary teachers never taught about sex. The fact the word “gay” is not in the law doesn’t mean the inference is not clear. DeSantis is a homophobe and a fascist.
Robert Bradley
You’re an absolute douche to even suggest children in kindergarten are being taught any this remotely suggestive to “sex”
BigJohnSF
should children learn about families? Some of them have two daddies or two mommies – are these families supposed to be invisible? where is sex in this discussion?
sasquatchmike
Wow. How many hammers are in your sack? DeSantis picked this fight. No one was proposing to teach sex to youngsters.
Major
As someone who used to TEACH in Florida I am aware that there is age-appropriate Holocaust History taught in K-12. If the students are old enough to learn about the darkest period of world history then they are old enough to learn about love. Teaching age-appropriate materials about families can and should be available in all grades. Straight teachers can talk all they want about their spouses and LGBT teachers should have the same right. If LGBT teachers are forbidden to speak about their spouses, the Straight teachers should be also. Love is love, and love makes a family. Denying children the chance to talk about their LGBT families is wrong. Denying LGBT students a chance to find a safe place with their teachers is wrong.
I now live in Texas where we are up against the same sort of BS from the politicians. You can be certain that we will be voting as well.
man5996853
No one would doubt that you live in Florida. You are as uninformed and allergic to facts as all of the other brain-dead morons who live there.
dmi210
As someone who once lived in Florida, and can’t imagine returning to Florida in its current state, I know your don’t say gay law does not teach children about sex. Pull your head out of the MAGA swamp!
James
GET LOST YOU HOMOPHOBIC MORON. TAKE YOUR NAZI MORON DE SATANIS WITH YOU CREEP. YOU ARE BOTH PATHETIC.
rosetank
It’s actually SICK for someone to think that sexuality is about teaching sex to young children. I think you must be from the “Anita Bryant Era”. She was so sick she had to leave the state, maybe you should! You probably are one of those people who think that being Gay, Bisexual or Queer is a choice, not to mention Transgender, as some closeted politicians have dressed in drag in their homes. I imagine you are the type of person who would rather see us back in the closet! It’s a shame that people cannot think for themselves, learn how to do it! Just because you “know the law”, doesn’t exclude you from being ignorant, as you are honestly revealing this based on your post! Go back to your closet, but don’t force the rest of us law abiding Citizens, even non-citizens, and other people here in the United States to do something that is INSITED by venomous “small- minded people”. Think (if you can) how these people are not delivering a message, they just get people at the lowest level of emotional level, which doesn’t require intellect, or involve reasonability. Reasoning is a high level of “Human” functioning. By this definition this not only bigotry but Gross Stupidity! Offend me because people like you don’t know how to do anything except attack, basic grunt level thinking and reaction!
By the way, not everyone is thinking about having sex all the time but, it is part of being a human, and connecting with other HUMANS. Who would think about teaching children about sex, maybe to give people information which may prevent HIV, and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases, when it’s age appropriate, or can be explained; after all gays are not the only ones having sex at a young age! Just use your mind (if you can) and think about it, everyone begins to form their sexuality at a young age, and most begin playing “doctor” in these years. Why have these innocent lives put at risk because people are not comfortable with their own sexuality?
ingmar53
Couple disillusioned LGBT community members with disaffected women and others who have shown that they’ll show up to vote against anti-choice fascists–see the vote in Kansas the other day–and these totalitarian moralists like DeSantis should be nervous!
rockland2u
Does anyone else see the irony, that GOP florida lost its collective mind that the Govt had the nerve to even suggest parents vaccinate their children (that the govt had NO business telling parents what they could or could not do medically to their own children) but then outlaw parents having a say so in who teaches what, and when , don’t say gay. And outlawing parents rights regarding trans kids
rockland2u
Bottom line, florida telling parents what they can do and not do with their own childrens bodies, like roe V wade. No personal autonomy.
cuteguy
I hope I am wrong but Florida gays are too busy f*cling in bath houses catching monkeypox rather than take the time to vote. Ron Deathsantis cannot be re elected but some gays, especially in Florida, will vote for him bc he’s semi attractive. Unfortunately that’s how Lil Marco won (with the help of the ignorant Cubans in Miami bc the GQP successfully convinced them that the Dems are socialists like Castro). I truly hope that monster Deathsantis loses tho
ShiningSex
I agree. Just an ignorant state all around
ShiningSex
Florida is one of the trashiest states around next to Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana.
sasquatchmike
How dare you skip Alabama? They work hard to reach the bottom
BeachDaddyDave
Oh, how I wish I could be that optimistic. I feel like all the things I have worked so hard for throughout my life are being eroded by hateful morons and the bigots who support them. People like DeSantis have of way of prevailing in Florida and the Red states–we always have hope but ultimately lose. May I be as wrong as possible, but I feel the US needs to hit absolute rock bottom until people of color, the queer community, the disabled and women strongly and (perhaps, sadly, violently) rise up to stop our slide to 3rd world autocracy/theocracy.
Kangol2
Well, people of color (particularly Black, Asian American and Latino voters), LGBTQ voters, and young voters of all races were the reason we did not witness a second Don the Con term, despite the horrific disaster that treasonous, psychopathic con man left in his wake, which included an attempted coup. The question is why so many White voters, who make up the majority of the GQP, and as majorities voted for the GQP, and White women voters in particular, are supporting a party whose officials, including women, make clear they want to strip away fundamental, hard fought-for rights.
I’m going to take a guess that the majority of Americans, including White Americans, do not want to live in a version of Gilead from the Handmaid’s Tale. The vote in Kansas underscored this. But that is increasingly what the Christian White nationalist right-wing, which does include BIPOC supporters, is driving towards. The facts are clear: when the GQP is in office, they take care of two constituencies, which overlap: the super-rich and corporations. They don’t care about regular people; they do nothing to address pressing needs (healthcare, child care, mental illness, housing crises, education, immigration, etc.). They could not pass an infrastructure bill and could barely pass budgets with money for anything but the miitary. And then Don the Con blew up the entire US economy just as George W. Bush did in 2008. Why keep voting for them?
Skip
Anybody besides me remember Anita Bryant? There’s a long tradition of anti-queer Floridians. She never held public office – thank God – but she had a bucket load of exposure on National TV.
Major
Anita Bryant galvanized the LGBT community like no one before her. The politician in Florida and Texas and other states are now doing the same thing. Praise LBJ*!
*Little baby Jesus
CNY1983
“Teaching kindergarten children about anything related to sex is sick.” said the dumbass bankruptmenow. Maybe the only intelligent thing to say to such a naked attempt to muddy the water is this: CRYBABY CRY! STICK A NEEDLE IN YOUR EYE, CRY BABY CRY!” said me.
this isnt the 90’s or 2016, that shit dont work no more.
GreekKeys
“67% of Florida’s LGBTQ and allies” is how many voters?