DeSantis warns GOP voters to turn out despite slowing early numbers

Gov. Ron DeSantis told Florida Republicans on Wednesday that voter turnout has not been as strong as he would like.

The governor made the comments while campaigning for U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, the Republican nominee for governor. He also urged his party to avoid complacency in the final stretch of the election.

DeSantis pointed to state data showing that Republicans have cast more than 1.4 million ballots in early voting and by mail. That total is nearly 35,000 votes higher than the Democratic count. However, the margin is smaller than it was at this point in the 2022 midterm election.

The governor suggested that parents in their 30s and 40s are less likely to vote now than during his reelection campaign. He said the urgency of the pandemic and debates over school mask mandates drove high turnout for that group in 2022. He believes those voters have withdrawn from the political process to some extent because the immediate pressures have shifted.

Earlier in the day, DeSantis appeared in Brooksville with Donalds to discuss the former governor's record. He argued that the Democratic nominee, former U.S. Rep. David Jolly, opposed many of Florida's pandemic-era decisions. DeSantis noted that Jolly would have kept schools closed and mandated masks, whereas the state reopened early.

DeSantis acknowledged that national economic issues, including inflation, are weighing on household finances. He advised voters not to let frustration with Washington stop them from voting on local issues. He specifically encouraged Republicans to vote for Amendment 3, a property tax cut he has supported.

The governor said the current election dynamics differ from 2022, but he maintained that Republicans have work to do to ensure a high turnout by election day.