Fight For Florida Sees Republican, Democratic Campaigns Send Big Guns To Sunshine State
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – With Florida being a hotly contested battleground state in the upcoming presidential election, both campaigns have their eyes on South Florida.
On Tuesday, Ivanka Trump made a campaign stop in Downtown Miami. The "Make America Great Again" event started at 5:30 p.m. at Bayfront Park. It was a crowd of some who wore masks and others who didn't during this pandemic.
"President Trump will always protect Social Security, Medicare, and patients with preexisting conditions," the president's daughter said.
She also serves as an advisor to President Trump. She's trying to help gain support among seniors by discussing healthcare.
Before Miami, she campaigned in Sarasota.
Experts say her father needs Florida to help his chances on staying in the White House.
"There aren't many paths to 270 that don't include Florida for President Trump. If you're the Democrats, boy if you can take Florida, you can win the election," said Zelden.
The CBS News Election Battleground Tracker shows the Sunshine State is still a tossup.
In most polls, presidential candidate Joe Biden is leading slightly.
"The president's early and aggressive action to stop travel from Europe saved up to 2 million lives compared to scientists' best estimates," Ivanka Trump said during her Sarasota stop.
The visits from the president's daughter is the first of many this week as both campaigns look to secure a Florida win on November 3rd.
"Both sides are really throwing their big guns at Florida," said Charles Zelden, a history and political science professor at Nova Southeastern University. "Florida, while it's not the tipping state, is the state that you have to win."
Zelden called Florida the foundation of a political victory and said there aren't many paths to re-election for President Donald Trump without a win in the Sunshine State and its 29 electoral votes.
"It kind of comes down to Florida, Florida, Florida," said Zelden.
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Biden sent former President Barack Obama to North Miami Saturday in an effort to make sure minorities vote.
On Tuesday, the former president was in Orlando for the hard-fought I-4 corridor.
"Suggested we might inject bleach to cure COVID. That's not something you said, 'Maybe I shouldn't have said that.' Not much. Think about how hard the tourism industry has been hit right here in Orlando," Obama said
Biden was in Georgia, which is also a tossup. He's expected to be in Broward County Thursday.
The president is scheduled to be back in Miami-Dade on Wednesday night.
"In the case of the republicans, they see opportunity with the Hispanic community, especially the Cuban community seeming to be very strongly oriented to the Republican Party this cycle," said Zelden.
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Also on Tuesday, Lara Trump, who is married to the president's son Eric, made campaign stops in Cocoa, Panama City Beach and Pensacola.
On Wednesday, Donald Trump Jr. will make campaign stops in Jacksonville, Daytona Beach and Vero Beach.
Vice President Pence spent Tuesday rallying voters in the Carolinas, while vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris was in Nevada.