ORLANDO— With less than a month until Election Day, all eyes are on Florida as a crucial U.S. Senate race unfolds. Democratic candidate Debbie Mucarsel-Powell is facing off against Republican incumbent Sen. Rick Scott in a race that Florida’s large Haitian American community could sway. Mucarsel-Powell has intensified outreach efforts to this key voting bloc, seizing on Scott’s apparent support for anti-immigrant rhetoric. While the Florida Republican remains favored for re-election, some political observers say a strong turnout among Haitian American voters could present an unexpected challenge to his campaign.
Mucarsel-Powell’s campaign has leveraged the latest controversy fueled by baseless claims about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, including former President Donald Trump’s recent comments about revoking Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians. Trump’s remarks and Scott’s silence on the matter have raised concerns among Haitian American voters. The issue of immigration is now at the forefront of Florida’s race, which may help tilt the majority in the U.S. Senate starting in January 2025.
“Over half a million Haitian Americans live in Florida, but instead of defending his constituents, Rick Scott has peddled baseless and racist attacks against them,” Mucarsel-Powell told The Haitian Times in an email. She highlighted her long-standing commitment to the Haitian community, emphasizing that her campaign advocates for democracy and stability in Haiti, in contrast to Scott’s positions.
Mucarsel-Powell, a former U.S. House representative, has a track record of supporting Haitian immigrants, from her advocacy for TPS to addressing housing affordability in Little Haiti. Her relationship with the Haitian American community has been a central feature of her campaign.
During a rally with the Miami-Dade Democratic Haitian Caucus at the end of September, she stressed the need for a leader who stands up for the Haitian community. “Haitian Americans deserve a leader who will fight for them, not someone who stays silent in the face of dangerous rhetoric,” she said.
A poll conducted by the Hill and Emerson College Polling Survey on Sept. 3-5 among 815 likely Florida voters shows the two Floridians are in the tightest statistical race.
According to the polling survey, Scott leads Mucarsel-Powell 46 percent to 45 percent among likely voters, well within the survey’s plus or minus 3.4 point margin of error. Nine percent of voters said they were undecided.
Among independent voters, 47 percent said they backed Mucarsel-Powell, 34 percent broke for Scott, while 19 percent said they were undecided. Mucarsel-Powell leads Scott by 5 points among women voters, and Scott leads her by 8 points among men.
The poll also found the U.S. Senate Democrat candidate polling ahead of her Republican opponent with the state’s Hispanic vote by 6 points, while Scott led Mucarsel-Powell by 19 points among white voters.
No specific data was given for Florida Black, Caribbean, or Haitian American voters.
On Oct. 6, The Hill’s Decision Desk HQ showed that Scott has a 2.8% lead based on the average of 26 polls.
Last month, a Florida Atlantic University poll showed Scott leading Mucarsel-Powell 47% to 43% among likely voters, matching a University of North Florida poll with the same margin. At the same time, The Hill’s Decision Desk HQ average had Scott ahead by 4.3 points. Over the past decade, Republicans have solidified Florida as a red state, achieving notable victories in the 2022 mid-term even as Republicans underperformed nationally.
Changing attitudes among voters
Many voters of Haitian descent are frustrated with Scott. Romain François, a UPS driver affiliated with the Teamsters union and a longtime Republican voter, said he would not support Scott this time. “I am tired of Trumpism and enablers like Rick Scott,” François, a Lakeland resident, told The Haitian Times.
Venise Dort, an independent voter from Orlando, shared similar concerns. “I am waiting to hear more from Debbie before making up my mind, but I can say I won’t be voting for Scott,” she said.
Morange Dossou, a Fort Lauderdale resident, remains undecided but expressed disappointment in Scott’s handling of immigration issues. “I voted for Rick Scott before, but now I’m neutral and undecided,” Dossou said.
“I am not a Debbie Mucarsell-Powell voter yet. I need more details about her plan for our community as I have never voted for a Democrat before,” he indicated.
Media engagement lags behind
While Mucarsel-Powell has actively engaged with Haitian American voters through surrogates, including Democratic elected officials and community leaders, Haitian media outlets in Haitian-heavy South and Central Florida counties are still waiting to hear from either campaign.
Lesly Jacques, founder and CEO of Radio Haiti Amérique Internationale (RHAI), voiced his frustration: “I think they are taking the Haitian vote for granted,” said the Boca Raton’s household name radio host.
Similarly, Sevère Livincoeur of the Explosion radio show on the North Miami Beach-based WSRF 1580 AM & 99.5 FM station said: “We have not heard from any candidate yet, but they should know they need us.”
For Jean Médard Alézy, also known as Dadou Couleur, a popular social media presence and daily radio host in Pompano Beach, no political campaign can pretend to reach out to Haitian voters without investing a dime in the community’s media.
Senator Scott’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment from The Haitian Times.
As the election approaches, Mucarsel-Powell’s campaign is ramping up efforts, including a 75-bus stop tour, roundtables and ads in Creole to connect with voters.
Campaign Communications Director Lauren Chou said, “We are launching five-figure ad buys in Haitian radio and TV programs targeting voters across the state.”
One of the ads, narrated by a well-known Haitian media personality and shared first with The Haitian Times, emphasizes Mucarsel-Powell’s work with the community. The ad concludes with the candidate herself delivering the closing line in Creole: “Mwen se Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, mwen apwouve mesaj sa a.”
Pushing aggressively to the finish line
With the Florida Senate race in its final stretch, Haitian American voters could play a decisive role in determining the outcome. Both campaigns are aggressively spending millions on advertising.
On Oct. 3, it was reported that Rick Scott plans to spend approximately $10 million on new TV ads as his Democratic opponent continues to narrow the polling gap. These ads, as first reported by NBC News, will primarily target the Tampa, Orlando and Miami markets, with additional spots throughout the state.
Despite the race being somewhat under the national radar due to Florida’s reputation as a Republican stronghold, Democrats have mobilized thousands of volunteers across the state. They emphasize Scott’s vulnerabilities, focusing on his relatively low approval ratings despite his undefeated record in statewide Florida elections.
Sen. Scott, who has not debated Mucarsel-Powell, has consistently labeled her as “an open-border socialist.”
Meanwhile, Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried announced on Sept. 30 that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) had committed a “multimillion-dollar” effort to support Mucarsel-Powell. Although, she could not specify the amount, and the DSCC declined to confirm it.
“That money is coming at the right time, and we are going to use it to ensure that we build the infrastructure to get Debbie Mucarsel-Powell over the finish line and retire Rick Scott,” Fried said.
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