>>As the election nears, NewsNight is on the roa for a conversation in Kissimmee.

>>We've kind of moved away from the truly purple state of Florida, where we used to be a bellwether for really the country.

And, and we have moved more toward a center right kind of leaning state.

>>We'll discuss the issues, the changes to election laws and efforts to turn out the vote.

NewsNight Conversations starts now.

[MUSIC] Hello, I'm Steve Mor and welcome to the first of two special edition of NewsNight Conversations.

Over the next two weeks, we'll be discussing issues guiding the political conversation leading up to November 5th.

Floridians access to the polls following recent changes to state laws on votin and the work being done in our region to increase participation in the democratic process.

On October 2nd we held two discussions in front of a live audience at the BEV Event Center in Kissimmee.

We'll bring you the first o those conversations in a moment, looking at the growing and diversifying state we live in and how recent changes are shifting the political landscape in Florida.

But first, Krystel Knowles looks at efforts by Latino advocacy groups to increase the participation o Hispanic voters this election.

>>Door to door canvassers with the nonpartisan group for Poder Latinx pound the pavement in East Orlando to urge residents to vote.

>>This i a time to speak up, to actually look for that change tha you need in your communities, because at the end of the day, our votes are our voice when it comes to politics, when it comes to pretty much our lifestyle.

>>In this neighborhood many people do not speak English and some are unaware of their voting rights.

Despite that, Alejandro Flores, Florida coordinator for Poder Latinx, says the Hispanic vote is powerful enough to create political change.

>>It is important because the Hispanic community is the sleeping giant in Florida.

We have 3.5 million Hispanics who are allowed to vote in the state, who are legally allowed, they're citizens and they're voting age.

However, in the last elections, only 800,000 Hispanics voted out of 3 million Hispanics.

So it is important to awaken that sleeping giant and let them know, hey, you can make a change.

>>Luisa Elena Armas, who was born in Venezuela, says her goal is to knock on at least 200 doors.

>>Well, I like to communicate with people first.

Serving the community is somethin I've always done and enjoy.

I've been working in thi for four months.

Back in my country I would do this type of work for my community.

I like it.

>>For Flores, canvasing is a way to unite the Latin American community.

Also born in Venezuela, he was forced to leave as lif became increasingly dangerous.

He started gaining attentio as an anti-government activist.

His story is not uncommon.

>>--dictatorship.

I even dare to say like 95% o the team comes from Venezuela, so they understand the importance of really getting people engaged getting people to vote because look at the state of Venezuela right now.

It was because of apathy.

It was because of people not voting and not being vocal about.

>>Armas says canvasing is far from glamorous and at times can be a little scary.

>>There are many people who don't trust and sometimes they might respond in a rude way.

But most people are very receptive.

>>We had a canvasser who a guy pulled up a gun on her.

It was shocking and thankfully she was okay.

She's safe.

But this is the kind of stuff that they're facing on a daily basis.

I wish I could say like, hey has gotten better.

Like, everybody's lik welcoming them with open arms.

That would be a lie.

So this is why we're here, to educate and make sure this doesn't continue to happen.

>>Krystel Knowles reporting on get out the vote efforts in East Orlando.

Well, Osceola County is another example of an area that's seen an influx of new residents, especially from Puerto Rico and Venezuela.

To discuss how this and other changes have influenced Florida's pivot from being America's largest swing state to a relatively reliable state for Republicans.

I was joined by former Republican State Senator and founder of the Florida Policy Project, Jeff Brandes, Dick Batchelor, forme Democratic State Representative and founder of Dick Batchelor Management Group, Florida State Director of the Hispanic Federation Laudi Campo and Fernando Rivera, Director of the Puerto Rico Research Hub at UCF.

>>Well, I think the pandemi had a major impact on Florida.

Obviously, as other states shut down, Florida did not.

It stayed open in many respects, and I think people decided to move away from high tax states to states like Florida.

And, Florida has been kin of reaping the benefits of that.

And some of the challenges of that, obviously, housing has gotten more expensive, over the, over the last few years.

But the state has shifted more red.

It's been very interesting.

There's about a millio more registered Republicans now in the state.

And so we've kind of moved away from the truly purple state of Florida, where we used to be a bellwether for really the country.

And, and we have moved more to a center right, kind of leaning state, I think.

>>Do you agree with that?

>>I think it has, the if you look at the legislature now, there's a supermajority in the House and Senate.

When I was there, Democrats were in control, and it's almost completely reversed.

Now we get a supermajority tha entitles the House and Senate, made up Republicans to basically pas any legislation to vote to pass killing legislation they want to kill, fund anything I want to fund, all for constitutional amendments without any help from the Democrats.

So obviously it's a very, very strong Republican state of Florida.

Notwithstanding some of my disagreements with the governor, the governor certainly has put Florida on the map in a big way, not only running for president, but also and his leadership.

But I would say parenthetically, the Democrats and some Democrats have been able to get some things done, some thing passed reach across the aisle.

But if the Republicans don't want to do that, they can slap your hand.

And say we're going to do it our way.

>>And of course, Florid has had a Republican legislature for much longe than the last few years or so.

That's that's not a new phenomenon.

Jeff mentioned there, the sort of migration into th state from within the mainland.

But I wonder, Fernando, how much of a difference you think arrivals from Puerto Rico have made?

Do you see a change in their political leanings?

And is that going to affect the political map, do you think, in places like where we are right now in Osceola County?

>>Well, I think so.

And definitely, you know, we had migration of Puerto Ricans, right.

And one of the the key issue that we're finding is economic issues, right?

So you get the, you know, people that come from Puerto Rico for economic opportunities, but you had people from New York and Pennsylvania and other areas that happen to be Puerto Rican that are moving to the region as well.

So that's that's, you know, that interesting movement of people are sort of testamen to what we're seeing right now in terms of, you know, those economic opportunities.

And that's been kind of like the trademark for a lot of the Puerto Rica population movement in the past.

Right, seeking economic opportunities, obviously, you know, that movement of a lot of people is bringing a lot of challenges, like Jeff was saying here to the state.

So how long is that going to make an impact that we're going to see?

Because, you know, if we look at sort of the population movemen of Puerto Rican side of the area is sort of resembles what happened in the 1940s and 50s in, in the northeastern state out there.

And we see kind of like there's been a shift in that population here.

And then, Florida has the state with the most Puerto Ricans of all the states out here.

So definitely growing.

The numbers are changing.

But as long as the economic opportunities people are going to come here and they're going to have an impact in the community.

>>Unlike migrants from other countries people from Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens.

Right.

And they vote.

They can vote in elections.

Do you get a feeling what the priorities are for Puerto Rican voters in Central Florida?

They make up such a large slice of the electorate, particularly in places like Osceola County.

What is motivating those voters?

I'll come to you first and then I'll ask.

>>Well, we just we just did a Puerto Ricans in Florida survey and what we found was the big issues were education the economy and cost of living.

And I think that, you know, some of the work that other groups have done out there find the same thing.

So a lot of pocket pocketbook issues are the ones that are driving out here.

>>So maybe not so different to the electorate at large.

What do you think?

>>I agree with that.

Recently we did a poll and those that was the 60% of the answer economic.

It was pocketboo like you mentioned issues like affordable housing.

It was the inflation.

It was job creation.

But other things that we're concerned about, and I'm talking about the Latino community, which is, we are part of which is our part of it.

It was also immigration.

It was also gun control.

And it was also, abortion.

>>Well, what about the Hispani community writ large, I guess.

I mean, we've seen a surge in Venezuelans, for example, in central and south Florida over the last few years amid the security crisis there.

What are the issues that yo detect amongst newer arrivals?

I guess those that are now U.S. citizens that can vote.

I mean, do you see parallels to what we saw for many years i the Cuban-American population?

Do they view themselves as exiles?

Do they vote on that issue?

>>When you when you think about the Latino community, they're coming here.

They're very focused in economic.

They're leaving their countries for many reasons.

And also they are very concerned about that.

But also they're very focused because they understand the power that they bring to the state.

So, yes, for them is very important, that the immigrant community, the immigration.

But as much as important, is it economic.

Again, they understand what they bring and they understand the power that that brings to the state as well.

And that's why we have seen an impulse.

>>I do want to drill down a little bit on.

Something that you mentioned earlier, Jeff, and that was Covid.

Of course.

You know, many of u that's in the rearview mirror, but the the impact of, of Covid 19, I think is, has changed the political landscape.

And you talked a little bit about that.

I wonder if you could sort of expound on that.

And, and does that still resonate, do you think with voters even now, do you think that will be makin a difference in this election?

>>Well look 750 people moved to Florida net every single day.

And so I think that that highlights it.

But let's just take one data point of housing, because housing is clearly top of mind.

You know, back in during the Covid era of just just 2019, 2020, you could buy an house in Central Florida for about $250,000.

Today that's $400,000, right?

And so what we're seeing is the demand has well outstripped supply of housing.

And that is one thing that I think is going to hold Florida back going forward.

We have to address these issues like housing, property insurance, general affordability.

These are the top three issues in the state of Florida.

A poll was just released today by, the Associated Industries of Florida.

And really tying neck and neck in that state, in the state was, general affordabilit kind of things are everything's costing more.

And property insurance at 23%, both that they so that that was the number one issue in Florida.

The number three issue in Florida was was housing at 12% was saying housing was becoming the most challenging issue.

So I think, you know, we can see all of these things beginning to play out.

But I think what's going to slow the migration to Florida is, frankly, that just housin is costing so much more property insurance is costing so much more.

And there's general affordability issues.

Florida isn't the super affordable state i was just a handful of years ago.

>>I can certainly attest to that.

The legislature, of course passed the Live Local Act.

You were one of the leaders, on pushing for, homeowners insurance reform.

Is the legislature, do you think doing enough to tackle these things?

>>No.

Look, I mean, here's the thing.

We have these great public universities.

We have some students from UC in the audience with us today.

What what university is doing any research on housing or doing any research on property insurance?

None of them.

Legislature, to my knowledge, has zero research studies.

We were at OPPAGA.

We have no research studies going on in the state on the issue of housing of of of housing affordability or on the issue of insurance, there's a lot more we should be doing.

We should be the nation's leader in best practices on both of those issues.

Instead of, you know, what we're currently doing, which is just kind of a big question mark.

>>What do you think Dick?

I mean, what is the what are the issues that, that you see motivating voters this time around?

>>Speak to housing for a moment because it's it's a very key issues.

As a senator pointed out in, in Central Florida, it's a it's really exacerbated by the fact of low income jobs here in the tourism industry.

And a year ago, you have people having to pay 50% of their gross income for rent.

And that's not sustainable.

And so fortunately Orange County has an affordable housing task force.

They've made recommendations.

They put up some money, but it's a Band-Aid.

And I know I'm not being critical of the county, but it's a Band-Aid when it comes to affordable housing.

And get me back to Jeff's comme about insurance, too.

When you're alluding to the storm, you can't get property insurance.

If you do, it's a 40-50 increase in your premium cost.

And now with this, hurricane damage, you're going to find a lo of people who are not insured.

They didn't carry the flood insurance.

They didn't think they needed needed it.

And now they have no insurance cause their traditional insurance doesn't cover floods or acts of God, if we might call them those.

So it's difficult.

So owning a house, building a house, owning a house is one thing, but also the requirements that come with it.

Like you've got to have insurance, if you have a mortgage, you've got to have insurance.

So it's very, very difficult.

So I agree housing is a really, really critical issue in this state.

And throughout this state.

>>When Dick mentioned the affordability issue, I heard you agree with that.

What do you think?

>>Our communities are, are one of the most vulnerable, that they are the least paid.

They're the one who were a first responder during Covid, but yet they're the ones who are getting less, recuperation in the economy.

And plus, we cannot, think about affordable housing without thinking of climate change.

This is a state where it gets affected, like we had a storm last week and we are looking into another thing.

So these are things that we need to take into consideratio because it all affects economy.

So yes, I totally agree.

>>What do you think?

Do you think, underserved communities, are particularly vulnerable at this time because of that affordability issue?

Do you see that as a big issue this election?

>>Yeah, absolutely.

And we did a survey stud looking at what was the impact of the people that came after Hurricane Maria, here.

And we found that the community was able to absorb it.

There was no issues with housing or, job market or anything like that.

But that was 2018, you know, now we look at a and only in five years these have changed, you know, five, six years have changed dramatically.

In terms of that, and I was recently looking at the numbers, you know, in terms of the Puerto Rican population and it's the, slowly from 2022 to 23.

So we're seeing again that, you know, how long can the state of Florida attract people?

When we have low, low wages especially here in the central Florida area, that seem to be kind of like the entry jobs for a lot of, the Latin and immigrant groups out here.

How long are you able to, you know, provide this?

Because right now it's becoming unsustainable.

And eventually we'll we'll have, you know, people will seek opportunities where they are.

And we seen kind of like some, some of that interesting movement as well, you know, where you see, growing or the at least of the Puerto Rican population, places like Massachusetts, North Carolina, even Texas, of other states out here.

So it's and and again, that the example is Puerto Ricans.

But when people are lookin for economic opportunities, they they follow the same trends as the general public.

>>I mean, are the issues in, in Florida, sort of emblematic do we think of what we're seeing nationwide, obviously, in terms of insurance?

And that's a very Florida specific issue.

The affordability issue isn't, but I do wonder whether, you know, you think our state, has some unique challenges Laudia mentioned for example, the issue of resiliency.

What do you think, Jeff?

>>Well, I think a lot of state are struggling with insurance.

California has its struggles.

Texas has it struggles.

Florid has it struggles on the on the in the insurance side and same on housing.

Right.

We have you know, there are best practices that are out there.

That's why I created a nonprofit to focus on that.

But but there are best practices that are out there.

But I think there are some uniquely Florida challenges.

I think property insurance definitely is a uniquely Florida challenge.

I think the growth of the state, like Florida, you know, it doesn't just affect, housing, it's transportation, it's health care services.

It's law enforcement.

Growth at the levels that we've seen is straining all across the Florida, the system, not to mention even our prison system, which will by the end of the decade, have well over 100,000 inmates in it.

And so we have we're strained at every level.

And I think this is where the unique challenge, you know, yes, Florida does hav a supermajority of Republicans in the legislature, but also means we have the they have the responsibility to lea on all these different issues.

And I would argue on many of these issues, there isn't a lot of leadership.

And we're falling behind.

>>I want to just, pivot and talk a little bit about, the role of politics in terms of what, legislators, and congressional candidates are running on in our state this election.

We've seen in previous cycles a lot of the culture issues.

Do we still think that tha is important to people, I guess.

Is the governor stil driving the agenda in the state?

What do you think candidates are running on what do they identify as important?

What do you suggest?

>>Oh, I think governor DeSantis is kind of had three phases of of his governorship.

I think you have the honeymoo phase the first couple of years when the legislature is kind of just getting to know him.

I think, you know he's had his presidential phase and kind of now we're in th sunset or question mark phase, and it'll be interesting to see how he handles the last couple of years.

You know, as, as his the transition to, new leadership comes in, I think I think this is what people will remember about governor DeSantis is really his last couple of years.

And so I think that's the challenge for him is to show leadership in some of these areas that Florida is really struggling with.

>>There are roots for Democrats in this state.

>>There's a root, but I'm not sure is, it's that feasible politically.

I would say Florida is not i play on the presidential race, but to the exten there's a head fake in Florida, if the Democratic Senate candidate who was in it can they get money from the SEC?

She could put Florida in play.

When I say it's a head fake what happens in the campaign is if you can force, Florida the Trump campaign and DeSantis people to be forced to have had to spend money in Florida where they should not have to spend any money, but are two issues, I think, can be a modicum of influence, and you only need to swing on 1 or 2 points.

I think the abortion issue, which is on the ballot, as we know, can turn out and then the medical recreational marijuana issue, I think will turn out, young people who traditionally vote Democratic.

So I think the answer is yes.

There are two cultural issues, one to the choice issue and one the, recreational marijuana, I think could turn out some people are not put Florida in play, but put them in play enough to force the incumbents to have to spend money to survive.

>>Democrats have sort of counted on those issues to do that for them in other states.

It hasn't necessarily panned out, though.

>>Well, it has, and in a number of states in, in Ohio, it panned out.

It's on the ballot.

And in, Arizona, which is very important must-win state.

So those issues, the social issues are on the ballot.

And I keep in mind, too, in Florida, because the legislature used to be a 50% plus one to pass a constitutional amendment now at 60%.

So it's a very, very high bar to set.

So it'd be very interesting to see if you could sustain the interest in those two issues up to and through the election day.

>>How about the communities that that you talk to, on a regular basis?

I mean, one of the things tha really interests me is the shift politically in a number of those communities.

Do you think that as that population diversifies, so do their politics?

>>Well, I think that there's always a possibility with the Latino, community, as long as you come to our community and to talk to us, I think that's the most important thing when we think about nationally.

We did a poll and again, we mentioned about things are there mentioned here in Florida, for example, abortion.

And it's very important to our communities.

So for candidate more than anything and this shift to any way they have to come to our communities, not at the last minute.

And that is one of the key issues that the candidates of any, any party affiliatio have to take into consideration.

Another thing is, like with the change in the ticket as a presidential ticket, you know, they showed that 75% of Latinos in the United States are willing to vote more than anyone, like now.

And the target, the groups are 18 plus, women, and Hispanic speaking people.

These are 15% nationally of voters.

And in Florida they represent 22%.

Take care like we use this information and make sure to come to our communities.

>>Well, let's actually start with this one.

And this is, this is something I think the you talked about before, and this is the the challenges of Florida's increasing population.

How do you influence those universities that you talked about, higher education institutions to research the housing crisis?

Well, it's a great question.

The state of Florida gives these institutions billions of dollars every single year to build new buildings and fund students.

I would argue that we should create centers of excellence at th universities that they can lose.

Right.

There has to be this incentive that you can lose this opportunity.

For example, Florida has the Schomburg Center at the University of Florida that produces data but actually doesn't produce best practices to help guide policymakers.

I don't know about when you're in the office, but in my 12 years in the legislature, zero time that alleged, did a university come to me with a solution to a Florida problem?

I think, unfortunately, what's happened is actually we disincentivize the universitie from getting engaged straight.

In carpentry they say that the the tall nail gets hammered, right.

The nail that sticks out gets hammered.

And I think universities have gotten to a place where they would they just realize, hey, listen, the legislature is going to fund me.

So if but if I make a recommendation and they don't like it, maybe they'll come at me.

And I think that's a problem.

I think I think, we've actually disincentiviz the universities from engaging in the political discourse, with some of the things the legislature has done over the last few years.

And I think we have to change that model.

>>We have somebody from university, right.

What do you think?

>>There's people like me trying to engage out here in terms of that.

But it's become a tall order.

You know, we, we can now be blind to the realitie that, you know, we have a very, you know, disintellectual, sort of, push out there in terms of that, you know, we questionin the value of going to college.

We're, questioning, you know, should students go out there and all sorts of things and, and it's a shame, right?

Because I think every public state university i the best asset that they have, and they should utilize it, I think not only the Floridia legislation but over the nation, that that should be your first asset out there because you're using that money out there in terms of that.

So sometimes I feel like instead of this cultural war battles that we have, hey, let's come together.

You know, talk to talk to me.

And I think these conversations are are very healthy.

And that's what I've tried to do as much as I can, you know, you know, go to Tallahassee and we we have participated in Tallahassee.

I've gone to Congress.

I'm trying to do my best to make sure that whatever I learn, I make sure that people, that decision makers actually know that informatio and coming up with solutions and and hopefully they can implement some of those.

>>I want to wrap up with this question, how important is the issue of a woman's right to choose in this election?

Let me start with you, Lauri on this.

And and when you talk to, t to to voters around the state, do you get a feeling that the abortion issue is an issue that motivates voters that that is important to them?

>>I mean, when we did the survey, 18% of the Latino community say that it's important that and it's interesting how you speak to a Latino when you speak about women's rights.

And abortion is a very different way and different approaches.

You ask the same question.

So those are the things that w need to make in consideration.

And of course, in this state is different.

Abortion has been one of the top, for in many in many places in it mentioned in churches.

And it's okay because we come from a base of Christian and things like that.

But when you talk to a women to a Latinx person and you talk differently you could get different answers.

And another thing I want to point out is that, again, young women and and, when you speak with women and young people, you'll get a different, feedback as well.

>>The first of our discussions held recently in Kissimmee.

Next week on NewsNight Conversations we'll look at changes to Florida's election laws in recent years and more on the issues driving voters choices.

Meanwhile, WUCF has teamed u with our public media partners around the state to create a voter guide to help you navigate the candidates and where they stan on the issues this election.

Be sure to check out this important resource at wucf.org/vote.

But that is al the time we have for this week.

We'll see you here again next Friday night at 8:30 on WUCF.

In the meantime, from all of us here at NewsNight.

Take care and have a great week.