Why are Florida whites so Republican?

[Frozen Sky Ever Why]

According to CNN, only 33% of white men voted for Obama in 2012. He received 41% of white women, but that's the same or a point below what he received in 2008. Everyone says Florida is culturally between PA & OH, but that's clearly not the case politically.

[Badger]

Well, it IS a southern state after all (at least the northern third anyway).

[BaconBacon96]

Because it's still the South...

[Flake]

The northern third votes like Alabama.

[ElectionsGuy]

Well, in the northern baptist part of the state (like, 25-30% of the population), whites vote overwhelmingly republican, probably more like Georgia (75-80% of whites voting republican), in the rest, the white vote is still somewhat republican, except in the big three southeast counties. The southwest is a republican stronghold, and the areas in between the I4 corridor are also republican. So its not much of a surprise. We can't emphasize the increased turnout and increased Obama vote for Hispanics enough though. If Romney performed even McCain levels with Hispanics, he probably would've won the state.

[Ebowed]

Well, in the northern baptist part of the state (like, 25-30% of the population), whites vote overwhelmingly republican, probably more like Georgia (75-80% of whites voting republican), in the rest, the white vote is still somewhat republican, except in the big three southeast counties. The southwest is a republican stronghold, and the areas in between the I4 corridor are also republican. So its not much of a surprise. We can't emphasize the increased turnout and increased Obama vote for Hispanics enough though. If Romney performed even McCain levels with Hispanics, he probably would've won the state.

The 2012 raw vote totals in Miami-Dade County compared to 2008 are quite telling.

[sg0508]

Because most whites in the northern half of the state are from the Bible Belt, or at least consider themselves from that region.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

According to CNN, only 33% of white men voted for Obama in 2012. He received 41% of white women, but that's the same or a point below what he received in 2008. Everyone says Florida is culturally between PA & OH, but that's clearly not the case politically.

why would anyone compare Florida to PA and OH?

[pbrower2a]

According to CNN, only 33% of white men voted for Obama in 2012. He received 41% of white women, but that's the same or a point below what he received in 2008. Everyone says Florida is culturally between PA & OH, but that's clearly not the case politically.

why would anyone compare Florida to PA and OH?

Florida and Ohio vote much alike.

Florida has lots of sun-chasers from the northeastern quadrant of the US, and they take their political culture with them. What is the "average" such state?

[illegaloperation]

Why? Because northern Florida vote like Georgia does.

[old timey villain]

The only area of Florida where whites vote like their counterparts in the Northeast would be SE Florida in Broward and Palm Beach counties. But even Palm Beach whites are becoming more Republican.

Whites in central Florida along the I-4 corridor are pretty Republican but the growing minority population makes the area a swing region.

White Floridians north of Ocala are super GOP, just like they are in the rest of the south.

People who haven't spent a lot of time in Florida don't realize that it's still pretty southern in many parts of the state. Florida really doesn't take on that snowbird/international feel until you get south of Orlando into the southeast part of the state. North of that area I would still classify it as southern. Hell, even parts of south Florida are still southern around Lake Okechobee.

[All Along The Watchtower]

white men are the base of the Republican party and almost half of the Florida population are true Southerners...  I'm not sure I buy that only 33% voted for Obama though, simply because there is a large Jewish and gay population in South Florida and there are a lot of tourist workers in the Orlando area who are white and probably vote D.  Any time you are polling a subset of a state population the error rate will likely be higher because the sample size is so low. 

Good points, but aren't many of those Jewish voters in South Florida olds? I don't think they are as Democratic as younger Jews.

[Adam Griffin]

Because 2/3 of FL whites live north of the I-4 corridor.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

The only area of Florida where whites vote like their counterparts in the Northeast would be SE Florida in Broward and Palm Beach counties. But even Palm Beach whites are becoming more Republican.

Whites in central Florida along the I-4 corridor are pretty Republican but the growing minority population makes the area a swing region.

White Floridians north of Ocala are super GOP, just like they are in the rest of the south.

People who haven't spent a lot of time in Florida don't realize that it's still pretty southern in many parts of the state. Florida really doesn't take on that snowbird/international feel until you get south of Orlando into the southeast part of the state. North of that area I would still classify it as southern. Hell, even parts of south Florida are still southern around Lake Okechobee.

I disagree with the first tidbit about Palm Beach County-the PBC GOP was eclipsed by Independents a few months ago. I am active in the Palm Beach County GOP, and I don't see a surge of white voters. The rest of your post, especially the last paragraph, is 100% true. Go to Clewiston, which isn't far from where I live at all (I think it's about ninety minutes) and hang out with my Uncle Gary if you want further proof .

[Mr. Illini]

NoFla whites are southerners, SoFla whites tend to be older

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Isn't it obvious?  Racism!

[Alcon]

white men are the base of the Republican party and almost half of the Florida population are true Southerners...  I'm not sure I buy that only 33% voted for Obama though, simply because there is a large Jewish and gay population in South Florida and there are a lot of tourist workers in the Orlando area who are white and probably vote D.  Any time you are polling a subset of a state population the error rate will likely be higher because the sample size is so low. 

Good points, but aren't many of those Jewish voters in South Florida olds? I don't think they are as Democratic as younger Jews.

Actually, the evidence is pretty suggestive that younger Jews are more Republican (at least last I've checked) -- some of that may be shifts in religious preference, so it may not apply in Florida as much.  I also may be totally wrong in my memory.

[Fuzzy Stands With His Friend, Chairman Sanchez]

North and West Florida are different areas.  The Western counties in the Central Time Zone are the most Southern in FL, and they have a lesser black population than you would expect in the Deep South.  The North FL counties in the Eastern Time Zone have more blacks living in them and some still elect Democrats to local offices (although they elect Republicans to Congress and state offices).

Florida's whites are quite Republican because the big attraction to moving to FL is its status as a tax haven.  There's no sales tax, and property taxes are limited.  It's consistent with the traditional white Southern outlook, and it's a big motivator for wealthy retirees who aren't vested in public education and don't mind in being cheap in that area. 

Some of Florida's "whites" are "white Hispanic".  These are mostly Cubans, who have been Republican (anti-Castro) and socially conservative, but not so much as in the Reagan years.