Hundreds of people voted for Kamala Harris in the Florida Enclave who hadn’t voted for a Democrat since 2000

The Villages is a retirement community for adults over 55 located in Sumter County, Florida, which has not voted for a Democratic candidate in a general election since 2000. In 2020, Donald Trump won 67.8% of the votes compared to Joe Biden31.7% in the county. In 2016, Trump won 68.8% Hillary Clintonwas 29.5%. In 2008 and 2012, when Barack Obama benefited the state, 63% of voters in Sumter voted for John McCain and 67.2% for Mitt Romney, respectively. In other words, it’s a Republican stronghold—which creates new enthusiasm for Kamala Harris No good news for Trump!

Over the weekend, hundreds of golf carts paraded around the Village in support of Harris, reportedly causing traffic jams as they showed their enthusiasm for the vice president. “The young people are full of energy and so are we,” said residents. Joyce Wiegand told the Villages-News. Her friend said Karen Winks: “Kamala is not just for young people, she is for all of us. She supports Social Security, Medicare, and health care. That matters to us.”

Diane Ruggiero, a registered Republican, told the outlet Harris “gives us all hope,” adding: “She’s someone to look up to. I’m fed up with all the negativity—people we don’t want and people we don’t like. Now we have someone to like and be happy and excited about. I’m trying to be less negative, and it’s nice to be for something instead of being against so many things.” While Villages residents are 97.4% white according to the Census, when asked about voting for a person of color, residents Jim guy “That’s not the point,” he said. “What’s important is that she’s a highly qualified, experienced individual and she cares about her employees.”

While Florida may still be a distant goal for Democrats, Aubrey Jewett, political scientist at the University of Central Florida, told South Florida Sun Sentinel newspaper The excitement around Harris’ candidacy is clearly noticeable. “It’s been a long time since anyone has been able to stir up that kind of enthusiasm,” he said. Also notable: the fact that Florida’s governor Ron DeSantis felt the need to comment on it, asserting that it was no big deal.

Speaking to Politico, South Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz “Don’t sleep on Florida,” declared Kamala. “Candidate Kamala has awakened a sleeping giant.”

GOP senator’s attack on Kamala Harris didn’t get the response from Fox News he thought it would