Florida: America's Wounded Puppy

It's been kicked so hard, it's lost hope. From the LA Times:

Florida Democrats are concerned that none of their party's potential nominees are up to the job of defeating the president in a state where his younger brother, Jeb Bush, won a landslide reelection as governor just 10 months ago.

Florida Democrats have had very little to cheer about since the December day in 2000 when the U.S. Supreme Court stopped the recounting of ballots in the epic struggle between Bush and Al Gore. That decision let stand a count that gave Bush a victory in Florida of 537 votes out of nearly 6 million cast — and with it, the presidency.

The state's Democrats have used that fierce fight as a rallying cry. But that hasn't prevented Republicans from gaining ground on most key measures of political strength in the state since.

One basic indication is party registration. In 2000, there were 372,843 more Democrats than Republicans registered in the state; by this summer, the margin had dwindled by nearly 60,000, to 314,969.

More dramatic were the results of the 2002 election. Republicans padded their majorities in both the state House and Senate. With the help of a favorable redistricting map, they expanded their lead in the state's 25-member congressional delegation from seven seats to 11.

It's easy to give up after all that state has had to endure. But how can they have any doubts over whether or not Jeb's crackhead brother should be returned for another four years of embarrassment? If we don't give them a reason (a compelling candidate), they'll sit this one out. We cannot allow that to happen.