Tampa Congresswoman Kathy Castor is at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week. She says she's seen a lot of new volunteers since Kamala Harris announced her campaign for president.
Castor says Florida has seen an increase of 25,000 volunteers since President Biden dropped his reelection bid and endorsed Harris for president.
But what she's hearing most about from folks is how life has gotten so expensive.
Here's our interview with Castor from Chicago:
WUSF: I want to gauge the general mood up there. Can give our listeners an idea how of much it's changed in the last several weeks since President Biden made his declaration to stay out of the race?
CASTOR: I'll have to tell you, people are wildly enthusiastic here at the Democratic Convention, and it reflects what I've seen across the Tampa Bay area as well. New faces, new people are engaged more than ever before. It reminds me I really haven't seen it like this in many, many years, maybe back to the Obama campaign year, 2008.
"We have 25,000 new volunteers in Florida, and that's more than just about any other state." - Congresswoman Kathy Castor.
I was corrected this morning, when I was on the program for the Florida delegates, and I stood up and I congratulated Florida Democratic Party chair Nikki Fried, saying you have 16,000 new volunteers signed up, and she corrected me. We have 25,000 new volunteers in Florida, and that's more than just about any other state.
So it reflects what I've seen just in the past few weeks, when we're walking door to door. More volunteers are turning out, people who have not have been engaged, have not done that before, doing phone banking. They want to organize these fun Zoom fundraisers and "friend raisers."
Something is happening here on the ground, and it, I see it in the public opinion polls, even for Florida. Based on public opinion polls, it looks like Florida's in play, or that's the trend, and it that reflects what I'm seeing on the ground and kind of the mood here in Chicago.
What do you attribute this to? I mean, to some people, this might seem kind of surprising, because Kamala Harris never was in the primaries, nobody voted for her. Is it strictly her magnetism, or maybe not having an 81-year-old running for office?
Yeah, elections are about the future. And when it was Trump vs. Biden, I think people were afraid that it was going to be an election looking backward. And you know, on the Democratic side, we have so many important accomplishments to lower costs. Look at Medicare. We can finally negotiate drugs, we have a $35 price cap on insulin. Over 4 million Floridians have affordable health insurance because of the ACA (Affordable Care Act) and inflation Reduction Act. One the most expansive new veterans care laws, that's taking care of veterans.
"But unless you have a candidate who can articulate that vision for the future and how you grow the middle class and build safer communities they're not going to engage" - Kathy Castor
So I think folks knew we were Democrats, are solving problems, and we have a lot to run on. But unless you have a candidate who can articulate that vision for the future and how you grow the middle class and build safer communities, they're not going to engage and now think they see an opportunity to in a party that wants to make their lives better. And the Republican candidate now, Trump, is the oldest nominee to run for president in history, and it's quite a contrast with this smart, gregarious vice president in Kamala Harris that doesn't look anything like presidential candidates have in the past.
So you've been out canvassing, out there in the streets, with people who have been banging on the doors. What are the issues that you've been hearing that people want addressed during this campaign?
Top issue is the cost of living, and it's worse in Florida because of the astronomical property insurance crisis. Electric bills in Florida are so high, they want folks who are focused on their pocketbooks. So when we're able to explain we've kept the price of insulin (down), we've made energy more affordable through the Inflation Reduction Act with the tax credits and rebates, they know that oftentimes you can't work magic, but they want to know who's fighting for them, who's on their side, who understands the struggle.
And when you contrast that with Trump and his Project 2025 that really wants to give the benefit to millionaires and billionaires on tax cuts, they don't see that as solving their personal pocketbook issue. So that's going to be a major contrast, I think, going into as people get ready to vote in November.
And we're going to hear a lot of that during the convention, right? That's part of the platform they're going to address?
Yes. The tribute to President Joe Biden is about who really accomplished more in one term than most presidents do in two. And then really begin to draw that contrast and talk about the future, and it's about solving problems and lowering costs. And that's what folks are talking about in Chicago. That's what folks are talking about across the Tampa Bay area.
"...now you're talking about elections that are forward-looking. They do want to see a lightness and an optimism and someone who can go into those battles."
But boy, life is so expensive. That's what I hear from our neighbors. That they don't like having to maybe give up their property insurance. They don't like what it costs at the grocery store. They don't like the mean spiritedness out of Tallahassee against teachers and educators and all those culture war issues. They really want folks who are focused on lifting people up. And I think that's the optimistic tone among Democrats. And coming from Kamala Harris, where she can laugh, they might make fun of that, but now you're talking about elections that are forward-looking. They do want to see a lightness and an optimism and someone who can go into those battles.
