Listen to Part 3
To get a better glimpse of the presidential election in Florida, let's quickly look at the primary results statewide and locally.
While Hillary Clinton won in the state with 8 democrat candidates running, in Duval County, Barack Obama came in first with almost a 17 percent edge over Clinton.
While on the GOP side, Mitt Romney came in first in Duval, with a 14 percent edge over the winner of the state, John McCain, with 9 republican candidates running.
However, we have a democratic delegate debacle to deal with here.
So how does that effect things?
Republican State Chairman Jim Greer says this situation will hurt the democrat party.
"But I think because of the fact that the Democrat party is split, and there is no true leadership at the top of the organization to help make a decision on that, I think it's going to continue to be devisive," says Greer.
"I think it's going to to hurt the Democrat party."
He says that democrats and independents will see that the Republican party is the party that is interested in counting every vote.
"...and I think that's why Senator McCain is going to be elected President," says Greer.
However let's look at the democrat side.
"If you go back to why people involve themselves in a campaign or decide to vote, it really becomes about their pocket book issues," says Florida Democratic Chairwoman Karen Thurman.
She mentioned gas prices and health care as issues that people will evaluate by the time we hit election time, and that they will begin to look serously at democrats for a leader that will bring a different direction.
Let's now take a quick look at the possibility of high voter turnout in Duval County.
Duval County Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland says that if Obama continues to lead, then turnout rates in Duval could be higher.
"One of the reasons is obviously he's had a very strong minority support," says Holland.
"I think in one of his states he had 90% of the minority vote."
He says that about 54% of the Democratic party in Duval are minorities.
"Typically those in the urban core area of Duval County have been the areas with the lowest turnout," says Holland.
"Senator Obama may very well bring an energy for many democratic voters to come vote."
He says where they have their lowest turnouts could be where they have the highest, which would push the county number to record highs.
Listen to Part 2
Florida is an interesting state to look at in terms of presidential elections, due to the variety that we have to offer.
State Democratic Chairwoman Karen Thurman says she's always believed Florida is important, in part because of our diversity and size. "...I think we have everything here that all citizens across the country are facing, but I just think that because of our diversity in this state and the size of our state clearly make us a very important part of any election and an understanding of the electorate across the country, " says Thurman.
So what do we know about our voters???
Well, we do know a few of the main issues they will be looking at come November.
"There's no doubt that the economy is the number one thing that all citizens are thinking about now," says State Republican Chairman Jim Greer.
"Certainly the war in Iraq and national security is on the radar and a concern of all of us," says Greer.
Meanwhile, the economy is heavy on the minds of Duval county voters.
"The issue of foreclosures, the issues there on the economy are going to be number one, "says Duval County Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland.
He says second to that will be the war on terror.
"It's a very military town, pro-military, (it's) been very supportive of the President in many ways that may be defining issues," says Holland.
He also labels immigration as an important issue.
When I asked Scott Shine, a member of the Democratic Executive Committee what the biggest issues are to democrats voting in Duval County, he said, "I believe right now that the economy is number one. We've seen that in studies (that) tend back that up.
Regardless of the issues, it's not easy to guess how the entire state will vote.
"Florida voters and Florida republicans are somewhat independent," says State Republican Chairman Greer. "I think that they certainly like what's happening in the state of Florida under Governor Crist."
Greer says that while republicans are always loyal to the party, he says they are a tad independent.
Listen to Part 1
If you have lived in Florida all your life, for just a portion or if you just arrived, you should know that you live in a swing state that has gone red in the past two presidential elections, with both a republican and democratic senator.
According to the Florida Department of State's Division of Elections, in 2004 President Bush grabbed about 52 percent of the vote here, while John Kerry grabbed about 47 percent.
In 2000 Bush and Al Gore tied, with both grabbing 48.8 % of the vote and the race coming down to just over 500 votes.
Specifically here in Duval County, according to the Duval County Supervisor of Elections office, Bush held almost a 17% edge in votes over Gore.
"Even Senator John McCain just last week (or) two weeks ago, I could not have said it better myself, he pointed at me as chairman and said 'Chairman, I will remind you that Duval County elected George W. Bush in 2000, and Duval County will elect the next President of the United States,' " says Duval Republican Chairman John Falconetti.
In the county, Democrats outnumber the Republicans.
"...but the amount of conservative Democrats who switch over and vote Republican...Republicans have been holding seats, county wide seats since '95," says Duval County Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland. "So basically the Northeast Florida area has been going Republican probably for over a decade."
He says this also goes for surrounding counties.
"Especially the Clay County, Nassau County, St. John's County...more heavily even registered Republican in those counties," says Holland.
He also says the state could go either way, with Florida having the 4th largest number of delegates, and that delegate count makes it quite important in the upcoming elections.
"The state of Florida I think, as it did in the primary it lead the way," said Republican Chairman Jim Greer. "I think after Governor Crist endorsed Senator McCain, certainly he became the nominee.
Greer says he thinks Florida voters will once again be very important in choosing the next president.
Not to mention the importance that voters in Duval County hold in the state.
"Duval County ver well could influence the state, and the state of Florida will pick the next president," say member of the Democratic Executive Committee Scott Shine.
He says the county is absolutely critical.
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