From Yellow Dog Democrats to Red State Republicans: Florida and Its Politics since 1940

by David R. Colburn

Likely to raise hackles among Democrats and Republicans alike, this dynamic history of modern Florida argues that the Sunshine State has become the political and demographic future of the nation. David Colburn reveals how Florida gradually abandoned the traditions of race and personality that linked it to the Democratic Party. The book focuses particularly on the population growth and chaotic gubernatorial politics that altered the state from 1940, when it was a sleepy impoverished southern outpost, to the present and the emergence of a dominant Republican Party. In the twenty-first century, Colburn says, Florida is a dynamic, highly partisan, largely conservative state at the cultural, social, and economic intersection of the Western Hemisphere. But the transition hasn't been entirely felicitous. Allegations abound that the state is a "banana republic" favoring the wealthy, a piece of paradise that embraces "immigrants, natives, seniors, rednecks, evangelicals, and yes, flim-flam artists and mobile home salesmen. All of whom came to the state looking for ways to improve their lot in life." Colburn depicts the state's colorful governors at the center of every postwar development from Cracker to Sun Belt politics, from segregation to integration, from boosterism and modernization to economic and environmental crises. As the story of one of the most influential states in the nation, the book redefines Florida politics.

272 pages, Hardcover

First published October 14, 2007

Reviews

[Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good general overview of Florida politics from WWII to about 2007. Some takeaways:

1. The state Democratic party is weak bc of their previous dominance and resulting complacency. For years all you had to do was win the democratic primary to become governor or win any office in the state. This meant primaries with tons of candidates that eventually went on to pit conservative north florida dems against the moderate/progressive southeast fl dems. This didn't change when the republican party became a viable alternative for voters.

2. Newcomers, and there's a lot of them since Florida grew from 2 million in 1950 to over 20 million today, have short political memories. Many couldn't tell you about Leroy Collins, Reubin Askew, or maybe more relevant recently Bob Graham...the accomplishments of these democratic leaders are unknown.

3. Related to the above point, personality has always been very important (more important?) than promises of continuing certain legacies or policies. You have to be seen in 3 or 4 large, separate media markets and you have to make an impression. Some examples of successes (Walkin Lawton and Bob Grahams "Workdays")

4. The state Republican party is strong and more centralized as a result of slow, disciplined growth. They slowly absorbed blue dogs and other conservative voters to gain power and have had near total control of the state since 1998.

5. Jeb Bush is awful.

[Josh Liller · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a political history of Florida from 1940 to 2006. This time period saw not only massive population growth in Florida and the end of segregation, but also a transition from a one-party state (Southern Democrats) to the peak of Republican hegemony in Florida. (You know the author is an academic by how often he uses the term "hegemony".) Why and how did this transition occur?

Colburn delivers what I think is a pretty fair political history, offering pros and cons of most politicians and issues, both Republican and Democrat. This history is focused on the state's governors so emphasis is not surprisingly placed on the two-term governors from this time period: Leroy Collins, Reuben Askew, Bob Graham, Lawton Chiles, and Jeb Bush. The author shows how the internal struggles of the Democratic party and why rise of the Republican party was a slow and sporadic process and why it finally became the majority party in the state. An entire chapter is also dedicated to the 2000 Presidential Election, of which Florida's role is infamous.

Weaknesses of the book are being too tightly focused on the governors (a little more attention to major congressmen would have helped), the short length (less than 220 main pages), and too much emphasis on race as a political issue. More illustrations would have been beneficial, and not just of the people involved. For example, the chapter of the 2000 presidential election includes a political cartoon about the ballots, but not a picture of the actual ballot.

While not great writing and neither deep nor groundbreaking, this book is still a solid introduction to Florida politics in the 20th century.

[Sue (booknbeachbag)]

A little bit too political for my taste. What I'm looking for is a good history of the state of Florida, I think.