All eyes may be on Super Tuesday, but Republican Party leaders across central Florida are already looking ahead to Florida’s presidential primary. It’s a winner-take-all for the Republican candidate who comes out on top on March 15th.
Local party chairs have a good idea which candidate is gaining support with their voters. Tony Ledbetter chairs the Republican Executive Committee of Volusia County.
“I would say probably 85 to 90 percent of the voters that call me asking me questions about the elections - they’re more interested in where they can get Trump signs or where they can get Trump literature,” said Ledbetter.
Same goes for calls to Barbara Davis, chair of Brevard’s Republican Party. Ledbetter said there doesn’t seem to be a home-state advantage for Marco Rubio, at least in Central Florida.
“Well they’re opening a local office for him on March 5th," said Davis. "I have had requests for signs for him but I don’t have any as yet to give out.” said Davis.
County GOP chairs take an oath to not use their office to endorse any one candidate before the primary. Davis says she’s staying neutral until she votes.
Ledbetter said when he takes off his official "chairman hat" and speaks as an individual, he supports Donald Trump.
“We’re tired of sending people to Washington D.C. and [they] say, ‘Send us up there we’re gonna fix this.’ We’ve been hearing this message for 15 years. I’m tired of sending people up there and then them doing things their way,” said Ledbetter.
Democrats will choose between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. The latest Quinnipiac poll has Clinton ahead of Sanders 59 to 33 percent. Florida’s presidential primary is March 15th.