The following piece is produced by HuffPost's OffTheBus.
Iowa and New Hampshire may be voting early next month, but if you listen to some Floridians, you would think the Sunshine State is the first in the nation to select a president. Such bravado is evident even though there is still a question of whether delegates from both parties will participate in the two conventions in full-strength. Determined to play an important role, active members of both the Democratic and Republican state parties have plans underway to publicly declare their favorite before Iowans caucus Jan. 3.
Even the official word from Tallahassee and nationally televised reports are reminding voters they can be "first in the nation" because Florida absentee ballots are available and will be accepted on this year's Christmas Day for the Jan. 29, 2008 primary.
What makes the Florida scene even more bizarre is the fact that both parties -- Republicans and Democrats -- seem to have a consensus on two items involving "election year 2008" even though the parties normally disagree on just about everything.
In this case, despite the action by the Democratic National Committee to strip all Florida delegates and the cutting of Sunshine State Delegates by 50 percent by the Republican National Committee, both delegations will be seated and could determine the Presidential nominees.
In the eyes of party strategists, an early decision on Florida's 27 electoral votes -- as in 2000 -- could be a major item in deciding who will win the presidency. The Hispanic vote in the state could be the single most important determining factor on whether Florida remains a GOP red state or turns Democratic blue.
If this sounds a bit conceited by some Sunshine State enthusiasts, it doesn't matter. It's what is making news. And, it seems to be exactly the feelings of local politicos on both sides of the political aisle. Those outside the parties are listening carefully because Florida's importance and its growing Hispanic vote are two items that have widespread credibility and visibility.
If one listens to the Democrats, one would think both the Latin vote and the impact of Florida's vote are going its way.
"Just look at our recent successes in legislative and local races, says B.J. Chiszar, Democratic Regional Field Director in Florida. He cited a string of successes, notably winning legislative seats from the GOP, including two with Latinos - Rep. Luis Garcia in Miami Beach and Rep. Darren Soto in Central Florida. Special elections at city and county levels on the Florida West Cost - Venice, Sarasota and Cape Coral, all of which are considered GOP strongholds - also went to Democrats recently. Chiszar called it a "trend." Democratic State Committeewoman Diane Glasser of Tamarac agreed that it is a trend that the DNC cannot ignore and that Florida's importance could possibly determine who the eventual nominee will be. "Our delegates will be seated in Denver (site of the Democratic National Convention Aug. 25-28)."
Republicans, as well, felt the harsh penalty imposed by the RNC would probably be dismissed as it gets closer to the GOP Convention in St. Paul, MN (Sept. 1-4) and that Florida's importance would not be ignored. "This is a dispute within the family," says Erin van Sickle, Press Coordinator for the Republican party of Florida. "Ultimately, the delegates will be seated."
She echoed the response that the Hispanic vote was important but dismissed Democratic claims of future inroads, noting that there are 35,000 more Hispanic Republicans in the state and that they turn out to vote in higher numbers than Hispanic Democrats. A full-fledged radio, TV and mail campaign would be utilized to spur voter turnout.
She said the recently created GOP Hispanic Leadership Council will meet with all the candidates when they are in Miami this Sunday (Dec. 9) for the Univision debate at the University of Miami, and she emphasized that the majority of elected state officials and Congressional posts in Florida are from her party.
Joe Garcia, Miami-Dade Democratic Chairman and the subject of a Congressional Draft campaign himself, also said he believed the Florida delegation would be seated. "Iowa is important, however, even if Florida may not nominate presidents... we are the state that elects them."
Garcia said that the Hispanic vote continues to be potent and that since 2004, it has been notably becoming more Democratic. "First, it is no longer Republican. Second, its demographics have changed. Cuban-Americans are no longer the majority of Hispanic voters. Third, the GOP lost 22 percent of its Latin American vote in the last election."
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson -- whose lawsuit against the DNC to stop "punishment" for pushing up the State's primary date was dismissed by a federal judge Wednesday -- still underscored the importance of Florida this week with an e-mail blast seeking delegates to the Democratic convention and urging residents to participate in the Jan. 29 primary.
"Despite the disagreement with the national party in Washington, D.C., the Florida delegation will be seated and counted because our state's primary will count, and, we will be sending our full delegation to the convention. More than 210 Florida delegates and alternates will be in Denver to nominate the next president."
CNN this past week ran a news brief, echoing the feelings of locals. "Florida will vote first in the nation," the report said, referring to the absentee ballot issue.
Tied into the bragging rights of Floridians is the emphasis on the Hispanic vote by both parties. It signals the importance of the growing Latino population throughout Florida and the necessity of party leaders to turn out this sector of the population on election day.
Up until recently, party leaders thought of Hispanic votes in terms of the large Cuban-American population in Miami, a near-solid Republican voting bloc. But that has changed. Second generation Cuban-Americans have moved out of Miami and have become more prone to vote Democratic, according to news reports, and the population of non-Cuban Hispanics is exploding and dramatically shifting the state's political landscape. Florida Trend, one of the state's oldest business publications, reported on the efforts to reach Hispanic voters, writing "Once defined largely in terms of south Florida's GOP-dominant Cuban-American population, Florida's Hispanic vote has become more diverse in terms of country of origin and less predictable in terms of voting patterns. Central Florida has a growing community of Puerto Ricans and other non-Cuban Hispanics who've tended to vote Democrat. In Hillsborough County, Puerto Ricans make up about a third of the Hispanic population. In south Florida, immigrants from Central and South America have made the Hispanic vote in that region much less Cuba-centered."
Similar reporting seems to make news constantly, noting the booming Hispanic population turned the tide in several elections. If Florida's swaggering over its importance (and the Latino explosion coupled with it) seems excessive, officials only say, "Remember 2000".