The Fort Myers event in some ways marked the beginning of the end for then-GOP Gov. Charlie Crist, w

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What s striking about the story is just how much has changed in Florida since his initial presidential visit, and how different the political backdrop will be as he tries to win the state a second time.
The Fort Myers event in some ways marked the beginning of the end for then-GOP Gov. Charlie Crist, whose embrace of Obama and the stimulus plan alienated his party and forever altered his trajectory. It also sowed the seeds for the rise of a Cuban-American political oceanfront hotels in daytona beach florida superstar, GOP Sen. Marco Rubio.
oceanfront hotels in daytona beach florida The face of the state Democratic Party has changed as well: Of the 9 Florida members of Congress Obama acknowledged at the event, four lost reelection the next year in the GOP landslide. Just two remain in office including oceanfront hotels in daytona beach florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, now the Democratic National Committee chairwoman.
As Obama embarks on his two-day oceanfront hotels in daytona beach florida Florida swing, he carries baggage that was absent when he ran in 2008 and it s guaranteed to hurt him with some of the state s most important constituencies. In a blow to the Space Coast, he retired the space shuttle program in 2010. His Israel policy has unsettled many Jewish voters; his now-public support for gay marriage will cost him many senior citizens. More recently, he angered many South Florida Cubans with his remarks about Castro regime ally Hugo Chavez.
At the same time, the president s standing with fast-growing Puerto Rican community in the Orlando area has grown immeasurably with his appointment of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court and his historic visit to the island.
The most telling difference between now and his last Fort Myers visit is reflected in the polls. At the time of his February 2009 visit, the president was at the height of his popularity. In Florida, his favorability and approval ratings were sky high: Sixty-four oceanfront hotels in daytona beach florida percent approved of the job he was doing compared to just 23 percent who disapproved, according to a February 2009 Quinnipiac University poll.
None of it suggests that Obama is in especially bad shape in Florida the bottom line is that he still leads in the Quinnipiac poll by 4 points but it does point to a much tougher environment for him there in 2012, one that gives Mitt Romney much more to work with than John McCain ever had.