Florida is ‘MAGA Republican capital of the confederacy’: Democratic pollster on MSNBC

Democratic pollster Fernand Amandi called Florida the "MAGA Republican capital of the confederacy" during the latest episode of MSNBC’s "The Cross Connection with Tiffany Cross."

The frequent MSNBC guest offered his incendiary claim as part of a panel discussion about a recent Anti-Defamation League report detailing how many of America’s domestic extremists, including those who trespassed on Capitol grounds on January 6, are from Florida.

The segment clearly aimed at demonizing the Republican stronghold state governed by possible 2024 contender Ron DeSantis, a strategy that host Tiffany Cross has routinely employed on her show. Cross really leaned into it this time, introducing the discussion by calling Florida a "haven of hate" and showing photos of the state’s Republican governor.

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She passed off the discussion to former FBI official turned media commentator Frank Figluizzi, who spoke about how alarming the ADL report was.

Figliuzzi stated, "Florida is the third-largest state in terms of population but yet, by far, it has the most residents arrested for violence in January 6th. And, even worse, the report turns out to say that over a third of those people arrested from Florida from January 6th are actually networked with, have ties to larger extremist groups like Oath Keepers and Proud Boys." 

He added that Florida is a "safe environment" these people because "they have been given license by people like Ron DeSantis, Senator Marco Rubio."

Amandi upped the ante with his hyperbole following Figliuzzi’s statements. He began by expressing how much he agreed with his fellow panelist. "Tiffany, my experience echoes exactly what Frank Figliuzzi said."

He claimed the state is not just a radical locale in America, but the center of the radicalization that threatens the country. Amandi declared, "If we’re all honest with one another, we have to recognize that Florida is not just a radicalized state with leadership that not only seems to be hostile to the rule of law and to American democracy, I think you can go ahead and say right now Florida is the MAGA Republican capital of the confederacy."

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He continued, calling it "the new confederacy where all of these folks are based out of."

Amandi added, "It’s no accident, as you heard Frank Figliuzzi list. All of the folks that were part of the MAGA Republican movement consider this safe territory. Donald Trump and the Trump administration in exile, his handpicked protégé Ron DeSantis, and not to mention of all those extremist groups."

The pollster also noted that the state has a "disinformation problem," citing conservative Spanish-language radio in the state.

He concluded, "It’s no surprise that you have this as the point of the spear of the new MAGA Republican confederate movement, which unfortunately is only leading to the inevitable, which I think will be a break with our American democracy."

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