Democratic Party leaders have been flooding the zone with optimistic outlooks, insisting they have a chance to produce some November surprises in Florida and arguing there’s no reason for their party to give up on the state.

On Thursday, the White House announced that President Joe Biden would travel soon to Tampa for what the Tampa Bay Times reported would be a campaign stop.

And former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate said in a video news conference there is a potential for her party to do well because in her view the state is neither Republican red nor Democratic blue.

“Florida is a purple state,” Mucarsel-Powell said.

The latest polling from Florida Atlantic University shows the state’s voters aren’t convinced. For now, at least, they’re with the Republicans.

A poll is a snapshot, and Election Day is more than six months away.

But the survey, released Thursday, “confirms our understanding that Florida is a heavy lift for the Democrats, and absent a particularly strong Democratic turnout, it’s going to be a challenge to win statewide,” Kevin Wagner, an FAU political scientist, said in an interview.

Former President Donald Trump, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and congressional Republicans are all ahead.

Democrats acknowledged one of their challenges this week: not having a candidate to run in every election. On Wednesday, the state Democratic Party announced a “candidate recruitment campaign,” including billboards and digital advertising in an attempt to recruit candidates in four Florida counties.

Republicans face a similar challenge. They don’t run candidates for every available office, especially in Democratic strongholds such as Broward County.

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