<P> The political make - up of congressional and legislative districts has enabled Republicans to control the governorship and most statewide elective offices, and 17 of the state's 27 seats in the 2012 House of Representatives . Florida has been listed as a swing state in Presidential elections since 1950, voting for the losing candidate once in that period of time . </P> <P> In the closely contested 2000 election, the state played a pivotal role . Out of more than 5.8 million votes for the two main contenders Bush and Al Gore, around 500 votes separated the two candidates for the all - decisive Florida electoral votes that landed Bush the election win . Florida's felony disenfranchisement law is more severe than most European nations or other American states . A 2002 study in the American Sociological Review concluded that "if the state's 827,000 disenfranchised felons had voted at the same rate as other Floridians, Democratic candidate Al Gore would have won Florida--and the presidency--by more than 80,000 votes ." </P> <P> In 2008, delegates of both the Republican Florida primary election and Democratic Florida primary election were stripped of half of their votes when the conventions met in August due to violation of both parties' national rules . </P> <P> In the 2010 elections, Republicans solidified their dominance statewide, by winning the governor's mansion, and maintaining firm majorities in both houses of the state legislature . They won four previously Democratic - held seats to create a 19--6 Republican - majority delegation representing Florida in the federal House of Representatives . </P>

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