This midterm election year, Central Florida Public Media is bringing together a group of Central Floridians from varying walks of life for a series of conversations about the issues shaping their lives and their votes. Anna Ashie, Jaydon Souza, Sean Roberts, and Alison Yurko vary in age and politics as the group is made up of Republicans, Democrats, and no party affiliation (NPAs). As the primary election nears, they’re talking about how they navigate political differences with family and what they think about some of the candidates on the general election ballot.
Divided over Florida’s U.S. Senate race
State Rep. Angie Nixon defeated Lt. Col. Alex Vindman in the Democratic primary and will face Republican Sen. Ashley Moody in November.
The outcome surprised Winter Park attorney Alison Yurko, who identifies as a rule of law Republican. She was planning to vote for Vindman.
“I was extremely disappointed and shocked that he did not make it,” Yurko said.
She acknowledged that Nixon is impressive and authentic, but she isn’t sold on the candidate.
“Anybody that signs up with the Democratic Socialists of America, even if they say they're not a socialist, it really gives me pause, and it was disappointing to not have a moderate in there like I thought we were going to have,” she said.
Yurko also criticized Sen. Moody for supporting efforts to challenge the 2020 presidential election results. Yurko said she considers both candidates problematic enough that she might not vote in that race.
For Anna Ashie, a 40-year-old Democrat who lives in Orlando’s Parramore community, the choice is clear. She is excited about Nixon and will enthusiastically vote for her.
“I think that the term democratic socialism has taken on a life of its own and kind of become a buzzword to scare people,” Ashie said.
She said Nixon’s positions on healthcare, food security, education, and voting rights reflect a commitment to improving people’s lives.
“I think that she is advocating for rights for human beings and democracy itself, voting rights, which are very important to me,” Ashie said.
Sean Roberts, a 55-year-old Orlando Republican, supports Moody and said he knows her personally.
“I know where her heart is,” he says. “I know what she's trying to do for this country as far as going against socialism.”
The youngest panelist, Jaydon Souza, a 21-year-old mechanic in St. Cloud, is a registered Democrat still figuring out where he fits politically.
“I would lean towards the Nixon side. I do quite enjoy what I've seen so far,” he said.
Growing concerns about democracy
The conversation shifted from individual races to the broader political system. The last time they met, all four expressed concerns about the state of American democracy. This time, both Ashie and Yurko said their concerns had grown.
Ashie pointed to voting rights, the rule of law, the military, and the country’s relationships with international partners. She also raised concerns about rising costs and whether Americans can rely on free and fair elections.
Yurko said recent economic uncertainty and reactions in financial markets reflect broader concerns about the standing of the U.S. in the world.
Immigration enforcement sparks sharp disagreement
When the conversation moved to immigration enforcement, the panel had one of their sharpest disagreements.
Ashie worried that having ICE officers at the polls could intimidate voters.
Roberts challenged those concerns.
“If they have ICE there, why would anybody be intimidated to go and vote unless they did something wrong, unless they're here illegally?” he asked.
Ashie said some people fear being wrongly arrested or detained including U.S. citizens who have not committed a crime.
“They are rounding people up based on what they look like, and they are holding them. And unless you have a connection that can help you get out, you're there for an indefinite amount of time,” she said.
Yurko initially supported closing the border, but said the approach has gone too far. She was critical of the financial incentives behind immigration detention contracts as harmful and counterproductive to business.
“After the initial stages, which I thought were very well done, we got into this bizarre, cruel, sort of weird world of wanting to root everyone out,” Yurko said. “I do think to Anna's point, a lot of it is being driven by the very lucrative contracts that these vendors have and we're just throwing money at this.”
Souza said he understands arguments on both sides of the immigration debate, but also expressed concern about people who had been given a chance to remain in the country, such as Temporary Protected Status holders, now face losing that opportunity.
“I do feel like that, as Alison has mentioned, that they're pulling the rug on people who have been given a fair shot that no longer have that fair shot,” he said.
Politics and family matters
These issues aren’t just being discussed at the voter panel. They also come up in conversations among family members and friends.
Ashie said she sees conversations about voting as a personal responsibility. She regularly asks friends and family whether they have a voting plan, need a ride to the polls, or want to discuss their choices.
Roberts said political differences once made conversations with his mother particularly difficult. Over time, they have learned to talk through disagreements and recognize when it is better to stop.
Souza described a family divided between people who treat party affiliation as part of their identity and others who believe their individual vote makes little difference. He said he tries to listen and understand where relatives stand, even when he does not agree with them.
Yurko said her social circle includes both President Trump supporters and political moderates. As a rule of law Republican, she said she can find common ground with people who might not otherwise agree with her politically. She does not usually initiate political conversations, but she is willing to participate when others want to talk.
The Republicans, Democrats, and NPAs in this group are not politically aligned and they don’t always agree on the issues, but even when the conversations get difficult they remain willing to keep listening and talking.
