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By Reeselyn Haring | MediaLab@FAU
Feb 28, 2026
In Florida, where growth has long been a Republican rallying cry, many GOP voters are now saying: Slow down! A new poll from Florida Atlantic University and Mainstreet Research shows a striking disconnect between the Republican Party’s push for rapid development and its own voters’ rising anxiety over vanishing green space and unchecked sprawl.
According to the survey, 31.4% of GOP voters said they are concerned about the environment because of land development in Florida, leaving them 7.6% above Democratic voters.
“I really love the nature Florida has to offer; it's just really unfortunate to see that nature disappear,” said Johnn Ortiz, a 23-year-old Republican who lives in Deerfield Beach. John is a mechanic and is in an electrician school in hopes of one day owning his own electronic repair shop.
Ortiz is one of many Floridians who say their environmental concerns are not about party lines, but about protecting the state they call home.
“I understand why we need to develop these communities; it's important to keep building so that there are more homes, but I also feel like not enough is being done in order to control the damage,” said Ortiz.
Florida’s rapid growth has intensified debates over wetlands preservation, water supply, infrastructure strain, and hurricane resilience. Development remains central to the state’s economic model, particularly under Republican leadership. Yet the Mainstreet poll suggests a portion of GOP voters are uneasy with the pace and consequences of that growth.
Clay Henderson, author of Forces of Nature: A History of Florida Land Conservation and former head of the Florida Audubon Society, says this tension is not new. Henderson points to the party’s historical roots in conservation.
“Conservation was developed by President Teddy Roosevelt, who was obviously a Republican,” Henderson said, referencing Theodore Roosevelt. “There’s this streak of environmentalism that runs through rank-and-file Republicans in Florida.”
Henderson noted that several Republican governors have played major roles in shaping Florida’s environmental policy. Former Gov. Bob Martinez launched Preservation 2000, the state’s first major land-acquisition program, and the Growth Management Laws. Jeb Bush expanded those efforts through Florida Forever and helped accelerate Everglades restoration. Charlie Crist, elected initially as a Republican, took leadership on climate change initiatives.
“That’s part of the history,” said Henderson.
He argues that today’s disconnect is less about voters and more about partisan politics in Tallahassee.
“There is this disconnect between where the voters are and where the partisan politics is,” said Henderson. “Part of the politics is all very skewed now.”
Henderson points to recent ballot measures as evidence. In 2020, counties including Volusia, Manatee, and Sarasota passed local land acquisition referendums, even as former President Donald Trump carried those counties and local Republican parties opposed the measures.
These referendums have made it possible for over 42,000 acres of land to be protected under Sarasota County's Land Acquisition Program, and in Manatee County, whose land acquisition program was supported by 71% of voters, according to Manatee County Conservation. For context, all three of the countries are republican led countries
He also notes that environmental concerns in Florida are often driven by direct economic impact.
“Every Floridian along the coast has seen the effects of sea level rise in the last few years,” Henderson said. “They’re seeing it in insurance premiums. It’s a real thing. It might as well be a tax increase.”
According to Great Florida Insurance, the average cost of homeowners' insurance in Florida is about $11,759 per year, which is $9,382 more than the national average.
This blend of economic and environmental concern helps explain why conservation remains popular even in heavily Republican regions.
A survey from the American Conservation Coalition found that 71% of young rural conservative voters support shifting to clean energy, but only 39% believe their party leaders are willing to listen to their concerns. This highlights generational and ideological tension that is playing out in other Republican-leaning states as well, where environmental pressures are becoming harder to ignore.
One state that has struggled with similar crosscurrents is Utah, where rapid growth and chronic drought have intensified water shortages. In both Utah and Florida, conservative communities are increasingly confronting environmental realities that directly affect housing, infrastructure and long-term economic stability, these are issues that transcend traditional partisan lines.
“In Utah, there is a housing boom, but there is no water,” said Jeffrey H. Bloodworth, a political historian and professor at Gannon University. “It is forcing people to make an environmental decision in order to survive.”
National polling from the Pew Research Center reinforces that shift, showing that two-thirds of Americans prioritize developing alternative energy sources.
In Florida, however, the issue feels less abstract. Flooding during sunny-day high tides, rising insurance costs, and strain on natural water systems make conservation a practical concern.
“I wish there was more attention on the environment, but sometimes even I feel hesitant to speak up about conservation,” Ortiz said. His hesitation reflects a broader political reality.
As Dr. Shavahna Cox, a professor at the University of Sheffield who has studied Miami's development, explained, “Climate change had become so politicized,” turning what might otherwise be a discussion about infrastructure, insurance, and public safety into a flashpoint of partisan identity.
“You can still care about the environment,” said Cox when discussing how climate change has no partisan identity. However, voters like Ortiz who see environmental protection as common sense can worry about being perceived as disloyal to their party or aligned with opposing political camps.
“In 20 years, the term environmentalism might not mean the same," said Bloodworth. "It won't be as politically toxic for Republicans and become basic kitchen table issues."