JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2013 Two surprise Democratic wins this week \u2014 one in Hillsborough County and one in Palm Beach County \u2014 are being read by local analysts as more than isolated events.<\/p>\n
RELATED: Democrat flips seat in special election for Florida district that includes Trump\u2019s Mar-a-Lago resort<\/a> | Emily Gregory is Donald Trump\u2019s new state representative and a new hope for Democrats in Florida<\/a><\/p>\n Government law attorney Chris Hand told viewers these special elections \u201cprovide a snapshot in time as to where the political environment is,\u201d adding that the victories suggest voters are reacting to everyday pressures such as rising costs and travel disruptions rather than strictly party loyalty.<\/p>\n The outcomes have already shifted how campaigns across the state are talking to unaffiliated voters and are reshaping the early narrative for November.<\/p>\n Hand pointed to the decisive role of no-party-affiliation, or NPA, voters in both races.<\/p>\n \u201cAgain, NPA voters broke strongly for Democrats. If that trend continues in November, likely to be a sea change in a number of different districts, not just in Florida but around the country,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Local candidates and statewide leaders are now adjusting their messaging on pocketbook issues \u2014 gas prices, groceries, and health coverage \u2014 as well as on visible service problems that voters blame on Washington.<\/p>\n