A new bill proposed by a Florida Republican would ban the state's Democratic party. 

The so-called "Ultimate Cancel Act," sponsored by Sen. Blaise Ingoglia (R), would cancel the filings of any political party that historically supported slavery.

Canceling the Dems?

While the bill doesn't mention a specific party, Republicans commonly chastise Democrats for the party's historical support of slavery and segregation.

The Democratic party supported slavery before and during the Civil War and vigorously opposed civil rights reforms through Reconstruction and the Jim Crow period.

The "Ultimate Cancel Act" would re-register all Florida Democratic voters as politically unaffiliated. The Democratic party would be able to re-register under a new name.

"It would be interesting to find out if those voters who are now de-certified choose to go back to the party now that they know that they were the party that was advocating for the issue of slavery,” Ingoglia said.

"Publicity stunt"

The Florida Democratic party is already in sharp decline. There are no Democrats left in statewide office and hundreds of thousands of voters have left the party since 2020, even as Florida's population has grown.

The state's red shift has often been touted by Governor Ron DeSantis (R), who won re-election in a landslide last year and is widely expected to run for president in 2024.

Florida's Democrats denounced the "Ultimate Cancel" bill as an authoritarian "publicity stunt."

“The sooner DeSantis and his puppets in the legislature learn that Florida is a Democratic Republic and not a Banana Republic, the better it will be for all Floridians," the party said.

Republican leaders lukewarm

The bill could easily pass the Republican-dominated legislature, but DeSantis hasn't commented on the bill, and legislative leaders haven't shown interest. If enacted, the bill would take effect in July.

Ingoglia said it would be "hypocritical" not to "cancel" the Democratic party after years of cancel culture fueled by the left.

"For years now, leftist activists have been trying to 'cancel' people and companies for things they have said or done in the past," Ingoglia said.

"This includes the removal of statues and memorials, and the renaming of buildings. Using this standard, it would be hypocritical not to cancel the Democrat Party itself for the same reason," he added.