In a state known for close elections, how important is Central Florida this year?

ORLANDO, Fla. — Since 1992, no president has ever won the White House without carrying Florida.

State polls seem to be slipping away, but how important is Central Florida this year?

President Donald Trump held his first rally in Melbourne after he was inaugurated. Then, he held his reelection kickoff in Orlando. In 2018, the president held a rally for Gov. Ron DeSantis in Tampa.

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Polls show the president is behind in a state where, this time four years ago, the same polls had him ahead.

In an interview with Marc Lotter, the director of strategic communications for the Trump campaign, Channel 9 reporter Christopher Heath asked if there is concern that, with three months to go, the race is not where the campaign wants it to be.

“In almost every single metric, we are ahead of where we were in 2016 when the president won,” Lotter said.

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The campaign points to voter registration numbers, volunteers and enthusiasm, an area where polling has shown the president has an advantage.

It also has money. The Trump campaign raised $92 million in June and is expected to spend about that much trying to secure the votes in Central Florida

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There is another warning sign for the Trump campaign in Florida: In 2016 and 2018, more Republicans voted by mail in the state than Democrats, something that helped the president win four years ago.

This year, Democrats hold a 300,000-voter advantage in the category, something that could be a factor in a state known for close elections.

Cox Media Group