How audience support made The United States of Florida possible

Hi,

Around this time last year, my team came up with an idea: What if we put together a series of pieces that helped explain the outsized impact the seemingly wild state of Florida has on the rest of the country? After all, the so-called culture wars all seem to pass through the Sunshine State, from Ron DeSantis signing the Parental Rights in Education Act — commonly known as the Don’t Say Gay law — to the ever-powerful presence of Walt Disney World.

Our reporters traveled to the state to encounter all kinds of invasive species (be they harmless or, well, a real problem) and browsed the aisles of Florida’s most beloved grocery store (yes, a Pub sub was consumed). They sat down with Republican voters at their favorite Cuban spot, a Miami institution Donald Trump visited just weeks before. A third-generation Floridian even reckoned with her state’s iconic bogeyman.

It was, in so many senses, a labor of love for the entire newsroom. And it would not have been possible without contributions from our readers. Vox’s audience support program helped us give our reporters the time and resources they needed to produce a thoughtful and rigorously researched package.

As we head into a new year, I hope you’ll consider making the next contribution to Vox. Millions rely on our journalism, and the revenue we receive from advertisers doesn’t quite cover our costs. Support from readers makes a critical difference.

Yes, I'll contribute

If you haven’t had a chance to look through The United States of Florida, I hope you’ll do so this week. We are really proud of these stories and all the work our reporters put out this year.

Thanks,

Meredith Haggerty

Senior editor, culture