The 2020 national conventions marked one of the strangest two-week stretches in American politics. Typical sights and sounds, like bustling arenas and balloon drops, were replaced with Zoom calls, prerecorded messages, empty halls and the unprecedented and, some have suggested, illegal backdrop of the White House.

Which party handled all the curve balls thrown their way? More than 160 of Floridas brightest political minds weighed in, and more than half said the Democrats had the better four-night affair.

The Democrats came across as more hopeful, energized and more personal, said one Republican operative. The GOP was all about placing blame on others, never empathizing with the current state of affairs. It was very negative.

The Tampa Bay Times regularly surveys the Florida Insiders campaign staff, party insiders, consultants, lobbyists, former politicians and other close followers of Sunshine State politics. They are allowed to answer anonymously so they can speak candidly.

About 55 percent of respondents said Democrats had a more effective convention than Republicans. The Democratic National Convention featured celebrity presenters, a video roll call vote featuring an eclectic mix of speakers from all 50 states and prime time speeches from the Barack and Michelle Obama. Former Vice President Joe Biden interviewed Americans on the problems facing the country.

It was better produced television, better ratings and a more focused message, one Democratic consultant said.

Biden capped the four nights with a short (by convention standards) acceptance speech that hit on a bunch of themes Insiders said will help him in November: unity and competent leadership. Two-thirds of Insiders said his speech was better than President Donald Trumps 80-minute teleprompter address from the White House lawn.

What made it better? It was short, one Democrat said. Many others said that just by appearing resolute and composed, Biden overcome the bumbling, aging caricature created by the Trump campaign.

Expectations were low and Biden proved himself a competent orator, one independent Insider said.

The Republican convention was a largely a Trump production. He appeared every night. Speaking slots were filled with family, loyalists and, in a flouting of customs and perhaps federal law, members of the presidents Cabinet.

Americans see/hear/read about Trump every single day and perceptions of him are well baked in, one Republican said. It is doubtful those perceptions will be changed by a parade of Trump family members regurgitating the same talking points theyve heard ad nauseam.

Others arent so sure. One Republican suggested that while the anti-Trump crowd may have preferred the Democratic convention, the Republican counter punch may have solidified wavering GOP voters.

Democrats do themselves serious harm if they fail to recognize how effective that Trump convention was, another Republican said. Rather than laughing at the likes of Kimberly Guilfoyle, they should double their efforts to unseat the dangerous con man in the White House. Ignore the polls. Trump absolutely can win this thing.

Six in 10 Insiders said Trumps focus on crime, unrest and socialism under Democrats wasnt a winning message for this election cycle. Most thought Bidens calls for bringing the country together would do better with voters in November.

But some Insiders said Trumps message will resonate with the most important voters in swing states that will decide the election.

The ongoing images and news stories of violence and riots currently happening gave the Republicans an edge in selling their message, one independent said.

Or, as one Democrat put it, Fear is a stronger motivator.

After watching the two parties navigate conventions in a pandemic, nearly 80 percent of Insiders said theyre expecting a return to a more traditional format in 2024, albeit with some new twists learned from this go around.

Having been a delegate twice to the (Democratic National Convention), I do prefer in person events, but not sure thats possible going forward, one said.

A past Republican National Convention delegate agreed. While the words may be the same, the atmosphere is what really makes the difference. I felt like I was watching a weeks worth of commercials for each party. The live atmosphere makes a difference. I found myself bored and tempted to turn the channel because the format lacked the same atmosphere.

Conventions need to be reimagined, one Republican said. They are expensive, cumbersome and serve no real purpose in the modern era except to enrich the media buyers, consultants, and staff that work on them. The money would be much better spent on issue advocacy and messaging to the electorate.

This months Florida Insider Poll included 80 Republicans, 66 Democrats and 17 respondents who were registered no-party affiliation or to another party. They are:

Tom Alte, Jason Altmire, Fernand Amandi, Peter Antonacci , Scott Arceneaux, Donna Arduin, Dave Aronberg, Jon M. Ausman, Roger Austin, Ryan Banfill, Christina Barker, Scott Barnhart, Rodney Barreto, Patrick Baskette, Ashley Bauman, Slater Bayliss, Geoffrey Becker, Sam Bell, Wayne Bertsch, Taylor Biehl, Ron Bilbao, Paul Bradshaw, Alex Burgos, Dominic M. Calabro, Kristy Campbell, Tim Canova, Al Cardenas, Gabriela Castillo, Kevin Cate, Mitch Ceasar, Brad Coker, Mike Colodny, Hunter Conrad, Gus Corbella , Ana Cruz, Husein Cumber, Carlos Curbelo, David Custin, Richard DeNapoli, Pablo Diaz, Victor DiMaio, Tony DiMatteo, Michael Dobson, Paula Dockery, Doc Dockery, Bob Doyle, Pete Dunbar, Barry Edwards, Mike Fasano, Peter Feaman, Mark Ferrulo, Damien Filer, Kirk Fordham, Pamela Burch Fort, Brian Franklin, Towson Fraser, Keith Frederick, Ellen Freidin, Jack Furnari, Eduardo Gamarra, Wayne Garcia, Stephen Gaskill, Steve Geller, Richard Gentry, Julia Gill Woodward, Susan Glickman, Alma Gonzalez, Ron Greenstein , Thomas Grigsby, Thomas Grigsby, Ralph Haben, Mike Hamby, Marion Hammer, Chris Hand, Mike Hanna, Abel Harding, James Harris, Rich Heffley, Bill Helmich, Cynthia Henderson , Jim Horne, Yolanda Jackson, Aubrey Jewett, Eric Johnson, David Johnson, Christina Johnson, Stafford Jones, Ken Jones, Doug Kaplan, Fred Karlinsky, Joshua Karp, John Konkus, Chri Korge , Jeff Kottkamp, Kartik Krishnaiyer, Bill Lee, Matt Lettelleir, Jack Levine, Alan Levine, Bethany Leytham, Shannon Love, Javier Manjarres, William March, Beth Matuga, Kim McDougal, Nancy McGowan, Clarence McKee, Kathy Mears, Jamie Miller, Jon Mills, Paul Mitchell, Travis Moore, Lucy Morgan, John Morgan, Ana Navarro, Meredith ORourke, Alex Patton, Darryl Paulson, Anthony Pedicini, Jorge Pedraza, Juan Penalosa, Evelyn Prez-Verda, Joseph Perry, Ron Pierce, Juan-Carlos Planas, Van Poole, Evan Power, Marc Reichelderfer, George Riley, Jim Rimes, Franco Ripple, Patrick Roberts, Monica Rodriguez, Jason Rosenberg, Sarah Rumpf, Ron Sachs, April Salter, April Schif, Stephen Shiver , Kyle Simon, Alex Sink, Patrick Slevin, Susan Smith, Adam Smith, John Stemberger, Phillip Thompson, Cory Tilley, Greg C. Truax, Frank Tsamoutales, Steve Uhlfelder, Christian Ulvert, Jason Unger, Matthew Van Name, Ashley Walker, Nancy Watkins, Screven Watson, Kevin Watson, Jonathan Webber, Andrew Weinstein, Rick Wilson, Leslie Wimes, Jon Woodard, Zachariah Zachariah, Mark Zubaly

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Biden had better convention speech and a winning message, Florida Insiders say. - Tampa Bay Times