On Saturday night, former president Bill Clinton encouraged the Florida Democratic Party to vote in mid-term elections and called out Cuban-Americans in particular at the state party's biggest fundraiser.

Over 1,500 people came to hear Clinton speak for 41 minutes with some paying up to $250 for entry, according to Sunshine State News.

Clinton's voice was hoarse, but his message was clear.

"So far we're winning in presidential years, and they're [Republicans] winning in non-presidential years," Clinton said. "It is a recipe for gridlock."

Clinton highlighted the importance of the Hispanic community's votes. Of particular interest to him appears to be Cuban-Americans. According to the former president, more Cuban-Americans are straying from republican candidates, who the population is known to typically vote for, and leaning toward democrats, Fox News Latino reported.

"More and more young Hispanics, including Cuban-Americans, are voting democrat, but it only counts if you show up," Clinton said.

The former president is right to target Cuban-Americans in Florida. According to a June 24 report by PewResearch, seven out 10 of 2 million Cuban-Americans live in Florida. Furthermore, the report cited 2013 data that showed that 47 percent of Cuban-American registered voters either identify or lean toward the Republican Party. A decade ago, this number was at 64 percent.

"If they can do it, you can do it," Clinton told the crowd in reference to the high turnout rates from black voters that helped elect President Barack Obama and Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe.

Clinton also encouraged low-income voters to head to the polls.

"Explain, explain, explain and figure out how to physically get people to the polls," he said. "I'm telling you, if you can reach Florida's portion of those 50 million people ... you will have the darndest celebration on Election Night you ever saw."

Saturday's event raised a record-breaking $1.1 million for the Florida Democratic Party.

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Follow Scharon Harding on Twitter: @ScharHar.

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