Recent events in the Democratic Party, particularly in Palm Beach County have me pondering this question again. In 2002, as a former local party employee who was working with the state party and several local DECs at the time, I strongly backed Janet Reno’s candidacy as an individual (not using my party positions to promote her). The leadership locally insisted that Reno “could not win” and that the candidate they were backing “would beat Jeb Bush.” Reno carried Palm Beach County by almost a 2-1 margin but lost statewide by a handful of votes. Bill McBride was defeated in a landslide as progressive Democrats throughout the state stayed home on election day.
The objections to Reno by Democrats to me were always largely chauvinistic or based on a fear of strong assertive females. Were she a man, she would have been seen as tough, decisive and a winner. But many male power brokers were largely uncomfortable with her, and marginalized her publicly because of this. I remain convinced without a shadow of a doubt to this day, Reno would have run much stronger than McBride. Those who wish to debate this topic with me can do so in the comments section.
The way Senator Nan Rich is being treated largely by some of the same male “power brokers” reminds me of 2002, and if the Democrats make the same mistakes, we will lose and DESERVE TO LOSE. Much like 2002, general election turnout will be depressed, not simply if Rich is not the nominee but if like Reno she is not treated fairly by self proclaimed power brokers who are males.
I am convinced that if Nan Rich were not a female she wouldn’t have been so easily shafted by some party leaders and activists who have a malign influence in certain quarters. Palm Beach County is particularly instructive. The “leaders” who have strongly opposed Senator Rich in the county, pushing Charlie Crist on Democratic audiences also strongly opposed Reno despite her easy triumph in Palm Beach County. In fact the same group backed male challengers (one of which was a registered Republican the other of which was a longtime Republican who had just switched parties) to sitting countywide elected officials Susan Bucher and Anne Gannon in 2012.
It is 2013 yet some male “power brokers” still behave as if it is the 1950s pushing male candidates at all costs and marginalizing any female that has a strong personality or strong opinions on issues like reproductive rights, the environment, workplace discrimination and economic empowerment.
While I single out Palm Beach County because it is a place I am familiar with and have seen this same situation play out before, I am convinced many of those unwilling to give Senator Rich an opportunity to prove herself in other parts of state could very well be acting out of chauvinism. That’s not the case for most rank-in-file Crist supporters but for many “leaders” in the party.
I am not implying that Governor Crist is any way a chauvinist. But he could be the beneficiary of a worrying trend in some Democratic circles. Given these realities Crist himself may be well advised to put some distance between himself and the more misogynistic elements within his new party.
Much like Reno did in 2002, Rich is accumulating an impressive network of grassroots support throughout the state. For her sake we can all hope party elders are more accepting of a progressive female candidate than they were in 2002. Even those who back another candidate in 2014 should hope in the interest of fairness that Senator Rich be given the proper respect from all corners of leadership in the state. Otherwise, Democrats could rightfully be in for another disastrous election cycle here in Florida.
The Florida Squeeze 
Here you go again …
Twelve years later and you still claim we are sexists for simply backing the better candidate.
You think we don’t forget that you called is all sexists, racists etc?????
Rich is at best a marginal candidate. She has no business running. She is hurting the party by running.
As for Gannon and Bucher they were initially backed so the efforts to remove then were based on poor job performance.
I am surprised you didn’t use your sugar whore argument also.
F off and stick to soccer.
Thank god you don’t live here anymore.
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I still live close enough, just not in Palm Beach.
How does Rich have no business running?
Her resume of leadership is so long it wouldn’t fit on this page.
Your ilk backed Bucher versus Anderson? Really?
Again McBride was NOT the better candidate. And your rationale now as it was then is
“such and such can win”
Maybe you personally hiding behind an alias don’t have an issue with powerful women but some in your group do. Or perhaps you do?
I don’t know who you are.
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PBC Dem, Rich has no business running? Who died and made you king of the universe?
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She’s just a crazy loud liberal like Bucher, Frankel and company.
NOT ELECTABLE
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Just proving my point you are …
Any men “crazy loud liberals?”
Or is that just reserved for one gender?
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You need to get out of the party. Progressives are taking over and Nan Rich is our candidate.
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Reno would have been a disaster.
Totally out of the mainstream as proven by her being routed in every non south Florida county.
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She actually won Duval County.
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Yes. This blog is on the money. Race also a big issue for the south palm gang.
Jeff Greene over Meek anyone?
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So scared of smart, strong and progressive women. They would rather push mafia and those collecting money from the war. Yes we are talking to you. FYI it is still law that you can’t blog on state or federal time. All big brothers are watching and so is the IG.
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This article borders on slander.
So in Kartik’s world if we don’t support the most leftist and in-electable crazy liberal screaming nut job candidate we are sexists and racists.
For those who don’t know he’s pulled this before time and time again.
He has ZERO credibility on the subject.
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I’m not the one who plays the religious/ethnic card all the time in this debate. Just leaving it at that. As far as sexism it is obvious. The pattern is unmistakable. I did not even get into judicial races where everytime a man runs against a woman, the choice for the gang in question is obvious.
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He has 0 cred…then why are the local papers picking up his articles. You ass was so scared of Lois because you boys were too busy pushing Hasner. So scared to the point that Eric Johnson did Kristen Jacobs campaign who will probably fall for his bullshit again. Hey tell EJ and Bobby Wexler and Crist that the money they took from Harry Sargeant is blood money…if you are following the investigation by Waxman…or is he lying because he is from Cali?
You people are sad. The only women you will run are drunks or those that vote against themselves. Kristen better get some brains if she runs again.
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Yes Burt and Andre have always hated Susan and Anne Gannon. The only one they like are those that are their actually bitches which the majority are men.
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Nan Rich for Governor! ‘Nuff said! Let the voters decide. I have.
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I will admit that I had never thought of these links with Aaronson and his allies but clearly based on the evidence you present the sexism is obvious.
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My, my isn’t this fun!? Let me get this straight (sorry if this offends LGBT folks) Janet Reno the “weak candidate” lost a close primary to the “strong candidate” Bill McBride. So I keep looking for “Governor Bill McBride” in the records….but all I find is a reference to his landslide loss to Jeb Bush! So much for being the “strong candidate”!
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Did Burt write the ” here you go comment ?”. Glad to see Morning Star back to her insane self. The truth is that the Palm Beach County locals ( Burt and Crew) are already trying to fix this election and fatten themselves up. As usual all they do in the end is screw things up. We Dems. need to be involved in this process or we will end up with four more years of Rick Scott. Maybe that is what Burt and Wexler really want.
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Okay let us clear things up
Reno
A Parkinson’s disease disaster waiting to happen. McBride made a race of it and Reno would have been killed. You are to blame as are other Reno supporters for McBride’s defeat as your lingering bitterness and anger had a lot to do with turnout going down. Still McBride gave it a real fight.
Aaronson
The Commissioner rightly called you to the carpet publicly for committing election fraud. Taking palm cards created for McBride and our Ag commissioner candidates, and making copies changing the names to Janet Reno and Mary Barley, confusing people at the polls and committing election fraud. You are fortunate criminal charges weren’t filed.
Then you worked with the Republicans to create slanderous attacks on the Commissioner via several mail pieces. Strangely this palm card thing happened AGAIN when Harvey Arnold’s name was mysteriously changed to Kelly Skidmore and Ted Duetch’s to Irv Slosberg on palm cards traced back to you. Election fraud again.
Bucher
Then you attacked us on the Political Hurricane for not backing Susan Bucher even though it is her job performance with constant voting problems and fraud in the SOE’s office that created the need for a challenge. Bucher was impossible to work with as a legislator.
Gannon
What the **** do you know about the tax collectors office? She is a mess. We backed Pete Carney an actual tax professional. That is not sexism but perhaps you practice sexism automatically supporting a female over a more qualified male.
Frankel
Allegations above that we were backing Hasner are INCORRECT. We liked Jacobs but ultimately backed Frankel.
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Creating palm cards that weren’t direct replications of an unregistered PAC are NOT election law violations.
Countless times I have been threatened with this “fraud” charge and charges of “slander” yet no lawsuit or charges have ever been filed. That’s the reality.
Muddying the water is just that. But the issue at hand here is the record of backing male candidates against progressive strong-minded females. It is an unmistakable pattern.
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You know who I am, you need to get a grip on reality. The Commissioner is out of control and FYI no longer the commissioner. Why don’t you try defending your other boy Wexler and Crist. Anything but crickets? You are sexist. Who is Harvey Arnold? PBC Commissioner and clan did not like Bucher from the start. Why because she is strong and she is not Jewish so in the case of PBC she is automatically against the Jews. The reality is this my friend. I dont know about the writer but the establishment (which you are clearly are a part of ) are sick people.
Tell Crist and Wexler that there is a paper trail and it has nothing to do with votes.
Go ask the president of Jordan. The PBC party is a disgrace from backing Wexler, Siegal, Aaronson, Freedman, Greene, Abruzzo, Weiss and Fladel.
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PBC Dems according Kartik
One time we were anti christian, black, gay and female
Then we backed Anderson. Black argument out the door
Then we backed and promoted Eric Johnson. Gay argument gone
Then we backed Sink. Female argument gone
Then we oppose Rich who is Jewish. So that argument is gone.
You have nothing left. Nothing.
We are the party in Palm Beach. What we say goes. Rich should not run and Crist is going to be governor.
Sorry Kartik.
Then
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I am going weigh in here. It is possible Kartik’s post is somewhat bitter BUT every word on there is true. Sexism is the name of the game in Palm Beach as is pulling the “jew card when it is convenient against the likes of Bucher or Gannon. Robert Wexler, Andre Fladell, and Burt Aaronson have made themselves the arbiters of who is anti-Semitic and not, who is electable and not. Yet much of the time as Kartik points out they are wrong. They lose more than they win. They have a problem with strong willed and powerful woman.
Burt Aaronson and Howard Weiss felt it was okay to intimidate a sitting FEMALE judge last year when she had the temerity to contemplate challenging Dave Aronberg for state attorney. Aronberg had spent less hours in a courtroom in his lifetime than Judge Marks does in a week but somehow the man who also happened to be jewish was more qualified than the sitting female judge. But that is the way it works. Gannon is a woman who shows independence so all of a sudden she’s incompetent and must be taken out by a conservative man who will do Aaronson’s bidding. Bucher is a leader and progressive and loud so she must be defeated by a controllable good ole boy. Janet Reno and Mary Barley would have stuck it to sugar so back men who will keep polluters and developers happy. It goes on and on.
Great piece Kartik.
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1. Anderson was to take the fall for bs you tried to handle
2. Eric Johnson is corrupt ask him where the Sargeant money is
3. Sink (not progressive)
4. Rich if she wasn’t Jewish you would send out a mail piece saying she hates Jews…I am sure it is on the way.
5. The establishment are scared of women that are progressive period.
If the party is pushing Crist, whose is against every bill the Ds try to push on a national level it says something both about the party and Sorry Charlie.
I know who should run….the establishment. I dont know Kartik but I have dealt with you guys when I worked with your State House Rep. You people are beyond belief. The state knows it.
Shake up and shake down
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excellent reporting and dot connecting!
now someone break up that cabal of PBC dirty old men running things.
BREAK UP THE CABAL BREAK IT UP!
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IT ALL COMES BACK TO WEXLER/DEUTCH/MURPHY CHIEF OF STAFF ERIC JOHNSON WHO WANTS TO DO THE CRIST CAMPAIGN. HE SCREWED OVER TARA LAXER WHO KNOWS POLICY AND WON’T PLAY THEIR GAME WHEN SHE WANTED TO RUN AGAINST A MAN. OR IS IT BECAUSE SHE IS JEWISH AND A WOMAN, HOT AND SMART.
DEUTCH YOU ARE A **#&@*&@*@
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Dem in Boca….you are an idiot. I just heard Laxer on a call the other day about Deutch & Iran. She speaks very highly of him. I have heard a lot about Johnson though and she does not play their game. I also like Murphy. No one liked Wexler. Crist what a joke.
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They all are scared of Bucher…even Rubio. Anne Gannon knows their game too. The biggest mistake is the Aronberg card. I hope he prosecutes the Shahid guy. The county is a mess and there very few leaders. (FYI maybe 2 are actually in office) So happy Wexler is out …. we do miss Klein. This Crist thing…wow. Can’t they find a decent candidate. Rich should have a chance. Maybe Wexler will run for Governor. LOL LOL LOL fuck nut
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This is not about Deutch…this is about Wexler and his former staff.
You push Crist…you own our troops more than a simple picture!
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/02/28/703104/-A-world-of-hurt-for-Gov-Crist-s-buddy-Harry-Sargeant-III#
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You push Crist..you own our troops…you owe more than this!
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Didn’t Wexler take money too from Harry? Maybe that explains it all…………….
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