Category Florida Democrats
Chasing FDP reform in 2017 part 2: The State Committee
The Florida Democratic Party’s State Executive Committee has been the subject of much conversation through the years. The committee has fallen into a rut where many members have used positions to create a private fiefdom or personal power. This is especially true of representatives from urban counties. Let’s table rules reform in terms of vote […]
FDP Chairs Race: The Establishment Strikes Back!
A few weeks ago it looked like Alan Clendenin, the runner up four years ago for Florida Democratic Party Chair would either not qualify to run or be an afterthought. But after Clendenin found a way to qualify via rural Bradford County, and the establishment candidates in the FDP Chairs Race, particularly Stephen Bittel and […]
Florida Democrats and the State Senate in 2016 – a massive missed opportunity
2016 was billed as a Democratic wave year here in Florida – the combination of new, fairer Congressional & State Senate maps and Hillary Clinton versus Donald Trump would push the party to victory. But instead what ensued was yet another cycle of missed opportunities and outright losses for Florida Democrats – a cycle where […]
Chasing FDP reform in 2017 part 1: staff and vendors
Every time we have an internal shift within the Florida Democratic Party (FDP) be it an election for chair or the reform of rules the role of party staff and vendors comes to the forefront. Assessing the role of staff and vendors needs to be a priority for whomever wins the election as party chair […]
Florida Democrats chairs race: What would you like to see in a chair?
This is an open forum for readers. What would like to see in a new FDP Chair? Any suggestions for a party platform? Should the FDP headquarters leave Tallahassee and if so, why? Do you have a candidate you prefer in the race for chair? Feel free to opine in the comments section!
Florida Democratic Party chairs race finally takes shape
Why anyone would actually want the job of Florida Democratic Party (FDP) Chair is beyond many who watch the process. The seemingly thankless task of organizing a party on a record losing streak (losers of 17 of the last 18 races for Governor and Cabinet) has solicited the interest of five properly-qualified (via the party […]
Democrats failed to take advantage of top of the ticket down-ballot again in 2016
In 2010, 2012 and 2014 Democrats failed to take advantage of decent performances at the top of the ticket in legislative races. We’ve written about this extensively in the past but given some new data it bears repeating. In 2012 President Obama carried 54 State House districts but the Democrats only elected 44 members (which […]
FDP State Committee – One county, one vote may need to be revived
Those clicks you hear might be that of urban Floridians summoning Google Maps to find out where Hampton and Bradford County are following Alan Clendenin’s election to the State Committee from that county. Or perhaps they are trying to find where Gadsden County is because of Dwight Bullard? Two years ago the idea of one […]
2017 FDP chairs race – a look back
By Dr. Rachel Pienta Like many Democrats across the nation, I’ve been engaged in some political introspection since November. For this Florida Democrat, the national victories of the Obama presidency served as a soothing blue balm to counteract the red tide that has dominated state politics since the mid-1990s. In the final weeks of […]
FDP Rules Reform: Divided perspectives based on geography
Editor’s Note: This article originally ran in February 2015 – however coming off another electoral defeat where Tier 2 counties were an even bigger bloodbath for Democratic candidates and all the controversy over qualifying processes for the FDP Chair’s race the time is right to rerun the piece. However perspectives have changed since this discussion […]
The Florida Squeeze 