TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) -- Florida Democrats are mixing some old hands with a few up-and-comers to determine what went wrong this year and how they can do better in 2016.
Smarting from a general election that included losing the governor's race, all three Cabinet seats and a series of legislative contests that gave Republicans a supermajority in the state House, the Florida Democratic Party on Thursday announced the formation of a task force to improve the party's brand and to recruit candidates.
The Leadership Expansion to Advance Democrats, or LEAD, Task Force is being headed by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and former Orlando Police Chief Val Demings, a leading party figure in Central Florida who lost a 2012 congressional race.
The formation of the task force came a week after party Chairwoman Allison Tant released a post-election statement that was met with some skepticism for declaring, "Our bench is stronger today, with fresh faces to meet tomorrow's challenges."
The task force includes former party Chairman Rod Smith; State Reps. Jose Javier Rodriguez of Miami and Amanda Murphy of New Port Richey; state Sen. Dwight Bullard of Miami; LGBT activist Joe Falk; Service Employees International Union State Council President Monica Russo; Democratic political consultant Ana Cruz; and Florida Education Association policy director Jeff Wright. Also it includes former Florida Obama for America State Director Ashley Walker; Leon County Commissioner Nick Maddox, Northwest Florida party leader Patricia Byrd and Palm Beach County Democratic Chairwoman Terrie Rizzo.
The task force is charged with determining how the party can compete in the 2016 presidential and 2018 gubernatorial election cycles.
Specific goals for the task force will be to determine how best to recruit candidates for local, state and federal offices; to determine if new technologies are being utilized; and to improve field and turnout operations.
The task-force findings are expected to be announced in June at the 2015 Leadership Blue weekend, which was formerly known as the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner.
NO REST FOR THE WEARY DONORS
As if enough money hadn't been spent on campaigns during the past two years. With John Thrasher leaving the Senate to become president of Florida State University, the domino effect will be special elections in three legislative districts in the coming months.
And that, of course, means money.
State Rep. Travis Hutson, an Elkton Republican who is seeking to replace Thrasher in Senate District 6, fired a shot across the bow Thursday by sending out a news release saying he had transferred $300,000 from a House campaign account to a Senate special-election account. The latest campaign-finance report posted on the state Division of Elections website showed that Hutson had raised $129,850 as of Oct. 31 and also loaned $50,000 to his campaign.
"We are excited to hit the ground running in my special election campaign for Senate District 6," Hutson said, referring to the district that includes St. Johns, Flagler and Putnam counties and part of Volusia County.
One of Hutson's opponents will be state Rep. Ronald "Doc" Renuart, a Ponte Vedra Beach Republican. As of Oct. 31, Renuart reported raising $2,750 but also loaning $50,000 to his campaign.
The other special elections will be held in the House districts being vacated by Hutson and Renuart. Hutson represents District 24, which includes Flagler County and parts of St. Johns and Volusia. Renuart represents St. Johns County's District 17.
The special primary elections for the seats will be Jan. 27, with special general elections April 7.
RICHTER BACK IN LEADERSHIP ROLE
When lawmakers come back to Tallahassee next week for an organization session, Sen. Garrett Richter, R-Naples, will be in a familiar role.
Incoming Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, announced Thursday that Richter will be president pro tempore for the next two years. Richter also served in the role, which is a top lieutenant to the president, under outgoing President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville.
TWEET OF THE WEEK: "Mississippi, being more progressive than Florida, is now selling 64-ounce growlers. That just leaves us and Utah that ban them." --- Brendan Farrington (@bsfarrington), referring to the beer containers that have drawn heavy debate in the Florida Legislature.
