NIKKI FRIED BECOMES NEW FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIR

TThe last Democrat to win a statewide election in Florida is now the head of the party. Nikki Fried has been chosen to be the party’s new chair, replacing Manny Diaz who left the job in January.

After winning the job during a party conference in Orlando, she told the faithful that, “You better believe we are going to take it to Ron DeSantis every damn day.”

That is easier said than done. The job of Democratic Party Chair became open when Diaz resigned in the aftermath of the party’s most devastating defeat in Florida history. Republicans hold supermajorities in both chambers of the legislature in Tallahassee and all statewide elected offices. After winning his first term by just a few thousand votes, Gov. Ron DeSantis was reelected by 19% last year. Her first job will recruit candidates for state house and senate seats with a hope of wresting some power from the state GOP. Currently, there is nothing stopping them from pushing through all parts of their agenda.

Senator Rick Scott is up for reelection next year. As a first-term senator, he could be vulnerable. But as a former two-term governor, Scott’s already won three, albeit close, elections.

In 2018, Fried won her race for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture. Last year she ran for governor but was defeated in the primary by Charlie Crist, himself a former governor. He was a republican when he was governor.