Mediaboss Marketing

TALLAHASSEE Florida Democrats held a conference call Tuesday to try to find the sunny side of an election drubbing that saw the defeat of many of the partys rising stars.

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson blamed the U.S. Supreme Courts Citizens United decision that allowed unlimited corporate and union money to start flowing into elections as one potential cause.

But he shrugged off questions from reporters about whether the party was broadly disconnected from the sensibilities of voters. He also said the partys stock of potential candidates for higher office was still solid.

Look at the horses that we have in the stable, Nelson, an Orlando Democrat, said, referencing Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, U.S. Reps. Lois Frankel and Patrick Murphy, and newly elected Gwen Graham, the daughter of the former governor who defeated incumbent Republican Steve Sutherland for a Panhandle-based congressional seat.

He also mentioned one particular defeat state Rep. Karen Castor Dentel, D-Maitland, who lost to Republican Bob Cortes because, he said, she was overwhelmed by spending from the other side.

While the federal campaign-contribution limit ruling doesnt directly impact state races, Nelson said the flood of corporate and interest-group cash into elections now was more of a problem for Democrats than ever before.

That is a major handicap that we see at this point, and that's going to have to be faced straight on, Nelson said.

Another potential future candidate on the call, former Orlando police chief and congressional candidate Val Demings, said Florida Democrats needed to conduct a systemic review of their operations.

If we are serious about winning races up and down the ballot, we do have to look at everything staffing, funding, communications plans, Demings said. We've got to look at communication with our local officials.

The lament is nothing new for the party now out of power in Tallahassee for 16 years. For the most part, Democrats have been self-reflecting on the decision justified or not -- to place such an emphasis on winning back the governors office with a flawed, former Republican candidate in Charlie Crist.

Visit link:
After electoral benching, Florida Democrats say their own is just fine