For ’18, state Democrats shifting left

TALLAHASSEE — Tension among Florida Democrats spilled out into the open this week, as black legislative leaders publicly scolded their party chairman for insensitive comments, highlighting a long-simmering discontent within the party as it heads into the pivotal 2018 elections.

Some in the party’s base of voters and activists, Central Floridians among them, are pushing for more progressive policies and aggressive candidates.

The latest example of that frustration came after a June 17 fundraiser in South Florida, when party chairman Stephen Bittel said black lawmakers were “acting like children” after they groused about his decision to leave them out of introductory remarks during its annual Leadership Blue gala.

Bittel, who is white, apologized and later met with state Senate Democratic Leader Os-

car Braynon of Miami Gardens and Rep. Kionne McGhee of Miami, both of whom are black, to clear the air. The two condemned his remarks but stopped short of calling for his resignation.

African-American issues and concerns are something that party leaders need to actively address, Braynon said, and not just take their votes for granted come election time.

“We are a large part of the party, and we show up in big numbers and vote as Democrats,” he said. “We are not just a subsection of the party. Some people would consider us somebody that drives the party.”

Democrats have been shut out of power in Florida, the largest swing state, for more than 20 years, winning only one statewide race since 1996. In the past three races for governor, the Democratic nominee has been a moderate, white candidate from the Tampa area — Jim Davis in 2006, Alex Sink in 2010 and Charlie Crist in 2014.

Another centrist nominee is the last thing diehard activists want to see in 2018.

“Every statewide Democratic candidate that has run in the last several years has all fallen into the same trap, which is they sounded like they were reading from a script, that they were too middle of the road, plain, moderate, just not anything exciting,” said state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando, a former activist with Equality Florida, a gay-rights group.

He and other activists want the party to focus on policies such as universal health care, a $15 per hour minimum wage and more spending on the environment and public schools.

Democrats have been shut out of power in Florida, the largest swing state, for more than 20 years, winning only one statewide race since 1996.

Smith took his own initiative toward that end this year, forming the Legislative Progressive Caucus during the session to push progressive legislation. Republican dominance of the Legislature, though, means the group has had little impact.

Democrats who have jumped into the race for governor — Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham and Winter Park businessman Chris King — have all bashed Republican positions and the Trump administration on a variety of issues, but early into their campaigns haven’t laid out policies with such aggressive stances themselves.

Smith says there’s a “good crop” of Democratic candidates in the race so far, but he isn’t ready to make an endorsement.

Despite being out of power, some causes supported by Democratic and left-leaning groups have done well at the ballot box in Florida. In the past 15 years voters have approved referendums on minimum class sizes, dedicated funding for the environment, a gerrymandering ban and legalization of medical marijuana.

But Democratic candidates have come up short against better-funded Republicans. Being outgunned is the top excuse Democrats usually give after tough election days.

“Democrats are not as rich as Republicans. So [Republicans] start out with a 40-yard head start in a 100-yard dash,” said Orlando trial attorney John Morgan, a major Democratic fundraiser who is considering a run for governor. “No matter how well-organized you are, the Republicans are always going to have an advantage because the 80-year-old men with one foot in the grave, one foot on Earth, are still writing big checks.”

Bittel, a real estate magnate, won the race for the chairmanship in January in part by touting his fundraising ability over three other candidates, including Dwight Bullard, a black former state senator from Miami.

Democratic Party staffers say they have a plan for 2018 that includes voter outreach, volunteer training, candidate recruitment and grass-roots organizing in minority communities.

But the party raised $843,000 in the first quarter of 2017, less than the $1.1 million it raised in the same time period in 2013, the year after the previous presidential election. Republicans brought in $2.5 million in the first three months of 2017.

Activists concede that fundraising is a factor but also think candidates have paid too much heed to consultants preaching moderation.

“If you’re a candidate running for office, you’re working on literature, go to a local vendor, work with folks on the ground,” said Anna Eskamani, an Orlando-area progressive activist. “Don’t do the same old, same old. At the end of the day, consultants are going to win whether you win or lose.”