Miami-Dade Democratic leader protests chairman’s suspension
The Miami-Dade Democratic Executive Committee (DEC) is a volunteer-run organization made up of dedicated Democrats of all ages and backgrounds hailing from all parts of the county, united to elect Democrats and support our Democratic elected officials at the municipal, county, state and federal levels. As acting chair of the DEC, I object to Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried’s decision to override the will of our membership and suspend elected Chair Robert Dempster.
The Miami-Dade DEC has been and remains exclusively focused on the hard, day-to-day work of organizing Democratic voters and building people power ahead of county elections in August and the presidential election in November. During the past year under Dempster’s leadership, we have built a robust communications committee, which increased our presence on social media and boosted voter engagement while addressing disinformation in both English and Spanish.
Our highly expert data committee has performed an in-depth voter analysis resulting in the creation of a text messaging program targeting inactive voters. Countywide voter registration has been constant during the past twelve months. Our Democratic clubs have been accredited for the first time in three years, and they expanded their membership under Dempster’s leadership.
As Democrats organizing the largest Democratic county in the state, we have been doing this work with zero financial or administrative support from the Florida Democratic Party. Undaunted by this vacuum, the Miami-Dade Democratic Party has hired a full-time paid field director, fully funded through local donations. We are currently the only county party in the state with paid full-time staff. I am proud of what we have built.
At this crucial time for our nation and our democratic values, I call on the Florida Democratic Party to share the Miami-Dade DEC’s singular focus on electing Democrats with robust funding and concrete plans. For example, we are still waiting to learn more about the million-dollar plan announced by the Florida Democratic Party last year to fund voter registration.
I strongly object to the recent press statements and actions by Fried questioning our leadership and execution. I strongly object to the suspension of our chair and demand his timely reinstatement. Time is of the essence. Using the limited resources of the Florida Democratic Party to undermine the sustained work and the all-important morale of the largest Democratic county in the state will no doubt affect the work that needs to be done in this election year.
As a Democrat and a proud American, winning in 2024 is my singular focus. I am proud to be part of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party as we continue that mission.