Democrats push 3 South Florida candidates

The Florida Democratic Party highlighted three South Florida candidates on Monday, saying victories in their nonpartisan city elections next month would help the party with its long-term objective of making a political comeback in the state.

State Democratic Chair Nikki Fried highlighted a total of seven races statewide — including two in Boca Raton and one in Pembroke Pines — that the party said were kicking off its Take Back Local program that would provide “support to flip” city council and commission seats across the state.

“These races are nonpartisan so it’s important for voters to know which candidates will fight for our values and it’s our job as a party to provide the infrastructure democratic candidates need to win — that’s how we will take back Florida. We are fielding candidates and contesting races everywhere and it starts at the local level,” Fried said in a statement.

It wasn’t precisely clear what the Democratic Party was hoping to “take back” or “flip” in one of the contests highlighted Monday.

Yvette Drucker, a member of the Boca Raton City Council, is running for reelection, so a win in the March 19 election wouldn’t increase the Democrats’ ranks. Also, Bernard Korn, the other candidate for the seat, is also a registered Democrat, voter registration records show.

Also in Boca Raton, the state Democrats put Andy Thomson on their priority list.

He is a former member of the City Council who was an unsuccessful candidate for Florida House of Representatives in 2022, narrowly losing to Republican Peggy Gossett-Seidman, who is now serving her first term.

He’s seeking a political comeback in the March 19 City Council election, running against Republican Brian Stenberg. The seat is open without an incumbent.

In Pembroke Pines, the state Democrats highlighted Maria Rodriguez, who is running in a four-candidate race in an open seat without an incumbent.

The other candidates are Misael “Ace” Almeria, who is registered with no party affiliation, and Glenn Theobald and Chris Ziadie, both Republicans.

“We have developed a rigorous review process to identify candidates and campaigns running in competitive local races across the state,” said state Democratic Candidates and Campaigns Director Danielle Hawk said in a statement. “We are prioritizing local races first because this is where we can make the most impact.”

Even though the contests for city, town and village elections are nonpartisan, and open to Democratic, Republican and no party affiliation/independent voters, both political parties have long involved themselves in the contests.

The Republican Party organizations in Broward and Palm Beach

counties have been gearing up for months for the March 19 elections.

Republicans may have an advantage. March 19 is also the date of the Republican presidential preference primary in Florida, but not Democratic presidential primary.

Even though former President Donald Trump is virtually certain to win the Republican nomination, voting that day could draw Republicans to the polls, unlike the Democrats. Once voters are there, party leaders hope they continue voting for Republican candidates.

Kevin Neal, chairman of the Palm Beach County Republican Party, said earlier this month that the local GOP is “supporting those candidates in every way that we can. … “We’ve got texting campaigns, email campaigns, door knocking. All of our get-out-the-vote efforts to push our municipal candidates over the top. Municipal elections are a very high priority for us.”

Broward Republicans are also helping some, though not all of their candidates. In Pembroke Pines, for example, the party has sent out a mailer on behalf of Theobald, but isn’t helping Ziadie.

The Florida Democrats said the seven candidates highlighted Monday were the first phase of its Take Back Local program, but didn’t indicate when or how many other contests would be highlighted.

Florida has become increasingly Republican in recent years, and Democrats have suffered significant losses. Republicans hold all statewide elected offices and have outsized majorities in the congressional delegation, the state Senate and the state House of Representatives.

Both parties see city, town and village offices as important for their futures, so they have tested, quality candidates for future elections for higher office.

Besides the three contests in Boca Raton, the state Democratic Party highlighted candidates in Winter Garden, Ocoee and two in Clearwater.