TPH has learned through multiple sources that several advocates in the Latino/Hispanic are unhappy with state party leadership particularly Congresswoman/DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz for pushing Allison Tant’s candidacy after Annette Tadeo-Goldstein had already announced she was running for FDP State Chairwoman. Despite the intense lobbying from DWS and other leaders, Taddeo-Goldstein retains most of the support among Latino/Hispanic leaders around the state, with Alan Clendenin also boasting some support in this important demographic. It is worth noting that Wasserman-Schultz retains a favorable image among most activists although many are choosing to defy her for the time being on this matter.
Latino/Hispanic voters made the difference in Florida this election year, launching President Obama to victory statewide. For example, in Osceola County where George W. Bush had defeated John Kerry in 2004, President Obama carried the county by 25 points on November 6th. The swing among Latino voters was almost completely responsible for this shift. The same can be said for the upward trends in Orange, Miami-Dade and Hillsborough counties as well the increased Democratic margins in Broward county.
With grassroots activists throughout the state fuming about the push for Tant, we have learned that Taddeo-Goldstein and Clendenin have begun conversations in the last few days regarding the future of the FDP. These conversations have been described as ” very constructive” by a source wishing not be identified publicly. Anger with a state party run by Tallahassee elites with little or no input from the grassroots, particularly the large urban counties in southeast Florida and along I-4 are uniting supporters of both Taddeo-Goldstein and Clendenin.
In our informal canvass this past week of Democratic activists we have found while many disagree as to whether Clendenin or Taddeo-Goldstein would be the better choice (Clendenin has more support statewide than Taddeo-Goldstein) both sets of supporters agree that the other would be a better choice than Tant. The issues related to Tant’s candidacy with most activists have little to do with the candidate herself, but with the continued frustration about a Tallahassee/lobbyist centric party that has been losing elections at the state level for well over a decade. The general sense is that the performance of the party in statewide (non-Presidential) elections is a cause to change direction and restructure the party apparatus.
Should Tant become the Chair of the party, she would be fourth consecutive head of the FDP spanning a decade of futility in state elections that hails from north of Orlando. This has come at a time when Democrats have become an urban-centric party based around the three major metropolitan areas in the state. Yet, the Tallahassee centric party insiders continue to look to leaders from outside the I-4 corridor or southeast Florida in order to maintain their grip on a woefully inadequately built party.
For a party who finds itself in a helpless minority position in state government, it’s striking to many outsiders that the party continues to repeat the same mistakes. The majority of activists around the state continue to push the idea that the Florida Democratic Party needs a Chair that will work hard to build an infrastructure statewide, provide a permanent presence in the large urban centers of the state and bring some fresh ideas and thoughts to the job.
The 2 opposition candidates should team up.
Tant will be a disaster. A Tallahassee socialite with no political or grassroots experience. A lobbyist whose experiences outside the capitol were 25 years ago!
UNMITIGATED DISASTER
I feel your pain south florida, the Leon County DEC has been distroyed by the state party, it a joke. We have had weak leadership for the past 10 years all of this brought to you by the state party. The State and National party is told my group which controls 100+ votes for the upcoming party election, “vote for Tant or else”. Tant and I have only positive interactions and I have only good things to say about her. But,the State party and what the National party is doing is disgusting.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome.
Jacob Eaton LCDEC member
Please add every other demographic to the list of those who are pissed off.
Best wishes,
Democrat who is tired of this bs
I want the DNC and Wasserman-Schultz to define the “or else.” This heavy handedness is unconscionable. They want me to work my ass off during elections but won’t listen to my input into State Party politics. If they don’t get out of the way there won’t be a working party to elect them next time.
DWS has never been easy to work with. She is impossible.
But pandering based on race or ethnicity as Tadeo seems to be doing is not cool either.
We are all fed up with Debbie and this type of our way or the highway attitude. It’s like those of us who work hard, sacrifice our time and money for this party and make a difference don’t matter at all.
This is why many of us are no longer involved. We are only valuable come elections. Give our time and MONEY then go away. They will call us when they need us. This is the same bunch who forced a Muslum Leader on the PBC DEC a few years back when Jewish outreach was so important. Anyone now wonder how we lost control of the state ???
DWS has a history of supporting Republicans over South Florida Democrats. DWS and Sen. Nelson derailed Jimmy Morales’ bid for the Party chair 4 years ago and his recent bid to run for Governor. The conjecture is that this is all about supporting a Republican, Charlie Crist.
Annette Taddeo has not made it all about race. It’s the Hispanic community in South Florida that is doing so and expressing anger at Nelson and DWS.. Ms. Taddeo is making it all about fundraising, reorganizing the Party so we can begin getting larger numbers of Democrats elected throughout the State and finally bringing some representation for South Florida into the Republican Party.