Duval Democrats Completely Change Leadership for 2017

[Metro Jacksonville]

Duval Democrats Completely Change Leadership for 2017



In the wake of the 2016 Election and the removal of Corrine Brown, the Duval Democrats reorganize and review what it means to be Democrats.

Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2016-dec-duval-democrats-completely-change-leadership-for-2017

[Tacachale]

Very interesting piece of reporting, thanks for doing this.

I keep saying that the Duval Democrats have their work cut out for them. The party has never really recovered from the 90s, when the Republicans started winning local elections and many people switched over. Before that, the Democrats were the one party in an effectively one-party system, which bred complacency. They still haven't adjusted to the competition, let alone to being the less powerful party.

I'm not sure the Duval Democrats even know how to start fixing their fundamental issues. I don't think even the party leadership appreciates how serious the racial divide is. It was always there, but it's a lot more pronounced now that African-Americans make up the vast majority of elected officials. It's insane that the party never had a black chair until now.

Here's a sobering fact: as of this last election, there are only two elected Democrats who aren't African-American in any level of government (the School Board is an exception, but their elections are officially non-partisan). The two are Tommy Hazouri and John Crescimbeni in City Council. Both have also been in politics since before power shifted to the Republicans starting in the mid-90s, when white Democrats were still consistently winning races.

There is only one less black Republican (Sam Newby) than there are white Democrats in elected positions in Jacksonville.

Hazouri and Crescimbeni are also the only serving Democrats who won county-wide elections. In fact, only one other official, Joyce Morgan in District 1, won a race in a non-traditionally Democratic district (though its current borders make it more strongly Democratic than it used to be). All other elected Democrats, from City Council to the State Legislature to Congress, represent African American-majority local districts where it's virtually impossible for a Democrat to lose. Let that sink in.

In this last election, the Democrats failed to compete, or even field candidates, in a number of key races. Hillary Clinton pulled off historic numbers here, but it didn't help down-ballot candidates because by and large, there weren't any. No Democrat ran in either the State Attorney or Public Defender races. Given the unpopularity of the incumbents, both could be Democrats right now. There were also no Democrats in 4 of the 6 State House districts, and the two that won were both embarrassments (Reggie Fulwood, who had to step down due to fraud charges, and Kim "Demonslayer" Daniels"). I wonder if they'll even bother to run mayoral and sheriff's candidates in 2019.

The Democrats need some new blood, stat. They need to decide on consistent messages and find issues they can win on locally. Otherwise, they'll continue to be marginalized and uncompetitive in countywide races.

[Tacachale]

Yes, it's a watershed period for both local parties. The Dems have potential and some trends in their favor. If they can get it together they can start winning some countywide races. The GOP has very solid infrastructure and a lot more money and donors. But if they don't keep it together, continue to bring in money and field strong candidates, they'll lose ground in spite of their advantages.

One thing I can see changing, sooner or later, is that currently a lot of Democrats don't run for anything because they don't see a way to win outside the "blue firewall" districts. Other people who want to go into politics just join the GOP because they see it as the only viable option (which is 180 degrees from how it was 20 years ago). This is not a fixed quality and things could easily change.

[ben america]

Meanwhile, there is an emerging local left that isn't happy about the way white liberals have marginalized African American Democrats. They only speak to their issues when they want their vote. This is informed by a number of progressive operatives with deep Jacksonville roots, including the 2011 Brown victory, that have served as high as senior staff positions within the Presidential campaigns.

[Tacachale]

Meanwhile, there is an emerging local left that isn't happy about the way white liberals have marginalized African American Democrats. They only speak to their issues when they want their vote. This is informed by a number of progressive operatives with deep Jacksonville roots, including the 2011 Brown victory, that have served as high as senior staff positions within the Presidential campaigns.

That's the essence of the racial divide right there, and why Democrats aren't consistently able to win countywide elections. They are literally two political lifers away from having 0 elected officials outside of African-American majority districts. I'd argue they need fewer "operatives" from national elections and more people who can figure out how to win in Jacksonville.

[ben america]

Agreed, that has been the problem in the past. But what has happened now is the handful of people who know how to win here were scooped up by national campaigns. Now we have very different resources at our disposal.

[Tacachale]

Agreed, that has been the problem in the past. But what has happened now is the handful of people who know how to win here were scooped up by national campaigns. Now we have very different resources at our disposal.

I don't know. The main person who helped Alvin Brown to win in 2011 was Mike Hogan. Otherwise, the local Dems didn't do much better than this year. I haven't detected a lot of talent in any of the last several local elections, despite the fact that the presidential candidates have been narrowing the gap. Maybe that's changing, you'd know a lot better than me, but I'll believe it when they start recording wins.

[Tacachale]

Agreed, that has been the problem in the past. But what has happened now is the handful of people who know how to win here were scooped up by national campaigns. Now we have very different resources at our disposal.

I don't know. The main person who helped Alvin Brown to win in 2011 was Mike Hogan. Otherwise, the local Dems didn't do much better than this year. I haven't detected a lot of talent in any of the last several local elections, despite the fact that the presidential candidates have been narrowing the gap. Maybe that's changing, you'd know a lot better than me, but I'll believe it when they start recording wins.

Then again, Mike Hogan is the left wing of whats left of the Republican Party now.

Not locally when you look at who's been winning. Curry is more moderate than Hogan, and got a lot more votes than he did (enough to beat Brown, who got somewhat more votes than he received in 2011). Melissa Nelson and Charlie Cofer roundly defeated more conservative candidates. John Rutherford was one of the more moderate candidates in his race.

Republicans may face some Trumplash at the polls next time, and if the local party doesn't pull itself together it will be hard, but they've still got a lot of supporting infrastructure. And a lot of money.