Following the egregious losses in Florida on November 8, 2022, many people are calling on the Florida Democratic Party Chair, former Mayor of Miami, Manny Diaz, to resign. I have joined these calls as a member of the Advisory Board of the Florida Chapter of the Progressive Democrats of America, as a member of the Democratic Progressive Caucus of Florida, and personally.
Presently, I am sitting on a letter I wrote several days ago requesting his resignation. Someone I trust who I requested feedback from said it was too harsh. What follows is an abbreviated, milder version.
In my letter, I say that Democrats being in a tiny minority in both houses of the state legislature as well as badly losing statewide races and county and city races all over Florida is dangerous and will cost lives. Now, Governor DeSantis and his henchmen are emboldened to get rid of concealed weapons permits and training requirements, to further ostracize and deny medical care to transgender individuals, and to quite possibly ban abortions completely, which can make orphans of children. Many women who have abortions are already mothers and do so because their lives are endangered, despite propaganda that overlooks this and other facts. And of course, there are many other issues with one-party rule such as corporate corruption controlling and leeching off the taxpayers while keep housing expensive and wages and opportunity low for any Floridians who are not already financially well-off.
Although not all of Democrats' failings in Florida are Chair Diaz's fault, the state party sets the tone and the party's charter makes the State Chair quite powerful, including control of all staffing. Chair Diaz made big promises, still visible at his campaign website, that haven't been delivered on. Since he took office in January 2021, the state party has been poorly coordinated and organized, with candidates and local Democratic organizations largely left to fend for themselves. Fundraising has largely been channeled into ineffective mass mailers and expensive traditional media advertising, rather than being funneled to grassroots organizations and activists who have sorely lacked support.
Now, we find ourselves in a much worse position in Florida than we were in 2 years ago, with less hope of attracting candidates, funds, volunteers, or even party-affiliated voters. Eight days ago, Chair Diaz released a statement on Facebook refusing to step down. Although calls for his resignation are growing, he has remained silent since then and the state party has not even bothered to promote local races such as Guerdy Remy's city commission run-off in Altamonte Springs on December 6, 2022.
Democratic National Committee members Thomas Kennedy and Dr. Nadia Ahmad have authored cogent arguments for Chair Diaz's resignation, as well as the Democratic Progressive Caucus of Florida, the Monroe County Democratic Party, and a growing list of other prominent party leaders and organizations. At this time, they do not seem to have yet convinced him. If he resigns from his term which expires January 2025, a new election will be held among internal party leadership for a new State Chair to carry us through the 2024 general election. Hopefully this happens and hopefully we can get someone much more inclusive, effective, and visible to lead our party back to relevancy in Florida.
Presently, I am hearing that Chair Diaz terminated most of the party's paid staff effective November 9, 2022, and the remaining staff are only funded for a couple months. This is certainly not the way to build mutual respect, expertise, institutional knowledge, and power.
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Notes:
"Moving Forward Together" statement from Chair Manny Diaz on November 12, 2022, which was widely panned:
Statement from Democratic Progressive Caucus of Florida demanding Chair Diaz's resignation:
Article by Dr. Nadia Ahmad (DNC member) and progressive Democratic leader Jim Langford:
Article by Thomas Kennedy (DNC member):
https://www.latinorebels.com/2022/11/14/floridademocraticparty/
Even in October 2022 it was clear to many who were paying attention that things were going badly:
Chair Diaz's campaign website from December 2020 is still online and contains many promises he didn't come close to fulfilling: