Le sigh!
Does anyone care about what is going on in the Florida Democratic Party anymore? Why are we throwing Democrats under the bus for Republican lites? This madness started in 2010, when Democratic Party Leaders decided to throw Kendrick Meek under the bus, roll over him, back up, then roll over him again for Charlie Crist. Everywhere you turned, everyone was screaming that Kendrick Meek, the registered Democrat, should get out of the way and make room for Charlie Crist, who, because he lost the Republican primary for US Senate to Marco Rubio, decided to run as an Independent.
That got a side eye, especially from the African-American Community.
Fast-forward to Senator Nan Rich, former Florida House Member and Florida Minority Senate leader. This intelligent, qualified woman threw her hat into the ring for the Florida Governor’s race. Did the Florida Democratic Party embrace her? Of course not. They were waiting for newly turned Democrat Charlie Crist to declare his candidacy.
Now, after losing Florida CD-13 because Jessica Erlich was forced out, Florida Democrats are running a “NPA” candidate, Colonel Ed Jany. Jany has to run NPA because he hasn’t been a Democrat long enough. He was a registered Republican!! Florida Statute 99.021 put a stop to people crying after they lose a primary and switching to other parties just to run.
Charlie Crist is the reason for this law, called the “Sore Loser” law.
Now it makes sense as to why the Pinellas County Democratic Committee Chair threatened Manuel Sykes, a Black Pastor, to get out of the race. Sykes would have been the only Democrat on the ballot! The Democratic chairman, Mark Hanisee, said this:
“Neither one of them are endorsing you, nor is the (Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee). They have another candidate,” Hanisee said. He added, “You better hold off, or, like I told you Sunday night, you are going to be persona non grata. Take that to the bank. That’s telling you the gospel truth. You’re going to be getting a call from Rick Kriseman, if you haven’t already, telling you to back off. Have a nice weekend.”
If I were Sykes, I would run anyway. What can anyone do to him? They’ve already thrown him under the bus and ran over him! The party has shown that it gives less than a damn about its base. I understand how Sykes feels, at this point from the Tampa Bay Times:
“It was shocking to me … because it’s against the rules,” Owens said. “Aren’t they supposed to support Democratic candidates?”
Sykes, 57, of Bethel Community Baptist Church, said comments from Hanisee and some other party officials were a factor in his decision not to run.
As a first-time candidate likely to be outspent by Republicans, Sykes said one of his main strategies was to work within the party organization, getting to know people in Democratic clubs who could spread the word of his campaign.
But “when I have my own party leaders blocking me, I knew that was sort of being cut off at the knees,” he said.
He felt cut off at the knees by his OWN PARTY!!
Mark Hanisee went on to say:
“Listen,” Hanisee said in an unprompted comment, “to me it has nothing to do with whether he is white or black; he is just not a credible candidate in this particular district.”
Why not?
“Because he lives in another district, he’s never run for office before, (and) he has no prior political experience. If you check the demographics, it’s like a 2 percent, 3 percent African-American district.”
Based on Hanisee’s comments, it is clearly about Sykes being black, or the percentage of African-Americans in the area wouldn’t have come up. Additionally, the person The Florida Democrats settled on, Ed Jany, doesn’t live in the district, has never run for office, and hasn’t been a registered Democrat long enough to run for the party!!!
It has become abundantly clear that the Florida Democratic Party cares only about winning, even though they haven’t been doing much of that lately.
The Florida Democratic Party does not care about what their base wants. It has become the mafia.
I’m looking over my shoulder now to see if they have sent “Big Tony” after me for telling the truth!!
November will be an eye-opener for the Democrats.
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Leslie Wimes
Latest posts by Leslie Wimes (see all)
- Hillsborough County Democratic Black Caucus Says “No Recommendation” To Lisa Montelione, HD 63! - October 29, 2016
- Chain Gang Charlie Is Back, Unfortunately For Black Folks In CD 13! - October 21, 2016
- Pam Keith, Racism Claims, And Debates - July 30, 2016
finally, someone else is speaking out about what the Florida Democratic ParTy is doing to promote their own selfish agenda. It is so obvious that DEC chair is basing his decisions on race and gender. I don’t live in CD 13 but I did send Jessica Erlich a campaign donation. I also was livid when I heard she was forced out. Who says that Anglo voters won’t vote for an African America? That’s a prejudicial assumption right there!
Exactly! The Florida Democratic Party is making decisions based on THEIR best interests, and not of the people they claim to represent. They will end up in the very same position they ended up with Sink. Watch and see.