Jose Garcia
Jose Garcia's JournalRace for Miami-Dade Dem chief may complicate contest for statewide Dem chair
TALLAHASSEE — Tuesday's vote for a new Democratic party chair in Miami-Dade is steeped in political intrigue and infighting, and is likely to play a role in shaping the statewide party moving forward.
The intrigue stems from the last-minute decision by Juan Cuba, the county party’s executive director, to run for chair of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party against eight other candidates.
Cuba formally filed to run just this weekend, spurring rumors among Democratic operatives that he was in it to win and then step aside for Stephen Bittel, a large party donor who has expressed interest in being statewide chairman, to assume the job.
Bittel is currently ineligible to run for the statewide post because party rules require a candidate be the chair, vice-chair, or one of two state committee members from a local party.
rest of story: http://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2016/12/juan-cuba-says-hed-serve-full-term-as-miami-dade-dem-chief-complicating-statewide-chairs-race-107838
Uproar at Hillsborough DEC meeting; City Council, School Board members leave in disgust
After a rough start, Hillsborough County Democrats re-elected Ione Townsend as party chair Monday night.
A raucous first 50 minutes of the group’s reorganization meeting culminated in five Tampa City Council members and two Hillsborough County school board members leaving the hall in disgust when they were not allowed to participate in the Democratic Executive Committee election for local officers.
In a related development that skewed the final tally of his race, Alan Clendenin, vice-chair of the Florida Democratic Party and a man considered a serious contender for party chair next year, lost his race for state committeeman to Russ Patterson, 42-30.
It was thought that many of those elected officials who were not allowed to vote supported Clendenin.
rest of article: http://floridapolitics.com/archives/228343-uproar-hillsborough-dec-meeting-city-council-school-board-members-leave-disgust
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