In the wake of a disastrous election night on Nov. 5, where Florida Democrats saw further political decline, former state lawmaker Audrey Gibson said she wants to be the next state chair.
Gibson, who recently served as Florida Senate Minority Leader, plans to address the “dysfunction” within the Florida Dems and rebuild it from the ground up.
“Dysfunction and a lack of the eye of the tiger, I’ll call it…” Gibson said during an interview on Tuesday, emphasizing the need for a more focused and competitive approach.
Gibson thinks Florida Democrats need a comprehensive review of the 2024 election and is seeking a data-driven analysis to better understand voter needs and tailor messaging accordingly.
“Paying attention to what people are telling you,” she explained. “And if you miss that mark, you’re done, which we were in this election.”
However, Gibson faces the challenge of defeating the current chair, Nikki Fried, who has been in office for less than two years. Fried, who wants the full four-year term, argues that frequent leadership changes have hindered the party’s progress.
“Finger-pointing has gotten us into a situation that every two years we change chairs, and what has that done for us? We are rebuilding every two years and never going to have a foundation to build upon,” Fried said.
Gibson’s candidacy comes after controversy surrounding her recent tenure as the head of Jacksonville’s grants department. As Action News Jax first reported, Gibson’s superior issued a written reprimand for “hostile communication” and “insubordination” a few weeks before she abruptly resigned from the post.
The former state lawmaker denies any disrespect towards her team and insists in her candidacy for chair, her focus is on the voter needs.
“This is not about Audrey Gibson,” Gibson said. “It’s not about Nikki Fried. It’s about the needs of the people who are willing to trust us to take care of those things that are impacting their lives on a daily basis.”
The election for chair of the Florida Democrats is scheduled for Jan. 25 at a meeting in the Orlando area. Meanwhile, Florida Republicans are also preparing for their chair election later this month. Incumbent Evan Power is expected to secure victory following the party’s successes in the November general election.
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