Florida Dems mull future after big state losses

Florida Democrats face taking ‘long, hard look’ after losses

Florida Republicans dominated Tuesday's elections from the top of the ballot on down, leaving Democrats searching for answers after more than two decades of GOP control of the state.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Tuesday's vote has left Florida’s Democrats doing a lot of soul-searching, after a disappointing showing at the polls. At least one Democrat state representative is now calling for changes at the top.

Tracey Kagan lost her bid for state rep on Tuesday.

“Well, to say that I'm not disappointed would be an understatement, I'm grossly disappointed,” Kagan said.

She was one of the many Democrats who didn't win seats in the Florida statehouse. “Democrats, we don't play an offensive game,” Kagan mused. “We play a defensive game.”

State Representative Anna Eskamani said it was a game Florida Democrats have to play differently, after losses statewide.

“We saw major, major losses including five members from the Florida House, two Congressional seats lost in Miami-Dade, and no new wins in the State Senate,” she said, “so we're going back to Tallahassee with even less of a Democratic Caucus.

Eskamani speculated that Democrats passed up important opportunities.

“The Democratic Party spent a lot of money on advertising through TV and mail, there was no ground game, no field operation that was structured,” she said.

Eskamani is calling for new state leadership for the Democratic Party. This is something house candidate Patricia Sigman believes is in the cards.

“I think that after this election it's almost inevitable,” Sigman said, “and I think there are a lot of great, talented people, many of whose names have already been floated for some great new leadership.”