Julie DelegalThe wind and rain plunged us all into the bone-chilling 40-degree range. But the weather didn’t keep the leadership apparatus of the Republican Party of Florida — or its Jacksonville loyalists — from showing up for Charlie Crist’s book signing.
Crist, a former Republican governor now running for his old job as a Democrat, is being chased by the RPOF all over the state as he plugs his new book, “The Party’s Over.” Maybe it should be titled, “The Remainder of the Party is Stalking Me.”
Spotted at the Books-A-Million in Jacksonville on Wednesday night were: Republican Party of Florida Chairman Lenny Curry; his assistant Will Torres; Duval County Republican Party Chairman Rick Hartley; President of the Republican Federation of Women Cindy Graves; Clay County Republican Chairman Leslie Dougher; and about 10 party diehards waving signs that bore Charlie Crist’s name — and not in a flattering manner.
Signs for Crist’s GOP opponent — what’s his name? — were nowhere to be found.
Is this what 21st century politics is going to look like?
Curry said on Wednesday night that we’re already there — and that both parties do it. Democrats and Republicans alike send “trackers” to each other’s events. He once caught a Democratic operative trying to record him with a cell phone at a Washington fundraising event.
He didn’t want to speculate on what has caused the loss of civility in politics. But this writer is not so reticent: It’s gerrymandering, which energizes party radicals and marginalizes moderates.
The electoral map confers “safe” districts for both parties, but Republicans benefit the most.
Safe districts mean that candidates get elected in the primaries. They never have to face any real threats in general elections. And who comes out in primary elections? The most extreme party ideologues, on both sides. Moderates never get a voice, and never get a choice.
Party organizations become echo chambers for the fringe elements on both sides.
We need a bi-partisan, tri-partisan, pan-partisan or trans-partisan statewide commission to tackle redistricting next time around. We’ll see whether the League of Women Voters’ lawsuit makes it happen any sooner.
Meanwhile, Democrats enjoy a 14% advantage in voter registrations in Florida, even as Republicans enjoy the red illusion that gerrymandered districts create.
It’s the races that aren’t determined by gerrymandering — like the mayor’s race in Jacksonville, or the governor’s race in November — that have the RPOF worried. You’d think they’d have better things to do than to stalk Charlie Crist.
Julie Delegal is a writer who lives in Jacksonville, Fla.
