Democratic Progressive Caucus standing down in Democratic gubernatorial primary

The national Democratic Party insists it’s not writing off Florida — but few are convinced.

The Democratic Progressive Caucus of Florida has decided to not to pick either Rep. Charlie Crist nor Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried in the Democratic Primary Election for Governor.

The news came in a joint statement released by Carolina Ampudia, president of the Democratic Progressive Caucus of Florida, and Mike Bonacolta, chair of the DPCF Campaign Committee.

The statement suggested neither Crist nor Fried quite met the progressive caucus’s key policy platform standards, yet both were preferable to re-election of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

“While we found many areas of agreement with both Democratic candidates, there were important parts of our platform on which we were not in agreement,” the pair of caucus leaders said in the statement. “We believe either candidate is a far better choice than the increasingly authoritarian, Ron DeSantis. Understanding the dangerous moment in which we find ourselves, DPCF will actively support whichever candidate wins the primary.”

They encouraged Crist and Fried — whoever wins the Primary — to select a progressive Democrat as a Lieutenant Governor running mate, saying, “The enthusiasm and solidarity that choice would inspire would make the Democratic ticket unbeatable in November.”

“The caucus looks forward to working with the Democratic Party’s eventual nominee on issues of importance to the caucus and progressive voters across the State of Florida, a state with one of the worst housing emergencies in the nation, growing poverty, wage inequality, and inadequate and sometimes complete lack of access to justice, quality education, healthcare, and other critical services,” the statement reads.

“Working together and including progressives in the decision-making processes, we can build a coalition to win in November, in order to save our democracy, protect the rights of millions of Floridians, and develop plans and implement policies which lift up all Floridians, beginning with those on the lowest rungs of the economic ladder,” this statement continued.