Jesse Scheckner
Twenty-four progressive Gen Z activists from across the state are throwing their collective support behind a potential run at the top post in the Florida Democratic Party by former state Sen. Annette Taddeo.
In a joint letter Monday, the self-described group of “24 of the most influential Gen Z activists in Florida” noted how turnout among their age group during the 2022 midterm helped repel a “red wave” nationwide — except in the Sunshine State.
All across Florida, Democrats lost seats up and down the ballot in historically liberal strongholds and among key demographics, particularly young voters.
With the recent resignation of Democratic Party Chair Manny Diaz, the writing is on the wall, according to the authors of the letter. To avoid losing more ground, they wrote, Democrats need to realign their priorities, reinvigorate registration efforts and retool their operations, and Taddeo is the right person to lead the charge.
“Not only do we fervently believe Annette will be a leader for all Democrats, but she will be a true partner who will prioritize renewed outreach to Florida’s youngest while working with us to increase our representation in the state party and unleash the strength of the nation’s youngest voter demographic in the Sunshine State and across America,” the letter said.
“(We) are proud to endorse former state Sen. Annette Taddeo to be the next Chair of the Florida Democratic Party.”
Taddeo, 55, is hardly a left-field choice. She’s been a prominent player in Florida politics for the last 15 years. Her prior roles in Democratic Party leadership include the Chair of the Miami-Dade Democratic Executive Committee, which steers the county party.
She has yet to officially announce any political plans since leaving office last year after an unsuccessful bid to supplant Republican U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar. However, she told Florida Politics early Tuesday afternoon that she is weighing a run.
“Based on all the calls, yes, I am now seriously looking at it,” she said. “But (I’m) still having conversations.”
The letter’s authors include Voters of Tomorrow President Jayden D’Onofrio and Vice President Gabriel Gonzalez, Biden for Florida founder Robert Palacios, PRISM President Maxx Fenning, State Democratic Committeeman Elijah Hooks, and a passel of college party leaders, who all wrote as individuals and not necessarily representatives of their respective groups. They stressed that whoever takes up mantle would undervalue the youth vote at their own peril.
“For far too long, Florida’s youngest have been cast aside and outright ignored, (and last year our) state’s Gen Z coalition was forced to organize and mobilize on our own without any engagement and coordination from the Florida Democratic Party,” they wrote. “We are … the very people that work each and every day to secure a more resilient inclusive future for all Floridians, regardless of your age or where you live in the state. Witnessing the failures of the Florida Democratic Party has disappointed us, but our vision and hopes for the future will never waver.”
14 comments
Hillsborough Dem
January 17, 2023 at 8:40 am
Bunch of random nobodies. Why couldn’t she win her very winnable Congressional election?
Perry Beagles
January 17, 2023 at 8:48 am
WRONG
Wake up fellow leftists. Our world changed over the last 6 months and most of my fellow leftists dont have a clue. 1). We lost our backbone the Black voter. Why do you think we no longer pander to BLM any longer? 2).The whole plan to let the Hispanics in to gain their vote has fallen into the crapper. We were guilty of totally underestimating Hispanic’s religious views on our sacred cow of abortion as being a mortal sin. We were wrong to think they are like us in respect to abortion. 3). Our only loyal base voter remaining is our darlings which a few years back were considered sexually deviant. While we continue to build up those numbers by turning them on to it early in the elementry schools it will still be a few years before they matriculate into voting age. 4). Bottom line a Black or Hispanic man, female, or other will hurt us more than help us.
What we desperatly need is a savy bi-sexual to oversee the FDP Chair. And while he’s Black it wont matter. Thats right my fellow leftists we need Andrew Gillum now more than ever in the FDP Chair.
angela
January 17, 2023 at 2:27 pm
I can’t believe I took the time to read that – Perry Beagles. Not funny, nor useful. Just useless crap like the FL Republicans.
Perry Beagles
January 18, 2023 at 7:17 am
Thanks Ange for your love and support. You are a great leftist and I just love your talking points!!! Before I win the 2024 Democratic runoff for POTUS I am naming you as my running mate. Perry and Ange will make leftist Democratic Party history together. We will rule the planet for 8 great years!!!
Thank you again my future VPOTUS Ange.
Perry Beagles Politician
Don’t
January 17, 2023 at 10:10 pm
“Wake up fellow leftist”
You should stop waking up lol
Jack Schitt
January 17, 2023 at 9:47 am
Senator Annette Taddeo, Florida sent a message during the midterm elections, We don’t need anymore or for that matter, any Woke Democrats in our state. Take your anti – gun agenda elsewhere. This Means YOU ! GO WHERE YOU ARE WELCOME IN A BLUE SANCTUARY 💙 STATE !
Open borders, high taxes, pushing Covid mandates, assault weapons bans, in bed with China, corrupt Demonrats are not welcome in Governor DeSantis FREE FLORIDA STATE ! Andrew Gillum Included , Go Away, the farther the better…..
angela
January 17, 2023 at 2:29 pm
lol… my goodness, did you wake up on the wrong side of history?
Found Out
January 17, 2023 at 10:12 pm
He probably found out how high his housing prices are lol
Ocean Joe
January 18, 2023 at 9:09 am
For my pal Jackie:
Very little free about Florida these days.
Storm insurance unaffordable.
Skyrocketing rents on scarce rentals.
Roadways crammed with carpet baggers.
Manatees starving because the water is too polluted to grow what they eat.
A legislature that runs a protection racket for the governor and business and always hurts the consumer.
A governor that thinks he’s George Corley Wallace, reincarnate (at least he does a solid imitation). A major presidential candidate, but a token governor when it comes to quality of life issues.
Assault weapons and open carry. Cant wait for that one. We had something similar in 1987 and the carnage led to shutting it down. We no longer have responsible folks running the state who will shut it down, just puppets of the upper class. So all of you red folk who live in fear of migrants, or people who aren’t blue eyed, get ready, you wont want to go to the corner store.
In bed with China? Where were you when Republican Nixon opened relations? Hate immigrants? Of course you do, your whole winning coalition is based on it. Go down to the nearest building under construction and see who’s building it.
Always quick to tell others to leave, while you just got here, contributing to problems and having absolutely zero understanding of our environment and what this uncontrolled growth is doing to it. How bout you get out, go back to your red hell hole with more cows than people.
Andrew
January 17, 2023 at 9:53 am
Pick a person who has lost 8 elections, shows you how naive gen z is.
Pick one
January 17, 2023 at 10:13 pm
Pick a generation that lost more wars then the boomers did lol
samantha albers
January 18, 2023 at 9:30 am
She can’t win at much of anything but Zoomers who are actual nobodies want her lol. Zoomers are clueless grifters trying to work full time on free stuff. There are no influential Zoomers here.
Heather
January 19, 2023 at 10:56 am
The groups/PACs some of these people are a part of would be easier to take seriously if they actually had information on their pages about what they are doing SPECIFICALLY to get their generation to the polls in Florida. Saying “Gen Z voter outreach” isn’t helping anyone. What are you actually doing? And Jesse- you should re-read your article from October 6th, 2021. Then you should use the information there and look up Fight Back Florida and figure out why everything Taddeo does is linked to the same consultant who has made millions here while losing us elections since 2014.
AssEater
January 19, 2023 at 9:25 pm
My ass needs eating.
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