Ryan Ray
Tampa Rep. Janet Cruz‘s coming ascension to the position of House Democratic leader is notably lacking the antipathy and turmoil current which attended that of current Minority Leader Mark Pafford. As House Democrats gather next week in the Capitol to hold a leadership vote, presumptive nominee Cruz has so far attracted no opponent.
Pafford’s road to the helm of his caucus came by way of whip counts and bitterness surrounding the ouster in 2013 of Rep. Darryl Rouson, over an unapproved leadership committee that some in the Florida Democratic Party said amounted to a slush fund. Cruz on the other hand — who will likely oversee a more favorable campaign cycle than the national catastrophe that was the 2014 midterms — quickly emerged and remained the consensus choice.
Rep. Kevin Rader of Delray Beach was rumored to have an interest, but has seemingly declined to challenge Cruz. Back in November, Rep. Dwayne Taylor mounted a challenge to Pafford alleging sluggish fundraising on the incumbent’s part, but aborted it before a vote at an organizational meeting, having been outmaneuvered in a media back-and-forth regarding the veracity of Taylor’s figures.
Cruz will preside over her 37 Democratic colleagues until after the 2016 elections. Sen. Oscar Braynon, who was recently unanimously elected Senate Democratic leader-designate, will be her counterpart in the upper chamber.
