Jacob Ogles
Orange County Democrats have raised more than $120,000 to boost candidates in one of Florida’s bluest regions.
Samuel Vilchez Santiago, Orange County Democratic Party Chair, said the funding would be important, as Orange County includes parts of five Florida House battleground districts this Fall. He said strong Democratic turnout in the single county could unravel the Republican supermajority in the Florida House.
“We’re going to make it happen right here in Orange County,” he said.
The Victory Blue Bash attracted more than 300 supporters to The Abbey in Downtown Orlando to hear speeches by speakers including Tennessee state Rep. Justin Jones, who was briefly expelled from the Statehouse there, and from North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton.
Jones knows something about trying to shape policy in a Republican-controlled state, but stressed the importance of organizing and making minority voices heard.
“Sometimes when they cut off your microphone, you have to pull a megaphone out of your pocket and let them know we will not be silenced,” Jones told attendees.
Clayton, meanwhile, said Democrats represented those Americans most in need of a voice in public office.
“You’re fighting for the people that deserve better in our communities,” she said.
Much of the financial support came from prominent Democrats holding elected office. State Sen.-elect Carlos Guillermo Smith, a former Orange County Democratic Party Chair, gave $20,000 to the county party. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Orange County Sheriff John Mina each gave $10,000.
Smith and state Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis, an Orlando Democrat, led cheers of “we are not going back.” Additionally, Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried touted Senate candidate Debbie Mucarsel-Powell’s chances of unseating U.S. Sen. Rick Scott.
Mucarsel-Powell, a Miami Democrat, also made the trip to the Orlando fundraiser and argued that she can unseat the incumbent despite registration shifts and recent election trends.
“We allow politicians like Rick Scott to be in the pocket of the gun lobby and do nothing while our children continue to die because of this gun violence epidemic,” she said.
The local party also gave out a number of awards to local leaders as part of the event. Community Pillar Awards were presented to Lavon Wright Bracy, Dyer, Vivian Lyte-Johnson, Frank Kujawa, Reggie McGill, Debbe Ryan, state Sen. Victor Torres and Jimmy Torres Velez.
