Florida Democrats to pick new leader amid state's shift toward GOP

Florida Democratic leaders on Saturday will vote for their next state party chair, who will take up the difficult task of restoring the party's electoral standing in a state that has skewed decidedly Republican in recent years.

Former state Sen. Annette Taddeo and former state Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried are vying to lead the Democrats, along with Broward County Democratic Party Chair Rick Hoye and activist Carolina Ampudia, The Hill reported.

The race follows the unexpected resignation of Manny Diaz from the post in January.

Democrats have been in disarray since Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis won reelection by 19 points last year in the formerly purple state. Republicans also scored decisive victories in other statewide races and carried a clear majority of congressional contests.

The state has witnessed a clear shift in voter registration toward the Republican Party in recent years. Whoever emerges as victor from party leadership contest will face the task of reversing such developments, a daunting prospect of which the candidates are clearly aware.

Fried acknowledged the challenge ahead of the party and observed that revitalizing the Democratic Party in Florida would require a significant change in its approach.

"This doesn’t happen overnight. This was 30 years in the making. We have to start listening once again to the people on the ground," she said, per The Hill.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.