Florida Democrats Meet in Orlando for Annual Convention
Thursday, October 27, 2011
By: Tom Parkinson

October 27, 2011 | WMFE - Democrats are a minority in the Florida legislature with very limited political power in the state this year, but they are vowing to change that in the next election cycle. Democrats say they will work to unify and motivate their base during the Florida party's statewide convention in Orlando this weekend.

Women, Hispanics, Blacks, Union members, business leaders and college students will all have separate caucuses at the convention but party leaders say their primary goal is to unite the many diverse groups within the party.
They say unity will be the key to fighting back against, what they see as, a Republican attack on the state’s working class.
State Representative Scott Randolph of Orlando said the majority of voters support the Democratic agenda.
“If you look at the polling, most people tend to favor the Democratic issues and this is a state where there are 500 thousand more registered Democrats than Republicans.” Randolph said.
Randolph blames unfair “Gerrymandering” of voting districts for recent Democratic losses in Florida but says that will change when lawmakers redraw the districts in the next legislative session.
Vice President Joe Biden will be the keynote speaker at the convention. US Senator Bill Nelson and former Senator and Governor Bob Graham will also meet with delegates and party members.