'Change is scary': What's next for Florida Democrats after the downfall of Rep. Alexander

The resignation this week of a top state Democratic legislator — befallen by a sex scandal — has the party hustling to replace him with only months to go before November’s mid-term elections, in which every state legislative seat is on the ballot.

State Rep. Ramon Alexander, D-Tallahassee, was picked as leader designate in 2021 and had pledged to grow Democratic forces into a formidable opposition by taking the Democrats’ case on access to healthcare, affordable housing, and a quality public education system directly to voters. Republicans outnumber Democrats in the House 77 seats to 42, with one vacancy.

But Thursday he announced he would not be the face of such a campaign, two days after the Tallahassee Democrat reported there are sexual harassment allegations against Alexander that include a pornographic selfie video with an invitation to defile the lawmaker’s desk.

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Rep. Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, the Democrats' current policy chair, is next in line to lead the caucus. She was selected unanimously in 2021 to be leader in 2025, after Alexander served his two years.

She did not respond to requests to comment for this story, and her succession to the top job is not automatic.

Florida House Democrats have scheduled a vote within the next week or two to pick a new caucus leader for the 2023 legislative session, according to sources involved in or with access to the discussions.

Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, said the group needs to move quickly with the November election less than six months away.

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“I’m trying to get people on the phone and get a better grasp on where everyone’s minds are,” said Eskamani, who was out of the country in Berlin and preparing to return to Florida.

As the Alexander scandal unfolded, Eskamani was at a climate and energy conference in Germany. She had been among the progressive Democrats who had urged him to seek a leadership role because of his ability to build a consensus by reading the room.

“It was the right choice to make,” she said about Alexander’s decision to step aside. “My focus is on ensuring the transition to a new leadership is smooth because we have a major election in front of us and critically important policy fights too.”

Democrats were facing stiff challenges in November and in Tallahassee next year before the Alexander allegations surface.

The Republican ticket is led by Gov. Ron DeSantis, which one state pollster describes as a “political gorilla” because of approval ratings above 50% and a campaign war chest of over $100 million. Not to mention his backing by a compliant Legislature, which delivers on his initiatives.

The Democrat ticket is hampered by President Joe Biden’s approval ratings in the low 40s, and voter concerns over rising inflation rates.

“This is an unnecessary self-created distraction. And it will make it more difficult for House Democrats to raise funds,” said Jon Ausman, a former officer with the Florida Democratic Party State Executive Committee.

“Some donors are not going to take their calls,” said Ausman, who has managed campaigns.

Democrats were counting on a gathering storm of opposition to GOP policies on abortion rights, redistricting and public education. They hoped that would provide them some momentum with voters in a state where both Democrats and Republicans claim 35% of registered voters and 28% are affiliated with no party.

“This takes the wind right out of their sails,” said Aubrey Jewett, coauthor of “Politics in Florida 4th edition,” a comprehensive analysis of the state’s political history.

Jewett teaches political science at the University of Central Florida and said over the past three decades whenever opportunities appear for Democrats to galvanize a coalition of voters in opposition to the Republican majority, things happen – and often-times it's "self-inflicted.”

However, the Alexander revelations may not be as much of a downward pull on candidates as Biden’s low approval ratings or voters’ concerns about the inflation rate, said Jewett.

“But to have a same-sex scandal involving leadership at the last minute in political terms, with only a few months to go, adds additional challenges for Democrats on top of the already pretty steep challenges they faced,” said Jewett.

House Democrats are discussing whether to gather in a conference call next week or wait for the following week when they are expected to be in Tallahassee for a special session on property insurance to elect a new leader designate to head up their fall campaign.

It will be their third leader for the 2022 campaign and 2023 session. Alexander was chosen after Rep. Ben Diamond, D-St. Petersburg, decided not to seek reelection to the Florida House to run for Congress.

“One of the problems for Democrats is they don’t have a deep bench,” observed Charles Zelden, a Nova Southeastern University political scientist.

“If you are an ambitious politician in this state, you want to be a Republican because they are the ones who are in charge of the state and have been for the last twenty-odd years and for the foreseeable future,” said Zelden.

While Democrats confer among themselves, Eskamani said she is keeping an open mind and trying to be a calming force in the deliberations.

“Being a member of the minority caucus in the Florida House, you learn to play offense and defense at the same time,” said Eskamani, vowing to continue to fight for abortion rights while House Democrats decide who to lead them in November and beyond.

“Change is scary … but we have to remain focused and remember what we are fighting for.”

James Call is a member of the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jcall@tallahassee.com. Follow on him Twitter: @CallTallahassee

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida Democrats look for leader after Ramon Alexander's resignation