Broward Democrats Kickoff GOTA Drive
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Broward Democrats held their first fundraiser Thursday since Acting Chair Cynthia Busch took over, targeted on starting an effective Get Out The Vote.
It was a respectable start.
Cynthia Busch (in blue at left) with other Democrats at fundraiser.
As with most political receptions, the Fort Lauderdale event was dominated by candidates running for office and their supporters. Few deep-pocketed Democrats showed.
That shouldn’t matter. The goal here was to illustrate that there will be a new, pro-active effort in 2016 to raise the abysmal turnout of Democrats in Broward.
Busch also went out of her way to embrace the new generation of Democrats. The event was put together by Busch and Seth Platt, two of the younger activists in Broward.
Those attending included new faces like Dan Daley, the Coral Springs Commissioner who recently switched from being a Republican.
It was at a Federal Highway bar instead of in the condo canyon’s of West Broward. The bar was near downtown Fort Lauderdale, where many young professionals are moving to live.
Even the name of the bar signaled a break with the past — Dapur Asian Tapas and Lounge. Could that fare be more different the bagels-and-schemer preferred by the seniors who dominated party events in the past?
There was some criticism of the $100-a-person minimum charge, contending it excluded real grass roots activists. Events for those folks will come later.
This event was for the optics, the message it sent Democrats. Busch was indicating that she is making Get Out The Vote a priority.
That’s a good thing for Democrats in Broward, where the recent turnout has been among the lowest in Florida.
Busch became acting chair of the Broward Democratic Party last month when longtime chief Mitch Ceasar took a leave to campaign for Clerk of the Courts. Ceasar was at Thursday’s event.
September 11th, 2015 at 10:40 am
Cynthia Bush and former Union Boss Joe Benevidas in the photo. Looks like the same old same old DEC to me. Looking at the photos around Facebook, it looked like the usual DEC suspects with money. Actually the room looked half full.
The DEC like BREC are essentially dead man walking. People today don’t need to go to the monthly meeting of any Party to inform them about candidates or how to vote. It is all right there at your finger tips on the internet. You want to hear what a candidate has to say, go to youtube.
When Dan Daley, a turncoat republican, is held out as the example of youth for the DEC, that does not bode well.
In the end it will be business as usual. The DEC pre Mitch and post Mitch are no different. The playbook is still the same. The rich DEC members will use it to peacock around portraying themselves as VIP’s while taking as many selfies as possible. The other half are those members who use their connection to the DEC to line their pockets.
If by the grace of God the dems win, DEC leadership will take all the credit and if they lose the DEC leadership will blame the voters.
Only the faces change, the rest stays the same.
September 11th, 2015 at 11:34 am
Cynthia Busch has the right strategy. Hard to change a person’s mind on an issue, you can mail voters as many flyers as you want still people won’t vote for your candidate. This method way less effective than 10 years ago. People will pick up their phone and make the choice themselves. The strategy is to find the people who are to lazy to vote, but would vote for your candidate or cause and entice them to vote. Providing free postage on absentee ballots, maybe a game changer here in Broward.
September 11th, 2015 at 1:55 pm
Correct me if I am wrong,
1: Seth Platted is a second generation lobbyist
2. .I see no Ft Lauderdale elected or their sons as co-chairs
3. One if not more co-chairs are out of town lobbyists
4. I personally don’t see any community businessmen or civic assn leaders listed.
I am perfectly willing to admit I when.to only went to one meeting each of
A commissioners agenda review
Tower forum breakfast
Citywide survey town meeting
Anti-crime Townhall
Political fundraiser at Too Loo (sic)
County Mayors Ball
Before I decided only the St Patrick’s Day Breakfast and a County Judgeship Fundraiser attracted real local activists.
Oh yes I attended two events for Governor Crust where Ken whatever bashed two elected Ft Lauderdale City officials with the charm of a Stalinist Politburo full voting member during the Great Terror n Show Trials
Of 1936
September 13th, 2015 at 11:26 am
The comment same old Dec is just not true. the facts are now is the time to organize democrats to their local challenge ahead in Broward County! I have worked with the Dec for many years. And now Cynthia Bush has a great challenge ahead of her, as a former representative of local unions in Broward County I have always supported the get out the vote causes . I also believe the Broward Dec has spoken and they support Cynthia Bush as their leader for this Election Cycle, which in fact could be one of the most important elections in our Nations history! So myself and many others are here to help Cynthia Bush and her new vision for the Broward County Democratic Party.
September 13th, 2015 at 6:11 pm
Same old DEC? Wow…Anyone that says that clearly has no clue as to what is going on and most likely hasn’t stepped up to do anything since the Stone Age. Or maybe it’s just personal. I’ve worked with the DEC for a while now and I can say with certainty that progress is being made because folks like Cynthia, Joe Benavides (whom I don’t know very well, but hear very good things about his work), myself, and others have stepped up to do the work necessary to right the ship. Calm down, she knows what she’s doing.
September 13th, 2015 at 7:33 pm
Thank Joe, I am sure your love of the DEC has nothing to do with you now being a political consultant that claims to have a team of “clean cut ” people to work early voting for 5k. Just another pig at looking to make money off the dec. didn’t Cynthia hire you as a consultant for the CSC bond issue?.