Broward’s Millennials Missing From 2020 Political Chatter…So Far
BY BUDDY NEVINS
At least Broward’s political establishment isn’t talking about Bob Butterworth anymore.
The former Florida Attorney General who left office in 2002, Butterwoth has been the go-to name for local Democrats who wanted a candidates. For decades, Butterworth flirted with every possible Broward and state office.
No longer. Butterworth has moved on to lobbying.
And local pols have moved on to a new group of greying veterans as the answer to Broward’s every problem.
Right now we need a new Supervisor of Elections. Political poohbahs want us to try:
- Patricia Good, a Southwest Broward School Board member. She is being mentioned as a potential candidate for Supervisor.
- Rosalind Osgood, a Fort Lauderdale School Board member. She also is being talked about as a possible Supervisor candidate.
- Mitch Ceasar, the former Democratic chair. He is widely expected to launch a Supervisor’s campaign later this year.
- David Brown, a long-time Broward political consultant. He also is running for Supervisor.
We need a new state legislator to represent southwest Broward’s District 104. Robin Bartleman, a countywide School Board members, is stepping up.
Robin Bartleman
Weston needs a mayor next year. How about State Rep. Richard Stark, D-Weston, who is facing term limits? He is running.
What is sadly lacking on this list is new blood. Fresh faces.
Where is Broward’s millennial pols?
Why are the same old politicians always running for office in Broward, although the demographics have dramatically changed?
Maybe some newcomers are deterred by the daunting task of campaigning. Broward has more than one million voters. Reaching them is a demanding full-time job.
Maybe potential candidates are deterred by the difficulty of raising money. Veterans have a big head start because over the years they have developed a list of donors.
Maybe potential candidates shy away from devoting at least a year of their lives to what is essentially a gamble. They look at previous new candidates like Emma Collum, last year’s Democratic state House candidate along Northeast Broward’s beach who lost after months of hard work.
Maybe newbies can’t afford the time involved to serve. Legislators spend a minimum of two months in Tallahassee. School Board members must attend endless meetings almost every day.
And maybe potential candidates don’t want lies about them spread over the Internet. This is sadly part of almost every campaign today.
Nastiness is made easier and more pervasive by websites today. I was regularly leaked damaging personal details of candidates’ lives in the pre-digital age. This one’s a drunk. This one is cheating. This one’s son has been busted. I didn’t use 99 percent of it because they were irrelevant smears that had no bearing on the candidate’s fitness for office.
Today anything is fair game on the Internet.
Whatever the reason we don’t see a crop of new candidates, Broward politics is poorer when the same old folks continue dominating the ballot.
Dale Holness
Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness gets it.
Regardless of Holness’ personal political empire-building motivations, he is one of the few older pols encouraging new candidates to run. He has been largely unsuccessful as his candidates mostly lost. But at least he tried.
Why do I support more millennials in politics? Talk to your kids.
The next generation has new approaches. A new mindset. And this new dynamic can get things done.
Look at the progress on gun control that a handful of Parkland high school students accomplished.
They are more attuned to the future because they are going to live it. They are concerned about tomorrow because they will be here.
But unfortunately, Broward’s 2020 election is starting look familiar. Old political war horses dominate the political chatter when most of them should have been put out to pasture long ago.
January 17th, 2019 at 9:50 am
Check out Nancy Metayer’s campaign for Mayor of Coral Springs. She’s young, brilliant, and will be an outstanding mayor for that city.
January 17th, 2019 at 10:42 am
One name that is dominating discussions for Supervisor of Elections is Chris Smith.
January 17th, 2019 at 11:12 am
Yes we need more Young blood.
January 17th, 2019 at 11:43 am
The Parkland Parents lost races or their candidates did TO DO NOTHING OLD TIME POLITICAL HACKS except in l case.
The NRA n Right wing Republicans are preparing to gut gun law improvemrnts
BUT LOUSEY HACKS OR WACKO LEFTISTS ARE WINNING FROM HERE TO NEW YORK TO ENGLAND TO GERMANY TO POLAND! WHO WITH A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS OR CAREER WANTS TO DEAL WITH VICIOUS LYING BLOGS OR WACKO COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS.
January 17th, 2019 at 12:57 pm
Most people of substance do not want to suffer themselves to the endless assault of half-truths and innuendos. Can you blame them?
January 17th, 2019 at 1:37 pm
Despite “Good” in their names, Good and Osgood are NO GOOD. They are in Runcie’s haram .
January 17th, 2019 at 1:41 pm
What is different this time from the other two times David Brown ran? He’s got a lot of ground to make up.
January 17th, 2019 at 2:57 pm
One possible reason for the lack of millennials in politics here is economics. Most high school graduates from Broward Schools attend college out of state or in places in Florida north of the Palm Beach County line. Many of those students like what they see in those other areas more than they like what they see in Broward. Job opportunities that provide an income adequate to cover living expenses are often more plentiful out of state or in north Florida. Therefore, Broward has a brain and talent drain of millennials.
January 17th, 2019 at 9:45 pm
Check Palm Beach Miami-Dade Monroe n Broward County High Schools’ graduates. Look at Pulitzer n Noble Prize winners, Senators Congressmembers n Federal Judges n Directors of Fortune 500 corporations. You know WHAT COUNTY IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL. Sit in the Cafe at the Louvre or British Museum or walk in the Roman Forum. Run into Miami n Palm Beach residents but Broward? Broward hasnt had a significant member of Congress in DECADES! The US Senator from here was insignificant n I assume he moved here from elsewhere.
Hollywood produced some politicians AFTER THEY MOVED OUT OF THE COUNTY.
The Kavis Centre n Adrienne Arsht Centre make our County Performing Arts programs an embarassment.
January 18th, 2019 at 10:49 am
I hear Holness is already planning to run for his seat with him in or out of it
January 18th, 2019 at 6:03 pm
Current or former School Board members? The same genii who foisted that “Propose Program” on us where they hide kids criminal and violent tendencies from the local schools and parents until … Parkland happens. No, those folks should be invited to resign in disgrace and take their Superintendent of Schools with them.
January 21st, 2019 at 4:21 pm
^^^^^^^ Proposed Program? Clearly you are well informed.
January 22nd, 2019 at 5:22 pm
You go Ana Gomez-Mallada……You said it right to the point. DONE END OF STORY!!!! BROWARD YOU FAILED THE PARENTS OF MSD SCHOOL…Face up to it, take your punishments and try to get make something “Great” out of learning what you could have done to make things better….Please DO NOT BLAME THE TEACHERS OR THE STAFF AT MSD…Their hands were tied by each and everyone of you!You all know it so face up to it……
February 15th, 2019 at 11:00 am
Nancy Metayer is running for Mayor in Coral Springs, she’s 31, and is running a very viable campaign right now… you didn’t mention her
FROM BUDDY:
Well, you did. Thanks.