State Rep. Darryl Rouson, expected to be the future House Democratic leader for the 2015-2016 legislative term, has been ousted.
In a 24-17 vote, Florida House Democrats voted on Monday night to replace Rouson as the next leader, after the majority in the party concluded he was too divisive.
Rouson, 59, who was elected by his colleagues to the post in February, ran afoul of some in the party when he created his own fundraising committee because, “Democrats had a poor fundraising quarter,” he said, according to news reports. The move backfired, leading Democratic Party chairwoman Allison Tant to fire two staffers.
Following his ouster, Rouson conceded he could have handled things differently, by consulting with more party members and bringing them in. Nonetheless, according to the Miami Herald, Rouson remained defiant, saying he might run for the post from which he was just booted.
“Why would you put your money in a failing bank?” Rouson said, attacking state party leadership, the paper also reported.
Rouson, a controversial figure said, he isn’t confident in Tant’s leadership.
Meanwhile, Florida Republicans are having a field day with the lack of organization within the state Democratic party and among its leadership. So much for mounting a serious challenge in 2014!
