Florida Democrats Reelect Nikki Fried as State Party Chair
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida — Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried won reelection on Saturday, maintaining her position in a state that recently played a critical role in national politics.
Fried secured reelection with a vote of 296-83 over challenger Audrey Gibson, a former state Senate minority leader. Despite facing challenges in recent election cycles, including a decisive defeat in the presidential race, Florida Democrats have chosen to keep Fried at the helm.
In the 2024 elections, President Donald Trump won Florida, once considered a battleground state, by a substantial 13 points. Additionally, Florida Democrats struggled to make significant gains in the supermajority held by the Legislature and fell short in legal battles to secure abortion rights in the state constitution and to advance marijuana legalization.
Fried, previously an agriculture commissioner, had a challenging campaign for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2022, a year in which Gov. Ron DeSantis won reelection by a substantial margin of 19 points. Notably, DeSantis managed to win traditionally Democratic strongholds, including Miami-Dade County, which also leaned towards Trump in the 2024 election.
Following the vote, Fried stated that she would not be seeking the governorship in 2026, a highly anticipated decision. The state chair position is a four-year term. Before the election, Fried promised Florida Democrats that she would be committed for the long haul, focusing on consistent organizing and developing a robust messaging strategy. She highlighted recent Democratic victories in local elections, such as school boards and in Jacksonville and Miami-Dade mayorships.
Gibson, who sought the Jacksonville mayoralty in 2023, emphasized the need for real-time analytics to better understand voter registration trends. By the end of last year, Florida Republicans had a significant advantage in voter registrations, outpacing Democrats by 1.2 million.
“People are not confident in us right now,” Gibson remarked, noting the need to restore faith in the party. “We need to be more ambitious, we need more Democrats in the Legislature,” she stated, stressing that a larger presence was necessary to assert relevance against Republican policies.
Earlier this election cycle, national Democrats provided little financial support for Florida, with prominent figures asserting that the state was not currently a key battleground. The lack of attention from national campaigns raised concerns among Florida Democrats about potential future electoral setbacks, particularly given the state’s growing population and potential redistricting that could increase its electoral representation.
Ben Wikler, a candidate for chair of the Democratic National Committee, attended the meeting and assured party members that, if elected, he would prioritize investments in Florida’s Democratic infrastructure. “The long-term future of American democracy and the American Democrats runs through Florida,” he emphasized, committing to bolster organizing and messaging in the state.
Daniel Henry, the newly elected vice chair of the Florida Democratic Party, echoed the sentiment, confirming that candidates for DNC chair recognized the importance of southern states like Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina for future elections. He noted the need for strategic long-term planning instead of expecting immediate changes from a single election.
Moreover, numerous officials expressed intentions to counter Trump’s actions through effective messaging and prioritize local candidates to cultivate a cohort of Democrats capable of rising to higher office. Fried indicated that the focus should be on addressing the increasing unaffordability of living in Florida.
On Saturday, the state party also appointed Wes Hodge as treasurer, a former chair of the Orange County Democrats, and Ione Townsend, former chair of the Hillsborough County Democrats, as secretary.
