On Saturday, former state. Sen. Rod Smith was elected to lead the Florida Democratic Party as state chairman during a convention in Orlando. He immediately called on FAMU alumnus Andrew Gillum, one of his opponents from the chairmanship race, to help him take the party in the right direction.Smith said that finding “the next generation of Democrats and Democratic candidates” will be a major priority of his tenure, adding that he has asked Gillum to assist him in recruiting young men and women to run for office.
During his campaign for the party chairmanship, Gillum said that Florida Democrats should “launch an initiative with local DECs (Democratic executive committees), beginning immediately, to recruit and train local candidates and campaign managers, field organizers, finance directors, communications staff, and volunteer coordinators.”
At the age of 23, Gillum became the youngest person ever elected to the Tallahassee City Commission in February 2003. In August 2004, Commissioner Gillum was re-elected to serve for a full four-year term, and subsequently re-elected without opposition in August of 2008.
Smith stated that his three biggest priorities will be: the reelection of President Barack Obama in 2012, the reelection of U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012, and ensuring that the legislative task of redrawing new congressional and legislative districts yields fair districts that represent the people’s will and the diversity of Florida.