Mark Pafford Chosen to Be Next House Democrats Leader

House Democrats convened on Wednesday night to select Rep. Mark Pafford, D-West Palm Beach, to lead the party after the 2014 elections. In the aftermath of a feud with the Florida Democratic Party over setting up a fundraising committee for House candidates outside party control, Rep. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg, was outed from the incoming leader post on Monday. On Wednesday night,Pafford defeated Rep. Alan Williams, D-Tallahassee, on a 29-12 vote to become the next House Democratic leader.

Pafford was nominated and seconded by two state representatives who had been mentioned as possible leadership candidates: House Democratic Leader Pro Tempore Mia Jones, D-Jacksonville, and Rep. Janet Cruz, D-Tampa. Jones lost out to Rouson to be the next Democratic leader back in February by a narrow margin. Rep. Shev Jones, D-West Park, and Rep. Katie Edwards, D-Plantation, nominated and seconded Williams.

First elected to the House in 2008 and currently representing parts of Palm Beach County, Pafford is originally from Dade County and served as a congressional aide to former U.S. Rep. Lawrence J. Smith, D-Fla., from 1989 to 1992. He later served in Tallahassee as an aide to then-state Rep. Lois Frankel. Pafford represents parts of Palm Beach County and is the ranking Democrat on the Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee. He also sits on some of the leading committees in the House including the Appropriations Committee, the Health and Human Services Committee and the Joint Legislative Budget Commission.

Pafford does have experience in the Democratic leadership. He served as deputy whip from 2008 until 2012 when he rose to become Democratic policy chair. Pafford also chaired the Palm Beach County delegation.