The thin ranks of the House Democratic caucus convened Tuesday morning, choosing leaders to face two years of a dominant Republican majority.
With five incumbents losing to Republican candidates on Election Day, Democrats control only 39 of the 120 House seats.
This is a bittersweet moment, said outgoing House Minority Leader Franklin Sands of Weston. Weve lost some very good friends in the last election cycle.
As expected, the Democrats unanimously selected Rep. Ron Saunders of Key West to serve as the leader of their caucus. The son of former Rep. Jack Saunders, he is a true House veteran. First elected in 1986, Saunders served four terms before stepping down in 1994. During that period, he chaired the Appropriations Committee and the Community Affairs Committee. He returned to Tallahassee in 2006 and has been re-elected twice. While Republicans had high hopes to defeat Saunders in 2010, he defeated former Key West Mayor Morgan McPherson, taking 55 percent of the vote. Saunders represents all of Monroe County and part of Miami-Dade County.
As Sands handed leadership over to Saunders, the outgoing leader joked, Now all of this belongs to you.
We have some difficult times ahead but I know we have a great team, said Saunders, who insisted he was upbeat despite the reduced number of Democrats in the House. We may not have quantity but we have quality.
Saunders message was repeated by his new second in command, Rep. Joe Gibbons of Pembroke Park, who was unanimously elected Democratic leader pro tempore.
We are low in numbers but long in skill, insisted Gibbons.
Gibbons hinted that the Democrats were willing to work with the commanding Republican majority.
Were not going to throw rocks at people who can throw boulders at us, said Gibbons.
Despite controlling less than a quarter of the House, Saunders insisted there is a role Democrats can play and he said they will be important during the committee process. Saunders said he will be naming ranking Democrats for the session later in the week.
There was a surprise guest to the caucus meeting. Two weeks after losing the gubernatorial election to Republican Rick Scott, state CFO Alex Sink, the Democrat in the race, received a standing ovation from the House Democratic caucus. She pledged she will not leave the public stage.
We all voted for you here, said Rep. Jim Waldman of Coconut Creek, to laughter from the caucus. Waldman will be leading Democrats on rules.
Its a very challenging time in our state, said Sink, who told the House Democrats that they will represent the 2.5 million voters who backed her. We need to hold people accountable every single day.
I was so proud to stand up and call myself a Democrat, insisted Sink, who added that she is not going to bow out despite losing to Scott. My voice is not going to be silent going forward.
Lets get out there and go to work, said Saunders, stealing Scotts campaign slogan to laughter and cheers.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
