Minus Perry Thurston, House Dems Ready for Redistricting

House Democratic Leader Ron Saunders of Key West got his troops lined up for redistricting on Tuesday, sending a memo to House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, naming ranking Democrats for the three subcommittees but no ranking Democrat for the full Redistricting Committee. Saunders pointed to the exclusion of Incoming Democratic Leader Perry Thurston, D-Plantation, as the reason for this.

I anticipated Representative Perry Thurston being selected to the Redistricting Committee and expected to recommend him as the Democratic ranking member of the House Redistricting Committee, noted Saunders in the memo. Because he was not appointed to the committee, the Democratic Caucus will not recommend a ranking member to the committee. Regardless, Representative Thurston will continue to serve as our lead on redistricting matters.

Saunders named three ranking Democrats for each of the subcommittees. Rep. Gwyn Clarke-Reed of Pompano Beach will lead the Democrats on the House Redistricting Subcommittee while Rep. Evan Jenne of Fort Lauderdale will have the same task on the Senate Redistricting Subcommittee. With two congressional seats to be added to the Florida delegation in Congress, Rep. Dwayne Taylor of Daytona Beach will lead the Democrats on the Congressional Redistricting Subcommittee.