Last Sunday, temperatures climbed to the high-80s in Tampa. Still, an estimated 300 heated local democrats led by Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried took to Ybor City to stand united against Gov. Ron DeSantis who oversaw a 60-day legislative session that expanded anti–LGBTQ and immigration laws, brought us closer to radioactive roads, gave landlords more power over renters, and threatened to send more fertilizer runoff flowing towards our springs.

DeSantis still has an opportunity to veto the legislation in the weeks ahead, but Fried, joined by party figures like former state rep (and current state senate candidate) Carlos Guillermo Smith and newly-sworn-in District 1 Tampa City Councilman Alan Clendenin, wasted no time speaking up about how concerned they are about the direction the state is headed.

The party has its work cut out for it—especially when it comes to winning over the states 4 million independent voters and closing the 454,918 gap between registered Democrats and Republicans—but members took to the streets for a march from Ybor City’s Centennial Park, up and around Seventh Avenue and into the Dirty Shame for a post-rally mixer.

Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Nikki Fried Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
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Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
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Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
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Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
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Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
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Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
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Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
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Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
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Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
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Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
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Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
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Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Nikki Fried at Centennial Park in Ybor City, Florida on May 8, 2023. Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
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Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
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Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker
Credit: Photo by Dave Decker

Read his 2016 intro letter and disclosures from 2022 and 2021. Ray Roa started freelancing for Creative Loafing Tampa in January 2011 and was hired as music editor in August 2016. He became Editor-In-Chief...