The Florida Democratic Party strongly disputes the assertion made by Tamika Lyles that the party is violating its bylaws as well as “the basic principles of democracy.”
Here’s what we know: Lyles filed to run for the U.S. Senate on April 1. Josh Weil is a Democrat who raised a large amount of money in his unsuccessful bid to beat Republican Randy Fine in the special congressional election in District 6 in April. He too, is expected to announce his candidacy in the 2026 Senate race later this month.
The Lyles’ campaign raised objections when it learned that Weil would be given an opportunity to speak at the party’s Leadership Blue Weekend event, which includes a gala, being held at the Hard Rock in Hollywood June 20-22, believing it to be a slight since Weil has yet to announce his candidacy.
Lyles’ campaign on Tuesday issued a lengthy statement expressing its anger.
But FDP officials say Lyles isn’t telling the whole story, and that the party isn’t supporting anybody in next year’s Senate primary.
The FDP says that Weil is only getting an opportunity to speak at Leadership Blue Weekend because he paid $50,000 to become a “title sponsor” for the event. It’s the highest price point among the four different sponsorships that attendees can donate (the three other sponsorships range between $5,000 to $25,000.)
The $50,000 donation comes with perks, including four reception tickets, two seats at the head table for the event and a “speaking opportunity,” as listed in an FDP document.
The event is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Democratic Party, with individual tickets going for $300.
Lyles said that she was informed by an FDP official that she too, could get a speaking slot similar to Weil’s if she would pay the $50,000 required to become a title sponsor.
Unequal treatment and exclusion?
The Lyles campaign claims the party’s decision to not initially reach out to her highlights “a serious issue of unequal treatment and exclusion,” adding that “it is an act of discrimination, one that mirrors the ongoing marginalization of women, particularly Black women and grassroots candidates nationwide.” Lyles is Black.
The FDP says that’s not what happened here.
“Title sponsorships for our annual Leadership Blue Weekend are available to all candidates, and no title sponsorship opportunities have been ‘extended’ to any candidates,” said FDP spokesperson Matt Dailey.
“However, as the information on how to sign up for a title sponsorship has been publicly available on our website for months, some candidates have reached out to us to sponsor the event. “
Lyles is a U.S. Air Force veteran based in Osceola County who is making her third run for public office. She briefly entered the Democratic primary for Senate in 2018 before withdrawing. In 2020 she finished third in a five-person Democratic primary for a Central Florida House seat.
“This is what voter suppression looks like inside the party,” she said in a written statement to the Florida Phoenix. “I have served this country in uniform, earned multiple degrees, led legal and advocacy efforts for over a decade, and built a campaign powered by people, not political insiders. Yet it still isn’t enough to be treated fairly or be given the same access as a man who hasn’t even entered the race.”
FDP officials say that the only people speaking at the Leadership Blue Gala on Saturday night, June 21, the signature event of the weekend, will be New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Chair Nikki Fried and sitting members of Congress. Weil will be given a speaking slot at some other time during the weekend event, which includes lots of panel discussions.
This isn’t the first time that there’s been an issue in regard to who gets to speak among Senate Democratic candidates at the Leadership Blue Weekend. At last year’s event held in Orlando, the eventual nominee, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, did speak during the evening event.
Her main opponent in the primary election last August, Black tech entrepreneur Stanley Campbell, said he was only invited to speak during a morning session in front of a much smaller group of people (an FDP official tells the Phoenix that they “believed” that both of those candidates paid to get the chance to address party members at last year’s event).
When asked if it wasn’t a bad look that only candidates who could offer to pay $50,000 could get a speaking slot sometime during the weekend, the FDP’s Matt Dailey said that raising money for the party is what the event is essentially all about.
“Above all, Leadership Blue is a fundraising event – our largest and most important of the year,” he said. “The practice of offering a spot in the weekend schedule to incentivize title sponsorship is a long-time and well-advertised practice of the party.”
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com.
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This article appears in May 29 – Jun 4, 2025.