For Democrats in Tampa, run out of power a decade ago by an ultraconservative GOP machine, there continue to be signs of rebirth.
A recent Democracy for America training session in Ybor City drew more than 100 grassroots activists, the largest crowd DFA has drawn anywhere in the nation. The local Democratic Party, the victim of infighting for years, has settled down so much that it reinstated its Jefferson-Jackson Dinner two weekends back, drawing more than 260 people and raising thousands of dollars for their coffers.
The strongest signal to date that the Democrats are serious about challenging the local Republican power structure may have occurred during a recent lunchtime meeting over plates of gourmet pasta.
More than 40 progressive businesspeople gathered at Mise en Place near downtown and heard Tampa City Councilwoman Mary Mulhern describe her journey from part-time art critic for CL to incumbent-killer in under five years.
It was the inaugural meeting of the Tampa chapter of the Democratic Professionals Council, part of a statewide expansion by an organization launched in West Palm Beach. The DPC there regularly draws the highest-ranking local Democrats, and even potential presidential candidates have made lunchtime stops.
For some Tampa activists, starting a chapter here represented a chance to engage professionals in the party and put a business face on Democratic activism. They've got a long way to go until they match the sartorial boredom of an all-charcoal-suited GOP gathering or equal that party's fundraising prowess. But the initial meeting was a solid start.
Mulhern told the crowd of attorneys, business owners and other professionals that they can help Democrats win by helping the party apply the same tactics that are getting them ahead in business.
"We won by being smart and organized," Mulhern said of her spring victory over incumbent Shawn Harrison. "We just worked."
Mulhern told the crowd to pitch in with marketing expertise for local Democratic candidates. She cited her own campaign's decision to create an iconic life-size cutout of herself waving, an image that showed up on street corners and campaign events even if the real candidate was busy elsewhere.
And then, of course, there is money. She urged, more than once, that the business crowd raise bucks for the party's candidates.
"Before the primary, give money to local people. They really need it," Mulhern said. "If you give $100 to Barack Obama, who's going to really notice? But if you give $100 to Lee Nelson [running against Republican Supervisor of Elections Buddy Johnson], how many pieces of mail will that send out?"
Mulhern also said she recently has been looking to an unusual source for political inspiration: the final Harry Potter book. She commended its message of good triumphing after years of defeats in a world filled with some really bad characters.
"There is evil out there. There are Death Eaters," Mulhern said, in Potter-speak. "There are Dementors."
There are even Republican county commissioners who want to gut wetlands rules and discriminate against gays and lesbians. But she didn't mention them. By name.
With this crowd, she didn't have to.
At the kick-off meeting two weeks ago were Nelson, former state Senate candidate Stephen Gorham, county party Chairman Mike Suarez, Vice Chairwoman Deborah Cope, former congressional candidate Scott Farrell, former state House member Sara Romeo, New Tampa activist Maria Cohn and West Tampa urban advocate Jason Busto.
Jennifer L. Fenn — one of the co-founders of the group along with Evelyn Hale, Kirk Sander from the Florida Democratic Party and Tampa lawyer Gil Sanchez — was typical of many in the crowd: politically aware for a long time but not politically involved until recently. The Carlton Fields lawyer moved here three months ago and got swept up in the DPC effort. Fenn and Hale said they were delighted with the inaugural turnout and the way the group is shaping up.
"We want the party to have that professional look," said Hale, a former congressional assistant to Davis.
Judging by the pink power ties and dark suits on a few attendees, they got that part right, at least.
The DPC meets the second Tuesday of every month at Mise en Place, 442 W. Kennedy Blvd., at 11:30 a.m. The Sept. 11 meeting is scheduled to feature former Congressman Jim Davis as speaker. Check my blog, thepoliticalwhore.com, for breaking political and media news or to leave a comment about this column.
This article appears in Aug 15-21, 2007.