In a new twist on rapid response, Florida Republicans launched a tongue-in-cheek “Florida Dems” website the day before the Florida Democratic Party kicks off its annual convention in Orlando.
The Republican Party of Florida’s mock FloridaDems.com site appears straightforward enough at first blush, with a “Florida Dems” banner featuring a bucking red-white-and-blue donkey on the main page.
The domain name is noticeably similar to the Florida Democratic Party’s FloridaDems.org, but the content — highlighting a number of Democratic gaffes — is worlds apart.
Drop down menus at the top of the page feature “party” team members Allison Tant, Darryl Rouson, Allie Braswell and Nan Rich.
Democratic Party Chairwoman Tant is pilloried on the site as “dysfunction junction,” and state Rep. Rouson, ousted as the next House Minority Leader by his caucus last month, is labeled “the largest non-voluntary contributor to the Florida Democratic Party” who “doesn’t get along with Allison Tant.”
Rouson handed over to the FDP more than $140,000 he collected in a secret campaign account before he was un-elected as the House’s future caucus leader. Tant revealed that Rouson, who backed Tant’s opponent for party chair, had created the political committee and she later fired two FDP staffers who worked for House campaigns.
In another embarrassing episode, Braswell, endorsed by Tant, ran a brief campaign for state chief financial officer but four days after announcing his candidacy withdrew from the race after it was reported that he filed for bankruptcy three times.
“While his campaign for CFO lasted less time than it takes to watch all three Lord of the Rings extended edition DVDs, he was a strong voice for the principles of the Florida Democratic Party: fiscal irresponsibility, dysfunction, and desperation,” a blurb beneath Braswell’s photo reads.
The site also features what has become a long-running theme for the RPOF regarding Tant’s perceived snub of gubernatorial candidate Rich, who served as Senate minority leader until last year. Tant refused to give Rich any stage time at the party’s Jefferson-Jackson fundraiser in June.
“Team member not found. (Insert bio here),” is the description beneath the image of a question mark substituted for a photograph of Rich.