Florida Democrats have selected former state Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried to lead their party after a disastrous midterm performance in the onetime presidential battleground state. Fried outdistanced former state Sen. Annette Taddeo in the race for party chair at a special meeting of party members Saturday. Fried will replace Manny Diaz, who announced his resignation last month. He cited a number of problems facing the party, including a lack of resources and volunteers and poor messaging. Florida Democrats also have to contend with high-profile Gov. Ron DeSantis, who's helped cement Republican control in the state and is considering running for president in 2024.
