The Florida Democratic Party has chosen its next leader: Nikki Fried.

She was elected during a Saturday afternoon meeting in Maitland, an Orlando suburb. Fried got 52% of the vote for party chair, according to reporters in attendance, besting multiple rivals including former state Sen. Annette Taddeo.

Fried, the last Florida Democrat to win a statewide office, is fresh off her single term as Florida’s agricultural commissioner.

She’s also fresh off her resounding loss to former Gov. Charlie Crist in the Democratic governor primary. Crist went on to resoundingly lose to Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Fried, 45, faces a huge challenge. Democrats were walloped in the 2022 midterm election, giving Republicans historic control of every statewide elected office in Florida, along with supermajorities in the state House, Senate and congressional delegation.

[She got blown out so badly by Ron DeSantis that it must have addled what little brains she has. This is going to be a complete hoot. ~ Beege]