Florida Democratic convention a bust

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — It was every host’s worst nightmare: a big, lavish party and not a single invited A-lister showed up.

The Florida Democratic Party’s annual convention here got snubbed by all but the longest shot among the eight Democratic presidential contenders because of a feud between the state party and the Democratic National Committee over the Florida Legislature’s decision to move up the state primary from March to Jan. 29.

In an effort to prevent big, influential states from overshadowing traditional early votes in Iowa and New Hampshire, the national committee has vowed to strip Florida of its 210 delegates to the national convention in Denver next year for leapfrogging its primary ahead of more than 20 other contests scheduled for Feb. 5.

The national party hierarchy has authorized only four states to vote before that Super Tuesday: Iowa and New Hampshire, in a bow to tradition; Nevada, for its Western view; and South Carolina, to give black voters a greater role in the process.

The national committee strong-armed the Democratic hopefuls into signing pledges not to campaign in states that violate the early-primary restrictions -- hence most candidates’ absence from the weekend party here in the fourth most populous state.

The only presidential hopeful who ignored the ban was former Sen. Mike Gravel (D-Alaska), who is outpolled by all seven other candidates as well as “other” and “not planning to vote.”

Instead of the headline-grabbing duo of Hill and Bill, the campaign of Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) was represented by posters and buttons. Deprived of the energy and enthusiasm that trail Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, the gathering at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort ended with a fizzle Sunday. There was also a failed but divisive bid to depose state party Chairwoman Karen Thurman.

“They should have been here -- all of them, not just Hillary,” said a disappointed Rosalie Rubin, a retired medical worker from Tamarac sporting badges in support of Clinton. “I’m still leaning toward voting for her, though. We need a woman in power to avoid this kind of foolishness.”

Florida, she said, has every right to schedule an early primary and thus play a leading role in selecting the party’s nominee, before momentum gathers in smaller, less diverse states. “We’re not like Iowa. We have a mixture of all people in Florida that better reflects the ethnic composition of America,” said Rubin, echoing a sentiment that has emboldened state Democrats to defy the national hierarchy’s orders.

“To have people in a dozen living rooms in Iowa decide who gets the nomination is absurd,” said Joe Garcia, a prominent voice in Florida’s Cuban American community.

The absence of marquee names at the state convention probably explained why about 500 of the 3,000 registered delegates failed to show at this rain-soaked theme park area near Orlando.

“It’s unfortunate they’re not here,” said Reginald Mitchell, Florida counsel for the People for the American Way voter advocacy group. “No one is trying to minimize the disappointment. But this is the year Democrats feel they have their greatest chances” to strengthen the party’s control of Congress and win the White House, he said.

“The Democrats are supposed to be the party of the people, and this whole thing just shows we still have a long way to go,” said Curt Steffensen, a retired Air Force cargo plane crew member who used to vote Republican.

Delegates put a brave face on their convention and predicted that the dispute would be resolved to put Florida back in the equation in time for the August national convention.

“There’s no way they’re going to hold a convention and not have the delegates from Florida voting,” said Walter O’Rourke, a retired railroad conductor from Polk County. “If you don’t have California, New York and Florida, you can’t win.”

Florida party spokesman Mark Bubriski expressed confidence that whoever emerges as the favorite from the early primaries will use his or her clout within the convention credentialing committee to ensure that Florida’s votes are counted.

Many of the party faithful blamed their predicament on state Republicans, as the primary date was moved by the GOP-dominated Legislature with a bill that contained must-pass measures.

But the spat has threatened to hurt the party’s efforts to cast Democrats as unifiers of a divided nation. A Quinnipiac University poll released on the eve of the convention showed that 22% of Florida’s independent voters were less likely to vote Democratic in view of the rift.

And the national committee’s vow to bar Florida delegates threatens fundraising prospects.

“No Vote, No Money!” warned hundreds of campaign buttons.

“I got a call the other day from the [national committee] asking for a donation and I said, ‘Are you nuts? The way you’ve been treating Florida Democrats!’ ” said Melissa Bishop, who represented Vero Beach at the convention. “I’ll give to the individual candidates but not to the national party.”

Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) filed suit this month against the national committee and its chairman, Howard Dean, alleging that the party violated federal law in trying to deprive Florida delegates of votes at the national convention, which will crown a nominee already determined by the primary process.

“The average citizen in Florida can no longer see their candidates for president,” he said, noting that the Democratic hopefuls are allowed in the state only for private fundraisers, which he deemed tantamount to having to “pay for political participation.”

Still, a possible bright side carried many through the event.

“One good thing about not having the celebrity candidates around is that we get a chance to talk to our state and local officials more,” said Winnie Luche, a Lake County delegate who admitted disappointment over the no-shows. “It’s not a total bust.”

carol.williams@latimes.com