On a 24-17 vote, Democrats voted to replace Rep. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg, who was set to take over as the party's leader in the House after the 2014 elections. While a replacement was not immediately named, Rep. Mark Pafford, D-West Palm Beach, emerged as a likely candidate to take over in a vote Wednesday.
Rouson was toppled after setting up a controversial campaign account to pay for House races without the knowledge of Florida Democratic Party leaders or members of the caucus. Rouson's support in the caucus crumbled after reports about the campaign fund broke into the open.
"I asked for the opportunity to appear in front of the caucus and explain why I did what I did and the purpose for doing it," Rouson said after the vote. "The caucus afforded me that opportunity tonight, and I'm very grateful."
While he did not necessarily back away from his decision to set up the "Affiliated Party Committee," Rouson conceded he might have done things differently in retrospect.
"I admitted to the caucus that I maybe should have called in a few more members, that it might have been handled a little bit differently," he said.
House Minority Leader Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, repeatedly attempted to downplay the kerfuffle over Rouson's leadership as one of the "minor disagreements" that can be expected in party caucuses, and brushed off concerns that it could divide Democrats, who hold just 44 seats in the 120-member House.
"I'm sure we're going to come together," he said. "Whoever we decide that will lead us in 2014 to16, we're going to do that united as well."
Rouson reportedly spoke to the caucus for about 20 minutes and then took questions from members for another 20 to 25 minutes. A handful of members asked questions.
After a break, members were able to make comments about what the party should do about the situation before the vote.
While Rouson's decision to set up the "Affiliated Party Committee" was the immediate spark for his removal, trouble had been brewing for months. He won a narrow vote for the leadership post against Rep. Mia Jones, D-Jacksonville, in February after Democrats deadlocked on the first ballot.
And he had contentious exchanges with a pair of House members at a public caucus meeting during the summer about his choice of political consultants and strained relationships with trial lawyers and teachers, key groups in the party's infrastructure.
The vote to select a new leader will be held Wednesday, Thurston said. Pafford said he would likely run.
"If the caucus feels that I'm the person to kind of get things back on track and to probably mend some fences with the party and House Victory and also begin stewarding some of those long-time relationships, I'm happy to do that," he said.
Republicans giddily observed the intraparty battle, noting that it had been set off when Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Allison Tant told House members about the campaign committee.
"Is Allison Tant leading the charge to purge her party’s incoming House leader because he did a better job at fundraising than she did?" asked Republican Party of Florida Chairman Lenny Curry in a statement on the party's website.
For Democrats, the committee was problematic in part because many of them, including Rouson, had voted against a bill that allowed the creation of such committees. Democrats blasted the committees as a revival of the old "leadership funds" and warned they would corrupt the process.
Tant later fired two employees in connection with Rouson's committee, and several members started calling for Rouson to step aside.
Rouson reportedly raised $147,000, which has since been transferred to the party.
After Rouson defeated Jones in February, he said that he recognized the challenge he faced in trying to reunite the party.
"I've got my work cut out for me," he said.
Monday's ouster appeared to show it was work he never truly finished.
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