House Democrats chose Rep. Mark Pafford of West Palm Beach as their next leader

House Democrats chose Rep. Mark Pafford of West Palm Beach as their next leader in a vote last night, capping off a 48-hour campaign following the ouster of their first choice for the position.

Pafford, who will formally take over the caucus after the 2014 elections, defeated Rep. Alan Williams of Tallahassee in a 29-12 vote with one abstention. He replaces Rep. Darryl Rouson of St. Petersburg, who was voted out of the post Monday after a series of clashes with other members of the caucus and with the leadership of the Florida Democratic Party.

"Our differences are actually what make this minority caucus stronger," Pafford, 47, said in remarks after his election. "And we need to take a moment to embrace our differences and make those differences our strength."

It will now fall to Pafford to try to reunite House Democrats and prepare for the 2014 elections, when the party hopes to increase the size of its 44-member minority in the 120-seat House. Speaking with reporters, Pafford said it would take some time for him to develop "a blueprint" for his efforts. 

"But the first thing is getting everybody comfortable and understanding that we've hit the reset button and we are one," he said.

For his part, Williams tried to shrug off any idea that there would be divisions left in the caucus after the vote. Williams said that, had he not run for the position, he would have voted for Pafford.

"I believe in his leadership," Williams said. "I think he's going to be a hell of a leader."

Williams also said he hoped Pafford and Democratic leaders would try to rehire Jeff Ryan, a former finance director for the House campaign effort who was fired as part of the standoff between Rouson and Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Allison Tant.

"I think it's critical that we have him back to help in our fund-raising efforts," Williams said.

Pafford didn't rule out rehiring Ryan, saying only that he would "have to take a look at" the idea.

Throughout Wednesday night's activities, Democrats tried to push the case that they were united despite the three-day whirlwind that deposed Rouson and installed Pafford. Rep. Katie Edwards of Plantation paraphrased "The Godfather" movies while speaking on behalf of Williams.

"Whatever this war is, it ends now," she said.

Republicans, meanwhile, made the case that the election of Pafford -- who is generally viewed as more liberal than Williams -- would mean trouble for former Gov. Charlie Crist, a onetime Republican who is expected to run for the Democratic nomination for his old job. Crist would face former state Sen. Nan Rich, a champion of the party's more liberal wing, in the primary.

"With Mark Pafford anointed as the incoming leader for the House Democrats, this means that the House Democratic Caucus is lurching further to the left and tacitly rejecting Charlie Crist as their standard bearer," Republican Party of Florida Chairman Lenny Curry said in a statement issued after the vote.

The Wednesday election was set in motion Monday, when Democrats met behind closed doors and voted to replace Rouson, who had set up a controversial campaign account to pay for House races without the knowledge of Florida Democratic Party leaders or members of the caucus.

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.

After his election, Rouson had contentious exchanges with a pair of House members at a public caucus meeting this summer about his choice of political consultants and strained relationships with trial lawyers and teachers, key groups in the party's infrastructure.

But for Democrats, the committee was particularly problematic 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 Ryan and another employee 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.

In a statement Wednesday, Tant congratulated Pafford on his election.

"I look forward to working with Rep. Pafford and all House Democrats in building a unified and strong caucus," she said.