Monday night Commissioner Nikki Fried held an inaugural celebration event where Democrats all over Florida and others attended as special guests DJ Irie and Wyclef Jean put on a show. Fried stopped the party for a moment to speak about her priorities.
The night before her swearing in Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried invited Floridians to what she called an Inaugural Celebration. During the event Fried took the stage to talk about her victory and how she believes her bipartisan campaign style helped lead to her victory.
"We didn’t talk partisan politics we talked about policy and issues that effected people on both sides of the aisle." She continued saying, "making sure that our children our safe, and making sure that we have background checks for our concealed weapons permits. Making sure that our environment is put first. No more red tide and blue green algae out of Lake Okeechobee.”
In November Fried became the first woman to be elected as Florida’s Agriculture Commissioner and the first woman to hold the office since 2001. During the event Senator Perry Thurston acknowledged what this means for Florida Democrats.
“We haven’t had a democrat in that position for a while now, we need someone to be the leader of the party and that’s what she has an opportunity to do,” said Thurston.
House Minority Leader Kionne McGhee said having a Democrat on the cabinet after a 12-year absence will mean a lot.
Mcghee said, “Commissioner Fried gives us the opportunity to be at the table to see, and hear and also participate in the shaping of policy. Having her there gives us the opportunity to say what Floridians have voted her in office to do.”
Fried’s voice will join that of her colleagues soon.be heard on the cabinet. The Cabinet’s first meeting is this Friday.
