IT IS THE MISSION OF THE LONGBOAT KEY DEMOCRATIC CLUB TO SUPPORT THE ELECTION OF NOMINATED DEMOCRATS AT THE LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL LEVELS.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• 2019 SCDP KENNEDY-KING DINNER

Time is running out to reserve your seat - $150 per person - for our keynote speaker Val Demings, U.S. House of Representatives, Florida 10th Congressional District for the 2015 Kennedy-King Dinner. Make your reservation today!

Congresswoman Demings sits on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the House Judiciary Committee, and the House Committee on Homeland Security – and will have much to share at this premiere fundraising event of the year for the Sarasota County Democratic Party.

It will be a great event with an inspiring program, so please reserve your seat today HERE.

We look forward to seeing you there!

See more details HERE.

Democratic Club News

• THERE ARE THREE IMPORTANT GUN BILLS IN THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE THAT WE BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION. HB 175 (HILL AND SABATINI) – FIREARMS / REMOVES WAITING PERIODS, AGE LIMITS TO PURCHASE GUNS   THIS DESERVES OUR STRONG OPPOSITION.  THE SECOND IS HB 197/ SB 762 (Mercado, Eskamani, Smith) CONCEALED WEAPONS AND FIREARMS - PROHIBITS OPEN CARRY/CONCEALED CARRY WEAPONS IN CHILD CARE FACILITIES.  THE THIRD IS HB 455 / SB 466 (Smith, Eskamani, Fernandez, Goff-Marcil, Joseph, Polo) ASSAULT WEAPONS AND LARGE-CAPACITY MAGAZINES: PROHIBITS SALE, TRANSFER, OR POSSESSION OF ASSAULT WEAPONS AND LARGE-CAPACITY MAGAZINES.  FIND MORE DETAILS AND HOW YOU CAN VOICE YOUR OPPOSITION TO HB 175 AND SUPPORT FOR THE OTHER TWO HERE.

• DAVID HOULE PRESENTED A VISION FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AT OUR JANUARY 8 LUNCHEON.  HOULE'S REMARKS WERE EAGERLY ANTICIPATED BY OUR OVERFLOW AUDIENCE.  INTRODUCED BY BOARD MEMBER ROBERT GARY AS THE CEO'S FUTURIST, HOULE SHARED WITH US HIS PERSPECTIVE ON "A LOOK AT THE FUTURE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY THROUGH THE 2020 ELECTION AND BEYOND."  OUR SPEAKER IS A HIGHLY REGARDED CONSULTANT TO CEOS AND IS THE AUTHOR OF SEVERAL BOOKS.  READ THE FULL ARTICLE SUMMARIZING HOULE'S PRESENTATION HERE.
• DEMOCRATIC CLUB SPONSORED TROLLEY TOUR OF THE NEWTOWN COMMUNITY.  THE LONGBOAT KEY DEMOCRATIC CLUB HAS A LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEWTOWN COMMUNITY.  DURING THIS PAST ELECTION, MANY MEMBERS OF THE CLUB CANVASSED IN THE AREA AND BEGAN TO DEVELOP PERSONAL FRIENDSHIPS.  WHEN ASKED HOW WE MIGHT STRENGTHEN OUR PARTNERSHIP, IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE CLUB ORGANIZE A GROUP TO TAKE A TROLLEY RIDE AND LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE AREA.  LBKDC BOARD MEMBER BECKY VAN DER BOGERT HAS WRITTEN A REPORT OF THE JANUARY 13TH TOUR HERE.
• NORMA SCHATZ, WHO PERIODICALLY SHARES HER ASTUTE AND INTERESTING POLITICAL REALITY WITH THE RESIDENTS OF PLYMOUTH HARBOR WHERE SHE LIVES, HAS SHARED HER FEBRUARY 2019 THOUGHTS.  IN NORMA'S LATEST COMMUNICATION SHE SPEAKS TO THE FLORIDA GOVERNOR'S RECENT APPOINTMENTS TO THE STATE'S  HIGHEST COURT, THE POTENTIAL THREATS TO OUR ENVIRONMENT BY THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION, FORMER COAL AND PHARMACEUTICAL LOBBYISTS APPOINTED TO THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, AND MORE. READ HER FULL COMMUNICATION HERE.
• WE HAD A GREATER THAN EXPECTED ATTENDANCE AT OUR DECEMBER 13 LUNCHEON.Our speaker was Philip Kotler, Ph.D, who Board Member Robert Gary introduced as the Father of Modern Marketing.  Dr. Kotler is the Professor Emeritus of International Marketing at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.  Dr. Kotler shared his views on several problems facing our nation including the question of whether capitalism in our democracy is working.He also shared his insights about the value proposition that the Democratic Party should adopt going into the 2020 elections.  Read the full article summarizing Dr. Kotler's presentation HERE.
• THE LONGBOAT DEMOCRATIC CLUB KICKED OFF iTS 2018-2019 LUNCHEON SERIES ON NOVEMBER 13 WITH 47 IN ATTENDANCE TO HEAR ROB LOREI, HOST OF FLORIDA THIS WEEK, SHARE HIS REACTIONS TO THE MID-TERM ELECTION AND TO SPEAK ABOUT THE INCESSANT ATTACK BY PRESIDENT TRUMP ON THE MEDIA. READ THE FULL ARTICLE SUMMARIZING THE LUNCHEON AND LOREI'S PRESENTATION HERE.
• JILL WINE-BANKS, A PROSECUTOR DURING THE WATERGATE SCANDAL AND A CURRENT LEGAL ANALYST FOR MSNBC, SPOKE AT A FUNDRAISING DINNER HOSTED BY THE DEMOCRATIC CLUB OF SARASOTA AND THE LONGBOAT KEY DEMOCRATIC CLUB.  THE EVENT WAS HELD ON SUNDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 7 AT THE HYATT REGENCY IN SARASOTA.  SEE DETAILS HERE.

A Message from the President – Ken Marsh

For decades the Longboat Key Democratic Club has provided means for local residents to support Democratic candidates, to hear form knowledgeable and stimulating speakers, to link to other Democratic Party efforts, and to impact government decisions based on our values.

We are located on Longboat Key, a barrier island whose 3,000 registered Democrats vote in either Sarasota or Manatee Counties. Our island is situated between Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico and is 12 miles long and 1/2 mile wide.  Most of our voters are seasonal (November - April) but still very involved in local election issues year-round. Well over 90% of us vote in most elections. Our Sarasota County Precinct 201 typically has the highest percentage of voter turnout in the county.

Our Club meets for lunch and discussion on the second Tuesday of the month, from November - April. Our luncheons are held in the Portofino Restaurant of the Longboat Key Club and Resort, from noon to 1:30 PM.  Our guest speakers give presentations that are stimulating, relevant, and humorous. The presenters include members of congress, local and state officials, political pundits, journalists, newscasters and entertainers. We invite you to join us as a guest, if you are in the area.

Our members work hard during election cycles to keep voters informed, educated and involved. During presidential elections, our club provides charter bus transportation, to and from the polls, for voters who live in the city of Sarasota and Bradenton and cannot get to the polls on their own. These buses also transport college students attending the four colleges in our area. The routes and bus stops are selected and advertised so that most voters will have to only walk a short distance to ride a bus to the polls. This outreach program has been very well received by members of the community.

The Longboat Key Democratic Club is proud to share information about the club and about your opportunities to get involved.  We encourage you to join us in our quest to support Democratic nominees at the local, state and national levels. Together, through excellent voter turnout and our support of Democratic candidates, we can make a significant, positive difference in the future of our country.

Contact any of us to discuss how you can participate in the camaraderie and activism of the Longboat Key Democratic Club.

Ken Marsh
President