Florida Democrats rally in Central Florida for 2016 without Clinton, Sanders
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) -- Hillary Rodham Clinton is a no-show. Ditto Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
The Florida Democratic Party is holding a convention this weekend to rally supporters for next year's election without the benefit of a presidential candidate actually showing up.
While Florida will play a major role in deciding the presidency, it will have far less influence in choosing the Democratic nominee.
So while party activists posed with life-size cardboard cut-outs of Clinton and Sanders, Clinton was in South Carolina and Sanders was in New Hampshire -- two of the first four states that open the nomination process.
The convention keynote speaker will be Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill. Delegates will also hear from U.S. Senate candidates Pam Keith, U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson and U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy.