Judy Mount, Vice-Chair of the Florida Democratic Party, Addresses  Democratic Women’s Club

In an energetic, and at times hilarious, talk, Judy Mount, vice chair of the Democratic Party of Florida, told members and guests of the Democratic Women’s Club of Indian River County: “I’m every woman.”

Urging the members to get involved in political actions, she said,

“Anything done right has got to be done by a woman.” She added, “We know we’re going to make it work.”

Mount was the club’s featured speaker at its September luncheon meeting at Grand Harbor Country Club.

The first African American elected Florida Democratic Party vice chair, Mount is also a member of the Democratic National Committee and the elected vice chair of the Southern Region of the Association of State Democratic Chairs.

She was the first African American female elected official in the Panhandle’s Jackson County, serving on the Malone City Council and later as council president. Early in her life, she had “a calling to be a Democratic woman,” Mount said.

“(Women) are the foundation of everything,” she said. “It’s the women who will bring it home.”

For the Democratic Party to be the party of inclusion, it needs to include everyone, Mount said. She pointed out that the Democrats have the most diverse group of people in Florida history running for the Cabinet: Andrew Gillum, Chris King, Sean Shaw, Jeremy Ring and Nikki Fried.

“Let your focus be: We have some qualified people running,” Mount said.

She also stressed voting by mail because it’s the only vote assured of being properly counted. The actual ballot can be viewed online, Mount said.

Encouraging the audience to make a difference, she said there is a need to support the Democratic Party.

“Anything that can make our people get excited … that’s what we need.”  Tell people “in the churches and the ditches” that “we are about to lose the state if the Democrats don’t win.”“See somebody and ask them if they’re registered to vote,” Mount said. “When people see me coming, they know it’s voting time.”

The next luncheon meeting of the Democratic Women’s Club of IRC will be Oct. 13 at the Vero Beach Country Club.