The group of 27 African-American lawmakers who make up the Florida Legislative Black Caucus, all Democrats, could be adding a Republican into the fold again.
Rep. Mike Hill, R-Pensacola, last week won the special election for House District 2 serving parts of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. He will fill the seat of former Rep. Clay Ford, R-Gulf Breeze, who died in March.
Black Caucus members said Hill would be a welcomed member of the group.
Hill is the first African-American to represent his district since Reconstruction when John Sunday Jr. sat in the same seat in 1874.
But this would not be the first time Republicans have been welcomed in the caucus. Four other African-American Republicans have been in the caucus including former Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll when she represented Jacksonville in the Legislature. Hill could represent a fresh viewpoint in a legislative body that has been decisive in floor votes.
Rep. Alan Williams, D-Tallahassee, the newly elected chair of the Florida Legislative Black Caucus, said Hill was a welcome member of the group and despite opposing party affiliations, we cant allow our political differences to govern the day.
Brian Hughes, a spokesman and campaign strategist for Hill, said while the newly elected representative hasnt made any definitive commitments to the Black Caucus or any other groups, the decision may come around in September when the Legislature meets in Tallahassee for interim committees.
In the meantime, Hill is working with leadership and his staff in preparation for the 2014 session, Hughes said.
Sen. Chris Smith, D-Fort Lauderdale, the Senate minority leader, said his experience with Republicans in the caucus have been a mixed bag. Carroll, he said, would prompt lively discussion and an across-the-aisle look at issues, without bogging down the process with partisan rhetoric; while Democrat-turned-Republican Rudy Bradley would just stand up and say talking points.
He hopes Hill will bring the open attitude that he said Carroll embraced.
Hill is a former Air Force captain and is the founder of the Northwest Florida Tea Party.
If he conducts himself in a respectful manner, it could be fun, Smith said with a laugh in response to a question about Hills leadership position in the Tea Party. I think he could bring a new way, a different way of looking at things.
Smith said if Hill came into the caucus and pushed to put a black face on extreme agenda items like Bradley did between 1998 and 2000, he wouldnt be welcome.
While Smith hasnt met Hill, Williams said during Hills special election primary, which started in the middle of May, he had spoken to the newly elected representative about joining the caucus, but hadnt since then.
He should be a member, Williams said. Were going to take our partisan stripes off at the door.
Williams said in the coming year the Black Caucus was looking to beef up our policy arm and help the state of Florida and strengthen the depth of our knowledge of policy and challenge the governor on the issues that are important.
Williams said in those challenges the question is, Are we doing whats best for the state of Florida?
Williams said he wasnt concerned about adding a member of the Tea Party to the Black Caucus. He hopes they can come to solutions for Hills constituents and the state.
Williams added that Gov. Rick Scott, a darling of the Tea Party when he was elected in 2010, came in and had one view about governments role and over time those ideas about government have obviously changed and vacillated and gone back and forth.
The Black Caucus was started in 1968 by Rep. Joe Lang Kershaw D-Dade County and was joined in 1970 by the first African-American woman to serve in the Legislature, Rep. Gwendolyn Cherry, also a Democrat from Dade County.
