TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Another Florida legislator has defected from the Democratic Party.
Senate Minority Leader Jason Pizzo announced Thursday live on the Senate floor that he has left the party and registered as a voter with no party affiliation.
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“Here’s the issue. The Democrat Party in Florida is dead. There are good people that can resuscitate it. But they don’t want it to be me,” said Pizzo, according to News Service Florida. He became the minority leader after the November elections.
Democratic lawmakers in Florida have struggled to push their agenda, with the Republican Party holding supermajorities in both chambers.
Two other House members left the Democratic Party after the November elections, Susan Valdés and Hillary Cassel, and went as far as joining the Republicans.
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Pizzo did not join the GOP, his decision immediately drew harsh criticism from some Democrats.
“Jason Pizzo is one of the most ineffective and unpopular Democratic leaders in recent memory, and his resignation is one of the best things to happen to the party in years,” Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried said in a statement. “His legacy as leader includes continually disparaging the party base, starting fights with other members, and chasing his own personal ambitions at the expense of Democratic values.”
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Following Pizzo’s announcement, Senate Democrats quickly elected a successor in Lori Berman (D - Boca Raton), who first joined the Senate in 2018.
“We are doing well. We are all united. The Democratic Party is not dead,” Berman told reporters. “We have a week left (in the session). We’re gonna be strong. We’re gonna finish strong here in the Legislature.”
Related: Republicans win Florida special elections in Trump strongholds by narrower margins than in 2024
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