Florida Democrat ditches party, switching to no party affiliation

Florida state Senator Jason Pizzo made headlines recently when he announced that he was switching his party affiliation to no party. Pizzo, who had been serving as the state Senate Democratic Leader, stated during a speech that he believes the political party system in Florida is nearly dead.

In his speech, Pizzo criticized both the Democratic and Republican parties, stating that the Democratic Party in Florida is dead and that the Republican Party has many problems. He expressed his belief that there are good people who can resuscitate the Democratic Party in Florida, but he did not see himself as being the one to do so.

Following Pizzo’s announcement, State Senator Lori Berman was tapped to replace him as Senate Democratic Leader. The move by Pizzo to switch to no party affiliation is not unprecedented in Florida politics. Last year, Florida state Representatives Susan Valdés and Hillary Cassel both announced that they were switching from Democrat to Republican.

Former U.S. Representative David Jolly, who had previously been a Republican, also made headlines in 2018 when he announced a switch to no party affiliation. However, Jolly has now changed his registration to Democrat, according to Politico. Jolly has stated that he is considering a run for governor in Florida.

The Florida Democratic Party chair, Nikki Fried, criticized Pizzo, calling him one of the most ineffective and unpopular Democratic leaders in recent memory. Fried stated that Pizzo’s resignation is one of the best things to happen to the party in years and that the party is more united without him.

The political landscape in Florida continues to evolve as politicians make decisions to switch party affiliations or run for office under different banners. Pizzo’s decision to switch to no party affiliation highlights the changing dynamics within the state’s political scene.