Departure and Reaction
Florida Senate Minority Leader Jason Pizzo announced his departure from the Democratic Party, criticizing its state as "dead" and comparing modern partisanship to the fall of Rome. He will now register as "no party affiliation."
State Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried criticized Pizzo's leadership, claiming his departure benefits the party, while Republican Party of Florida Chairman Evan Power highlighted the trend of lawmakers leaving the Democratic Party as a sign of its radicalization.
Leadership and Future Plans
Following Pizzo's announcement, Senate Democrats elected Sen. Lori Berman as their new leader for the remainder of the term. Pizzo had been speculated as a potential gubernatorial candidate.
Pizzo expressed a desire to return to being independent in thought and action, aiming to represent the 3.7 million Floridians with no party affiliation. His departure marks the third from the Democratic Party in six months.