Senate Democratic Leader Jason Pizzo discusses what’s ahead for the Florida Legislature after a Capital Tiger Bay Club forum in Tallahassee on Jan. 24, 2024. (Photo by Jackie Llanos/Florida Phoenix)
Senate Democratic Leader Jason Pizzo has stoked speculations that he will run for governor in 2026, but said on Friday that if he does he would stick with the party that has been unable to climb out of superminority status.
Despite Democrats’ waning political influence in a ruby-red Florida, the former prosecutor said he wouldn’t consider running as an independent candidate, even after acknowledging voters without party affiliation sway elections.
More than 3.7 million Floridians fall into that category, whereas 4.4 million identify as Democrats and 5.6 million as Republicans, according to the Florida Division of Elections.
“It would have been easy for me to be a Republican in the state of Florida,” Pizzo told reporters following a Capital Tiger Bay Fund forum in Tallahassee at which he discussed what’s ahead for the Legislature and took pride in being labeled a centrist and moderate.
The South Florida senator bashed Republicans for trying to out-MAGA each other but said his party has a “socialism problem.”
“This is traditionally the party of democratic values, of working middle-class people that try to provide equal opportunity but not equal outcomes. So, our party, folks sort of abuse it to the far left. The right has abused it. They’ve been in power for 30 years, and no one’s life is really that much better.”
Two state lawmakers in the House, Hillary Cassel and Susan Valdés, switched affiliation from Democrat to Republican in December. Democrats are set to elect leaders in Orlando on Saturday after their loss at the polls in November. Pizzo highlighted a need to focus on policy.
“I’m not that critical of party leadership because it’s a job I would not want right now in this situation,” he said.
Others eyeing a 2026 gubernatorial run include Republicans Matt Gaetz and U.S. Rep Byron Donalds. Following reports that Gaetz might for the statewide office, Pizzo posted on X that he would “kick his ass.”
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