On Thursday, Jason Pizzo, the Florida State Senate Minority Leader, threw down a wild card. This was, in fact, his announcement about leaving the Democratic Party and registering as an independent. This momentous decision marks a significant turning point in Pizzo’s political career. He began that journey in 2018, when he was elected to the state Senate, following a term in the state House, where he first represented a district in western Palm Beach County.
In a speech following his announcement, Pizzo said he was disappointed by how far the Democratic Party in Florida had fallen. He declared, “Here’s the issue, the Democratic Party in Florida is dead.” Pizzo’s critique of the party points to what he perceives as a radicalization that has alienated him and others who once identified with its values.
Evan Power, chair of the Republican Party of Florida, commented on Pizzo’s departure, stating, “He didn’t leave the Democratic Party; the party left him.” Power says that Pizzo’s choice illustrates a deeper trend of increasing discontent with the Democratic Party. He argues that the party’s national leadership has become more and more divorced from the party’s roots.
Pizzo’s exit is a high-profile signal of a larger trend among Florida lawmakers. Last December, Democrats like Susan Valdes and Hillary Cassel similarly switched their party registration to Republican. Yet this wave of departures is exposing a deepening chasm within the party’s base. It reveals the obstacles they face as voters’ preferences change.
The most recent statistics show there are, give or take, about 1.2 million more registered Republican voters than Democrats in Florida. In the most recent presidential election, Donald Trump won by a wide margin against Kamala Harris, 56.1% to 43%. Additionally, around 26% of all registered voters in Florida hold no party affiliation, suggesting a potential shift toward independent or non-partisan politics.
In his resignation announcement, Pizzo explained that moving beyond the party shackles would enable him to work without fear of reprisal. He wants to do the work in an open and clean way. He’s looking for ways to more effectively serve all voters without getting bogged down by the partisanship. He wants to reach “millions, millions more.”
Pizzo’s time as CEO has not been without controversy. According to reports, he often became mired in the infighting. Perhaps his personal ambition just short-circuited the Democratic values he had once so fervently fought for. Nikki Fried, a prominent figure within the Democratic Party, remarked on Pizzo’s leadership, saying, “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.”
Plus, Pizzo is beginning a new independent chapter himself. Yet he does understand that Floridian leaders are in desperate need of clarity and courage right now. He referenced historical parallels, noting “the infighting, power struggles, corruption and decline of civic virtue that pervaded and eventually ushered in the fall of Rome.”