State Sen. Jason Pizzo expects to lead the Democratic caucus after next year's election. But he's under no delusion he will lead a majority.
"We're not flipping any Senate seats next year," he said, adding that while he could "bulls**t" people for the next six months, the statement is true.
The Miami-Dade Democrat is in the middle of a tour of Florida colleges and universities, meeting with young voters and leaders and trying to engage them in the political process. There, he has found civic-minded students largely naïve to the process, but eager for change.
During a stop at the University of Central Florida, many asked him about how to shift the direction of policy away from punishing institutes of higher education.
Pizzo advised them to be patient, but also to personally lobby lawmakers. He encouraged students not to be intimidated by elected officials, and rather ask them to make personal commitments to consider their constituents' points of view.
Madison Moore, UCF student government Attorney General, said she appreciated the advice. "Next Legislative Session we will be going up there to advocate for the student body," she said. "It's great to hear his perspective."
Students also shared concerns about the insurance crisis driving rents up in Central Florida. Some raised federal issues like the insolvency of Social Security. Many raised concerns about the severe restrictions on abortion passed this year, asking if there was any chance lawmakers would roll back the laws.
Pizzo said the best way to fight back on culture wars may be constitutional amendment fights. If voters statewide weigh in next year on restoring abortion rights and legalizing adult-use marijuana, Pizzo said that will likely urge college voters to the polls. He expects both measures would pass, and would drive Democratic turnout.
But he also encouraged students to understand the structure of local government. He asked many if they knew who their own Mayor was. One offered the name "Buddy" but could not must Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer's last name and another offered the name Kathy Castor, a Tampa Congresswoman with no relation, but a similar name to Tampa Mayor Jane Castor.
At a visit to a campus in Tallahassee, Pizzo said he asked if anyone knew the name of the local state Senator. Several students confidently answered Ron DeSantis, the Governor of Florida, with one correcting them to say Marco Rubio, Florida's senior U.S. Senator. The correct answer was state Sen. Corey Simon, a Tallahassee Republican.
"I've said over the past couple of years that all three branches that are supposed to be independent have collapsed into one," Pizzo said. "I could have asked, who is the Supreme Court Justice, and with conviction like this, they would have said Ron DeSantis."
Pizzo discussed the importance of advancing helpful policies regardless of credit, even discussing recruiting Simon to help with a food insolvency bill in the upcoming Session, even though Simon's seat may be the most competitive state Senate seat in Florida next year.
That speaks to the priorities of the No. 2 Democrat in the Florida Senate, where Democrats remain a super-minority. Pizzo expects to lead the caucus after the 2024 elections but isn't counting on flipping eight seats to secure a majority.
He does anticipate a path to open for Democrats to increase the party's influence and power. He suggested the Republican-controlled Legislature may indeed have pushed too far with recent culture war priorities in service of DeSantis' presidential ambitions. As those dreams falter, he hopes to see Republicans wrest legislative control back where it belongs, but knows that's up to them.
In 2026, when Pizzo should be wrapping up his tenure as Senate Democratic Leader, he will likely run for Governor.
"But it depends on who's going to run on the other side," Pizzo said. "If Matt Gaetz is running, I run."
Pizzo believes Gaetz, a Fort Walton Beach Republican and U.S. Congressman, could win a crowded Republican Primary, one where DeSantis is out due to term limits.
"They have a couple of candidates who I think would be very tough and very effective," Pizzo said. "(Attorney General) Ashley Moody is probably the best chance." He notes Moody quietly received 37,000 more votes than DeSantis in 2022.
But if Gaetz could win a Primary while Moody, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds split most of the Republican vote, Pizzo thinks a solid Democrat could rally independents and moderate Republicans disgusted by Gaetz's personal scandals.
"I like somebody like me against somebody like that, with NPA soccer moms who won't vote for somebody who was, you know, having sex with 17-year-old prostitutes," Pizzo said. "I would rather somebody else do it. I just don't think anybody else can get him to him like I can. I would like him on a debate stage. And most of the texts I get from my Republican Senate colleagues are Pizzo v. Gaetz. They want to see that, too."
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