Fresh civil war among Florida Democrats breaks out after Senate Leader Jason Pizzo bails on dead party

The knives are coming out within the demoralized Florida Democratic Party after state Senate Minority Leader Jason Pizzo jumped ship, proclaiming the party’s “dead” as he draws buzz about a potential gubernatorial bid as an Independent.Pizzo, 48, lamented that the Democratic Party that his father volunteered for in the 1960s is “not the party today,” while acknowledging the internal pressure he faced to step aside as state Senate leader.“Here’s the issue: The Democratic Party in Florida is dead.But there are good people that can resuscitate it.

But they don’t want it to be me,” he said during a floor speech Thursday.As the mad dash to fill his shoes as leader of the state Senate heats up, Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried took some parting shots at him.“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,” Fried snarked in a blunt statement.“Jason’s failure to build support within our party for a gubernatorial run has led to this final embarrassing temper tantrum.

I’d be lying if I said I’m sad to see him go, but I wish him the best of luck in the political wilderness he’s created for himself.The Florida Democratic Party is more united without him.”Pizzo’s stint as the Florida state Senate minority leader was short-lived, having ascended to that role in November.

He’s served in the state Senate since 2018.The newly minted Independent state senator contended that Florida voters don’t want to see “political hacks” in charge — and admonished his former party for turning off voters.“I am not in this position because of Democrats.I got elected because of NPAs [Not Politically Affiliated], the 3.7 million people who have no party, who have no representation,” he sniped.“Stripping myself of a title of a party designation allows me to run free and clear, clean and transparent and help many,...