Famous lawyer addressed his run on News Service of Florida podcast
The country’s two-party system represents, in general, two political ideologies—one “liberal” and one “conservative”.
In Florida, with the Republicans holding a supermajority in the legislature, and having a stranglehold on the Governor’s mansion going on 16 years, politics has been an all-or-nothing proposition, especially in lawmaking.
The short version: you’re “all-in” with the Republicans, or your voice carries little more than nothing with the Democrats.
John Morgan, the popular Florida attorney now retired, is trying to do something about that. He is working to start a movement to create a third party, starting in Florida, while also discussing a veiled run for governor in 2026.
He called all that his “moonshot” while appearing with Tallahassee reporter Dara Kam on the “Deeper Dive with Dara” podcast distributed by the News Service of Florida.
During the at-times explicit conversation with Kam, the colorful Morgan said he’s planned to submit a name for the party right after Memorial Day. The new party would accurately reflect the views of those people stuck in the middle of the right-to-let continuum— like himself. He said he’s proabortion, yet on the fence on the death penalty.
“I believe in choice,” Morgan said. “Most of us agree on most things—marijuana, a higher minimum wage, universal pre-K. But none of those are going to happen in the Florida Legislature—ever—because the legislators are wholly owned by special interests. Leaders are there to pad their resume, then go home having done nothing for the people.
“I believe the two-party system is the problem. If you had a third party where no party had a majority, you’d have people who’d have to compromise. I see two parties that are getting farther and farther apart every day, driven by the fringe on each side. There’s no compromise.”
He said the movement won’t get traction by simply trying to be a “not one of them,” like a “No Labels” movement that started and quickly flamed out. Morgan said the new party will need a name, a platform and identity.
“There has to be a team. People only win through sports and, vicariously, through politics,” he said. “Like him or not, Donald Trump is a genius. He saw it. Trump harnessed this anger. He’s pardoned the Jan. 6 people because he made them do it. (Gov. Ron) DeSantis has watched the playbook. And now, Florida is losing.”
Morgan attributed the road to getting to this point in Florida politics to heavilygerrymandered districts which contain a high number of one party’s candidates and flip very, very rarely. He addressed Jason Pizzo, who made headlines last month for announcing his departure from the Democratic Party and his run for governor as an independent.
“I understand his caucus’ frustration with him. We as people and voters, we want to be on a team. My thought is … or team’s song would be, “Stuck in the middle with you.”
Said Capitol Column retired columnist Bill Cotterell of a John Morgan Gubernatorial candidacy: “He’d make Florida politics fun again. Movements built around a superstar come and go, like Ross Perot’s Reform Party or Theodore Roosevelt’s Progressives, but never catch on. Independent candidates like Pizzo can make a splash, but soon sink silently.
“With his money and name recognition, Morgan could force other candidates to address real issues, rather than denouncing drag shows, protecting us from fluoride in drinking water and seeing who can talk toughest about illegal immigration.”
To list to the full podcast, go to http://bit.ly/45vqH7Z (Part 1) and bit.ly/3FCYEsN (Part 2).
