State Senator Jason Pizzo, the Democratic minority leader, announced in a floor speech that he was leaving the party.

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,” Pizzo said.

The Florida Democratic Party chair called Pizzo's move "one of the best things to happen to the party in years," likening it to an "embarrassing temper tantrum."