Drew Wilson
Uber has had a tough time getting legislation passed this session, and the ridesharing company is focusing its efforts on changing one lawmaker’s mind: Republican Senate President Andy Gardiner.
Starting Monday, Florida users of the ridesharing app will be prompted to “vote for Uber” the next time they call for a car. The “VOTE” app experience redirects users to a page asking them to “tell Senator Gardiner to stop holding up access to safe, affordable, reliable rides.”
“It’s not hard to hold an up or down vote,” the web page reads. “There are only five days left in the 2016 session for the state Senate to vote on allowing all Floridians access to Uber. A bill that would do just that passed the House 108-10, but Senate President Gardiner is refusing to even let the Senate take a vote.”
Customers aren’t the only one Uber hopes to get involved in the fight. The group also announced it made a radio ad buy and direct mail campaign in Gardiner’s Orlando-based district.
“The taxi companies and their well-connected friends are at it again,” the radio ad says over ominous piano music. “But this time, they are not alone. They have turned to their pal, State Senate President Andy Gardiner for help.”
The mail campaign hits a similar note, describing the Senate President as “selling us out to his rich taxi friends,” and urging Floridians to bombard the Orlando Republican’s Tallahassee phone line with pleas to pass the House’s ridesharing bill.
That bill, HB 509 by Shalimar Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz, would pre-empt local regulations on ridesharing companies. It cleared its committee stops and a floor vote in the House with little opposition, but no Senator filed a companion version in the early days of Session, and HB 509 is currently languishing in the Senate.
