Jesse SchecknerA new super PAC has launched to support Democratic Broward County Commissioner Jared Moskowitz’s bid for Congress.
The PAC, Moving Broward Forward, is listed as having formed May 2. A press note from the organization said its board of directors includes Elizabeth Rosenstein, Shirley Sharon and Jennifer May, whom the Federal Election Commission lists as treasurer.
Mercury partner Ashley Walker, a seasoned political operative whose past clients include President Barack Obama and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, will serve as general consultant.
“Jared Moskowitz is a champion for Broward County who is fighting to guarantee access to the ballot box, to protect Social Security and Medicare, for real gun safety measures and to defend our allies abroad,” Walker said in a statement. “He is the leader we need in Congress to move Broward forward.”
Super PACs are prohibited from donating money to or coordinating their spending with political campaigns. Asked to comment on the formation of Moving Broward Forward, Moskowitz kept things brief.
“I’m happy to hear there is growing interest in supporting my candidacy,” he told Florida Politics.
Moskowitz began his political career at 25, when he was elected to the Parkland City Commission while still in law school. Six years later, in November 2012, he won a seat in the Florida House, where he represented the Coral Springs area of northern Broward.
He won re-election three times but resigned in January 2019, when Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed him to serve as the Director of the Division of Emergency Management.
His work managing Florida’s natural disasters, as well as the outbreak of COVID-19, earned him the nickname “Master of Disaster.”
Late last year, DeSantis tapped Moskowitz again when he appointed him to replace Barbara Sharief on the Broward County Commission. His term runs until November, when voters head to the polls for the Midterms.
In early March, Rep. Ted Deutch announced that he would forgo seeking an eighth term to instead take a job as CEO of the American Jewish Committee.
Moskowitz was the first major contender to launch a campaign to succeed him.
“I’m excited to announce my plans to run for U.S. Congress and will work every day to uphold the high bar set by Congressman Ted Deutch,” he said at the time. “It’s hard to not see what is happening abroad in Ukraine — who we stand strongly with — and not think of my grandparents who had to flee Europe from a murderous dictator.”
He continued, “Democracy is not just under assault abroad but as we say on Jan. 6 it is under attack here at home by an agenda spearheaded by Donald Trump. In Congress, I will fight to guarantee access to the ballot box, protect Social Security and Medicare, work for real gun safety measures and fight for the safety and protection of the State of Israel.
“I also look forward to working closely with the White House on its ‘Cancer Moonshot’ initiative to finally find a cure for the disease which has taken far too many good people from us, including my father.”
___
Anne Geggis of Florida Politics contributed to this report.
