Jesse Scheckner
A Gen Z-led PAC is running a clever marketing campaign to celebrate and spread the word about the Florida Supreme Court’s approval of 2024 ballot questions on recreational marijuana and abortion rights.
Florida Future Leaders, which launched in February, is handing out condoms, rolling paper and other materials with Florida College Democrats branding and messaging.
The initiative launched Monday, shortly after the court ruled to allow Florida voters to decide in November whether to legalize recreational marijuana and amend the state constitution to protect abortion access.
Florida Future Leaders is calling Monday “Condoms and Cones Distribution Day.” It serves as a kickoff for the group’s “Roll Up to the Polls” campaign that includes giving out thousands of rolling papers, literature and stickers.
To promote awareness about the abortion rights amendment, the PAC and its college campus partners are distributing thousands of branded condoms, Plan B packs, stickers and abortion access-specific literature. The condoms feature the message, “Don’t get F*cked by the GOP. Protect Abortion in Florida.”
Distributions are happening at the University of Central Florida, Florida Atlantic University, Florida State University and Florida A&M University.
Abortion and recreational marijuana rights have repeatedly proven to be winning issues among youth voters, and Republicans’ limited support for either is an opportunity Democrats must seize upon, Florid Future Leaders Chair Jayden D’Onofrio said in a statement.
“Florida’s youngest Democrats are organizing their peers on a scale never seen before, to ensure a substantial youth turnout to the polls. Florida Republicans now face what they consider a doomsday reality for November: a combined passage of the pro-choice amendment, recreational marijuana amendment, and historic youth turnout to the polls,” he said.
“Our distribution of condoms and rolling papers is not just about celebration; it’s about education and empowerment, while serving as tangible reminders to youth voters that these are the exact items Republican lawmakers wish we did not have.”
D’Onofrio launched Florida Future Leaders in February with Treasurer Jackson McMillan, Executive Director Sabrina Briceno, Florida College Democrats President Alexis Dorman, and Florida High School Democrats Chair Rhea Maniar.
The PAC’s goal is to energize and recruit high school and college progressives to turn back a rising red tide in Florida, which Tufts University found had the ninth-worst participation in the nation among voters ages 18-29 in the 2022 election cycle.
That includes awareness campaigns on hot-button issues about which younger voters are especially fervent, from the marijuana and abortion ballot questions to policies the GOP-dominated Legislature passed in recent Sessions to suppress LGBTQ topics in public schools, loosen gun restrictions, and ban diversity, equity and inclusion spending by state-run higher education institutions.
Hollywood Democratic Sen. Jason Pizzo, who is set to lead Senate Democrats in 2024, said he’s been waiting “a long time” for an organization like this. Accordingly, he assisted the group in its fundraising, which crossed $100,000 within a month.
15 comments
PeterH
April 1, 2024 at 7:38 pm
2024 is the most important election in American history! Young Americans everywhere in the USA should register to vote, request a mail-in ballot if available and VOTE.
Keep in mind that a vote for any third party candidate is effectively a vote for Donald Trump.
Republicans are America’s worst enemy!
Vote all Republicans out of office!
Earl Pitts "The Big Voice On The Right" American
April 1, 2024 at 7:49 pm
Good evening America,
Relax Your Sphincters as we, The Good Guys, infiltrated this Florida Future Leaders group to the point where 1/2 their membership is our people. Just thought you would like to know.
Thank you America,
Earl Pitts American
Michael K
April 2, 2024 at 12:54 am
Young people, vote! Vote for your future, for freedom, for equality. You can turn this thing around. Please, vote these authoritarians out of office and out of our bedrooms and out of our lives.
Megan
April 2, 2024 at 7:24 am
This is sad. These aren’t the kind of “future leaders” we want in Florida. Go to Portland or San Francisco, kiddos. Take your drugs and desire for a lack of personal accountability with you.
Impeach Biden
April 2, 2024 at 7:39 am
The only thing these goofballs will be leading is protests, riots, and lootings. All good Democrats.
Tom
April 2, 2024 at 8:05 am
“Sen Pizzo said he’s been waiting a long time for a group like this.” Hilarious. Of course he has. Pizzo has the most fragile ego in the Legislature, so he’ll be in good company with these kids. Plus, as the only legislator who cusses in committee hearings and threatens violence against his Republican colleagues, Pizzo is clearly the best chaperone to accompany them on field trips.
Elliot D
April 4, 2024 at 2:54 pm
How fitting that Pizzo is advocating handing out condoms. Hope he saved some for himself.
Phil Morton
April 2, 2024 at 10:02 am
Kudos to Jason Pizzo. Enough is enough and these young leaders of tomorrow have the pulse of Florida politics. Well done Senator.
Cassie D
April 2, 2024 at 10:03 am
Maybe if these “Future Leaders” actually learned how to use condoms they’d not be throwing money at a campaign to allow abortions on demand. Idiots.
Claire
April 2, 2024 at 11:07 am
I’ve got no problem with these amendments in theory, but the wording of the abortion amendment concerns me. Government should be able to restrict certain types of medical procedures that are unsafe or inhumane. The ballot language wouldn’t allow “any law” that “prohibits, restricts, or penalizes” an abortion procedure. That means it could not enforce a law banning medical procedures that result in termination of a pregnancy. It seems a bit extreme.
And who determines when a human has achieved “viability”? I know grown adults who still haven’t demonstrated “viability” outside of the womb. So many questions…
Claire
April 2, 2024 at 11:38 am
*And I’ll add, the types of procedures that would be allowed (if the amendment passes) include barbaric abortion methods that can result in much greater harm to women than any “delay” that results from having legal safeguards in place.
If government can’t use the power of lawmaking to ensure women will only be allowed to elect abortion procedures that are safe, humane, appropriate for the woman and accepted within the licensed medical community, then it has no power to protect them from the alternatives.
Elmo
April 2, 2024 at 3:49 pm
With over 800,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats that weed bill is looking like it probably won’t pass. Even if it does pass Tallahassee will find a way to block it.
ScienceBLVR
April 2, 2024 at 3:57 pm
I know plenty of registered Republicans who partake of the Maryjane weed..seems to calm them a bit. I’m more concerned about the abortion rights bill getting the 60% needed especially with all the older women of non childbearing age in the Sunshine state. Although even old gals don’t want the government or posters on this site to make reproductive decisions for them.
Annie D.
April 2, 2024 at 6:04 pm
This has “white trash” written all over it.
Grow up, kids. Get a job. Have a family. Live an honest, socially-responsible life without resorting to low-brow political gimmicks. This is beyond ridiculous.
Steven Mainsley
April 3, 2024 at 7:41 am
Very sad indeed. Of all the issues young people should care about, like access to affordable housing and the cost of tuition, the job market, living wages that meet the rising cost of living and inflation, etc, it’s ‘sex and drugs’ that motivates their civic involvement. This is so very disappointing.
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