Jesse Scheckner
Florida Future Leaders, a Generation Z-led political action committee focused on flipping Sunshine State seats blue, is preparing to hire 41 student staff members to boost youth voter engagement in three legislative districts.
The group is also celebrating a milestone: $200,000 raised since it began fundraising in April.
That includes $50,000 raised this month, the preponderance of which came through more than 200 donations in the 72 hours since Vice President Kamala Harris became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
Florida Future Leaders Chair Jayden D’Onofrio said the influx of funds shows Floridians are hungry for a next-generation slate of political figures to take charge of progressive causes.
“For far too long our state has not had a bench of leaders and candidates for tomorrow’s elections. We are fighting to change that, and it starts with the efforts being done by students across the state, in what is now the most well-funded student-to-student organizing effort ever seen in Florida,” he said.
“Now as we prepare to launch our fall semester on-the-ground organizing, we look forward to ensuring that this youth turnout machine not only exists for this election, but the many to come, as the only way we take back this state is investing in youth. If a group of students can raise over $200,000 in just seven months and fundamentally change youth organizing in Florida, just imagine what we can do next election cycle.”
Formed in January as a partnership between the Florida College Democrats and Florida High School Democrats, Florida Future Leaders is working to mobilize young voters in this election and in future cycles. It’s also running awareness campaigns on hot-button issues like legalizing recreational marijuana and guaranteed abortion access — both of which are on the ballot this year.
The sweep of hires the group has planned will be in:
— Senate District 3, where incumbent Tallahassee Republican Sen. Corey Simon will face the winner of a Democratic Primary between Gadsden County Commissioner Kimblin NeSmith and civil rights lawyer Daryl Parks.
— House District 37, where former Orange County Soil and Water Commissioner Nate Douglas, a Democrat, is running to supplant Orlando Rep. Susan Plasencia two years after she defeated Carlos Guillermo Smith in an upset and flipped the seat red. Smith won a Senate seat unopposed in June.
— House District 91, where Democratic lawyer Jay Shooster is challenging Highland Beach Republican Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman.
All three Republicans are seeking second terms.
