Top Republican Joe Gruters breaks ranks, supports making pot legal for adults

Sen. Joe Gruters, the former Chair of the Republican Party of Florida, is breaking away from Gov. Ron DeSantis and fellow Republicans to endorse a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the use of recreational marijuana.

The Sarasota Republican is a longtime ally of President Donald Trump who has clashed with DeSantis in the past. Gruters served as the Chair of the RNC Credentials Committee held earlier this month, and is running for Chief Financial Officer in the 2026 election. Adding to his conservative bona fides, Gruters was Chair of the state party between 2018 and 2022.

“Supporting Amendment 3 is a common-sense decision that prioritizes individual freedom, health, safety and economic growth,” Gruters said. “By legalizing recreational marijuana for adults, we can give Floridians access to safe products, generate significant revenue for critical public services and create new job opportunities for Floridians.”

Gruters has become one of the most prominent Republicans in the state to throw his support behind the amendment that was placed on the ballot with strong financial backing of one of the state’s biggest medical marijuana companies.

Whether to make recreational use of marijuana for adults in Florida legal is one of the more high-profile constitutional amendments Florida voters will weigh in on when they head to the polls in November. In order to pass, 60% of the voters must approve the proposal.

Twenty-three states and Washington, D.C., have legalized recreational marijuana for adults.

Gruters’ decision to support Amendment 3 comes as Republicans and some of their longtime allies have been ramping up an opposition campaign to the initiative. This week two groups that represent law-enforcement organizations came out against the measure. DeSantis has been quite vocal about his disdain for the amendment and has contended it would ruin the quality of life for Floridians if ultimately adopted.

A new poll released this week by the University of North Florida had the amendment getting 64% approval, which is above the 60% threshold needed to pass. The poll, however, did have a 4.6-percentage-point margin of error, which means it could be teetering on the edge of passage.

Morgan Hill, a spokesperson for Smart & Safe Florida, the political committee behind the amendment, called Gruters support “yet another example of the expansive coalition behind legalizing recreational adult use marijuana.

“Individual liberty is not a partisan issue, and we’re glad to have Sen. Gruters on board to help spread our message of personal freedom and a safer Florida for all,” Hill added.