Jacob Ogles
A weekend vote on a recreational pot initiative sparked a schism between the Florida Young Republicans (YR) and the state party — and within its membership.
A divide became public Tuesday after it was announced the Young Republicans as the latest group to endorse Amendment 3. That’s a proposed ballot measure on the November ballot which, if 60% of voters support it, will constitutionally demand Florida lawmakers decriminalize recreational marijuana use by adults.
A statement issued by the Florida Young Republicans cited GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump’s support for the measure as playing a significant role.
“The Florida Young Republicans hereby stand with President Trump on his positions regarding the Florida ballot measures,” the statement reads. “We back the President’s stance on FL Amendment 3 to legalize cannabis.”
But shortly after, dissenters within the statewide group started making noise. The Capital Young Republicans, a Tallahassee-based chapter, issued its own press release making clear that its membership opposes legalizing marijuana.
“The last thing we need is unfettered marijuana smoke on playgrounds, streets, and parks,” the release said.
The group also put out a list of signatures on the release from Young Republicans in the chapter and across the state, including from Brandon Ludwig, who serves as current Chair of the Florida Young Republicans.
Ludwig took to social media to castigate the statewide YR board for its stance.
“The Florida YRs ‘endorsement’ was pushed at the last minute by an individual paid by the Yes on 3 campaign,” he posted on X. “The vote would’ve failed had that person disclosed these payments and recused themselves.”
That was a swing at Jake Hoffman, Executive Director of the Tampa Bay Young Republicans and political director for the Smart & Safe Florida campaign.
But the 33-year-old Hoffman stressed that he didn’t push for a position on Amendment 3 because of that campaign. He has worked for years on growing support within Republican circles for legalizing marijuana decriminalization.
“People are getting angry at me for being involved in this, but I have been advocating since the medical marijuana amendment,” he said.
Florida voters passed that initiative in 2016. Hoffman continued to support further changes in cannabis policy, and said his work on the past ballot measure made him an attractive hire for the pro-Amendment 3 campaign.
He didn’t know if Florida YRs would ever take a stance on the matter. But when he heard the board wanted to formally oppose Amendment 4, which would overturn Florida’s six-week abortion ban, he and others thought it was worth discussing Amendment 3 as well.
On Saturday, as Republican activists had already convened in Hollywood for the 2024 Victory Dinner, the YR executive board set a meeting in town that weekend. Members asked that a vote on Amendment 3 be considered. A total of 17 of the executive board’s 26 members attended the meeting, enough for a quorum. The board voted 12-5 to endorse recreational pot, enough to clear a two-thirds requirement to endorse.
Ludwig was among the “no” votes, and doesn’t think the matter should have been considered at all.
“It was not an agenda item at our meeting, but an individual pushed the vote through to override the agenda at the last minute and it narrowly passed. I myself as Chairman did not support it,” he said. “Many of our Executive Committee members were not in attendance for the vote because it wasn’t supposed to be on the agenda.”
Once news broke of the endorsement, YR members across the state who weren’t involved in the discussion voiced their concerns. Hoffman suspects that many members also heard from party colleagues — and maybe even employers. It surprised few that the Tallahassee chapter, which includes many legislative staffers and employees of state agencies and political operations, rallied member opposition to the executive board’s position.
On top of that, the difference in opinion also rekindled an internal dispute that led to a complete reorganization of Florida’s Young Republicans over the last two years. That battle felt relevant anew as the Florida Federation of Young Republicans (FFYR), an entirely separate organization from the Florida Young Republicans, issued its own statement opposing Amendment 3.
“We believe that Amendment 3 is absolutely the wrong way to go about permitting the use of recreational marijuana,” the statement reads.
“This Amendment will tie the Florida Legislature’s hands from being able to put commonsense regulations on so many aspects of marijuana use that proponents overlook. Amendment 3’s language allows the legislature to only enact provisions that are ‘consistent’ with it. This will all but ensure that judges will call balls and strikes on time, place, and manner restrictions, THC caps, liability, and allocation of revenue generated from the sale of marijuana.”
The statement also stressed that its position put the group in line with the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF), Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Sheriffs Association in opposing Amendment 3.
But that doesn’t mean the group otherwise has any relationship to the state party. Indeed, the Federation in 2022 broke from the Young Republican National Federation (YRNF). Then the official YR chapter for Florida, the group’s leadership said attempts by the national YRs to control the state organization prompted the abandonment of its charter. “Ultimately, the YRNF attempted to vacate the duly-elected FFYR statewide officers with the sole intent of replacing them with allies to the YRNF Chairman.”
Regardless of reason, that meant an end to any relationship with the party, and the organization largely exists purely as an online presence.
The break between FFYR and the official party prompted the creation last year of the Florida Young Republicans, the only YR organization chartered with the RPOF. The new organization has since been included in party activities and state meetings, but when Florida YRs formally endorsed Amendment 3, it put the organization at odds with the state party with which it was chartered.
Of note, county Republican Executive Committees cannot take positions on constitutional amendments that run counter to the state party’s official position. Clubs adhere to different rules, and RPOF Chair Evan Power said the group did not violate any party bylaws by taking the position it did.
But when the position went public, it immediately created party pushback on the group, which represents younger Republicans ages 18 to 40. The strong pushback, to Ludwig, means a second vote needs to be held by the executive board.
Hoffman said that would be unfortunate for reasons beyond legalization of marijuana. The YR group represents the rising generation of conservatives, and may sometimes reflect evolving views, he said. By nature, that means it shouldn’t have establishment institutions dictating what positions members hold.
“This vote was not just about marijuana and the issue of Amendment 3, but was also about us as a new organization testing waters to see if we would get attention for stepping out of line,” he said.
That seems to be exactly what occurred. Multiple sources told Florida Politics that pressure from the Governor’s Office, state party and lawmakers opposed to Amendment 3 has pushed for Florida YRs to reconsider their position. Power, for his part, declined to comment until YRs dealt with their internal conflict.
Ludwig wants the YR board to hold another vote. “I look forward to our Exec. Committee reversing this vote,” he posted on X.
That could be done in the near future in a special meeting on the executive board with its full membership present.
“We are just gonna get it resolved as a team,” Ludwig said. “We’ve got elections to win in 2024 and that’s where our focus is,” he said.
A new meeting could be held by phone, which Hoffman feels could give unfair involvement to leaders of largely dormant chapters. Regardless, the Tampa Bay YRs have already separately endorsed Amendment 3, and that won’t change, Hoffman said. That group represents the largest active chapter of YRs in the state.
And he suspects that regardless of the position members take publicly, many will personally benefit if Amendment 3 passes and adult use of marijuana recreationally becomes legal. “Republicans,” he said, “smoke weed, too.”
19 comments
ELVIS [FKA EARL]
September 11, 2024 at 6:47 pm
Many Young Republicans are aware that I, ELVIS [FKA EARL], do not approve of “Drugging Up Our Great Nation” so thats their #1 objection.
Then there is the fact it will make men’s testicals shrink up, making it impossable to Father any Childern. Finally our Young Republicans are aware elevated use of weed makes men turn into Homertesticals.
Thank you Sage Young Republicans,
ELVIS [FKA EARL]
Brian Kelly
September 12, 2024 at 6:14 am
Fear of Cannabis Legalization Nationwide is unfounded. Not based on any science or fact whatsoever. So please prohibitionists, we beg you to give your scare tactics, “Conspiracy Theories” and “Doomsday Scenarios” over the inevitable Legalization of Cannabis Nationwide a rest. Nobody is buying them anymore these days. Okay?
Furthermore, if all prohibitionists get when they look into that nice, big and shiny crystal ball of theirs, while wondering about the future of cannabis legalization, is horror, doom, and despair, well then I suggest they return that thing as quickly as possible and reclaim the money they shelled out for it, since it’s obviously defective.
The prohibition of cannabis has not decreased the supply nor the demand for cannabis at all. Not one single iota, and it never will. Just a huge and complete waste of our tax dollars to continue criminalizing citizens for choosing a natural, non-toxic, relatively benign plant proven to be much safer than alcohol.
If prohibitionists are going to take it upon themselves to worry about “saving us all” from ourselves, then they need to start with the drug that causes more death and destruction than every other drug in the world COMBINED, which is alcohol!
Why do prohibitionists feel the continued need to vilify and demonize cannabis when they could more wisely focus their efforts on a real, proven killer, alcohol, which again causes more destruction, violence, and death than all other drugs, COMBINED?
Prohibitionists really should get their priorities straight and/or practice a little live and let live. They’ll live longer, happier, and healthier, with a lot less stress if they refrain from being bent on trying to control others through Draconian Cannabis Laws.
Brian Kelly
September 12, 2024 at 6:14 am
There is absolutely no doubt now that the majority of Americans want to completely legalize cannabis nationwide. Our numbers grow on a daily basis.
The prohibitionist view on cannabis is the viewpoint of a minority and rapidly shrinking percentage of Americans. It is based upon decades of lies and propaganda.
Each and every tired old lie they have propagated has been thoroughly proven false by both science and society.
Their tired old rhetoric no longer holds any validity. The vast majority of Americans have seen through the sham of cannabis prohibition in this day and age. The number of prohibitionists left shrinks on a daily basis.
With their credibility shattered, and their not so hidden agendas visible to a much wiser public, what’s left for a cannabis prohibitionist to do?
Maybe, just come to terms with the fact that Cannabis Legalization Nationwide is an inevitable reality that’s approaching much sooner than prohibitionists think, and there is nothing they can do to stop it!
Legalize Nationwide!…and Support All Cannabis Legalization Efforts!
THE SAGE "WEED EXPERT/SCIENTIST ELVIS
September 12, 2024 at 6:32 am
Brian Brian Brian, stop with your “Dook 4 Brains Leftist” double speak trying to disguise “The Real And Present Danger” of your “Druggie and Perverted Evil LifeStyle”.
There is no place for “Shyesters” like you trying to ruin our Young Republicans lives. Move along now Brian.
NOT ON MY WATCH!,
THE SAGE “WEED EXPERT/SCIENTIST ELVIS
ELVIS [FKA EARL] "WEED EXPERT" AMERICAN
September 11, 2024 at 7:06 pm
Now, America, just to be fair, weed has no health concerns on the Sage Ladies.
HOWEVER:
Weed does make the Sage Ladies lust for other Ladies Gentials. But thats OK because it is our Young and Older Sage Male Patriots “BIRTH-RIGHT” to enjoy lustfull Three-Somes, Four-Somes, and More-Somes with HOTTY HOT Sage Bi-Sexual Ladies.
So there you have it, America, that is why Don & I are putting the whole “Weed-Thing” out there for a vote.
Thank you Sage American Patriots,
ELVIS [FKA EARL]
Speedy y SloPoke Gonzalez
September 11, 2024 at 7:18 pm
Thanks Elvis, me and SloPoke see male homertesticalism as an abomination, as clearly addressed in The Good Book. But we have, thru the years enjoyed mucho trysts with the bi-sexy muy bonita chicas bonitas. ” MUY CALIANTE”,
Speedy y SloPoke
Brian Kelly
September 12, 2024 at 6:16 am
Legalize federally now. What’s legal to possess and consume in over half of the populated areas of The United States should not make you a criminal in states still being governed by woefully ignorant prohibitionist politicians.
Cannabis consumers in all states deserve and demand equal rights and protections under our laws that are currently afforded to the drinkers of far more dangerous and deadly, yet perfectly legal, widely accepted, endlessly advertised and even glorified as an All-American pastime, alcohol.
Plain and simple!
Legalize Nationwide Federally Now!
Brian Kelly
September 12, 2024 at 6:20 am
——->>>>>>::::The “War on Cannabis” has been a complete and utter failure. It is the largest component of the broader yet equally unsuccessful “War on Drugs” that has cost our country over a trillion dollars.
Instead of The United States wasting Billions upon Billions more of our yearly tax dollars fighting a never ending “War on Cannabis”, lets generate Billions of dollars, and improve the deficit instead. Especially now, due to Covid-19. It’s a no brainer.
The Prohibition of Cannabis has also ruined the lives of many of our loved ones. In numbers greater than any other nation, our loved ones are being sent to jail and are being given permanent criminal records. Especially, if they happen to be of the “wrong” skin color or they happen to be from the “wrong” neighborhood. Which ruin their chances of employment for the rest of their lives, and for what reason?
Cannabis is much safer to consume than alcohol. Yet do we lock people up for choosing to drink?
Let’s end this hypocrisy now!
The government should never attempt to legislate morality by creating victim-less cannabis “crimes” because it simply does not work and costs the taxpayers a fortune.
Cannabis Legalization Nationwide is an inevitable reality that’s approaching much sooner than prohibitionists think and there is nothing they can do to stop it!
Legalize Nationwide Federally Now! Support Each and Every Cannabis Legalization Initiative!<<<<——–
Brian Kelly
September 12, 2024 at 6:21 am
Every major poll in the nation shows that The Vast Majority of Americans favor The Legalization of Cannabis Nationwide!
“Americans Favor Legalizing Cannabis Support surged 10 percentage points in past year””
-Gallup Poll
“A solid majority of voters nationwide favor legalizing and regulating cannabis similar to the way alcohol and tobacco cigarettes are currently regulated. Most also dont believe it should be a crime for people to smoke cannabis in the privacy of their own homes”
-Rasmussen Poll
“Americans favor making cannabis legal for adults, according to the findings of a CNN/ORC International survey released late Monday. The percentage is the highest ever reported by the survey, which has been tracking public opinion on the issue since 1973, and marks a 12 percentage point jump in support since the last time pollsters posed the question in 2012”
-CNN Poll
Brian Kelly
September 12, 2024 at 6:22 am
“Cannabis is 114 times safer than drinking alcohol”
“Cannabis may be even safer than previously thought, researchers say”
“Cannabis may be even safer than previously thought, researchers say New study: We should stop fighting Cannabis legalization and focus on alcohol and tobacco instead By Christopher Ingraham February 23
Compared with other recreational drugs — including alcohol — Cannabis may be even safer than previously thought. And researchers may be systematically underestimating risks associated with alcohol use.
Those are the top-line findings of recent research published in the journal Scientific Reports, a subsidiary of Nature. Researchers sought to quantify the risk of death associated with the use of a variety of commonly used substances. They found that at the level of individual use, alcohol was the deadliest substance, followed by heroin and cocaine.”
-Washington Post
“The report discovered that Cannabis is 114 times less deadly than alcohol. Researchers were able to determine this by comparing the lethal doses with the amount of typical use. Through this approach, Cannabis had the lowest mortality risk to users out of all the drugs they studied. In fact—because the numbers were crossed with typical daily use—Cannabis is the only drug that tested as “low risk.”
-Complex
Phil Morton
September 12, 2024 at 2:34 am
Florida Young Republicans in disarray.
Brian Kelly
September 12, 2024 at 6:25 am
Stop the rediculious Refer Madness anti-cannabis-legalization fear mongering already. You aren’t fooling, frightening nor convincing anyone with it.
Prohibition and Reefer Madness are only pushed and believed by a very small, lunatic-fringe minority of irrational Holier Than Thou types that are on a never ending little personal moral-crusade and witch-hunt against relatively benign cannabis and it’s consumers. The rest of us sane, rational, normal Americans just laugh our butts off at and mock utterly desperate lying prohibitionists and their rediculious Reefer-Madness-Rhetoric as the comedy show they truly are!
Speaking of morals and sins, prohibitionists often ask: “How do you know marijuana is a gift from God?”
This is how we know:
Genesis 1:29 – And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which [is] upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which [is] the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
Genesis 9:3 – Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
Genesis 1:11 – And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, [and] the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed [is] in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
Genesis 1:30 – And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein [there is] life, [I have given] every green herb for meat: and it was so.
Proverbs 15:17 – Better [is] a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.
THE SAGE "WEED EXPERT/SCIENTIST" ELVIS
September 12, 2024 at 6:40 am
Brian Brian Brian,
I, THE SAGE “WEED EXPERT/SCIENTIST” ELVIS, thought I told you to “Get Along from Spreading Your Dangerous Leftist Screed” to our Beloved Young Republicans.
But, Brian, sadly and annoyingly to Our Sage Readership you are sticking around like a bad case of covid ….. move along now “Devil Dog Brian”,
THE SAGE “WEED EXPERT/SCIENTIST” ELVIS
THE SAGE "WEED EXPERT/SCIENTIST" ELVIS
September 12, 2024 at 6:43 am
….. and quoting The Bible for your “Brian Demon Dog” evil intents on our “Beloved and Sage Young Republicans”
Say your Prayers Demon Dog-Varment Brian,
THE SAGE “WEED EXPERT/SCIENTIST” ELVIS
JD
September 12, 2024 at 10:30 am
The cognitive dissonance must be physically painful as you are realizing your ilk and ideology is wrong and losing. Bah bye Shitts.
rick whitaker
September 14, 2024 at 10:31 pm
EARL, nobody needs poison ivy experts, but you might be one. BYE BYE SHITTS
Dont Say FLA
September 12, 2024 at 9:01 am
Same old same old, same as the old Republicans. Nothing but disarray and denial of disarray.
But maybe these kids learned their lesson that the GOP is all about “do as i SAY,” never “do as i do”
THE SAGE ELVIS PITTS AMERICAN
September 13, 2024 at 8:33 pm
Good evening America,
STAND BY FOR THE REST OF THE STORY:
My, THE SAGE ELVIS PITTS AMERICAN’S fan club’s Political Science Division, just completed a represenative polling of our citizens and the results clearly prove that America lines up 82.57% with my posted Wisdom Above and at the same time feel this Brian Kelly Dude is full of “Smelly Brown”.
AND THAT, AMERICA IS THE REST OF THE STORY.
Thank you, AMERICA, for your trust in “THE SAGE ELVIS PITTS AMERICAN”.
Yours truley, THE SAGE ELVIS PITTS AMERICAN
rick whitaker
September 14, 2024 at 9:48 pm
EARL SHITTS, were you an ahole when you lived up north, or did you become an ahole after you moved to florida?
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