Medical marijuana advocate is out of governor’s race — and the Democratic party, too
One of Florida’s most prolific Democratic donors, a bourbon-swilling, salty-tounged lawyer with his own slogan and medical marijuana as his pet cause, is out.
In a series of tweets Friday morning, John Morgan announced his flirtation with running for governor is over, as is his affiliation with either political party.
“While it’s amazing to be leading the polls for Governor without being a candidate I can’t muster the enthusiasm to run for the nomination,” he wrote.
And I can’t muster enthusiasm for any of today’s politicians. They are all the same. Both parties. I plan to register as an Independent and when I vote, vote for the lesser of two evils. And if I ever ran, run as an Independent. #ForThePeople
— John Morgan (@JohnMorganESQ) November 24, 2017
He said he plans to register as an independent, vote for “the lesser of two evils” and, if he were to run, run as an independent. This likely isn’t great news for Florida’s Democratic party, which has traditionally counted on Morgan to open his wallet for its candidates. He’s been known to host fundraising dinners for Hillary Clinton and charge thousands of dollars a plate.
Morgan, 61, has publicly mulled a run for governor in a state where he has widespread name recognition for his large legal firm — slogan: “Morgan & Morgan, for the people” — and his role in getting medical marijuana on the ballot twice. The wealthy businessman, who also owns amusement parks, hotels, a software company and three thoroughbred race horses, said he would largely self-finance his campaign.
That’s how he pushed his previous political project — medical marijuana. Morgan poured millions of his own money into getting the measure on the ballot, where it failed the first time and overwhelmingly succeeded the second time. He’s also using his own money to sue the state for, he said, improperly implementing the law.
But dropping out of the 2018 race doesn’t mean Morgan is out of the political realm.
Morgan’s next amendment initiative is to raise Florida’s minimum wage. He said he hopes to have it on the ballot by 2020.
This story was originally published November 24, 2017 at 11:56 AM with the headline "Medical marijuana advocate is out of governor’s race — and the Democratic party, too."