TALLAHASSEE, FL—The Florida Young Republicans broke ranks with Gov. Ron DeSantis Tuesday morning by throwing their support behind a recreational marijuana amendment backed by Democrats and former President Donald Trump ahead of the ABC Presidential Debate.
"As champions of individual freedom, supporting Amendment 3 is the obvious choice for Florida Young Republicans. We're ready to move past the outdated stigma surrounding marijuana consumption and give Floridians the same freedom to consume marijuana that more than half the country already enjoys," Megan Echtenkamp, Communications Director for the Florida Young Republicans, said in a statement.
The press release highlighted the Young Republicans' belief that Amendment 3, which legalizes recreational marijuana for adults 21 and over, "guarantees individual freedoms and ensures the health and safety of all Floridians." They join most Democrats, the Tampa Bay Young Republicans, Republican Sen. Joe Gruters, and Trump in support of the ballot initiative.
Notably, this places them in direct conflict with DeSantis and the Florida GOP, who have publicly and vehemently opposed the amendment's passage. DeSantis, alongside Attorney General Ashley Moody, argued to the state Supreme Court that the measure was too "misleading" to go to voters on Nov. 5.
The Court disagreed.
Since then, DeSantis has spearheaded the charge against Amendment 3—claiming it would make the state "stink", grant "civil immunity" to the Amendment's main benefactor, Trulieve, and would create an overall "corporate weed cartel" if passed by 60 percent of voters in November. This was one of the main chunks of the Governor's speech at the party's "Victory Dinner" fundraiser over the weekend in Hollywood.
However, the tide appears to be turning against him as more Republicans side with Democrats, beginning with Trump ally Sen. Gruters last month. Gruters, a former GOP Chair, was bashed online by the Governor's communications team, who accused the Senator of taking dark weed money to stand against the party.
Soon after, in the biggest blow to DeSantis' anti-weed hopes, Trump announced that he too supported Amendment 3. Now, the Young Republicans are following suit.
The big question remaining is...who's next?
The Presidential Debate between Trump and Kamala Harris will air on ABC at 9 p.m. EST.
