The Forward Party focuses on Florida

The Forward Party, 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang’s startup political party, has announced the states it will focus on in 2024 – and Florida made the list. The centrist group, started in 2021, advocates for national election reforms like ranked-choice voting and independent redistricting commissions. It included the Sunshine State in its 12 “battleground states” that it intends to field candidates in for 2024.

While still a very minor party (having just gained legal recognition in Florida last month), Forward has some closer connections to Florida than several of the other states. Earlier this month, Newberry Mayor Jordan Marlowe was the first elected official in the United States to switch his party affiliation to Forward.

The party’s goals for 2024 remain modest: Continue to obtain legal party status in other states while working on converting voters and fielding candidates in local races. Alonzo Garcia, the Florida Forward Party’s executive committee chair, told City & State the party hopes to refer to Marlowe’s switch when focusing on local races. 

“Florida is ready for something new. We know that the additional resources and focus from the national party will help us make an impact,” he said. “We invite all Floridians to join us in rejecting the extremes of both (major) parties and uniting to solve the everyday problems in our communities, together.”

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