John Morgan Offers $100,000 Reward to Name New Florida Political Party

The Democratic mega-donor is launching a third party in the state, seeking voter input on the name.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 10:50pm

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A vibrant, fragmented painting of a voting booth or ballot box in shades of blue, green, and orange, conveying the dynamic energy of a political movement challenging the status quo.A new political party seeks to disrupt Florida's entrenched two-party system, but faces an uphill battle against structural barriers.Today in Tampa

Attorney John Morgan has announced he is not running for governor of Florida, but is instead moving forward with establishing a new political party in the state. In a video message, Morgan said he is offering a $100,000 reward for the winner of a contest to name the new party. Morgan is known for his efforts to raise Florida's minimum wage and legalize medical marijuana.

Why it matters

The creation of a new political party in Florida could shake up the state's traditionally two-party system, which political experts say heavily favors the Republican and Democratic parties. Morgan's deep pockets and name recognition could give the new party a fighting chance, but altering Florida's closed primary laws will be a major challenge.

The details

In the video announcement, Morgan said he decided not to run for governor after multiple people urged him to do so at a recent funeral he attended in Tampa. He confirmed he is moving forward with establishing a new political party in Florida, but did not provide details on its mission or platform. Morgan is asking voters to submit name ideas, with the winner receiving a $100,000 prize.

  • On April 14, 2026, Morgan announced his plans for a new political party in Florida.

The players

John Morgan

A prominent Florida attorney and Democratic mega-donor who is known for his efforts to raise the state's minimum wage and legalize medical marijuana.

Joshua Scacco

A professor of political communications at the University of South Florida who commented on the challenges Morgan may face in establishing a new political party in Florida.

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What they’re saying

“I went to a funeral over in Tampa. I had breakfast early and five different people came up to my table and said 'please run for governor'.”

— John Morgan

“In Florida, with closed primaries, Republicans vote for Republican candidates and Democrats vote for Democratic candidates. What that will mean is ultimately that leads to sort of party recognition, party habits, behavior, those types of things, and all of that favors the two major political parties.”

— Joshua Scacco, Professor of Political Communications, University of South Florida

What’s next

It's unclear exactly when Morgan will file the political party documents with the Florida Division of Elections.

The takeaway

Morgan's deep pockets and name recognition could give a new political party in Florida a fighting chance, but altering the state's closed primary laws that heavily favor the Republican and Democratic parties will be a major challenge.