The Florida Trident (@floridatrident.bsky.social)

Do Florida lawmakers serve citizens or lobbyists and legislative bosses? In 2024, Tampa Bay lawmaker Mike Beltran announced unexpectedly that he would not seek reelection. He gave some of the common reasons — a growing family, a law practice and an elderly father out of state. But there was another reason: What he describes as an oppressive and dictatorial atmosphere in the Florida Legislature, where all legislative initiatives and even members’ votes are tightly controlled and monitored by top leaders in the House and Senate. https://floridatrident.org/do-florida-lawmakers-serve-citizens-or-lobbyists/