Jared Moskowitz jumps into race to replace Rep. Ted Deutch in Congress
Jared Moskowitz, who served as director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management during the COVID-19 pandemic under Gov. Ron DeSantis, announced Friday he’s running for Congress to replace U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch.
Moskowitz is the first Democratic candidate to launch a campaign for Florida’s Congressional District 22 since Deutch announced his retirement on Monday, as he heads to be the new CEO of the American Jewish Committee, an advocacy group that works to combat antisemitism and promote Israel internationally.
“I am excited to announce my plans to run for United States Congress and will work every day to uphold the high bar set by Congressman Ted Deutch,” Moskowitz said in a statement.
A Parkland native, Moskowitz is just two months into his term as a Broward County Commissioner, a seat he was appointed to by DeSantis last November to replace one of two commissioners who resigned to run for Congress. Moskowitz said he left the DeSantis administration last year to be closer to his father, Michael Moskowitz, who died of pancreatic cancer in January.
Moskowitz served as emergency management director since 2018 during several crucial state emergencies, including Hurricanes Michael, Dorian and Sally, and the first years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said that, if elected, he would fight for voting rights, protecting Social Security and Medicare, support gun safety measures and promoting safety and protection of Israel. He also said he strongly supported Ukraine as it fights Russian invasion, which has forced many into a situation he said is reminiscent of his own Jewish grandparents who were forced to flee Europe to escape the Holocaust.
“Democracy is not just under assault abroad but as we saw on January 6th it is under attack here at home by an agenda spearheaded by Donald Trump,” said Moskowitz, adding that, if elected, he wants to work closely with the White House on its Cancer Moonshot initiative.
Moskowitz, whose father was a well-known Democratic leader in South Florida politics, was first elected to the Florida House in 2012, representing northwest Broward County. In 2018, he led an effort to pass a historic gun reform bill in Florida, following the deaths of 17 people in a mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, which he attended.
It’s still unclear who else might run for Deutch’s seat. While that district could change from its current boundaries in Broward County with this year’s redistricting process, it’s likely to remain a Democratic-leaning seat.
State Sen. Gary Farmer, a Fort Lauderdale Democrat, has said he is giving “strong consideration” to jumping into the race against Moskowitz.
“I wouldn’t say ‘challenging him.’ If I decide to run, it will be because I feel it is the best way for me to serve the people of Florida, and it won’t matter who else is running,” Farmer said in a text message.
But any decision he says will come after the legislative session ends on March 11.
“Right now, I am focused on fighting against a slate [of] hateful, harmful, hurtful & homophobic bills,” he added.
Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau staff writer Ana Ceballos contributed to this report.
This story was originally published March 4, 2022 at 8:35 PM.
