Few people have their finger on the pulse of the Florida Legislature as Peter Schorsch and his FloridaPolitics.com staff. This year, they agree with me that our Northwest Florida delegation had “juice,” even without a District 3 representative.
In their annual Winners & Losers analysis of the legislative session, Rep. Alex Andrade was named among the “Outstanding Members,” and Sen. Don Gaetz and Rep. Michelle Salzman made the “Members Deserving an Honorable Mention” list.
Alex Andrade
The Pensacola lawmaker jumped into running the Health Care Budget Committee with zero experience, but quickly uncovered a goldmine of scandals—$160 million in botched Medicaid spending? Check. Grant money laundered through nonprofits to political campaigns? Double check. Andrade’s subcommittee turned the Session into a masterclass in discovery and testimony.
Don’t believe this Panhandle lawyer has juice? Just watch DeSantis’s online army lose their minds over him on Twitter. In mere months, Andrade transformed from scrappy country attorney to media darling, all because he had the guts to challenge an administration that lawmakers used to treat as bulletproof.
Don Gaetz
The Senate lion devoured its prey this session.
From his Ethics and Elections Commission perch, the Crestview Republican straight-up sniffed half a dozen of DeSantis’s most insane nominees. That casualty list? The conspiracy theorist trustees planted at his local University of West Florida, plus Shevaun Harris and Taylor Hatch—the agency heads neck-deep in the Hope Florida scam.
This “rookie” lawmaker’s mastery of The Process and perfect timing made him into Tallahassee’s most feared player again.
Michelle Salzman
This unstoppable firebrand went full beast mode with a savage legislative streak.
She demolished outdated driver’s license rules and slammed through a disability awareness revolution in schools—forcing every grade from K-12 to teach about bullying, physical disabilities, autism, hearing loss, and intellectual challenges. Salzman’s obsession with safe roads and inclusive classrooms cemented her as a legislative wrecking ball.
