Americans for Prosperity-Florida (AFP-FL) unveiled its 2022 Florida Legislative Scorecard Wednesday highlighting Florida’s elected officials who, according to AFP-FL, “championed solutions that will create more opportunity for all Floridians while standing up against harmful public policy change.”
AFP-FL stated that the scorecard “lets you know which lawmakers have championed policies that empower all Floridians to realize their potential, help others, and achieve their version of the American dream. It’s a tool for activists, the media, and the general public to learn how each senator and representative has voted and hold them to account for their decisions.”
According to the scorecard, 31 lawmakers scored an A+, 72 received an A, 35 received a B, 17 received a C, 3 received a D, and 2 lawmakers – Representative Jervonte Edmonds and Senator Perry Thurston – received an F.
The Florida lawmakers to receive an A+ in 2022 are all Republicans.
They include Senators Jim Boyd, Jason Brodeur, Danny Burgess, Manny Díaz Jr., Keith Perry, Ray Rodrigues, and Ana Maria Rodriguez along with House Representatives Mike Beltran, Cord Byrd, Michael Caruso, Nick DiCeglie, Mike Giallombardo, Erin Grall, Michael Grant, Tommy Gregory, Fred Hawkins, Blaise Ingoglia, Traci Koster, Stanley McClain, Lawrence McClure, Lauren Melo, Scott Plakon, Alex Rizo, Spencer Roach, Will Robinson, Robert Rommel, John Snyder, Cyndi Stevenson, Keith Truenow, Jay Trumbull, and Kaylee Tuck.
The highest-scoring Republicans included Rep. Erin Grall, Rep. Mike Beltran, Sen. Jason Brodeur, and Sen. Manny Diaz. The highest-scoring Democrats were Rep. Andrew Learned (A), Rep. Matt Willhite (A), Rep. Michael Grieco, Rep. Joseph Casello (A), Rep. Nicholas Duran (A), and Rep. James Bush.
Scoring is calculated on a formula consisting of one point for each “aye” vote on a bill that AFP supported and one point for each “nay” vote on a bill that AFP opposed. The grading scale resembles a report card – an A being awarded to those with 90-99 points, a B to those with 80-89, and so on. Grades are displayed for each legislator on the scorecard, accompanied by their party affiliation and district, according to the group.
“Our legislative scorecard serves as an integral source of information for all Floridians,” said Skylar Zander, AFP-FL state director. “By communicating the support – or lack thereof – from legislators on the policies that impact Floridians the most, we can help the public understand which lawmakers have fought to empower them to realize their potential, help others, and achieve their vision of the American dream.”
Americans for Prosperity (AFP) was founded in 2004 and is billed as a libertarian conservative political advocacy group funded by David and Charles Koch.
– – –
Steve Stewart is a senior contributor at The Florida Capital Star.
Photo “Jim Boyd” by Jim Boyd. Photo “Jason Brodeur” by Jason Brodeur.
Prosperity for who? For only a few rich right-wing white oligarchs like Kay Ivey, Greg Abbott, et al., while the rest of us continue our financial free-fall?