Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) announced Thursday he will run in the newly drawn 25th District in Florida, one day after a state court upheld the new congressional map backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL).
The new district saw one of the more extreme shifts under the updated electoral map and contains parts of the former 23rd, 24th, and 25th districts. The Cook Political Report rates the district as a toss-up, and it is expected to be one of the most competitive races in the nation.
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“The American people are struggling to afford a regular way of life. Many barely have enough money for their bills and feel squeezed by rising costs. We must work together to bring back the American dream for the middle class in America. I have never hesitated to work with anyone across the aisle if I think it’ll improve the lives of my constituents,” Moskowitz wrote in a statement announcing his decision.
Moskowitz, a former DeSantis appointee, pitched himself as a Democrat who is willing to call out both parties.
“As the only member of Congress who was appointed by a sitting Governor of the opposite party, I have proven my willingness to solve even the toughest of problems,” he said. “From helping Florida recover from Hurricane Michael to leading the state’s COVID response, I have taken on some of the toughest challenges our state has faced and focused on delivering results for Floridians.”
The district contains large populations of Hispanic and Jewish voters, according to the Cook Political Report. Moskowitz, who is Jewish, framed his campaign as one that will stand up to the “growing rise of antisemitism and political extremism.”
“Political extremism is expanding, and antisemitism is spreading and becoming mainstream,” Moskowitz wrote. “I am only here because my grandparents escaped Europe in WWII. My grandmother escaped Berlin, Germany through the Kindertransport. Because of good people who stood up to evil, my family was able to come to America and build a life in South Florida. So, when I see people in my own party talking about concentration camps or deporting Jews, I am going to be an immovable object to that movement. My kids are never going to hide in attics.”
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Last week, Moskowitz and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), who is also Jewish, vowed to force a vote to expel Texas Democratic candidate Maureen Galindo “every single day” the House is in session if she won the Texas seat, after she made a string of antisemitic comments. Galindo lost her primary bid on Tuesday to Democrat Johnny Garcia.
President Donald Trump would have won the newly drawn 25th district by 9 percentage points in 2024 over then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
