The primaries are now over and all eyes have turned to the general election on November 8. This year’s election in Florida is an influential one. After redistricting during the last session (and all of the drama that followed), every single state Representative and Senate seat is on the ballot this fall. We will see the governor, along with other state executive branch offices, in addition to one of our federal Senate seats on the ballot this year.

At FCEP, your political committees have been working hard to support pro-medicine candidates across the ballots all over the state. This next session will start a new era of leadership in Tallahassee. The likely new Speaker of the House will be Paul Renner, and a likely new Senate President will be Kathleen Passidomo. This is contingent on the Republicans continuing to hold majorities in each house of the legislature, as polling currently suggests. But, nothing is guaranteed until each vote is cast and Florida has been known for its electoral surprises before. As emergency physicians, the issues important to us and our patients transcend party lines, and no matter your political views or those of your representatives, I encourage each of you to advocate and contact your legislators regularly about the issues that are important to emergency medicine. We cannot expect to have an effect on the outcome by simply standing on the sidelines.

The upcoming legislative session in the Spring will be later this year following the election. Committee weeks will begin in January and the actual legislative session will run through March and April. Be on the lookout for EM Days 2023 information so that you can join us in Tallahassee to advocate with your fellow emergency physicians this spring.

Remember to vote this season as we continue to advocate for pro-medicine candidates and educate those in power on the issues important to emergency physicians. If you are able, I encourage you to donate to the FCEP PAC so that we can continue being your unified voice throughout the state. We may give our time to advocate on your behalf, but it is your contribution that gets our foot in the door. ■