Bipartisanship in Washington -- or lack thereof -- and what Florida voters can do about it. That's what two former Congressman are talking about in a series of town halls around the state.
Former Congressmen David Jolly and Patrick Murphy have teamed up on a speaking tour called Why Gridlock Rules Washington and How We Can Solve the Crisis.
Jolly, generally considered a moderate Republican from Pinellas County, served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2014 to this past January. He was unseated by former Florida Governor Charlie Crist, now a Democrat.
Like Crist, Patrick Murphy also used to be a Republican but joined the Democratic Party before he was elected to Congress in 2012. He represented the Palm Beach area until last January. Murphy ran for Senate in 2016 but lost to Marco Rubio.
Now the two men are hosting town-hall style events in cities around Florida, giving attendees a behind-the-scenes take on what they say goes on in Washington, D.C. and sharing ideas about how to make lawmakers reach across the aisle more often.
This week on Florida Matters we'll talk with Jolly and Murphy about what they hope to accomplish on this tour. We’ll also hear highlights from their recent town hall in Tampa.
The event was held at the University of South Florida on October 12. Dr. Susan MacManus, Distinguished Professor of Political Science at USF, and Adam Smith, Political Editor for the Tampa Bay Times moderated the discussion. They asked Jolly and Murphy their own questions and passed along some questions from the audience.
How do you feel about the way things are going in government? Should Florida have open primaries, re-draw its districts or implement campaign finance reform? Share your questions and comments on our Facebook page or email FloridaMatters@wusf.org.
For more information on the speaking tour, visit FixWashington2017.com.
