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Former Orlando Magic player Grant Hill
Florida Democrats and political donors are anticipating the 2024 race for Florida state senator — and they’re going down an unconventional path to do so.
Orlando attorney and longtime Democratic donor John Morgan wants NBA stars Grant Hill and Dwyane Wade to run against U.S. Sen. Rick Scott in 2024’s race. And as Florida is basically being run by only one party thanks to the Republican supermajority, other Democratic operatives and donors agree.
As NBC News reported Tuesday, the party “sees the need for a moonshot-type candidate to reverse the trend of Republican dominance in the state.”
Morgan says former NBA star and Orlando Magic player Grant Hill would be a great candidate option for Florida Democrats, as reported by the Orlando Sentinel Tuesday.
“A beloved celebrity makes a much better candidate than some political hack, especially when as smart and charismatic as Grant,” Morgan told the Sentinel. “And he transcends politics.”
Hill is a longtime Central Florida resident and former player for the Orlando Magic. Since his 19-year Hall of Fame career ended in 2013, he has spent his time as a basketball analyst and co-owner of the Atlanta Hawks.
Morgan told the Sentinel he doesn’t think Hill is ready to take on the U.S. senator just yet.
Experts agree it’s not likely Hill, longtime Central Florida resident and former Orlando Magic player, or Wade, three-time championship winner with the Miami Heat, would win the race. But there remains an understanding that a well-known and well-liked candidate could help the party.
Morgan also touted Wade as a potentially successful candidate, although the attorney opined that Hill may be the more compelling option.
In our opinion, it’s Wade’s moment. He recently announced that he and his family left Florida for California largely due to how the state’s discriminatory LGBTQ+ legislation and anti-transgender environment could affect his 15-year-old daughter, Zaya, who is trans.
Sen. Scott remains a big player in next year’s race, as he has proved he is willing to spend millions of his own cash dollars (a record-breaking $63.6 million in 2018) to win. He also continues to align himself with the far-right wing of the Republican party on social and economic issues, including supporting sweeping abortion bans and deep cuts to Social Security and Medicare.
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