Florida Watch

In July 2022, Florida Watch and Progress Florida launched “DeSantis Watch” as a project of their Florida Communications and Research Hub. It was pitched as a rapid-response opposition research operation focused on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) and his alleged “failures” to “improve the lives of the people of our state while he remains focused on his future political ambitions.” The initiative produced research, digital content, paid digital advertising, and social media and email campaigns targeting the governor. ⁴

Background

Florida Watch received federal tax-exempt recognition as a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization in September 2010. It was originally named “Florida Watch Action,” and for a time did business by the name of “Florida Strong.” It reported rebranded in spring 2020 with a new focus on digital-first communications and opposition research targeting Florida’s Republicans. ^{5 6 7 1}

Florida Watch advertises itself as a left-of-center “in-state hub” for communications and research. Its chief points of advocacy as of 2026 were affordability, state-funded programs for childcare and health care, greater spending on public schools, toughening environmental regulations, enacting gun control, and loosening voter-security laws. ^{1 2}

Activities

According to old webpages, at some point around December 2020, Florida Watch partnered with Progress Florida to create the Florida Research and Communications Hub, which produced polling, messaging, digital content, and paid advertising campaigns intended to advance left-wing campaigns in the state. In Florida Watch’s description, the platform aimed to “connect with voters where they are in real life, especially on their mobile devices and computers, to advance progressives issues and electoral strategies and tactics to win a better Florida.” Florida Research and Communications Hub had an email list that was advertised on the left-of-center Action Network. It was not clear as of 2026 if Florida Research and Communications Hub was still in existence. ^{8 9}

In July 2022, Florida Watch and Progress Florida launched “DeSantis Watch” as a project of their Florida Communications and Research Hub. It was pitched as a rapid-response opposition research operation focused on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) and his alleged “failures” to “improve the lives of the people of our state while he remains focused on his future political ambitions.” The initiative produced research, digital content, paid digital advertising, and social media and email campaigns targeting the governor. As of 2026, DeSantis Watch was still in operation, both on social media and as a standalone website. ^{4 10 11}

In October 2022, DeSantis Watch created a new “website imprint” called “Influence Watch,” which aimed to track Governor DeSantis’ fundraising efforts. This is not to be confused with InfluenceWatch.org, which is published by the Capital Research Center. ¹²

For the 2025 legislative season, with Progress Florida, Florida Watch co-produced FloridaReportCard.com, a website that assigned letter-grade ratings to state legislators based on their voting records on issues including gun control, health care, housing costs, abortion access, public school spending, environmentalism, immigration, and so-called ethics in government. Florida Watch framed the scorecard as identifying legislators who prioritized “people” over “powerful special interests.” Of all the politicians whom they gave an “A” grade, not one was a Republican or Independent. ^{13 14}

Leadership

As of 2026, Natasha Sutherland was the executive director of Florida Watch. Sutherland had been working at the organization since 2022 before she was appointed to the role in 2025. ¹⁵

Previous executive directors have included Susannah Randolph, who as of 2026 was chapter director of Sierra Club Florida, and Josh Weierbach, who was Sutherland’s immediate predecessor and had worked in the role for five years. As of 2026, Weierbach was a senior advisor to Florida Watch. ^{16 17 18}