Attorney John Morgan announces new political party, criticizes two-party system

ORLANDO, Fla. - Prominent Orlando attorney John Morgan, a longtime political donor and supporter of many Democratic candidates, has announced plans to form a new political party. 

What is John Morgan's new political party?

What we know:

Citing dissatisfaction with the current two-party system, and blaming gerrymandering and divisive issues from both Democrats and Republicans, John Morgan is setting out to launch a new political party. 

Morgan, who has been registered as having "No Party Affiliation" for years, insists that "No Labels is not an option." He said his attorney, Ron Myers, is currently drafting the paperwork.

In a series of social media posts, Morgan emphasized his belief that voters need a third choice, likening the current political landscape to an ice cream shop that only serves vanilla or chocolate. He also reiterated that he did not vote for Trump or Harris in the last election.

A formal name for the party has not yet been selected, but Morgan teased the title "Capitalist Party" in an interview with Politico.com.

What we don't know:

Morgan has not provided details on the platform or policy positions of his new party. It is also unclear whether he intends to lead the party or if he plans to recruit other political figures to join. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to Morgan and his law firm for further comment, but no response has been reported yet.

Who is John Morgan?

The backstory:

John Morgan came from humble beginnings. At the age of 14, he and his four siblings left Lexington, Kentucky with his parents for Winter Park, Florida.

Morgan said he grew up poor and, by the age of 16, essentially became the head of their household by taking care of his younger siblings because of his parents' struggles with alcoholism, he told FOX 35's John Brown in a 2024 interview. 

Morgan said he worked a few different jobs, including one at Walt Disney World performing magic tricks, and benefited from having a great education while attending schools in Maitland and Winter Park. He later attended the University of Florida and said he made money selling Yellow Pages listings before going to law school.

Morgan was inspired to become an attorney after his brother, Tim, suffered a devastating work-related accident that rendered him a quadriplegic. Morgan said his family was left powerless when they fought for compensation and that "lit the fuse" in his pursuit of becoming a personal injury lawyer.

Morgan returned to Orlando after graduating from the University of Florida Law School and briefly worked for a law firm and co-founded another firm before becoming a founding partner at Morgan, Colling & Gilbert. In the beginning, he said he was "taking scraps" from other firms that handed him cases they rejected. Morgan said he eventually took out a $100,000 bank loan to begin advertising his firm on television — something he was initially reluctant to do.

Nearly two decades later, Morgan bought out his partners and renamed the firm Morgan & Morgan, expanding offices across the South and other places such as Philadelphia and St. Louis. The other Morgan was his wife, Ultima. His three sons, Matt, Mike, and Dan, eventually joined the firm as well, and today it is truly a family affair.

Morgan has a long history of political involvement, but his affiliation has evolved. 

Once a self-described "Bill Clinton Democrat," he has shifted toward political independence. In 2017, he ruled out running for governor of Florida, citing a lack of enthusiasm for any of the existing politicians. At the time, he declared he would register as an independent and vote for the "lesser of two evils."

He has also been outspoken about his opinions on prominent Democratic leaders. While he has praised figures like Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi, he has been highly critical of Vice President Kamala Harris, saying she "has no talent" and "can never run for president again."

Morgan now has a hand in several businesses ranging from hospitality to entertainment, describing himself as a "serial entrepreneur."

John Morgan for Florida governor?

Dig deeper:

John Morgan is no stranger to Florida politics. He has been a longtime mega-donor to the Democratic candidates and has already Florida constitutional amendments on marijuana and the minimum wage. 

Late last year, he floated the idea of potentially mounting a gubernatorial bid in 2026. In December, Morgan told Politico.com about his plans for the new political party and teased a possible run for governor.

The article states that as governor, Morgan would likely turn the governor's mansion into a museum. He would also host events like weekly cash giveaways to charities in the state. While staunchly pro-marijuana, supporting both medicinal and recreational cannabis, Morgan said he would like to have Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd as a running mate. Judd said he was honored to be considered but wanted to stay in his current job. 

Fox News Digital emailed Morgan and reached out to his law firm on Thursday to request a comment from the attorney regarding the new political party and whether he is still considering running for governor.

‘Everyone wants a team or tribe'

What they're saying:

"When you grow up poor, you taste desperation, you taste hopelessness and helplessness and tirelessness, and those are terrible feelings, because you've got nowhere to turn except to yourself," Morgan said of his humble beginnings. "But from that, you become self-reliant, you work your butt off, and later in life, I think the good luck you have with that bad luck is that you don't forget what it tastes like. You don't forget that feeling, and I think it makes us more empathetic, more sympathetic, more caring, more kind."

Morgan has been vocal about his reasoning for forming a new party:

"I am forming a new political party for those of us stuck in the middle. Our two-party system is broken due to Gerrymandering and divisive issues… both sides. No labels is not an option. Everyone wants a team or tribe. Ron Myers is my lawyer drafting the paperwork. Stay tuned," he wrote in a post on X.

In another post, he noted that he did not vote for Trump or Harris last year.

"People… we are all on the same f---ing team. I didn’t vote for Trump, but I’m pulling like hell for Trump. I didn’t vote for Kamala either btw. It’s time for a third choice. If the choice is only vanilla or chocolate… you never get to eat strawberry," he declared.

Previous statements also provide insight into his evolving political stances.

Back in 2017, ahead of the state's 2018 election, Morgan ruled out a gubernatorial bid, saying, "I can’t muster enthusiasm for any of today’s politicians. They are all the same. Both parties."

He said last year on the Fox News Channel that Kamala Harris "has no talent" and "can never run for president again." He added that, "She [Kamala Harris] should go away, and never, ever come back."

Yet, he has described Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as the individual he admires "the most in America."

"Any time Nancy Pelosi asks me for money, I give it," he said. "Whatever she wants, I will do. I wish she was president."

Ultimately, Morgan said his strategy as a political donor moving forward will be about "giving to people, not party."

In an interview with FOX 35 News, University of Central Florida political science professor Aubrey Jewett said Morgan may have a real shot if he runs for governor. 

"While most third-party candidates or independents don't really get off the ground politically in a competitive race, because he's so well-known in Florida, because he has so much money and this reputation for being plainspoken and 'For the People,' I think he'd be pretty formidable."

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