Democratic Socialist Oliver Larkin took to X Monday afternoon to announce that the man he hopes to defeat in a Primary next month, U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, dropped out of a planned debate that evening.
The problem with that assertion is that Moskowitz never committed to debating Larkin at the event.
In a video viewed 72,000 times three hours after he posted it — and viewed more than 164,000 times by Tuesday morning — Larkin said unequivocally, “Jared Moskowitz just dropped out of tonight’s debate, hosted by the Broward and Miami-Dade Democratic Black caucus.”
But in a subsequent phone interview, Larkin acknowledged he never received confirmation from either group — the latter of which endorsed Larkin last week — that Moskowitz was participating.
Moskowitz’s campaign said he never committed to the event, citing the Broward caucus’s endorsement of Larkin.
“It’s a completely manufactured controversy,” a campaign spokesperson said.
Moskowitz added by text, “None of this is true.”
Larkin told Florida Politics the Broward Democratic Black Caucus told him Moskowitz was “considering” participating in a debate with him at the Monday forum, which was held at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Hallandale Beach.
“We didn’t want to advertise it if he was confirmed out. But (the caucus) said as recently as a few days ago that he was still very much in consideration to attend,” Larkin said.
“So, I spoke with Corey Shearer, the President of the Broward Democratic Black Caucus about this. We ran our post and our graphic by the caucus, and they said, ‘Yep. We’re still waiting, reaching out and trying to confirm him.’ We did not hear that he was confirmed out until after the post went out.”
A Monday press note from Larkin’s campaign reflected that uncertainty, saying Larkin and Moskowitz had “been invited” to the event, but included confirmation only that Larkin would be participating.
Asked why, if Moskowitz had never agreed to go, had he framed Moskowitz’s nonparticipation as dropping out, Larkin said the incumbent lawmaker had no excuse not to attend.
“I mean, the House is out of session right now. They’re on recess,” he said. “So, I don’t think there’s anything that would preclude him from attending other than an unwillingness to engage me publicly.”
On Tuesday morning, hours after Larkin admitted to Florida Politics that he never received confirmation that Moskowitz was participating in the event, Larkin’s campaign sent out a press release saying Moskowitz “skipped out” on the debate and reiterating the claim Moskowitz dropped out.
Reached briefly by phone ahead of the event, Shearer denied having any knowledge of the Larkin-Moskowitz dispute or who would be appearing at the event.
“I know I’m having a debate,” he said. “I don’t know who’s coming until they don’t show up.”
Pressed on how he, as President of the Broward Democratic Black Caucus, was unaware of who had and hadn’t confirmed their participation — and to comment on Larkin’s claim that they’d spoken about it — Shearer grew hostile before hanging up.
“Don’t try to shame me, OK? Who the hell are you?” he said. “I’m a State Committeeman. I was President of the Georgetown University Alumni Association. I’ve worked for this country. I’ve worked for FBI, NCIS. I’ve worked for every Department you can think of. You will not address me that way. You will not dress me down. This call is ending now.”
Larkin and Moskowitz are the only two Democrats running in Florida’s 25th Congressional District, which after mid-decade redistricting — demanded by President Donald Trump, drawn by Gov. Ron DeSantis and passed by the GOP-dominated Legislature — stretches from Delray Beach to Miami Beach and covers portions of coastal Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
Republicans Dan Franzese, Raven Harrison, Joe Kaufman, George Moraitis and Scott Singer have qualified, along with write-in candidate Michaelangelo Hamilton and Libertarian candidate Peter Jassenoff, who is running unopposed within his party.
Trump carried redrawn CD 25 by 9 percentage points in 2024. It is among the most closely watched races in the country as Democrats hope to flip enough seats to retake the U.S. House majority.
The Primary is Aug. 18, followed by the General Election on Nov. 3.
