For Governor of Florida, we recommend David Jolly

Florida’s 2026 gubernatorial race features Republican Congressman Byron Donalds and former Republican Congressman David Jolly, now a Democrat.

Jolly represented Florida's 13th Congressional District (Pinellas County) as a Republican from 2014–17, ultimately losing his reelection bid to Charlie Crist, a former Republican himself. Jolly’s break with the Republican Party coincided with the MAGA takeover that occurred during President Trump’s 2016 victory.

In 2015, Jolly called on Trump to withdraw from the Republican presidential primary after Trump proposed banning Muslims from entering the United States. Jolly condemned Trump's rhetoric as bullying bigotry and argued that religious tests violated fundamental American principles. Following the release of the Access Hollywood recording, Jolly unequivocally declared that he would not vote for Trump, saying a man who bragged about sexual assault was unqualified to be president.

In 2018, Jolly left the Republican Party and registered as an independent, citing disagreements with Trump and the party's extremism under his leadership. His pathway to the Democratic Party followed efforts to establish a viable alternative to the two major parties, including the Serve America Movement and the Forward Party. When neither proved viable, Jolly joined the Democratic Party in 2025.

Jolly is about as moderate and centrist a Democrat as one is likely to find, while Donalds has fallen in line with the most extreme positions of the Trump administration. His special-interest support from AI data center interests, utilities, insurance companies, gambling interests, private prisons, developers, and a small group of billionaire political donors (many from outside the state) gives us tremendous pause given the current pay-to-play state of Florida Republican politics.

While Jolly has been able to articulate a detailed policy platform that focuses on property insurance and affordability, funding for traditional public schools, environmental action to protect natural resources, expanding Medicaid in Florida, ardent opposition to massive AI data centers, and campaign finance and ethics reform, Donalds has offered vague political talking points and culture war issues. Donalds’ seemingly shallow grasp of public policy and unidentifiable core principles, paired with his special interest sponsorship, is troubling, to say the least.

Our state will face major challenges in the near future, especially if Amendment 3 passes. Of the two candidates, only David Jolly gives us confidence that he can meet the moment.