David Jolly, the former representative whose sharp disagreements with President Donald Trump led him to leave the Republican Party, is considering running for governor of Florida. Jolly is weighing whether to enter the race as a Democrat despite Republicans building a formidable advantage in the once-swing state under Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Considering a Democratic Run for Governor
“I am very seriously considering a run for governor,” Jolly said, specifying he would likely make a final decision within the next six to eight weeks after meeting with Democrats over the course of the last year. “It’s clear to me there is a coalition of Floridians that want change.”
Jolly is contemplating his next move as Trump has already endorsed Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) for the job. Florida first lady Casey DeSantis is also weighing a bid in the GOP primary.
Potential Challenges and Strategies
It remains an open question whether a state that backed Trump for president three times — with ever-increasing margins — would support someone who’s been an outspoken figure in the Trump resistance. A winning coalition against powerful Republicans in Florida, where both Gov. DeSantis and Trump will likely get involved, would have to include nonaffiliated voters, disaffected Republicans as well as Democrats.
Jolly left the Republican Party in 2018 and registered as a no-party affiliated voter. He’s a frequent commentator on MSNBC who’s been a vocal critic of DeSantis and Trump, often talking about the shortfalls of America’s two-party system and the importance of centrist policies.
Policy Focus and Potential Support
The former congressman, for his part, said the “governor’s race is not about Donald Trump.” If he runs, Jolly said he will focus on affordability concerns, including the state’s problem with property insurance costs, as well as education and ethics, including campaign finance changes.
Chris Korge, the Democratic National Committee finance chair, called Jolly a “very interesting candidate” whose positions aligned with Democrats. He predicted Jolly would be able to show strong fundraising numbers if he were to run. A more crowded race for governor, especially with well-known candidates, would likely bring in hundreds of millions of dollars in fundraising.
Reactions and Potential Impact
“He’s certainly in the middle more — and in Florida, clearly the electorate is more middle, middle-right,” Korge said. “I would not count him out winning a primary.”
The possible candidacy also drew praise from Gwen Graham, the daughter of former Democratic Gov. Bob Graham who unsuccessfully ran for the 2018 Democratic nomination for governor.
“I think the world of David and Laura,” she said of Jolly and his wife. “They are great people. They care about the state of Florida. Florida desperately needs leadership that puts Floridians and Florida first.”
Diverse Perspectives and Future Outlook
Democratic hopefuls for governor haven’t recently floated their names in public. The state party has been reeling from decisive losses in 2024, struggling to effectively message against a Republican Party that keeps making gains in voter registration. The GOP recently celebrated a 1.2 million voter margin in registration, and no Democrat holds statewide elected office.
Korge acknowledged Democrats had a lot of work to do to catch up in voter registration numbers in Florida. Asked whether he thought a more centrist candidate could invigorate the Democratic base, he replied: “I’m sure he’ll draw a position in a primary from a candidate who is more progressive, but the real question is who can win the state of Florida.”
Balancing Party Dynamics and Public Perception
Under Florida law, Jolly would have to change his party registration a year before the June 2026 qualifying date. Even then, it would be far from a sure bet. Jolly lost his Hill seat to Democrat Charlie Crist in 2016, and Crist lost multiple bids for office after undergoing a political evolution that took him from Republican to independent to Democrat. Crist lost a run for governor against DeSantis in 2022 by almost 20 points, and the state has only become more red since then.
“I flat out said to him: ‘Look, you’ve got to overcome the Charlie Chris problem. You’re going to have to do a lot of hard work and a lot of groundwork in convincing the Democratic base that you’re aligned with our values,’” said Alex Sink, the 2010 Democratic nominee for governor of Florida.
Sink added, however, that she thought Jolly could do it, in part because Democrats had seen him talk about issues on national television for years. She also attended a 500-person town hall with Democrats in the Tampa Bay area Saturday, where Jolly appeared alongside Rep. Eric Swalwell of California.
Community Engagement and Potential Allies
Sink said a member of the audience stood up during the town hall and urged Jolly to run for governor.
“Everybody in the room stood up and cheered,” she said, describing herself as “impressed” that he could fire up the “activist, Democratic crowd” in his hometown.
Jolly was also in Tallahassee on Monday night meeting with the Florida Legislative Black Caucus. State Sen. Shevrin Jones (D-Miami Gardens) said state Sen. Darryl Rouson (D-St. Petersburg), one of the leaders of the group, allows all potential candidates for governor to address the caucus.
Jones said Jolly shared that he thought Democrats could get back to winning by “being truly a big tent party” and focusing on its base of working-class voters. He predicted other Democrats would also express interest in running for governor in the coming weeks and months.
