Democrats face a huge uphill climb in 2026 to retake Florida's governorship for the first time in more than two decades, but David Jolly says he is up to the challenge. Jolly, a former Republican congressman who left the party in large part because of his opposition to President Donald Trump, is announcing Thursday that he is running for governor, making him the first notable Democrat to get into the race. "Let's end the politics of division and return Florida to voters who simply want an economy that works, the best education system in the world, safe communities and a government that stays out of their doctor's offices and family decisions," Jolly said. He said he wants to focus on lowering housing and insurance costs, boosting public education funding and "implementing new gun safety measures." Jolly was a Republican member of Congress from the Tampa area from 2014 to 2017. In a bit of political irony, he lost his seat to former Gov. Charlie Crist. Crist, like Jolly, left the Republican Party to run as a Democrat. He made failed Democratic bids for governor in 2014 and 2022. It's a connection Republicans in the state have already been making, comparing Jolly's Republican-turned-Democrat bid for governor to Crist's own failed political evolution. "No matter the issue, David Jolly has been on all sides of it," Florida GOP Chairman Evan Power said in a statement last month when Jolly first floated a campaign. "Floridians won't be swayed. Under Republican leadership, Florida enjoys low inflation, fiscal responsibility, and a thriving economy. School choice and parental rights are prioritized, and support for the rule of law is unmatched. We aren't going backward with a flip-flopping political relic." Since he left the Republican Party, Jolly has become a vocal anti-Trump voice and has boosted his national profile as a regular commentator on MSNBC. Jolly is not only the first major Democrat to enter the 2026 race; he may have a somewhat easy path to the nomination. Former state Sen. Jason Pizzo, who has considerable personal wealth, recently left the party and has said he is running for governor as an independent, removing a potential obstacle who had been considered one of the top-tier potential Jolly opponents in a primary. After having spent years as one of the country's most tightly divided swing states, Florida has become an overwhelmingly GOP-dominated state. Republicans control all levers of power in state government, and Democrats have not held the Governor's Mansion since the late 1990s. Jolly, however, thinks a focus away from the sort of culture war-driven, sharp-elbowed politics that has defined Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' two terms in office is a way to break through. "This is a different type of issue-driven, results-focused campaign, and it will be driven not by anger and division but by optimism and solutions," Jolly said. "We are building a new coalition of Floridians who deeply care about their state and are desperate for real answers to real problems that are putting our quality of life at risk." On the Republican side, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds has already announced he is running for governor, and he quickly picked up an endorsement from Trump. He has raised over $15 million and is considered the front-runner on the GOP said, even as DeSantis' wife, Casey, considers her own campaign for governor. Despite Republicans' many advantages, Jolly says the state, after more than 20 years of GOP leadership, is ready for a change. "We can champion the Democratic values of an economy where everyone has the opportunity to succeed, and we can create a government that actually serves seniors, veterans, and those in need," he said.
