Ex-GOP Rep. David Jolly launches Dem campaign for Florida governor

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Axios

4 hours ago


Former Rep. David Jolly is launching a campaign for Florida governor as a Democrat, hoping to staunch the state's lurch from purple to solidly red, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The onetime Republican, who previously weighed an independent bid for the role in 2022, believes he can succeed where so many other Democrats have failed.

"Different race, different cycle, different candidate," he told Axios in an interview. "This is a race with national implications, because if we win, we will have transformed national politics."

"We will have stopped MAGA in Florida, and the White House now runs through Florida in 2028," he said.

State of play: Jolly is the first Democrat to throw their hat into the ring, and could be the most high-profile candidate to run with Rep. Jared Moskowitz taking himself out of contention.

On the Republican side, the GOP establishment and President Trump have coalesced around Rep. Byron Donalds.

Still, Democrats in the state hope that another contender — particularly former Rep. Matt Gaetz — jumps in and makes it a bloody battle.

What they're saying: Despite his confidence that national trends will buoy Democrats in the Sunshine State, Jolly said he's not solely relying on anti-Trump sentiment.

He is targeting affordability, education and corruption as key issues of his campaign. "The race ... is not about Donald Trump," he said. "It's not even about Ron DeSantis. It's about where he's leaving the state."

Jolly told Axios he wants to help build the haggard state Democratic Party. "You will see us do that almost like happened in Virginia over the last five years," he said.

That's where he thinks his past Republican registration will provide an advantage. "We have to invite in independents and common sense Republicans," he said.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/2025/06/05/david-jolly-florida-governor-democrat-republican

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And many of us know that he has been a regular contributor on MSNBC.

[flamingdem]

1. Hooray!

We'd be so lucky to have him.

Fingers crossed.

[mcar]

2. Glad to see this

[NoMoreRepugs]

3. Going to be difficult - the breakdown of R's vs D's keeps rising against us.

[Owens]

4. Another wolf in sheep's clothing?

[FakeNoose]

6. It doesn't seem so - he's actually a moderate and has been all along

Jolly never fit in with DeSantis or Chump, so it made sense for him to quit the Repuke Party. Whether he can bring in other independents and disaffected Republicans, remains to be seen. I hope he gets a primary nod anyway.

[BumRushDaShow]

9. If I had to pick between him or Scumborough

(both having been former FL GOP Reps), I would pick Jolly without a thought.

[Zorro]

5. He was just on Stephanie Miller's show

Reasonable, articulate, rational. IMO he is the candidate Florida's Democratic Party needs right now, and the fact that he's a former Republican I think will encourage similar disenchanted Republicans to support him.

[RussBLib]

7. I think it's great

Jolly has seen the inner workings of the thoroughly corrupt GOP. He is sharp and personable. Could be the best candidate in a long while.

https://russblib.blogspot.com/?m=1

[ancianita]

8. As a fellow Floridian he's got my vote and donation.

A Democratic candidate in Florida HAS to win the majority of the registered Independents who, in Florida, add up to more votes than either party. So if being a "moderate" is his strategy in this red state, it works for me.

[SunSeeker]

10. Good!

[Mawspam2]

11. Anybody ever heard of Charlie Crist?

Republican turned democrat never works. Florida tossed aside a legitimate Democrat in Nikki Fried for that Crist hack and you got Ron DeSatan instead, BECAUSE when presented with a real Republican vs a squishy Republican, people pick the real thing every time.

Learn from your mistakes.