TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A former Republican congressman, now a staunch critic of Donald Trump, has set his sights on Florida’s gubernatorial office, this time as a Democrat. David Jolly announced his candidacy on Thursday, joining a number of others who have switched parties in hopes of reclaiming influence over Florida, a state that was once a political battleground but has recently veered significantly toward Republican dominance. With state law barring Republican Governor Ron DeSantis from seeking a consecutive third term in 2026, the field is open for new contenders.
Despite the fact that Florida has become a staging ground for Trump administration recruits and policy initiatives, Jolly remains optimistic. He believes that focusing on practical issues such as public school funding, affordable living, and campaign finance and ethics reform will appeal to a wide spectrum of voters in 2026. He anticipates that the upcoming elections will bring about a shift in the political landscape across the country.
“I genuinely believe the Republicans in Tallahassee have gone too far in creating division,” Jolly commented. “We need to keep politicians out of classrooms and medical appointments.” He noted that many Floridians, including some Republicans, are beginning to see the excesses of the ongoing culture wars.
Jolly first won his Tampa Bay-area congressional seat during a special election in 2014, securing a full term afterward. Over time, his political views shifted, prompting him to disengage from the Republican Party in 2018, first becoming an independent before registering as a Democrat. He gained national attention as a vocal anti-Trump commentator on MSNBC, ending his affiliation with the network in April upon initiating a political action committee.
Having identified as part of the Democratic coalition for several years, Jolly aligns with the party’s values that emphasize government’s potential role in aiding citizens, fair economic practices, and a positive view of immigration. “I found it challenging to uphold those principles within the Republican Party. The actual registration as a Democrat wasn’t a shift but more of a procedural step,” Jolly explained.
Jolly’s stance on immigration marks a clear departure from the aggressive deportation agenda advanced by Florida lawmakers under Trump’s influence. He criticized Republicans for incorrectly associating immigration with crime, calling the linkage both wrong and immoral. “Regardless of whether you were born here, immigrated, or are a politician misappropriating Medicaid funds, we intend to address crime seriously,” Jolly stated, alluding to an investigation into the alleged misuse of funds by a charity linked to Florida’s first lady, Casey DeSantis.
Jolly’s candidacy follows in the footsteps of Charlie Crist, a former Republican turned Democrat, who lost his gubernatorial run against DeSantis by a significant margin in 2022. Back in 2016, Crist had defeated Jolly to claim his congressional seat.
“Transitioning from Republican to Independent to Democrat, Jolly is setting himself up as the new Charlie Crist,” remarked the campaign for Trump-endorsed U.S. Representative Byron Donalds, who is also running for governor.
Jolly launches his campaign amid a challenging phase for the Florida Democratic Party, which has no statewide officeholders and is vastly outnumbered by over a million Republican voters. Moreover, the GOP has made considerable advances in erstwhile Democratic regions, including Miami-Dade County.
The day Jolly declared his candidacy, top Florida Senate Democrat Jason Pizzo announced his departure from the party, proclaiming the state’s Democratic Party effectively defunct, with plans to run as an independent in his own gubernatorial bid.
On the Republican side, Jolly faces opposition from U.S. Representative Byron Donalds, a popular figure in cable news and a key Trump supporter, as well as others like former Rep. Matt Gaetz and Casey DeSantis, who are also potential candidates.