David Jolly, a former Republican congressman who has become a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump, won the Democratic primary election for Florida governor on Tuesday. Jolly secured the Democratic nomination to replace outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is prevented by term limits from seeking a third term.
Jolly's victory sets up a contest in the solidly Republican state, where he aims to capitalize on dissatisfaction with Trump and the direction of the Republican Party. He previously served as the representative for Florida's 13th Congressional District from 2014 to 2017. After losing his reelection bid, Jolly began to publicly express disagreements with the GOP's trajectory and Trump's presidency.
In 2018, Jolly wrote an opinion piece stating that "you can’t be never-Trump and be a Republican." He recalled taking to the House floor during the 2016 presidential campaign to call on Trump to withdraw. Jolly also cited his opposition to Trump's proposed "Muslim ban" and the Access Hollywood tape as reasons for his divergence from the party.
Jolly, who later registered with no party affiliation before joining the Democratic Party, has positioned himself as an opportunity to counter Trump's influence. "If in the state of Florida, Florida’s voters are the ones who say, ‘not anymore, ‘we will have provided a reset," he stated in a campaign video.
His campaign platform includes priorities such as insurance affordability, public schools, and campaign finance reform. Jolly also supports expanding access to abortion.
According to the Florida Department of State Division of Elections, Jolly has raised approximately $6.4 million. He faces an uphill battle in the general election on November 3, as Florida has not elected a Democratic governor since Lawton Chiles, who served from 1991 until his death in 1998.
In the most recent gubernatorial election, DeSantis won reelection by defeating Democratic challenger Charlie Crist. DeSantis secured victory with 49.4% of the vote compared to Crist's 40.0%.