Former Republican congressman and vocal Donald Trump critic, David Jolly, announced his candidacy for Florida governor as a Democrat for the 2026 election. This move comes as term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis cannot run for re-election. Jolly, who left the GOP in 2018 to become an independent and then a registered Democrat, aims to address issues like affordability, public school funding, and ethics laws, believing these will resonate with voters across party lines. His bid draws comparisons to Charlie Crist's failed attempt.
David Jolly, Trump critic and ex-GOP congressman, to run for Florida governor as a Democrat
Donald TrumpFloridaRon DeSantisCharlie CristFlorida state governmentCasey DeSantisU.S. Republican PartyU.S. Democratic PartyByron DonaldsPoliticsKate PayneGovernment programsJason PizzoDavid JollyMatt Gaetz
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Former Republican congressman and vocal Donald Trump critic, David Jolly, announced his candidacy for Florida governor as a Democrat for the 2026 election. This move comes as term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis cannot run for re-election. Jolly, who left the GOP in 2018 to become an independent and then a registered Democrat, aims to address issues like affordability, public school funding, and ethics laws, believing these will resonate with voters across party lines. His bid draws comparisons to Charlie Crist's failed attempt.
Trending- 1 2014: David Jolly first elected to Tampa Bay-area congressional seat.
- 2 2016: Charlie Crist ousted Jolly from his congressional seat.
- 3 2018: David Jolly left the Republican Party to become an independent.
- 4 5 years ago (approx. 2020): David Jolly considered himself part of the Democratic coalition.
- 5 2022: Charlie Crist lost to Ron DeSantis by 19 points.
- 6 Thursday (before 2025-06-05): David Jolly formally announced his bid for governor.
- 7 Last month (before 2025-06-05): Jason Pizzo announced he was leaving the Florida Democratic Party.
- 8 2026: Florida gubernatorial election.
- 9 1994: Last time a Democrat (Lawton Chiles) won a gubernatorial re-election in Florida.
- 10 2025-06-05: Article published.
- Sets the stage for the 2026 Florida gubernatorial race
- Highlights the shift in Florida's political landscape
- Potentially further divides the Democratic vote with Jason Pizzo's independent bid
What: David Jolly, a former Republican congressman and Trump critic, announced his candidacy for Florida governor as a Democrat.
When: Thursday (formally announced bid); 2026 (election year); 2014 (first elected to Congress); 2018 (left Republican Party); 2022 (Crist lost to DeSantis).
Where: Tallahassee, Florida; Tampa Bay-area (Jolly's former congressional seat); Miami-Dade County.
Why: Jolly believes issues like affordability, public school funding, and ethics laws will resonate with voters; he feels Republicans in Tallahassee have gone too far in dividing people and that the culture wars have gone too far; he struggled to exercise his values in the Republican Party.
How: Jolly formally announced his bid; he has built a national profile as an anti-Trump political commentator on MSNBC.