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Florida Democrats face difficult climbs as they work to win the governor’s office in next year’s election.
It has been more than 30 years since Democrats won the gubernatorial election in a sunny state. You need to return to the 1994 reelection of Democratic government Lawton Chile.
But when former Congressman David Jolly was asked how Democrats could end their losing streak, he told Fox News Digital, “It’s even longer because there was an affordable price crisis as we’re experiencing now, and that’s how it is.”
As a Republican 10 years ago, Jolie, who won the election and reelection to Congress, announced her Democratic candidacy for governor at the 2026 race on Thursday, successfully completing Term-Restricted GOP Governor Ron DeSantis.
This top Trump allies appear to be preparing for the governor’s run in critical condition.
Former Republican MP David Jolly (Getty Images)
“In Florida, there is an affordable crisis driven by an ever-increasing insurance crisis in the face of utter neglect by Tallahassee, abandoning public education and allowing corruption to ramp.
And in his Fox News interview, Jolie argued that the state’s affordability crisis was “mainly caused by Republican neglect that Republicans don’t think they’ll deal with it, and our campaigns will.”
Republican Governor Campaign Chairman reveals campaign plans for elections
Jolie, who left the Republican Party seven years ago and became a political analyst for MSNBC’s independent cable news, pointed to the advantage of GOP’s voter registration in Florida.
“Let’s be honest about mathematics,” he said. “Florida doesn’t have enough Democratic votes for a Democratic governor to win in his party. We need to build a coalition that includes independents and common sense Republicans. But here’s the good news. It’s already there.”
Former Republican Rep. David Jolly, a former Republican, ran for governor of Florida as a Democrat in 2026, but held the town hall in Coral Gables, Florida on May 25, 2025 (David Jolly Campaign).
Jolie points to the recent City Hall he holds ahead of the launch of the campaign, saying, “Republicans are coming out. Independents are coming out. There’s a perfect storm for legacy Republicans. We don’t care about every family, every voter, every walk in life, and your partican relationship.
“This is a race as we saw with Andy Besher in Kentucky and Steve Bullock in Montana. The change coalition can win next November, but that coalition must be led by today’s Democrats,” he added.
The mentions of the current Democratic governor of Kentucky, controlled by the GOP, and the former Democratic governor of Red State Montana, were intentional. Jolie recently hired her as her advisor, Democrat political strategist Eric Hyors, to help pilot Besher and Brock’s successful campaign.
Four years ago, another Republican-turned-Rep. Charlie Crist, a former governor and former lawmaker, was shot dead by DeSantis as the conservative governor cruised for 19 points reelection.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Jolly emphasized that Crist (who beat Jolly in 2016 when the then Congressman ran for reelection) had a rapid transition from Republican to Democrats.
“It was a deal to run for the office. He would always say, ‘I didn’t leave the party. The party left me,'” Jolie pointed out.
“David Jolly has left the party,” he said. “I’ve grown. I’ve changed.”
“My values haven’t changed over the past decade,” Jolie said. “This is very important. When I was a Republican in Congress, I supported marriage equality, gun control, climate change, campaign finance reform. Republicans didn’t want me. Democrats didn’t need me.
But Florida Republicans predict that Jolie will be the latest in the line of Democratic governoral candidates who have been defeated.
“It’s good to know that Trumper and the failed MSNBC analysts have found his real home with the unrelated @Fladems,” Florida Republican Chairman Evan Power said after Jolly joined the Democrats. “I welcome him to run for governor. Almost 40% of voters who voted for @charliecrist deserve a bad choice this cycle equally.”
The climb to return the Democratic climb to the governor’s office next year was announced last month as Sen. Jason Pizzo, a former Senate Democratic leader, runs for independence. A few weeks ago, Pizzo claimed that the Florida Democrats were “dead.”
“I have great respect for Jason Pizzo. He followed his political beliefs just like I did. I don’t agree with his decision,” Jolie said.
But Jolie also said, “Jason was right when you said you had millions of disgruntled voters,” adding, “My job as a Democratic candidate, and perhaps a Democratic candidate, is to build a coalition that says. [to] Those independent voters, “We want you to join this coalition.” ”
Florida Republican Rep. Byron Donald was interviewed by Fox News Digital on March 28, 2025, ahead of the kickoff of the 2026 campaign for the governor in Bonita Springs, Florida.
In the Republican Governor Primary race, Rep. Byron Donald appears to be on an early gliding pass to the nomination, with First Lady Casey DeSantis as speculation of possible bids by the Couls.
Donald enjoys the support and support of President Donald Trump, Florida’s most well-known resident.
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“This race is not about Donald Trump, you’ll never hear them talk about Donald Trump. It’s about the affordability crisis and how Republicans in Tallahassee created it,” Jolie said.
But Jolie claimed, “Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis were scene setters in the election environment of the Florida earthquake.
Paul Steinhauser is a political reporter based in swing state in New Hampshire. He covers campaign trails from coast to coast. ”
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