David Jolly Secures Democratic Bid for Florida Governor to Face Byron Donalds

David Jolly, a former Republican congressman who switched to the Democratic Party, won the Democratic nomination for Florida governor and will face Republican Byron Donalds in November. Gwen Graham will run for Lieutenant Governor. Jolly pitches a broad, cross‑partisan coalition—Democrats, disaffected Republicans and independents—to end decades of Republican control in Florida, framing his campaign as post‑ideological and focused on broad change. Fundraising shows Donalds accumulating far more support than Jolly, highlighting the GOP’s competitive position in the state despite Jolly’s bid.