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Chicago Tribune
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
David Jolly, a Trump critic and former GOP congressman, to run for Florida governor as a Democrat
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A former Republican congressman and vocal critic of Donald Trump says he wants to become governor in the president's adopted home state of Florida, and that he's running as a Democrat. David Jolly formally announced his bid Thursday, becoming the latest party convert hoping to wrest back control of what had been the country's premier swing state that in recent years has made a hard shift to the right. Under state law, term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis can't run for reelection in 2026. Even as Florida serves as a place for the Trump administration to poach staff and test policies, Jolly says he's confident that issues such as affordability, funding public schools, and strengthening campaign finance and ethics laws will resonate with all voters in 2026. He predicts elections next year will herald nationwide change. 'I actually think Republicans in Tallahassee have gone too far in dividing us. I think we should get politicians out of the classrooms, out of the doctor's offices,' Jolly said. 'I think enough people in Florida, even some Republicans, now understand that. That the culture wars have gone too far,' he said. Jolly was first elected to his Tampa Bay-area congressional seat during a 2014 special election, and was reelected for one full term. The attorney and former lobbyist underwent a political evolution that spurred him to leave the Republican Party in 2018 to become an independent and then a registered Democrat. And he has built a national profile for himself as an anti-Trump political commentator on MSNBC. Jolly said he has considered himself 'part of the Democratic coalition' for five or so years, and believes in what he sees as the party's 'fundamental values' — that government can help people, that the economy should be 'fair' to all, and that immigrants should be celebrated. 'I struggled to exercise those values in the Republican Party,' Jolly said, continuing: 'The actual registration as a Democrat wasn't a pivot. It was a kind of a formality.' Jolly has broken from his old party on immigration, as Florida lawmakers race to help Trump fulfill his promise of mass deportations. Jolly skewered Republicans who he said have 'conflated immigration and crime,' which he described as wrong and immoral. 'If you were born here or if you immigrated here, or if you're a Tallahassee politician who steals Medicaid money, we're going to be tough on crime,' Jolly added, referring to a probe into the use of Medicaid settlement funds by a charity associated with first lady Casey DeSantis. Jolly's gubernatorial run as a Democrat draws comparisons to the failed bid of former Republican congressman-turned-independent-turned-Democrat Charlie Crist, who lost to DeSantis in 2022 by 19 points. It was Crist, running as a Democrat, who ousted Jolly from his congressional seat in 2016. Jolly joined the Florida Democratic Party at what is arguably one of its most vulnerable points in years. Florida currently has no Democrats elected to statewide office, and there are now 1.2 million more registered Republicans than Democrats, according to the state's active voter rolls. The GOP has made significant inroads in formerly Democratic strongholds in the state, such as Miami-Dade County. The day that Jolly announced his new affiliation, the-then top Democrat in the Florida Senate, Jason Pizzo, revealed he was leaving the party, declaring that 'the Democratic Party in Florida is dead.' Pizzo, a former prosecutor, has said he'll launch his own run for governor as a candidate with no party affiliation. On the Republican side, Jolly will face Trump-backed Rep. Byron Donalds, who is also a frequent presence on cable news as a surrogate for the president. Among the other names floated as potential GOP candidates are former Rep. Matt Gaetz and Casey DeSantis.
The Hindu
11 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
David Jolly, a Trump critic and former GOP congressman, to run for Florida Governor as a Democrat
A former Republican congressman and vocal critic of Donald Trump says he wants to become governor in the President's adopted home state of Florida, and that he's running as a Democrat. David Jolly formally announced his bid on Thursday (June 5, 2025), becoming the latest party convert hoping to wrest back control of what had been the country's premier swing state that in recent years has made a hard shift to the right. Under state law, term-limited Republican Governor Ron DeSantis cannot run for re-election in 2026. Even as Florida serves as a place for the Trump administration to poach staff and test policies, Mr. Jolly says he's confident that issues such as affordability, funding public schools, and strengthening campaign finance and ethics laws will resonate with all voters in 2026. He predicts elections next year will herald nationwide change. "I actually think Republicans in Tallahassee have gone too far in dividing us. I think we should get politicians out of the classrooms, out of the doctor's offices," Mr. Jolly said. "I think enough people in Florida, even some Republicans, now understand that. That the culture wars have gone too far," he said. Mr. Jolly was first elected to his Tampa Bay-area congressional seat during a 2014 special election, and was re-elected for one full term. The attorney and former lobbyist underwent a political evolution that spurred him to leave the Republican Party in 2018 to become an independent and then a registered Democrat. And he has built a national profile for himself as an anti-Trump political commentator on MSNBC. Mr. Jolly said he has considered himself "part of the Democratic coalition" for five or so years, and believes in what he sees as the party's "fundamental values" — that government can help people, that the economy should be "fair" to all, and that immigrants should be celebrated. "I struggled to exercise those values in the Republican Party," Mr. Jolly said, continuing, "The actual registration as a Democrat wasn't a pivot. It was a kind of a formality." Mr. Jolly has broken from his old party on immigration, as Florida lawmakers race to help Trump fulfil his promise of mass deportations. Mr. Jolly skewered Republicans who he said have "conflated immigration and crime," which he described as wrong and immoral. "If you were born here or if you immigrated here, or if you're a Tallahassee politician who steals Medicaid money, we're going to be tough on crime," Mr. Jolly added, referring to a probe into the use of Medicaid settlement funds by a charity associated with first lady Casey DeSantis. Mr. Jolly's gubernatorial run as a Democrat draws comparisons to the failed bid of former Republican congressman-turned-independent-turned-Democrat Charlie Crist, who lost to Mr. Ron DeSantis in 2022 by 19 points. It was Mr. Crist, running as a Democrat, who ousted Mr. Jolly from his congressional seat in 2016. Mr. Jolly joined the Florida Democratic Party at what is arguably one of its most vulnerable points in years. Florida currently has no Democrats elected to statewide office, and there are now 1.2 million more registered Republicans than Democrats, according to the state's active voter rolls. The GOP has made significant inroads in formerly Democratic strongholds in the state, such as Miami-Dade County. The day that Mr. Jolly announced his new affiliation, the-then top Democrat in the Florida Senate, Jason Pizzo, revealed he was leaving the party, declaring that "the Democratic Party in Florida is dead." Mr. Pizzo, a former prosecutor, has said he will launch his own run for governor as a candidate with no party affiliation. On the Republican side, Mr. Jolly will face Mr. Trump-backed Rep. Byron Donalds, who is also a frequent presence on cable news as a surrogate for the president. Among the other names floated as potential GOP candidates are former Rep. Matt Gaetz and Ms. Casey DeSantis.
14 hours ago
- Politics
David Jolly, a Trump critic, former GOP congressman, to run for governor as Democrat
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- A former Republican congressman and vocal critic of Donald Trump says he wants to become governor in the president's adopted home state of Florida, and that he's running as a Democrat. David Jolly formally announced his bid Thursday, becoming the latest party convert hoping to wrest back control of what had been the country's premier swing state that in recent years has made a hard shift to the right. Under state law, term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis can't run for reelection in 2026. Even as Florida serves as a place for the Trump administration to poach staff and test policies, Jolly says he's confident that issues such as affordability, funding public schools, and strengthening campaign finance and ethics laws will resonate with all voters in 2026. He predicts elections next year will herald nationwide change. 'I actually think Republicans in Tallahassee have gone too far in dividing us. I think we should get politicians out of the classrooms, out of the doctor's offices,' Jolly said. 'I think enough people in Florida, even some Republicans, now understand that. That the culture wars have gone too far,' he said. Jolly was first elected to his Tampa Bay-area congressional seat during a 2014 special election, and was reelected for one full term. The attorney and former lobbyist underwent a political evolution that spurred him to leave the Republican Party in 2018 to become an independent and then a registered Democrat. And he has built a national profile for himself as an anti-Trump political commentator on MSNBC. Jolly said he has considered himself 'part of the Democratic coalition' for five or so years, and believes in what he sees as the party's 'fundamental values' — that government can help people, that the economy should be 'fair' to all, and that immigrants should be celebrated. 'I struggled to exercise those values in the Republican Party,' Jolly said, continuing: 'The actual registration as a Democrat wasn't a pivot. It was a kind of a formality.' Jolly has broken from his old party on immigration, as Florida lawmakers race to help Trump fulfill his promise of mass deportations. Jolly skewered Republicans who he said have 'conflated immigration and crime,' which he described as wrong and immoral. 'If you were born here or if you immigrated here, or if you're a Tallahassee politician who steals Medicaid money, we're going to be tough on crime,' Jolly added, referring to a probe into the use of Medicaid settlement funds by a charity associated with first lady Casey DeSantis. Jolly's gubernatorial run as a Democrat draws comparisons to the failed bid of former Republican congressman-turned-independent-turned-Democrat Charlie Crist, who lost to DeSantis in 2022 by 19 points. It was Crist, running as a Democrat, who ousted Jolly from his congressional seat in 2016. Jolly joined the Florida Democratic Party at what is arguably one of its most vulnerable points in years. Florida currently has no Democrats elected to statewide office, and there are now 1.2 million more registered Republicans than Democrats, according to the state's active voter rolls. The GOP has made significant inroads in formerly Democratic strongholds in the state, such as Miami-Dade County. The day that Jolly announced his new affiliation, the-then top Democrat in the Florida Senate, Jason Pizzo, revealed he was leaving the party, declaring that 'the Democratic Party in Florida is dead.' Pizzo, a former prosecutor, has said he'll launch his own run for governor as a candidate with no party affiliation.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Dem senate candidate hurls accusations at FDP regarding speaking opportunity at upcoming event
Photo taken from Tamika Lyles campaign website A Democratic candidate who wants to challenge U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody next year is ripping into the state party, accusing it of unfairly excluding her from the party's upcoming annual fundraiser while at the same time opening the door to another potential Senate candidate. The Florida Democratic Party strongly disputes the assertion made by Tamika Lyles that the party is violating its bylaws as well as 'the basic principles of democracy.' Here's what we know: Lyles filed to run for the U.S. Senate on April 1. Josh Weil is a Democrat who raised a large amount of money in his unsuccessful bid to beat Republican Randy Fine in the special congressional election in District 6 in April. He too, is expected to announce his candidacy in the 2026 Senate race later this month. The Lyles' campaign raised objections when it learned that Weil would be given an opportunity to speak at the party's Leadership Blue Weekend event, which includes a gala, being held at the Hard Rock in Hollywood June 20-22, believing it to be a slight since Weil has yet to announce his candidacy. Lyles' campaign on Tuesday issued a lengthy statement expressing its anger. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX But FDP officials say Lyles isn't telling the whole story, and that the party isn't supporting anybody in next year's Senate primary. FDP says that Weil is only getting an opportunity to speak at Leadership Blue Weekend because he paid $50,000 to become a 'title sponsor' for the event. It's the highest price point among the four different sponsorships that attendees can donate (the three other sponsorships range between $5,000 to $25,000.) The $50,000 donation comes with perks, including four reception tickets, two seats at the head table for the event and a 'speaking opportunity,' as listed in an FDP document. The event is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Democratic Party, with individual tickets going for $300. Lyles said that she was informed by an FDP official that she too, could get a speaking slot similar to Weil's if she would pay the $50,000 required to become a title sponsor. The Lyles campaign claims the party's decision to not initially reach out to her highlights 'a serious issue of unequal treatment and exclusion,' adding that 'it is an act of discrimination, one that mirrors the ongoing marginalization of women, particularly Black women and grassroots candidates nationwide.' Lyles is Black. The FDP says that's not what happened here. 'Title sponsorships for our annual Leadership Blue Weekend are available to all candidates, and no title sponsorship opportunities have been 'extended' to any candidates,' said FDP spokesperson Matt Dailey. 'However, as the information on how to sign up for a title sponsorship has been publicly available on our website for months, some candidates have reached out to us to sponsor the event. ' Lyles is a U.S. Air Force veteran based in Osceola County who is making her third run for public office. She briefly entered the Democratic primary for Senate in 2018 before withdrawing. In 2020 she finished third in a five-person Democratic primary for a Central Florida House seat. 'This is what voter suppression looks like inside the party,' she said in a written statement to the Florida Phoenix. 'I have served this country in uniform, earned multiple degrees, led legal and advocacy efforts for over a decade, and built a campaign powered by people, not political insiders. Yet it still isn't enough to be treated fairly or be given the same access as a man who hasn't even entered the race.' FDP officials say that the only people speaking at the Leadership Blue Gala on Saturday night, June 21, the signature event of the weekend, will be New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Chair Nikki Fried and sitting members of Congress. Weil will be given a speaking slot at some other time during the weekend event, which includes lots of panel discussions. This isn't the first time that there's been an issue in regard to who gets to speak among Senate Democratic candidates at the Leadership Blue Weekend. At last year's event held in Orlando, the eventual nominee, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, did speak during the evening event (an FDP official tells the Phoenix that they 'believed' that both of those candidates paid to get the chance to address party members at last year's event). Her main opponent in the primary election last August, Black tech entrepreneur Stanley Campbell, said he was only invited to speak during a morning session in front of a much smaller group of people. When asked if it wasn't a bad look that only candidates who could offer to pay $50,000 could get a speaking slot sometime during the weekend, the FDP's Matt Dailey said that raising money for the party is what the event is essentially all about. 'Above all, Leadership Blue is a fundraising event – our largest and most important of the year,' he said. 'The practice of offering a spot in the weekend schedule to incentivize title sponsorship is a long-time and well-advertised practice of the party.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Gonna be stuck in a perfect storm': Florida leaders expect less federal help this hurricane season
The state and local governments could be on the hook for more money if a hurricane hits this year. That's the message coming from top Florida leaders in both parties as we enter hurricane season. 'Are there problems with FEMA? Absolutely. As past Commissioner I experienced it,' former Florida Agriculture Commissioner and current Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said. Fried said she's concerned about what shakeups at FEMA could mean for the Sunshine State. President Donald Trump has expressed an interest in dismantling the agency and has even rejected some emergency aid requests. The Trump administration recently denied an emergency aid extension requested by North Carolina, as the state continued recovering from Hurricane Helene. 'I'm very fearful that we're gonna be stuck in a perfect storm where there is not the proper pre preparedness, what happens during and then what happens afterwards when everybody is fighting over dollars that are going away,' Fried said. On Friday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis even acknowledged federal storm clean up reimbursements might not be what they have been in recent years. After Helene, Milton and Debby Florida received reimbursements totaling more than $1 billion. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] 'I don't know if we're going to get reimbursement going forward. Certainly not at that level from what we're seeing,' DeSantis said. DeSantis did argue, in terms of preparation and immediate storm response like power restoration, regardless of what happens with FEMA, those efforts shouldn't be impacted. 'That is really the state leading that with locals executing that. And we assume we're not gonna get support from FEMA on all of that and sure enough, that's how we've rolled,' DeSantis said. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] We did reach out to Jacksonville's local Chief of Emergency Preparedness and asked how a lack of federal help could impact the city's ability to respond. A JFRD spokesperson told us the Chief would not, 'comment on speculation.' As far as the city's rainy-day fund goes, Jacksonville has a combined total of $465 million that could be utilized for fronting cash on storm response costs. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
