Latest news with #Jolly
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
In usual self-sabotage, Florida Democrats argue over gubernatorial candidate
The Democratic Party already has an uphill battle to retake the Florida governor's office after more than 30 years of Republican dominance. Debating whether the party's only main candidate so far is pure in his support for abortion rights seems like a waste of time for a party that hasn't won any statewide elections in years. And, yet, you can always count on liberals to shoot themselves in the foot with purity and ideological tests, as it's happening with a debate surrounding David Jolly, the former Tampa-area Republican congressman who's running for governor as a Democrat. The infighting has been playing out this month on the opinion pages of the Miami Herald and elsewhere. It began with an op-ed by Anna Hochkammer, executive director of the Florida Women's Freedom Coalition political committee, who urged Democratic voters to be skeptical about Jolly's abortion stance. Jolly, the son of a Baptist pastor, did cast anti-abortion votes when he was in Congress, including signing onto the Life at Conception Act that would have given full legal rights to a fertilized egg. He has said he's evolved on the issue and now supports abortion up to the point of viability, usually at around 24 weeks of gestation, and is against onerous abortion regulations such as waiting periods and mandatory ultrasounds. Many Democrats are upset by Hochkammer's op-ed and her political committee's fundraising calls on the topic — one them says, 'We're not going to let 'moderate' men like David Jolly posture as reasonable,' Politico reported. Party figures fear the controversy could motivate somebody else to jump in the Democratic primary and drag Jolly into a costly intra-party battle before the 2026 general elections happen. The debate over Jolly's support for abortion rights ignores that he still is vastly more supportive of reproductive rights than any Republican he's likely to face if he's the Democratic nominee in November 2026. U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, whose gubernatorial bid has been endorsed by President Trump, supports banning abortions in most cases after six weeks, according to Politico. A group of high-profile, pro-life women from Miami and Florida penned an op-ed in response to Hochkammer. On Jolly's evolution on abortion, they wrote: ...'when faced with the tangible and tragic harms resulting from restrictive abortion policies, his view changed,' and that he vowed to try to put into law Amendment 4, a ballot initiative that got over 57% voter support last year but failed to meet a 60% threshold for passage. Abortion rights are obviously an important issue in Florida after Republicans passed an extreme six-week ban. But, as a political issue, Democrats learned last year that reproductive rights did not help them win seats as they expected. Trump carried Florida easily even though Amendment 4 got majority support. Democrats, if they still have a chance to win a gubernatorial election in Florida — and that's a big if — should focus on the issues that are top of mind for voters, mainly the state's housing, affordability and property insurance crises, issues that Jolly's campaign says he would focus on. It's clear that some Democratic heavyweights are trying to clear the field for Jolly and avoid a primary, something that could backfire if progressives feel party leaders are engaging in the type of kingmaking that cost Hillary Clinton support in 2016, when many felt the party sidelined U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders. A column posted on the Daily Kos website called Jolly 'Charlie Crist 2.0' in reference to the former Republican-governor-turned Democrat who lost to Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2022 by a landslide and failed to motivate the Democratic base. The real problem isn't Crist or Jolly, but the lack of a Democratic bench of strong candidates who can run statewide. Republicans, on the other hand, have a vast roster of proven political candidates. There's still the possibility of a bloody primary between Donalds and First Lady Casey DeSantis if she decides to run. But we know that, once a nominee is chosen, Republicans will fall in line, as they did when Trump became the presidential nominee in 2016. As the underdog, the Florida Democratic Party has a lot more to lose by engaging in ideological fights with each other. Click here to send the letter.
Politico
a day ago
- Politics
- Politico
Jolly's first big test
Good morning and welcome to Thursday. DAVID JOLLY has enjoyed a swell of support since registering as a Democrat and filing to run for governor about seven weeks ago. But now the former MSNBC political contributor finds himself publicly grappling with his Republican past. Scrutiny over his opposition to abortion when he was in Congress, which he has since renounced, is emerging as the first major test before him as he works to convince Democrats that he's now one of them. The issue threatens to splinter party unity even as Jolly has yet to face any major challenger on the Democratic ticket. And Jolly's defenders, who have rushed to back him publicly, are concerned that beating down the lone major Democratic candidate could provide yet another hurdle in an already difficult race for the beleaguered state party. It could additionally pave the way for a challenger on the left or depress enthusiasm from the base. Here's the backstory: On July 9, ANNA HOCHKAMMER, who leads the abortion rights advocacy group Florida Women's Freedom Coalition, wrote a Miami Herald op-ed urging voters to scrutinize Jolly's views on abortion. Then her political committee began fundraising off Jolly's past stances through texts and emails. Jolly has said far more about his positions than the op-ed reflected, but Hochkammer said in an interview with POLITICO's Arek Sarkissian that she wanted him to release a list of executive actions he'd take against Florida's six-week abortion ban if elected, given that a Republican-majority Legislature is unlikely to weaken the law. 'I want anyone who's running for statewide office in the state of Florida to put abortion front and center,' she said, pointing to the 57 percent of voters who supported the abortion ballot measure from November. (Remember: The measure needed 60 percent support to pass.) Other Democrats told POLITICO they had reservations over Jolly past, and it was reasonable for him to have to defend himself or for them to seek a candidate at the top of the ticket who has a longer track record on the issue. Jolly has brought up his evolution at town halls and media interviews unprompted. He said he supports abortion rights and that he'd veto any restrictions the GOP Legislature passes. His defenders are convinced he's the real deal on abortion rights — so much so that 11 Democratic women with their own bona fides on the issue penned a counter-op-ed to defend him. They also argued that even though the issue of abortion is hugely important, they know voters writ large are far more concerned about how unaffordable it has become to live in Florida. They note that Jolly's campaign has made affordability its key platform and take issue with Hochkammer's approach. After all, they point out, GOP Rep. BYRON DONALDS — the Trump-endorsed frontrunner — supports current laws, in which most abortions are illegal after six weeks. Attorney Jennifer Buttrick, who has helped fundraise for reproductive rights, said the party should get behind the person who can win and that it was commendable for people to change their minds on key issues. 'We are losing people, not winning people,' she said of Florida Democrats. 'We need to have a bigger tent — not a smaller one.' — Kimberly Leonard and Arek Sarkissian MORNING MONEY: CAPITAL RISK — POLITICO's flagship financial newsletter has a new Friday edition built for the economic era we're living in: one shaped by political volatility, disruption and a wave of policy decisions with sector-wide consequences. Each week, Morning Money: Capital Risk brings sharp reporting and analysis on how political risk is moving markets and how investors are adapting. Want to know how health care regulation, tariffs, or court rulings could ripple through the economy? Start here. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget that Playbook should look at? Get in touch at: kleonard@ and @leonardkl. CAMPAIGN MODE EARLY POLLING RESULTS — A poll hot off the press this morning from the University of North Florida's Public Opinion Research lab has Rep. BYRON DONALDS within the margin of error next to CASEY DESANTIS in a hypothetical gubernatorial matchup among registered Republican voters. The results showed that 32 percent of respondents said they'd vote for Casey DeSantis if the primary was held today. Donalds garnered 29 percent support. But here's the bigger takeaway: Donalds had a better showing among people who voted in the 2024 GOP primary. Those are voters UNF PORL faculty director MICHAEL BINDER said are likely to actually vote again. Among likely Republican voters, Donalds is 15 points ahead of Casey DeSantis, the results showed. On top of that, Casey DeSantis' support has fallen since the previous poll, before Donalds had President DONALD TRUMP's endorsement. Donalds leads among likely GOP voters despite the fact that the current poll question did not mention the Trump endorsement. The poll used answers from respondents surveyed this month over the phone and through a link sent over text, from a random sample of 797 active Republican voters. The margin of error is +/- 3.9 percentage points. But the good news for the first lady? Sixty-three percent of Republican voters surveyed don't know what the Hope Florida Foundation is — despite the scrutiny it received from the state House last session. Some other toplines: — Living in Florida is expensive. That worries voters. When it comes to the issues, a plurality of voters — 20 percent — cited property insurance as their top concern. (Compare that with property taxes, which was a top issue cited among 12 percent of respondents.) Housing costs were the second most-pressing issue for voters, at 16 percent, and immigration followed closely at 15 percent. — The president and governor are popular with Republicans. Eighty-two percent of GOP voters had a favorable view of the work Trump is doing, compared with 65 percent of respondents who had a favorable view of ELON MUSK. Gov. RON DESANTIS was viewed favorably by 83 percent of Republican voters. — Immigration policies are popular. A total of 79 percent of respondents said they approved of how immigration laws were being implemented, including on deportations and detentions. Sixty-five percent of GOP voters had a favorable view of the 'Alligator Alcatraz' detention center in the Everglades. — Don't for-Gaetz. Eight percent of respondents said they'd support former GOP Rep. MATT GAETZ for governor. ANTI-BONDI CAMPAIGN — March for Our Lives, the gun violence prevention organization that formed in the wake of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, is launching a new mobile billboard campaign against Attorney General PAM BONDI, reports Lauren Brensel of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. The organization is putting Bondi on the spot after the Trump administration canceled or overhauled gun safety programs. HOUSE CAMPAIGN — 'Another Democrat is stepping up to challenge Republican U.S. Rep. Laurel Lee,' reports Kirby Wilson of the Tampa Bay Times. 'Darren McAuley, a former Veterans Affairs doctor with about a quarter century of experience as a military flight surgeon, announced he is entering the race.' SCHOOL BOARD ENTRANT — Former Boynton Beach City Commissioner CHRISTINA ROMELUS is running for Palm Beach County School Board in District 4. Romelus is a former nurse and teacher whose campaign promises include ensuring school safety and creating stronger partnerships between parents and schools. She's the CEO of the government affairs firm PolitiCALM and was born in Haiti. ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... STILL ON THE JOB — Two agency heads who failed to win confirmation from the Florida Senate this year have been reappointed to their jobs. DeSantis back in February first appointed SHEVAUN HARRIS as the head of the Agency for Health Care Administration. Harris took over for JASON WEIDA after he was named chief of staff. DeSantis also appointed TAYLOR HATCH as secretary of the Department of Children and Families to succeed Harris. Harris had been the DCF secretary since 2021 before making the switch to AHCA, the agency that oversees Florida's Medicaid program. The Senate, however, opted against confirming the appointments amid questions over $10 million paid to the Hope Florida Foundation as part of a settlement with a Medicaid vendor. The foundation, which served as a direct support organization for DCF, is connected to an initiative started by first lady Casey DeSantis. Shortly after getting the $10 million the foundation steered the money to two groups that wound up sending money to a political committee opposed to a proposal to legalize marijuana. Under Florida law, DeSantis had 45 days after session ended to reappoint the two agency heads or they would have had to step down from their jobs. The governor reappointed Harris and Hatch on July 15 — or about two weeks before the deadline. The DeSantis administration did not publicly announce the reappointments. But MOLLY BEST, a spokesperson for the governor, said 'the governor was pleased to reappoint Secretary Hatch and Secretary Harris to their posts at DCF and AHCA, respectively, and appreciates their continued hard work and service to the state of Florida.' — Gary Fineout FUNDED BY FLORIDA TAXPAYERS — The state government is paying for travel when undocumented immigrants opt to fly back to their home countries following an interception by Border Patrol or state highway officers during traffic stops, reported Anna Giaritelli of the Washington Examiner. The program has been in effect for several weeks. PENINSULA AND BEYOND UNDER CONSIDERATION TODAY — The University of West Florida's board of trustees will consider hiring CLIFFORD HUMPHREY as vice president and chief of staff to interim president MANNY DIAZ, reports Mary Lett of the Pensacola News Journal. The meeting is set for 1 p.m. over Zoom. — 'UF raises fees for out-of-state students,' by News Service of Florida. — 'University of Miami under investigation for its scholarships to undocumented students,' reports Christine Sexton of the Florida Phoenix. — 'Delray Beach joins other cities eliminating LGBTQ+ Pride intersection — a month after repainting,' by Anthony Man of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP — 'Rand Paul stalls Mike Waltz nomination for UN ambassador,' reports Axios' Hans Nichols and Stef W. Kight. ANOTHER TRUMP FLORIDA HIRE — 'Trump nominated Art Graham, a former Jacksonville City Council member who has served on the commission that regulates Florida utilities since 2010 [to lead the Tennessee Valley Authority]. Graham was first appointed to the Florida Public Service Commission by then-Gov. Charlie Crist and has since been reappointed by Govs. Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis,' reports Emily L. Mahoney of the Tampa Bay Times. DATELINE D.C. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS ON THE EPSTEIN FILES: — Wednesday's big headline: The Wall Street Journal reported the Justice Department told Trump his names were in the Epstein files among hundreds of others. Key point: 'Being mentioned in the records isn't a sign of wrongdoing.' — What's happening today: The DOJ is interviewing GHISLAINE MAXWELL at the Tallahassee federal prison where she's serving her sentence, report ABC News' Aaron Katersky, James Hill, Brandon Baur and Katherine Faulders. — Tallahassee central: House Oversight Chair JAMES COMER sent a subpoena to Maxwell to testify before Congress on August 11, reports POLITICO's Hailey Fuchs. The interview would happen at the Tallahassee federal prison. — Request to make files public dismissed: 'A federal judge in Florida has rejected one of the Justice Department's bids to make public secret grand jury transcripts' from the Epstein investigation, reports POLITICO's Kyle Cheney and Erica Orden. ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN WELCOME TO THE WORLD — BRIAN GOLDMEIER, founder and president of BYG Strategies, and NICOLE GOMEZ GOLDMEIER, chief operating officer at LSN Partners, are the proud parents of BENJAMIN BARON GOLDMEIER who was born Monday July 21. (See a pic.) — Rep. KAT CAMMACK (R-Fla.) had to return home from the August recess via train because she's too far along in her pregnancy to fly, reports The Floridian. BIRTHDAYS: Former Gov. and Rep. Charlie Crist … Steve Birtman, president of Capital Tiger Bay Club.
Politico
2 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
Florida Democratic governor primary shaken up by abortion fight
Some Democrats have accused Hochkammer of engaging in a smear campaign against Jolly to build momentum around a possible gubernatorial run of her own or for someone else. Hochkammer shot down both charges. 'I am not in the race, I have never been in the race, I will not be in the race,' she said. Her goal, she said, was for anyone running as a Democrat to make the issue 'front and center' in their campaigns, given that the majority of Florida voters supported the abortion amendment — even as it narrowly fell short of the 60 percent backing needed for passage. But many counter that the issue — though important to Democrats — isn't voters' lead concern compared with high prices Floridians face on housing, groceries and insurance. For his part, Jolly has raised his abortion record in interviews and town halls. He said he was frustrated that the Miami Herald op-ed and fundraising emails didn't present his current views: that women should have the right to choose abortion until fetal viability, which is generally understood to start around 24 weeks into a pregnancy. Abortion regulations such as waiting periods, forced ultrasounds or counseling are unnecessary, he said. 'Keep the politicians and the laws out of the doctor's office. That's the principle,' he added. When it comes to minors accessing abortion, Jolly said he was a proponent of parental involvement in most cases but supports exceptions, such as when a child is in an abusive family. The position marks a shift from when Jolly was a Republican in Congress more than 11 years ago. At the time, Jolly signed onto the Life at Conception Act that would have given full legal rights to a fertilized egg and voted in favor of limiting most abortions to 20 weeks. He also led a measure to redirect federal funding from Planned Parenthood. He bucked his party in 2015, as the lone Republican to vote against creating a fourth panel that would look into Planned Parenthood's handling of fetal tissue remains. Jolly said that his past positions stemmed from the Baptist faith he grew up with and having a father who was a minister. 'What I got wrong in Congress was applying faith to constitutional questions,' he said. Jolly first relinquished his GOP association by registering as a no-party affiliated voter in 2018. He has seen a torrent of support since Hochkammer's op-ed published. Eleven high-profile Democratic women, including former Rep. Gwen Graham and Barbara Zdravecky, the former CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida, signed onto a Sunday Miami Herald op-ed saying they trusted Jolly on the issue. Political committee filings show he also received a $50,000 contribution after the Hochkammer op-ed ran from Barbara Stiefel, a Coral Gables philanthropist and pharmaceutical heiress who's donated to abortion rights causes and already gave $100,000 toward his political committee in May. 'I've personally checked the box with him,' said Alex Sink, a former Florida chief financial officer and the 2010 Democratic nominee for governor.
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Selling farm no easy decision, owners say
Ardgour Station owners Linda and Bruce Jolly have sold their sheep and beef farm to Santana Minerals, but the cherry and apricot orchards (pictured) will be retained and continue operating on the Tarras property. PHOTO: SUPPLIED/HORTINVEST A family which has owned a Central Otago farm for 70 years says it was not an easy decision to sell up to miner Santana Minerals for $25 million. Time and talk were the keys to making the decision to sell most of the farm to the Australian mining company, Ardgour Station owner Bruce Jolly said earlier this month. Mining company Santana Minerals has announced the purchase of more than 2800ha of the Tarras station for $25m as part of preparations for its Bendigo-Ophir Gold project. Celebrations were low-key when the sale contract was signed, Mr Jolly said: "You'd hardly call it a celebration." Phone calls to his and wife Linda's adult children were the first things they did. While the family had plenty of bright ideas for the windfall, the only thing Mr Jolly was sure of was that it would make succession planning much easier. Ardgour Station had been farmed by the Jolly family since 1955 and by Mr and Mrs Jolly since 1984. Mr Jolly said he was coming up to retirement age and none of the family wanted to take over the property; nevertheless, it still was not an easy decision. "It took some time and a whole lot of family discussion." Making the decision easier was the fact they did not live on the farm, so it was more like selling their workplace than their home. Their access agreement with Santana had a purchase option in it but there had been no guarantee that would actually happen. However, power and road access came right along the property and it was the ideal position for the mine's infrastructure and process plant, Mr Jolly said. They are keeping the balance of the Ardgour property on which cherries and apricots are grown. The sale still has to be approved by the Overseas Investment Office.
News18
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Jolly LLB 3 Teaser To Be Attached With Hrithik Roshan's War 2 In August: Report
Last Updated: Akshay Kumar and Arshad Warsi's Jolly LLB 3 teaser will reportedly release with War 2, ahead of the film's September 2025 theatrical debut. Akshay Kumar and Arshad Warsi are all set to return as rival lawyers in Jolly LLB 3, one of the most awaited courtroom comedies of 2025. And if reports are to be believed, the first teaser of the film will arrive in a grand fashion — attached to none other than War 2, starring Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR. According to a report by Pinkvilla, the teaser of Jolly LLB 3 is being prepared to capitalise on the buzz around War 2, which is scheduled to hit theatres in August. A source revealed, 'Jolly LLB 3 team is working on a teaser trailer of this courtroom comedy, that announces the arrival of two Jollys to create chaos in each other's life like never before. The idea is to launch it around August 10, and then send the teaser cut to cinema halls all across to be screened with War 2." The courtroom drama is slated for a theatrical release on September 19, 2025. It will mark Akshay Kumar's fourth and final release of the year. The film reunites him with Arshad Warsi after Bachchhan Paandey and Jolly LLB 2 (where Arshad appeared in a cameo), making fans all the more eager to see their on-screen rivalry unfold in full swing. The source further added that the marketing team is aiming for a massive campaign. 'Cross film promotion is the best and most effective medium of marketing. The team of Jolly is well aware of the pre-release expectations, and this will be among the best-promoted films of AK. The entire asset campaign is planned in advance — from teaser to songs and a trailer. In fact, the team is presently shooting for a promotional song in Mumbai with the two Jollys," the insider added. Directed by Subhash Kapoor, Jolly LLB 3 also features franchise regulars like Saurabh Shukla, along with Huma Qureshi and Amrita Rao in pivotal roles. First Published: July 22, 2025, 01:07 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
