David Jolly, a former Republican congressman and now a Democratic candidate for governor in Florida, won a primary election on Tuesday evening, topping a crowded field of hopefuls to become the party's nominee to replace outgoing Gov.Ron DeSantis in the Sunshine State.DeSantis is prevented by term limits from running for a third term.Jolly’s win sets up a race to see if a moderate Democrat can tempt a solidly Republican state to voice its frustrations with the Trump administration and, more pointedly, with Trump himself.In many ways, that’s the crux of Jolly’s message as a candidate.HAWAII GOV JOSH GREEN CRUISES TO DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY WIN, SETS UP FALL MATCHUP WITH GOP NOMINEEFormer Republican Rep.
David Jolly of Florida, who is now running for Florida governor in 2026 as a Democrat, holds a townhall in Coral Gables, Florida on May 25, 2025 (David Jolly campaign)Jolly previously served as the representative for Florida’s 13th Congressional District from 2014-2017, but, after losing the general election to Democratic challenger Charlie Crist, he began voicing disagreements with the direction of the GOP and President Donald Trump.In 2018, Jolly published an opinion piece with NBC, stating that "you can’t be never-Trump and be a Republican.""I was a sitting Republican member of Congress who took to the house floor and called on then-candidate Donald Trump to drop out of the presidential race," Jolly said.On the campaign trail in 2016, Jolly balked at a proposed "Muslim ban" Trump and the Access Hollywood tape in which Trump made crude remarks about advances toward women.IDAHO DEMOCRATS CHOOSE SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IN UPHILL RACE AGAINST INCUMBENT GOP GOVERNORFlorida Gov.Ron DeSantis holds a press conference at the Reedy Creek Administration Building in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on April 17, 2023.
He announced legislative action to nullify the agreement between the Reedy Creek Improvement District and Walt Disney World that allowed Disney to control its theme pa...