Former Republican David Jolly Wins Florida Democratic Governor Nomination
Key Takeaways
- •David Jolly, a former Republican lawmaker, secured the Democratic nomination for Florida governor.
- •Jolly has been a public critic of President Donald Trump and the MAGA movement for years.
- •Florida has become a strong base for MAGA activism, in part because Trump resides at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach.
- •Democrats are attempting to rebuild in Florida after years of setbacks, including weaker outreach to Latino voters.
- •Trump has endorsed Rep. Byron Donalds for the Republican nomination to replace two-term Gov. Ron DeSantis.
A former Republican lawmaker has been nominated for governor of Florida as a Democrat.
David Jolly, a moderate former lawmaker who has been outspoken against President Donald Trump and the MAGA movement for years, easily won the Democratic nomination on Tuesday evening, according to CNN and NBC News.
Florida has become a base for MAGA activism since Trump, who won the state in three presidential elections, made Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach his primary residence outside the White House.
The race comes as Democrats try to rebuild in a state where they have faced years of setbacks, including faltering outreach to Latino communities and the arrival of increasing numbers of pro-Trump retirees. Their recent gains include their first mayoral victory in Miami in nearly 30 years, a sign they see as evidence that local organizing can still break through in a difficult political environment.
On the Republican side, Trump has endorsed Rep. Byron Donalds to succeed two-term Gov. Ron DeSantis.