Anti-Trump Former Republican Rep Considers Running For Governor In Deep Red State
Former Republican Rep. David Jolly is considering running in Florida’s 2026 gubernatorial race as a Democrat, according to Politico. Jolly told Politico in an interview published Tuesday that he would likely make a…
Former Republican Rep. David Jolly is considering running in Florida’s 2026 gubernatorial race as a Democrat, according to Politico.
Jolly told Politico in an interview published Tuesday that he would likely make a final decision about whether or not to launch a gubernatorial bid within the next several weeks. Notably, Jolly has been a longtime critic of Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and President Donald Trump.
“I am very seriously considering a run for governor,” Jolly told Politico.
It remains to be seen whether Jolly would be able to muster enough support from Floridians if he decides to launch his own gubernatorial campaign, as Florida voted for Trump — a Florida resident — for three consecutive presidential elections by increasingly wide margins. In the 2024 presidential election, Trump secured 56.1% of Florida’s votes, while former Vice President Kamala Harris won 43%.
“It’s clear to me there is a coalition of Floridians that want change,” Jolly told the outlet.
Jolly is likely to face intense competition if he enters into the race to replace term-limited DeSantis, as Trump has already endorsed