Posted on 06/05/2025 4:29:51 AM PDT by cotton1706
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
"Moderate Republican" becomes Democrat.
When people tell you who they are...
What does it say about some one that they would embrace/identify with the current Democrat party?
Oh look, another Assistant Democrat comes out of the closet and admits he’s really a Democrat.
Glutton for punishment ? TDS is a strong affliction….. make folks act irrational and borderline retarded.
He is one MEAN JERK!!
Well at least I know who I am not voting for!
Voting Democrat is suicidal.
Brilliant. Join the party that is falling like a ton of bricks.
‘Moderate’ republicans are always democrats.
David who? Not a real consequential fellow, in any venue.
Go for it, Dave. You may prevent an even more despicable version of humanity from getting on the ballot.
Yet another pathetic dishonest insect peels off his outer skin.
Maybe Ron DeSantis can give David Jolly the white boots Nancy Sinatra wants back!!
He’ll make money running. He knows he doesn’t have a chance. But he’ll get paid traveling, eating, lodging, salary, etc. It’s a boon for him.
Ho! Ho! Ho!
I know the name Jolly but couldn't pick him out of a lineup.
A former FAKE Republican.
If you do research you would see that being a Republican was more a matter of political convenience. He was never a Republican.
“”””He’ll make money running. He knows he doesn’t have a chance. But he’ll get paid traveling, eating, lodging, salary, etc. It’s a boon for him””””
And he will be very popular on msnbc. Attenion grabber.
The last Democratic Governor we voted into office was Lawton Chiles..............and he died in office.....
““I think enough people in Florida, even some Republicans, now understand that. That the culture wars have gone too far,” he said.”
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What a tool!
Some finally push back, just a tad against decades of disgusting moral decay, and all of a sudden, things have “GONE TO FAR”.
What a complete DB tool! Florida take the trash out on this turd!
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