Sixty current and former Democratic lawmakers and political figures from across Florida on Tuesday endorsed former U.S. Rep. David Jolly for governor.
The coalition includes sitting members of the Florida House, former state senators, past congressional representatives, mayors, county commissioners, and former chairs of the Florida Democratic Party.
Jolly, who represented most of Pinellas County in Congress from 2014 to 2017, is campaigning on issues such as affordability, public education, and access to health care. His platform includes investing in public schools and creating a state catastrophe fund aimed at driving down rising property insurance premiums. He also called for repealing laws that shield the governor’s travel and visitor logs from public view.
“David Jolly is the Democrat who can win. He has the strength, the experience, and the independence to break through the noise and build the coalition we need to finally flip Florida. I’m endorsing David because he’s laser-focused on solving the affordability crisis created by decades of failed Republican policies. Floridians are struggling with the cost of housing, insurance, and basic necessities—and David Jolly has a plan to fix it,” said state Sen. Tina Polsky.
The list of endorsers includes former U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, former Senate minority leaders Les Miller, Nan Rich, Ron Silver, and Tom Rossin, former Florida Commissioner of Education Betty Castor, and current House members Kevin Chambliss, Dan Daley, Michael Gottlieb, and Mitch Rosenwald. Other supporters include former state attorneys, property appraisers, education commissioners, and former mayors of St. Petersburg, Tampa, Miami Beach, and other cities.
Several backers highlighted Jolly’s willingness to work across party lines. Former St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman said Jolly “understands the urgency of Florida’s affordability crisis” and would “lead with compassion and common sense.”
Former Pinellas County Commissioner Janet Long noted Jolly’s past support for her campaign despite party differences, saying, “That’s the kind of leadership we need now.”
“I’ve seen David Jolly put people over party, including when he supported my campaign across the aisle. I’m proud to stand with David in this campaign,” Long continued.
Jolly was first elected to Congress in 2014, following the death of longtime Congressman Bill Young. Jolly ran for reelection to Congress in 2016 and was defeated by former Florida Governor Charlie Crist.
Since leaving Congress, Jolly has been a fixture on MSNBC offering political commentary critical of President Donald Trump.
He also holds the title of Executive Vice President at Tampa-based lobbying firm Shumaker Advisors.