--- title: "David Jolly runs for Florida governor as Democrat after Republican past" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/david-jolly-runs-for-florida-governor-as-democrat-after-republican-past" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/david-jolly-runs-for-florida-governor-as-democrat-after-republican-past" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/david-jolly-runs-for-florida-governor-as-democrat-after-republican-past.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/david-jolly-runs-for-florida-governor-as-democrat-after-republican-past" category: "Politics" area: "United States" published: "2026-08-13T22:46:33.564Z" source_reported: "2026-08-13T18:17:19.000Z" updated: "2026-08-13T22:46:33.564Z" trust_score: 82 critic_score: 65 hype_score: 15 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-14T00:45:20.776210+00:00" --- # David Jolly runs for Florida governor as Democrat after Republican past *Former GOP congressman faces Byron Donalds, who has raised ten times more in likely November matchup* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 82 of 100, higher is better. Two independent full reports plus 35 digests corroborate key facts. - Craft 65 of 100, higher is better. Full reports quote affected person and give specific figures. - Hype 15 of 100, lower is better. Headline matches body; no sensationalism detected. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - David Jolly, a former Republican congressman, is running for Florida governor as a Democrat after leaving the GOP. - His likely opponent, Rep. Byron Donalds, has raised over $100 million, compared to Jolly’s $10 million. - Florida has voted Republican in three consecutive presidential elections, with Ron DeSantis winning by 19 points in 2022. - Jolly has ruled out reversing the state’s ban on transgender girls and women participating in female school sports teams. David Jolly, a former Republican congressman who left the party and later registered as a Democrat, is running for governor of Florida. His campaign is framed as an attempt to prove Democrats can still compete in a state that has shifted decisively toward the GOP. Jolly’s likely opponent in the November election is Rep. Byron Donalds, a Trump-backed candidate who would be Florida’s first Black governor if elected. Florida has not elected a Democratic governor since 2010. Donald Trump won the state in three consecutive presidential elections, and Ron DeSantis secured a 19-point victory in 2022, giving Republicans a supermajority in the state legislature. Jolly has acknowledged the uphill battle, telling voters in Leesburg that there is not enough political will to reverse Florida’s ban on transgender girls and women participating in female sports teams at public schools and universities. Donalds has criticised Jolly as an out-of-touch liberal, running ads that highlight Jolly’s past support for gender-affirming care and LGBTQ symbols like rainbow crosswalks. Jolly has countered by accusing Donalds of ignoring economic issues. Despite the financial disparity, Donalds has raised over $100 million compared to Jolly’s $10 million, Jolly argues that Florida remains a competitive state and that a Democratic victory could reshape the national political landscape. ## What the coverage left out None of the right-rated digests mentioned Jolly’s stance on transgender girls and women participating in female school sports teams. The left and centre-rated digests all carried this detail. The right-rated digests also did not include Jolly’s argument that Florida remains a competitive state or his pitch to national Democrats about the race’s implications for 2028. ## Who covered it Shares of the 38 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 42% (16) - Centre: 53% (20) - Right: 5% (2) 2 of 40 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-14T00:45:20.776210+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 9 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-14T01:00:29.982Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The left-rated digests led on Jolly’s campaign as an effort to revive Florida’s status as a political battleground. They carried his argument that the state is still competitive, despite its recent Republican lean. The Associated Press report, which ran in full in several outlets, quoted Jolly’s acknowledgement that there is not enough political will to reverse the state’s ban on transgender girls in school sports. It also included his statement that governors should not decide who plays in what sports, even as he described himself as a “girl dad” who opposes biologically born men competing in women’s sports. - The full AP report quoted Jolly’s pitch to national Democrats, including potential 2028 presidential candidates, that winning Florida would reshape the electoral map. It also included comments from Florida Democratic Party chair Nikki Fried, who said the party was rebuilding after its collapse in recent years. None of the left-rated digests omitted Jolly’s fundraising disadvantage or his stance on transgender athletes. ### Centre - The centre-rated digests also led on Jolly’s campaign to revive Florida’s battleground status. They carried the same core facts: his Republican past, the fundraising gap with Donalds, and the state’s shift toward the GOP. The Washington Top News report, which ran in full, included Jolly’s argument that Florida remains a purple state and that a Democratic victory would have national implications. It quoted former GOP Rep. Carlos Curbelo, who suggested Latinos who voted for Trump in 2024 might not support Republicans again due to immigration enforcement tactics. - The full report also included Jolly’s acknowledgement that he does not expect to reverse the state’s ban on transgender girls in school sports. It quoted a resident of The Villages, a Republican-leaning retirement community, who described herself as in “despair” over the culture wars under DeSantis. None of the centre-rated digests omitted the fundraising disparity or Jolly’s stance on transgender athletes. ### Right - The two right-rated digests, from VINnews and The Batesville Daily Guard, led on Jolly’s campaign to revive Florida’s battleground status. Both carried the same core facts as the other digests: his Republican past, the fundraising gap with Donalds, and the state’s shift toward the GOP. Neither digest mentioned Jolly’s stance on transgender athletes or his acknowledgement that there is not enough political will to reverse the state’s ban on transgender girls in school sports. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - high: 24 - unknown: 5 - veryHigh: 11 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Sentinel Colorado](https://sentinelcolorado.com/uncategorized/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [Independent Español](https://independentespanol.com/noticias/eeuu/mision-imposible-un-exrepublicano-intenta-probar-que-los-democratas-pueden-ganar-en-florida-b3032767.html) — Impossible Mission: an Ex-Republican Tries to Prove that Democrats Can Win in Florida - [VINnews](https://vinnews.com/2026/08/13/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida) — Mission Improbable: A Onetime Republican Is Trying to Prove Democrats Can Win in Florida - [The Record](https://troyrecord.com/2026/08/13/us-election-2026-florida-governor) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [KULR-TV](https://kulr8.com/news/national/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_a2742ccc-4cfd-5d20-a818-895ff299a622.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [The Daily Advance](https://dailyadvance.com/news/national/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_6255356a-8c65-5917-b567-5f8775c5b1ca.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [Kokomo Tribune](https://kokomotribune.com/news/nation_world_news/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_7ef6a7ef-ae6a-5ff9-88e8-b5178b0d23c3.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [Richmond Register](https://richmondregister.com/ap/national/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_b7ed61b2-50e4-545c-98b0-097483789f9b.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [The Times-Tribune](https://thetimestribune.com/news/national_news/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_5d972937-dbc1-57b9-8a1b-294954005e64.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [Cherokee Tribune Ledger News](https://tribuneledgernews.com/local_news/state_and_national/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_d0b89dbd-630e-521b-9c2a-5e759e4a8164.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [Beloit Daily News](https://beloitdailynews.com/news/national-news/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_e3b82f61-db81-5f21-9dc9-4895574fb282.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [The Sun Chronicle](https://thesunchronicle.com/news/nation_world/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_70628160-f432-5c0d-992b-06863b43dfad.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [WBAL](https://wbal.com/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats - [Washington Top News](https://wtop.com/national/2026/08/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [The Toronto Star](https://thestar.com/news/world/united-states/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_23e4c843-9398-59f1-bb83-cbd99b13bb81.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [The Hamilton Spectator](https://thespec.com/news/world/united-states/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_62b9b7f4-87cf-5965-90dd-46f36350b32b.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [The Record](https://therecord.com/news/world/united-states/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_ce2ce108-3268-5964-ac75-c4e44d41ee27.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [Loonie Politics](https://looniepolitics.com/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [The Seattle Times](https://seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [Associated Press News](https://apnews.com/article/david-jolly-byron-donalds-florida-governor-election-bbc977b6a011fc40d2675fe0373fdcec) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [The Independent Online](https://dailyindependent.com/national/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_6ca3544a-6ca8-5684-b3f4-45c66105e31e.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [Rutland Herald](https://rutlandherald.com/ap/national/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_9aae1450-20e1-58b6-919e-c0af6217f7b4.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [WFMZ](https://wfmz.com/news/ap/ap-national/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_e41b2d8f-0c71-535e-8490-af88730dfdb2.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [The Herald Journal](https://hjnews.com/nation/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_1b059b25-f276-5d53-815e-a3b45760e5ab.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [The Northern Virginia Daily](https://nvdaily.com/associated_press_national/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_a8a0e938-6b6b-5110-b065-a02953d91e9f.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [Weatherford Democrat](https://weatherforddemocrat.com/texas/news/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_c2e1e006-9bd4-571b-88eb-ba8ac8d4bedd.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [The Daily Star](https://thedailystar.com/news/state/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_28c90815-d835-583b-9b01-106fc45e635c.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel](https://gjsentinel.com/news/us/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_4bb0d250-3c0e-591f-82d3-3b294e2ab835.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [Bozeman Daily Chronicle](https://bozemandailychronicle.com/wire/politics/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_9ed6d027-79d3-5066-99bf-f0fb85521979.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [Lancaster Farming](https://lancasterfarming.com/news/associated_press/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_4020e292-3001-562b-bd4d-62d060e57e6d.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [The Batesville Daily Guard](https://guardonline.com/news/national/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_1a2ad245-5a51-513e-9769-2098fa8ebcd8.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [somdnews.com](https://somdnews.com/ap/nation/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_5f420658-c455-5e7e-9e81-6deba14ca7a6.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [Your Hometown Stations](https://hometownstations.com/news/national/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_732cc76a-de91-5bd1-841a-d740e3ca9a3f.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [WPLG](https://local10.com/news/2026/08/13/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [WKMG](https://clickorlando.com/news/politics/2026/08/13/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [News 4 JAX](https://news4jax.com/news/politics/2026/08/13/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [Bangor Daily News](https://bangordailynews.com/2026/08/13/nation/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [St Catharines Standard](https://stcatharinesstandard.ca/news/world/united-states/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_e906318c-6c0b-563f-9834-8ece82088497.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [NiagaraFallsReview.ca](https://niagarafallsreview.ca/news/world/united-states/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida/article_69ced1bb-1560-5a84-8e1e-7e34b9746e67.html) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida - [Winnipeg Free Press](https://winnipegfreepress.com/world/2026/08/13/mission-improbable-a-onetime-republican-is-trying-to-prove-democrats-can-win-in-florida) — Mission Improbable: A onetime Republican is trying to prove Democrats can win in Florida ## Questions **Who is David Jolly running against for Florida governor?** David Jolly is likely running against Rep. Byron Donalds, a Trump-backed Republican who would be Florida’s first Black governor if elected. Donalds has raised over $100 million, ten times more than Jolly’s $10 million, as reported by the Associated Press and Washington Top News. **What is David Jolly’s stance on transgender girls in school sports?** David Jolly has said there is not enough political will to reverse Florida’s ban on transgender girls and women participating in female sports teams at public schools and universities. He opposes biologically born men competing in women’s sports but does not think governors should decide who plays on which teams, as reported by the Associated Press. **Why does David Jolly think Democrats can win in Florida?** Jolly argues that Florida remains a competitive state and that a Democratic victory would reshape the national political landscape. He points to recent Democratic wins in special elections and suggests Latinos who voted for Trump in 2024 may not support Republicans again, as reported by the Washington Top News. **Which outlets did not report Jolly’s stance on transgender athletes?** The two right-rated digests, from VINnews and The Batesville Daily Guard, did not mention Jolly’s stance on transgender girls and women participating in female school sports teams. All left and centre-rated digests carried this detail. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/david-jolly-runs-for-florida-governor-as-democrat-after-republican-past. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "David Jolly runs for Florida governor as Democrat after Republican past", https://mediabias.news/politics/david-jolly-runs-for-florida-governor-as-democrat-after-republican-past