Several candidates vying to be Florida’s first Democratic governor in over 30 years

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — Florida Democrats are hoping for a different result in the governor’s race this year.

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It’s been over 30 years since the state last elected a Democrat governor in 1994.

Current Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis won reelection by about 20% in 2022, but he’s term-limited.

One of the Democrats running is former Republican Congressman David Jolly, who left the party and became a prominent critic of President Donald Trump.

“Look, this is a governorship,” said Jolly. “I don’t have to litigate the President of the United States.”

Jolly said he is focusing on kitchen table issues.

“This is about housing, healthcare, and education,” he said. “We need more workforce and affordable housing. We have to solve our insurance prices. I think we can cut insurance by 50 to 60%.”

Jolly says he worked with colleagues on both sides of the aisle in Congress and added that his approach can appeal to all kinds of voters.

“I’m in a very post-ideological space in my life,” he said. “I believe in the Democratic values, but this is bigger than one party.”

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A top challenger to Jolly is State Rep. Dotie Joseph of North Miami.

“I’m somebody who’s not afraid to work across the aisle, but also not afraid to fight,” said Joseph. “There are times when we need to stand up and make sure our rights are protected.”

A former government and civil rights attorney, Joseph has served in the state house since 2018.

“I want to focus on our needs right here in the state of Florida,” she said. “And for me, that focuses on affordability.”

Joseph said she wants to raise the minimum wage to $20 an hour.

In the Florida House of Representatives, she has proposed guaranteeing universal healthcare for all by creating a statewide publicly funded system.

“My message is just that I’m here for the people,” she said. “And I think for too long, we have a government that has only worked for its select few.”

There are four other candidates who are also running in the Democratic primary. They are Evelyn Castillo-Bach, Thomas Fernandez, Dayna Foster and Shephann Norman.

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