David Jolly is a former Member of Congress, attorney, and nationally recognized television analyst who launched his bid for Governor in June of 2025. Since announcing his candidacy, David has traveled every corner of the state, hosting hundreds of town halls and community forums focused on improving the state’s economy. A person of deep faith, David believes everyone deserves a shot at work, wages, and wealth, and that their rights should be protected and their dignity celebrated, regardless of the color of one’s skin, where they were born, who they love, or who they worship.
David has focused his campaign on historic groundbreaking homeowner’s insurance reform, the expansion of primary healthcare services, and investing in more community public schools. A fifth- generation Floridian and son of a minister, David and his wife Laura are raising their young family in Pinellas County.
David’s political story is one of change. While in Congress, he was known as a common-sense Republican working across the aisle on issues like campaign finance reform, gun violence prevention, reproductive freedom, and the environment. His fight to take on Washington corruption was featured on CBS’ 60 Minutes. David then spent seven years as an independent, organizing voters throughout the country around democracy protection, ending gerrymandering, opening primaries, and reforming our broken campaign finance laws. Today, David is a proud Florida Democrat, fighting for the values he sees rooted in democratic tradition – that the economy should work for everyone; responsible investments in housing, healthcare, and education can improve people’s lives; and, everyone’s rights should be protected regardless of their walk of life.
David’s willingness to lead with conviction led the Tampa Bay Times to write, “It’s refreshing to hear someone take on the system.” One Washington Post columnist famously penned, “Jolly speaks the truth.” And upon leaving Congress, another columnist wrote, “Farewell to the one Congressman willing to compromise.”
In addition to his work in Congress and in the private practice of law, David served for nearly a decade as a political analyst on NBC and MSNBC. His work has been featured in Time, USA Today, Roll Call, The Washington Post, The New York Times, CNN, NBC, and The Tampa Bay Times. David received a Bachelor’s degree from Emory University and a Juris Doctor Cum Laude from George Mason.
