Emily Gregory lends newfound star power to David Jolly’s bid for Governor
‘Emily just showed our state — and the entire country — what’s possible when we focus on what really matters to voters.’
Rep. Emily Gregory, fresh off a Special Election in which she flipped House District 87 blue in President Donald Trump’s own backyard, is endorsing fellow Democrat David Jolly in his bid for Governor.
Gregory defeated Republican Jon Maples last week with just over 51% of the vote, the first time a Democrat has won the seat this century. The Palm Beach County-based district includes Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. Trump won the district in 2024 by 9 percentage points.
Gregory made national headlines following her victory, largely because she will represent Trump in Florida’s Legislature. Now, Democrats are hoping to capitalize on the momentum, which also included a Senate victory for Democrats that flipped a Tampa-based seat.
“Emily just showed our state — and the entire country — what’s possible when we focus on what really matters to voters. I’m honored to have her support and proud to be building a statewide coalition that looks like all of Florida and fights for all of Florida,” Jolly said.
Gregory is set to be on the ballot again in November, with Maples seeking to challenge her again in the General Election. That means she’s likely to continue pulling Democratic intrigue in places far beyond her district, and even outside the state, temporary star power that could help Jolly as he fights what is an uphill battle in a statewide race where Republicans hold a significant voter registration advantage.
“Voters want someone talking about what they’re actually dealing with: insurance, housing, and the cost of living. That’s David Jolly. His campaign is real, it’s focused, and it’s built to win statewide,” Gregory said.
“I want David at the top of the ticket because he’s showing up and connecting with voters everywhere, including communities that too many Democrats had written off. David was with me on Day One of my campaign and I’m proof that voters in every part of Florida are ready for change.”
Gregory isn’t the first Democrat to endorse Jolly following the Democratic flips last week. Incoming Senate Democratic Leader Shevrin Jones offered his endorsement just two days after Gregory’s victory, which coincided with Brian Nathan’s win in Senate District 14.
Jones said following the upset victories that the winners had “made history.”
“We showed that by being united and mission-focused, working families can once again be the tip of the spear in shaping our future. A Democrat just flipped Trump’s own backyard — and in Hillsborough County, a vastly outspent Democrat flipped a seat by less than 400 votes. That’s not a fluke. That’s a Florida that is waking up,” Jones said.
Jolly announced his bid for Governor last June, after he had been mulling a run since March. Jolly, a former Republican, wasn’t registered as a Democrat until April. Prior to that he had been an independent since 2018, a move he made amid frustration with Trump’s MAGA conservatism. Jolly previously served as a U.S. Representative in Florida’s 13th Congressional District, in Pinellas County.
Jolly faces Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings in the Democratic Primary for Governor. Most polling in the Governor’s race has centered on hypothetical matchups, with Jolly generally performing slightly better against Republican front-runner Byron Donalds than Demings, though both trail. A poll earlier this month from the University of North Florida Public Opinion Research Lab showed Jolly with 36% support to Donalds’ 42%, while Demings was statistically similar, at the same 36% support to 43% for Donalds.
A January poll from Mason-Dixon found Jolly leading Demings in the Democratic Primary 23% to 19%.
The candidates are running to replace Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is facing term limits.
The last Governor’s race without an incumbent running was in 2018, when Republican DeSantis won by a recount margin over Democrat Andrew Gillum. But DeSantis won re-election in 2022 by a landslide.