David Jolly enters the November general election looking beyond his Democratic base as he seeks support from voters who remain uncertain about their choice for Florida’s next governor.

Gwen Graham, his running mate, has campaigned alongside him across the state.

In a Zoom call with this reporter, Graham expressed the campaign’s focus on making changes for Florida. She claimed Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds wants the opposite: to keep the status quo.

“It's about putting policies in place that are going to help people in the areas that are facing a lot of challenges in the state,” Graham said. “[Addressing] property insurance cost issues, helping to address healthcare access issues, helping to make some changes to the current public school system, so that every parent and or every family member who is educating a child knows which are the quality schools that their children could or should attend.”

Jolly was a registered Republican until September 2018, when he became an independent as the result of his disagreements with President Donald Trump. He registered as a Democrat in April, 2025.

That party switch could be a trade-off for Jolly as he looks ahead to gain traction among more Florida voters this November.

“I think that there may be some holdover of some Republicans that remember Jolly from the olden days when the party looked different and might have some affinity for that,” Dr. Sean Ewing, an assistant professor in political science at Florida Gulf Coast University said. “We've seen a really massive transformation of the Republican Party from what it was when Jolly was a Republican to what it is today. I think on the downside, the same thing can be true of Democrats. Democrats can see a party changer a little bit skeptically…there could be allegations of you're not a real Democrat and you shouldn't be dominating the field.”

Margaret Gatewood, a Naples resident, said she voted for President Trump in 2016 but was left unsatisfied at the end of his first term. After voting for him in 2024 and again feeling unsatisfied, Gatewood is having cold feet about voting for Donalds, who is endorsed by Trump. So Gatewood said she is exploring the Jolly campaign.

“I’m unsure on whether or not I want [to vote for Donalds] because of that association with our President,” Gatewood said. “Some of the things he has been doing has made me unsure about voting for someone who aligns his entire campaign with it. I’m not fully on board with voting for a Democrat just yet. However, it’s one of those elections that makes you begin to wonder who you’re really siding with. I’ve checked Jolly and I like his passion and doing what the people want.”

On the other hand, Cape Coral resident Robert Christ, a registered Democrat, has questioned whether Jolly really lines up with Democratic views. He said he believes Jolly will be a better governor than Donalds, but remains stuck on voting Democratic — or not voting at all.

“Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy what Jolly is discussing in his ads and speeches, but I just don’t know if it’s right to vote for someone with that history, Christ said. “I too feel oppressed by the people in [Washington, D.C.] and in Tallahassee, so I can feel a connection there with him, but again, it’s about whether I’m willing to take that risk on someone who’s sided with the other side before.”

Jolly and Graham are emphasizing education, healthcare access and housing affordability as central issues in their campaign. Graham said those issues are intended to address concerns she hears from Floridians.

“There are some Floridians that are doing really well, but there are way too many who are really struggling,” Graham said. “We want to make sure that the government is doing its part efficiently. We've got to get back to a state where we are supportive of one another and caring about one another because that is the best way for everyone to have a great life in Florida.”

She said the campaign is emphasizing those issues as part of its effort to reach undecided voters.

“I think our messages are the same we have every day,” Graham said. “You're given the opportunity to really work for the people of Florida once you're elected, and I think a lot of people who run for office these days forget who you're really there for. And I don't think anyone's ever going to ever think that David and I are doing this because of any other reason than we want to be in a position to help.”

While she may have her doubts, Collier County resident Gatewood said she believes Jolly and his administration may attract voters like herself.

“From what I’ve seen and heard, I believe [Jolly] is the better candidate in my eyes,” Gatewood said. “When I look at Donalds, I just see another Trump, and that’s something that worries me. At one point I felt strongly about his immigration policies, but after seeing what ICE has done around the country, I feel encouraged to look elsewhere. [The data centers] are another thing I take into consideration. I’ve seen videos and heard stories of what it’s like living by one, and frankly it isn’t right.”

Jolly strongly opposes the construction of data centers in Florida and wants an immediate moratorium on any new developments, and ultimately a ban.

“I find it appealing when someone has the will to stand up against someone with more firepower than themselves,” Cape Coral’s Christ said about Jolly’s views on data centers. “This new data center craze is something both Florida’s economy and ecosystems can’t take. We worry about the water taking over during hurricane season but now we may have to start worrying about losing all of that water, and Jolly seems pretty concerned about the changes.”

Graham said she and Jolly are hoping to hear more from undecided voters. A Democrat has not been elected Florida governor since the 1990’s.

“We're building a coalition of Democrats, Republicans and Independents who recognize that this is the election that you can get good people back in Tallahassee again who are going to fight for the right things,” Graham said. “I think that this is going to be an amazing election that is going to be an earth-shattering event for the country because Florida is going to elect a Democratic governor and lieutenant governor, and it's going to be the people of Florida that do this.”

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