Politics & Government
David Jolly Campaign Says He's Raised $3 Million-Plus So Far In Race For Governor
The David Jolly campaign announced Friday that it raised more than $1 million in the fourth quarter of 2025.
January 5, 2026
The David Jolly campaign announced Friday that it raised more than $1 million in the fourth quarter of 2025 and more than $3 million overall in his race for the Democratic nomination for Florida governor.
Find out what's happening in Across Floridafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
That number pales in comparison to the $40 million Republican Byron Donalds’ gubernatorial campaign announced last month.
Jolly is a former Pinellas County Republican U.S. representative who announced his candidacy in early June, and for much of 2025 was the only high-profile Democrat in the race to succeed Ron DeSantis in November 2026.
Find out what's happening in Across Floridafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings entered the Democratic race in November. His campaign has yet to announce any fundraising amounts (and did not respond to a request for comment).
“David Jolly is running a campaign focused on listening, not lecturing,” said Campaign Chair Mitchell Berger in a press release. “This fundraising report reflects more than financial strength. It reflects a movement bringing together Democrats, Independents, and Republicans who want solutions, not division.”
The other major Republican candidates for governor are former House Speaker Paul Renner and investment firm CEO James Fishback.
Fundraising reports for Florida political candidates and political committees for the fourth quarter of 2025 are due on Monday, Jan. 12.
There haven’t been many public-opinion polls looking at the 2026 gubernatorial race in Florida, but a University of North Florida Public Opinion Research Lab survey released in late October showed Donalds leading Jolly by 11 percentage points and Demings by 12 points.
The Florida Phoenix, a nonprofit news site that’s free of advertising and free to readers, covers state government and politics through a mix of in-depth stories, briefs, and social media updates on the latest events, editorial cartoons, and progressive commentary. The Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers.
