WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A former Republican congressman turned Democrat officially launched his candidacy Thursday morning to become the next governor of Florida.
David Jolly recently sat down with WPTV reporter Matt Sczesny about his run for the state's top elected office.
WATCH BELOW: David Jolly explains why he's running for governor
"I'm running for governor of Florida because we are in the midst of an affordability crisis," he said during an interview with WPTV conducted in West Palm Beach.
Jolly's campaign arranged the interview and others around the state in the days leading up to the formal announcement.
"The affordability crisis is real for families of every walk of life across the state of Florida," he said.
Jolly recently resigned his position as a political commentator on MSNBC, where he was often at odds with the Republican platform under President Donald Trump.
"I've loved my journey, and I've tested the theory in politics: Is it OK to grow, is it OK to change your mind? I have, I've evolved," Jolly said.
In a state that has firmly been red in recent elections, Jolly admits there aren't enough Democrats in the state to win, but he believes he can win over independents and even some Republicans.
"I would not get into this race if I did not think there was a pathway to winning in November," Jolly said. "I have no interest in a vanity run."
Regarding the affordability issue, Jolly said he's focused on insurance costs in Florida.
"I think we need a state catastrophic fund," Jolly said. "You could reduce property insurance by 60% by removing hurricane coverage from private policies."
Jolly, who represented Florida's 13th congressional district, also said he's pushing for more support for public schools and is taking a more moderate stance on the abortion issue.
"I did get the point where I had come to believe that the Roe, Casey framework is the right framework to ensure reproductive freedom, to keep medical decisions between a doctor and their patient, and also to allow religious and faith organizations to evangelize their teachings."
Gov. Ron DeSantis is being termed out in 2026 and cannot run again.
His wife, Casey DeSantis is reportedly considering a run for governor.
U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., is already running along with state Sen. Jason Pizzo, who left the Democratic party to run as an independent.
