Democrats face an uphill battle in Florida's 2026 gubernatorial election as former Republican congressman David Jolly joins the race with a focus on the affordability crisis.

Democrats are at a very vulnerable point in Florida right now. Active voter registration rolls indicate there are 1.2 million more registered Republicans than Democrats, turning the state firmly from its longtime “swing state” status into a red state. There are no Democrats elected to statewide office.

Florida is in "crisis, not just a crisis of policy, not right versus left, but a crisis of right versus wrong," said David Jolly.