Charlie Crist tried the Republican-turned-Democrat play in 2022 and Ron DeSantis beat him by 19 points.
David Jolly just ran that same play – and handed Byron Donalds his best campaign ad of the year.
A new poll shows exactly what Florida Republicans think of the Jolly-Graham ticket.
Byron Donalds at 54 Percent Before Democrats Even Get Started
The Associated Industries of Florida released survey results June 11 showing Donalds pulling 54% support among Republican Primary voters – 46 points ahead of his nearest competitor.
James Fishback sits at 8%.
Lt. Gov. Jay Collins is at 5%.
https://twitter.com/IAPolls2022/status/2051220315410215048?s=20
Former House Speaker Paul Renner is at 2%.
The numbers aren't just strong at the top line.
Donalds is pulling 71% in Fort Myers, 69% in West Palm Beach, and 60% among seniors – the voters who actually show up on Primary day.
The Emerson College poll from April found him at 46% in the Primary, with Collins and Fishback each stuck at 4%.
A separate Echelon Insights poll that same month showed Donalds leading Jolly 49% to 43% in a General Election matchup – in a state Trump carried by 13 points in 2024.
The Democrats Unveiled Their Best Answer and It Was Two People Florida Already Rejected
The same week that poll dropped, Jolly walked out in front of the Florida Capitol and announced his running mate.
He picked Gwen Graham.
Graham ran for Florida governor in 2018 and lost her own primary.
She then went to Washington to serve as an assistant secretary in Biden's Department of Education – the same department Florida Republicans spent four years fighting.
https://twitter.com/FLVoiceNews/status/2064818647613182368?s=20
Jolly spent years as a Republican congressman, left the party, became an MSNBC commentator, and registered as a Democrat in April 2025.
Florida GOP Chairman Evan Power called Jolly a political "chameleon" and Graham a "nepo baby" – the daughter of the late Gov. Bob Graham, leaning on her father's last name to re-enter Florida politics.
Donalds' campaign didn't hold back.
"This might have been an interesting ticket 10 years ago – same old failed politicians, same old failed liberal agenda, same losing result in November," Communications Director Gates McGavick said.
An $81 Million War Chest and 80,000 Doors Knocked
While Democrats were busy holding a reunion tour, Donalds was building the infrastructure to bury them.
His campaign and the Friends of Byron Donalds PAC have raised $81.1 million from more than 35,000 individual donors.
https://twitter.com/ByronWarRoom/status/2064736408649040087?s=20
His field operation has knocked on more than 80,000 doors across Florida.
Trump endorsed Donalds on May 26 with a Truth Social post calling him a "TOTAL WINNER" who "will be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida."
When Republican primary voters were informed about that endorsement, Donalds jumped to 68% in a Fabrizio, Lee & Associates poll – leaving every other candidate gasping for oxygen.
The Primary is August 18.
Florida hasn't elected a Democratic governor in more than 20 years.
Jolly is running the Crist playbook. Florida voters already know how that ends.
Sources:
- Jeremy Sheftel, "AIF Poll Shows Byron Donalds Leading GOP Primary by 46 Points," Florida Politics, June 11, 2026.
- Kennedy Owens, "Donalds Campaign Blasts Jolly-Graham Ticket as Same Old Failed Liberal Agenda," Florida's Voice, June 10, 2026.
- "David Jolly Selects Gwen Graham as Running Mate in Florida Governor's Race," WPTV, June 10, 2026.
- "Byron Donalds Surpasses $81 Million Raised from Over 35,000 Donors," Byron Donalds for Governor, June 2, 2026.
- "Florida 2026 Poll: Donalds Leads GOP Primary for Governor," Emerson College Polling, April 2, 2026.
- "Byron Donalds Qualifies for Florida Governor's Race," Florida's Voice, June 9, 2026.
