Florida
Florida Governor Candidates: Donalds Spent Longer as a Democrat; Jolly Reports Longer Republican History
Published
3 weeks agoon
Party changes and congressional votes offer a closer look at both candidates’ records on issues affecting Black Americans.
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — Republican Byron Donalds spent nearly seven years as a registered Democrat—longer than Democrat David Jolly’s approximately 18 months in the party. Jolly, however, reports having spent 25 years as a Republican, exceeding Donalds’ approximately 16½ years.
The two major-party candidates for Florida governor have political histories that cross party lines. Their congressional votes offer another basis for scrutiny: Jolly supported repealing the Affordable Care Act, while Donalds opposed major voting-rights and police-accountability proposals. Both also supported other legislation relevant to Black communities.
Why This Article Matters to Voters
Voters can examine previous decisions in public office alongside campaign promises. Party affiliation identifies a political association; legislative records show how candidates acted on specific proposals.
The measures examined here concern health insurance, employment opportunities, voting discrimination, police accountability and racial violence. These issues affect African Americans and the wider electorate, making the candidates’ records relevant to voters deciding who should lead Florida.
Who Spent Longer in Each Party?
Donalds was registered as a Democrat in Collier County from April 2003 until March 2010, according to Florida Politics. He then became a Republican. Jolly left the Republican Party in September 2018, became an unaffiliated voter and registered as a Democrat in April 2025.
| Candidate | Time as a Democrat | Time as a Republican |
|---|---|---|
| Byron Donalds | Approximately 6 years, 11 months, April 2003–March 2010 | Approximately 16 years, 7 months, March 2010–October 2026 |
| David Jolly | Approximately 1 year, 6 months, April 2025–October 2026 | 25 years, according to his account, before leaving in September 2018 |
Durations are approximate as of Oct. 11, 2026. Jolly’s 25-year Republican history was reported by WUSF; his original Republican registration date was not independently verified for this comparison.
Donalds’ documented Democratic registration exceeds Jolly’s by approximately five years and five months. Jolly’s stated Republican history exceeds Donalds’ by approximately eight years.
Jolly’s Defeat, Party Change and Return to Electoral Politics
Jolly lost his 2016 congressional reelection bid as a Republican to Democrat Charlie Crist in Florida’s 13th Congressional District. Published election results show Crist received 184,693 votes to Jolly’s 171,149, winning by 13,544 votes.
Crist, a former Republican governor, had already moved from Republican to independent to Democrat. Jolly later followed the same sequence, although that does not establish identical motivations. Reporting republished on Jolly’s campaign website described his departure from the Republican Party as a response to its direction under Donald Trump.
Jolly declined to endorse Trump in 2016, according to Sunshine State News. PolitiFact subsequently found that a Democratic campaign advertisement portraying Jolly as a Trump ally was inaccurate.
After considering but declining another congressional run in 2018, as reported by Roll Call, Jolly returned to electoral politics with his governor campaign. He registered as a Democrat in April 2025, roughly six weeks before announcing his candidacy June 5—more than a year before the 2026 election.
Different Congressional Terms, Relevant Policy Questions
Official congressional biographies show that Jolly served in Congress from March 2014 through Jan. 3, 2017, during President Barack Obama’s administration. His service ended before Trump’s first inauguration. Donalds entered Congress in January 2021 after serving in the Florida House from 2016 through 2020.
Their congressional terms did not overlap, so this comparison examines different bills rather than votes they cast together.
Both served as Republicans during the votes examined below. Their subsequent or previous party affiliations do not change those legislative records.
Jolly Supported ACA Repeal and Workforce Training
Official U.S. House Clerk records show that Jolly voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act on Feb. 3, 2015. The proposal did not become law, but his vote supported removing a framework that expanded health insurance access for African Americans.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the uninsured rate among nonelderly Black Americans fell from 20.9% in 2010 to 10.8% in 2022 following implementation of the ACA’s coverage provisions. Those gains make health coverage relevant to examining repeal proposals, without establishing that Jolly’s unsuccessful repeal vote caused anyone to lose insurance.
House Clerk records also show that Jolly supported the final House agreement to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act on July 9, 2014. The legislation supported training and employment services for people facing employment barriers, including eligible Black workers and young people. Its programs serve people across racial groups, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Donalds Opposed Voting-Rights and Policing Bills, Backed Antilynching Measure
House Clerk records show that Donalds voted against the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act on Aug. 24, 2021. The proposal sought stronger federal safeguards against racial discrimination in voting, including renewed requirements for certain jurisdictions to obtain approval before changing election practices.
On March 3, 2021, Donalds voted against the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. The congressional bill summary describes proposed protections against racial profiling and changes to police accountability.
In a statement published by his congressional office, Donalds defended his opposition by arguing that the measure would defund and dismantle policing. That was his characterization of the proposal, whose provisions included measures addressing racial profiling and constitutional violations by law enforcement.
Donalds voted for the Emmett Till Antilynching Act on Feb. 28, 2022, according to House Clerk records, supporting federal legislation addressing lynching through hate-crime law—a measure with particular historical significance for African Americans.
What Voters Can Assess
These selected votes document Jolly’s support for ACA repeal and workforce opportunities, and Donalds’ opposition to major voting-rights and policing proposals alongside support for antilynching legislation.
They do not establish discriminatory intent or determine whose entire record benefited African Americans more. That would require a broader review of policies and measurable outcomes, including Donalds’ Florida legislative record.
Donalds spent longer as a documented registered Democrat, while Jolly reports a longer Republican history. Both cast the congressional votes examined here as Republicans.
Either Major-Party Candidate Would Bring a Republican History
If either of the two major-party candidates wins, Florida’s next governor will bring a substantial Republican history to office—Donalds as a current Republican and Jolly as a former Republican congressman now running as a Democrat. Voters can weigh those histories alongside their legislative records, current positions and plans for Florida.
Crimes and Courts
Florida Gambling Crackdown Earns International Award After 14000 Slot Machine Seizures
Published
5 days agoon
October 28, 2026The commission reports more than $24 million in gambling proceeds seized since July 2022, with international recognition highlighting its coordinated enforcement efforts.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN) — The Florida Gaming Control Commission has won the 2026 Regulatory Excellence Award from the International Association of Gaming Regulators, recognizing the agency’s coordinated efforts to combat illegal gambling.
The commission announced the award Oct. 26. The honor recognizes excellence in gaming policy, regulation, compliance and enforcement outcomes.
International Recognition for Coordinated Enforcement
IAGR CEO Kevin Mullally praised the commission’s collaboration with enforcement partners and its support for international efforts against illegal online gambling.
“The Florida Gaming Control Commission’s coordinated approach to combating illegal gambling has produced impressive results,” Mullally said. “Its strategy illustrates the power of collaboration.”
He also recognized the agency’s willingness to support IAGR’s international work targeting illegal online gambling.
Agency Reports 14,000 Illegal Slot Machines Seized
Since beginning operations in July 2022, the commission says it has seized more than 14,000 illegal slot machines and more than $24 million in illegal gambling proceeds.
In the past year, the agency reported shutting down 184 illegal gambling arcades and making 160 arrests.
According to the commission, its investigations have also helped authorities combat illegal narcotics, illegal firearms and dog betting rings connected to criminal gambling operations.
The enforcement figures describe seizures, closures and arrests reported by the agency; arrests do not establish guilt.
Commission Chair Credits Staff and State Support
Commission Chair Julie Brown said the award recognizes the agency’s employees and the support of Florida’s elected leaders.
“We are thrilled to receive such a tremendous honor for our very young agency,” Brown said.
Brown credited Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Florida Legislature and Attorney General James Uthmeier for supporting the commission’s work.
Attorney General Calls for Tougher Penalties
Uthmeier said his office will continue working with the commission to investigate illegal gambling and pursue stronger criminal penalties.
“Illegal gambling operations pose a serious threat to public safety and jeopardize the integrity of gaming in our state,” Uthmeier said.
He said stronger penalties would help hold illegal gambling operators accountable and support law enforcement efforts.
Oversight Extends Beyond Illegal Gambling
The commission’s responsibilities also include regulating authorized gambling activities, including pari-mutuel wagering, cardrooms and slot machine facilities, along with overseeing the state’s gaming compacts. Its authority excludes the Florida Lottery.
Central Florida News
Attorney General James Uthmeter announces 100 felony counts against Kissimmee man, sues AI platform
Published
5 days agoon
October 28, 2026ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Wednesday, Oct. 28, that a Kissimmee man faces 100 felony counts involving child sexual abuse material and images depicting sexual activity with animals. In a separate action, the state sued an artificial intelligence company accused of enabling users to generate sexualized images of children and other people without their consent.
The criminal case names Jerry Jesus Reyes, 26. The civil lawsuit targets Rengstorff Consulting Ltd., the company operating the A2E artificial intelligence platform.
“There is nothing more evil than the sexual exploitation of children, and anyone who possesses, shares, or creates these images is an active participant in that abuse,” Uthmeier said in a statement.
Tip leads to criminal investigation
According to the attorney general’s office, the Reyes investigation began with a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children concerning activity on a Snapchat account.
Detectives with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Unit used subpoenas and search warrants to link the account to Reyes, authorities said. Investigators reported finding files depicting the sexual abuse of children and sexual activity involving an animal.
The charges include:
- 86 counts of unlawful possession of materials depicting sexual performance by a child.
- 13 counts of unlawful possession of materials depicting sexual activity with animals.
- One count of transmitting child pornography by electronic device.
According to the announcement, the child sexual abuse material possession charges were reclassified as first-degree felonies because the case involved 10 or more images. First-degree felonies generally carry a maximum sentence of 30 years per count under Florida law.
The second-degree felony transmission charge carries a five-year mandatory minimum, according to the announcement, and a statutory maximum of 15 years. Third-degree felonies generally carry up to five years per count.
Reyes could face decades in state prison if convicted. His total sentence would depend on the convictions, applicable sentencing provisions and whether the judge orders sentences served concurrently or consecutively.
The attorney general’s office said Reyes was being held at the Osceola County Jail on $100,000 bond, with conditions of release prohibiting internet access and contact with minors.
Senior Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Lauryn Day is prosecuting the case in the Ninth Judicial Circuit.
Separate lawsuit targets AI platform
In the civil case, the state alleges A2E allows users to upload photographs or videos of real people, including children, and generate nude or sexually explicit depictions without their consent.
The complaint also alleges the platform permits users to digitally alter adults to appear underage in sexualized imagery.
Although A2E’s terms prohibit certain abusive content, the state alleges the company failed to enforce those restrictions through adequate monitoring, consent verification and reporting of illegal material.
The complaint cites separate criminal investigations in Tampa and Tallahassee in which people allegedly used A2E to generate child sexual abuse material.
“Predators who traffic in the abuse of children and animals have no place in Florida,” Uthmeier said.
He added that companies profiting from AI tools that facilitate child sexual abuse material or nonconsensual sexual imagery “will be held accountable.”
State seeks injunction and financial penalties
The lawsuit, filed in Sarasota County, alleges violations of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
The state seeks a permanent injunction restricting the company’s provision of the challenged AI tools, restitution, recovery of profits and civil penalties of up to $10,000 per willful violation.
Reyes is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The allegations against Rengstorff Consulting have not been proven in court. Responses from Reyes or his attorney and the company were not included in the materials available for this report.
Central Florida News
FBI Director Kash Patel Addresses Global Threats, Crime-Fighting Partnerships at International Police Conference in Orlando
Published
6 days agoon
October 28, 2026ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — FBI Director Kash Patel discussed bureau priorities, violent crime and cooperation across jurisdictions during the 2026 International Association of Chiefs of Police conference at the Orange County Convention Center.
The annual conference and exposition, held Oct. 24-27, brought together law enforcement professionals from the United States and abroad for training, presentations and discussions about public safety.
Patel addressed the evolving global threat environment and the importance of partnerships among federal, state, local, territorial and international law enforcement agencies confronting violent crime and transnational threats.
FBI priorities and violent crime
Violent crime enforcement was among the priorities Patel discussed during his Orlando visit.
Published coverage of his weekly update from Orlando described a broader agenda encompassing cybercrime, fraud and other investigative responsibilities. The update also highlighted cooperation among the FBI, the Justice Department and state and local authorities.
The conference provided an opportunity for bureau leadership to discuss those priorities with police executives whose agencies work alongside federal investigators.
Cooperation across jurisdictions
Partnerships were a central theme of Patel’s appearance, including coordination among agencies at different levels of government and cooperation with international counterparts.
Transnational investigations can involve suspects, evidence and criminal activity spanning multiple jurisdictions, requiring agencies to work across geographic and institutional boundaries.
Published coverage of Patel’s visit also reported plans for meetings with the Major Cities Chiefs Association and the IACP Board of Directors.
Patel highlights partnerships in X post
“Great to be in Orlando visiting with our brilliant law enforcement partners,” Patel wrote in a post on X about the conference.
Patel described the gathering as drawing more than 20,000 law enforcement professionals, leaders and partners. He credited cooperation with the FBI for reductions in crime.
In the post, Patel cited a 20% reduction in the national murder rate and more than 54,000 FBI violent crime arrests, which he described as a 90% increase.
The post did not specify the reporting periods or underlying datasets for those figures. The statistics were not independently verified for this article..
Global threats and local policing
The changing threat environment was another focus of Patel’s remarks, connecting the FBI’s national responsibilities with challenges facing police departments and their international partners.
The gathering offered law enforcement leaders an opportunity to discuss shared concerns, exchange professional knowledge and strengthen relationships that support investigations.
FBI Director Kash Patel, right, participates in a fireside chat with IACP President David B. Rausch during the Closing General Assembly of the 2026 International Association of Chiefs of Police conference at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Photo by Florida National News.
Training and professional development
Beyond executive presentations, the four-day conference featured educational sessions, networking opportunities and an exposition showcasing products and services for law enforcement.
Organizers identified training, networking and exhibit hall education as the conference’s three central components.
The Orlando event brought those activities together to help police leaders develop their agencies and exchange approaches to public safety.
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Florida National News Staff | News@FloridaNationalNews.com