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Vice President Biden remarks at the Caribbean Energy Summit

Published

12 years ago

January 27, 2015

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Mr. Prime Minister, it’s a pleasure to be with you. And, Fred, the Atlantic Council has done an incredible job, and you’re continued focus and commitment matters and forces everyone else to focus. And, Mack McLarty, an old, old friend, the Council of the Americas has been your — how can I say it — your passion for a long time. And it’s very much appreciated.

Presidents, Prime Ministers, representatives from the international community, the private sector, and — if you excuse, as we used to say when I was a senator, a point of personal privilege, Adrienne Arsht. Where are you, Adrienne? She is — there you go. This woman is a fellow Delawarean. We grew up together. She was seven; I was 21. (Laughter.) And she is following in the footsteps of her incredible parents in all the incredibly good things you’ve been doing, not the least of which is this Latin American Center you’ve set up. Thank you, Adrienne.

As Fred said, this is not the first time we’ve gathered to discuss energy security. And for years it’s sort of been the same story. But I want to make a point at the outset here that is different. I have been given — how can I say it — the authority to move this issue for us, but the President of the United States — President Obama — has made it absolutely clear that both the Caribbean and Central America energy and security are, in fact, primary issues for us.

My dad used to have an expression. He said, if everything is equally important to you, nothing is important to you. This is extremely important to us. It’s overwhelmingly in the interest of the United States of America that we get it right, and that this relationship changes for the better across the board. So I want you to know that the combination of those two issues is — are paramount issues with us, equal to anything else we are doing around the world. And we are engaged a great deal, as you know.

And this is also a very propitious moment. I was mentioning this to the Prime Minister. The vice president of the IMF is here. And the IMF has made projections about growth in GDP around the world. And the United States is projected to be one of those areas of the world that is going to grow, and grow significantly at 3.5 percent or more.

The reason I say that is the combination of that, plus low oil prices, plus the plummeting costs of renewable energy gives us a moment, a window here where we will get significant support from the American public because we are doing better to invest more overseas and overseas is just across the water into the Caribbean. We are in a position that I think we should understand there’s a sense of urgency that we take advantage of the opportunities. We had great discussions downstairs, and you’re going to have more here before we leave.

The fact is for years it has been the same. Economies squeezed by the high cost, making companies less competitive, crowding out other investments in the future of your countries; citizens in your countries demanding more affordable supply; expressing their discontent when they hear about investments they don’t seem to see any results in; governments dependent on a single, increasingly unreliable, external supplier. Not just here, but in Europe and other parts of the world, as well.

And whether it’s the Ukraine or the Caribbean, no country should be able to use natural resources as a tool of coercion against any other country.

Energy developers come to your door with exciting ideas. But somehow deals fall apart when it comes to finding the financing. Many of you feel you can’t tolerate the rise in energy prices, given the little space you have to make reforms you know you need to make. But this is an opportunity.

That’s been the story, but it doesn’t need to remain that way. Ladies and gentlemen, when it comes to energy, we’re living in a new moment –- not just in the Caribbean, but worldwide.

Sometimes it took — I can recall when I was a younger senator and we’d talk about the Information Age. By the time we’d caught up to the Information Age, it had already passed government. It had already moved well beyond.

You can talk about that in every state. The question is, how do governments keep up with fundamental changes that are taking place in the world? So it’s up to us to seize this moment and seize it together because a great deal has changed.

Let’s start with oil prices, now under $50 a barrel. This gives governments a little space to breathe, and it’s likely it’s going to remain relatively low for at least the near term, the next several years. There’s an old saying: The best time to fix a roof is when the sun is shining. The best time to fix a roof is when the sun is shining. The sun is shining now figuratively speaking. The time is now.

Renewable energy is affordable. We heard discussions downstairs just how radically the cost has been reduced for renewable energy and how it is producing competitive per-kilowatt hours.

The cost of developing wind and solar energy has fallen by 50 percent just in the last four years. We’re starting to see those technologies outcompete real coal, oil-fired generation in places like Brazil without any subsidies at all.

We have technologies in natural gas that are moving forward. And we shouldn’t expect this to be a panacea for everyone, but it’s also true there are more options at your disposal now for natural gas delivery than there have ever been -— from small-scale barge trades of LNG, to floating import terminals. And they’re not just — these aren’t just designs on paper. They exist. They operate.

You can now purchase gas on the open market from many countries, including your neighbor, Trinidad and Tobago right now. There’s also LNG exporters in the United States with licenses to export to any of your countries, whether you have a free trade agreement or not. If you want gas, go talk to them.

Meanwhile, we’re in the midst of a seismic shift in the global economy: the ascendancy of the Americas as the epicenter of energy production in the world. We have more oil and gas rigs running in the United States, than all the rest of the world combined. Mexico, Canada and the United States is the new epicenter of energy — not the Arabian Peninsula. It is the new epicenter of energy in the 21st century.

An integrated North America, working to promote energy security beyond our borders can be a major asset for the entire hemisphere. And it’s profoundly in the self-interest of the United States to see the Caribbean countries succeed as prosperous, secure, energy-independent neighbors -— not a world apart, but an integral part of the hemisphere, where every nation is middle class, democratic and secure. It’s the first time in history that can be envisioned. You can see it if we make the right decisions.

So taken together, these changes create a moment of energy opportunity that hasn’t existed. Progress is possible. And it’s possible to begin now — not a decade from now, but now. And that’s what we’ve discussed in our meetings today. You can set up an electric sector that uses geothermal energy, hydropower, and other sources to give the system stability.

You can max out your use of renewable energy resources like wind, solar, and biomass, diversifying your supply, keeping your foreign reserves in the bank where you need them. You can leverage energy efficiency in every sector, shrinking the amount of energy you need to keep your economy humming.

Some people out there think that it can’t be done in the Caribbean. They’re dead wrong. They are dead wrong. Not only can it be done, it is being done right now with some of your neighbors.

Look at what the U.S. Virgin Islands are doing: They’re combining renewable energy with propane to lower costs, and secure their supply, saving ratepayers 30 percent on electric bill, while at the same time reducing greenhouse gas emissions
from the fossil fleet by 12 percent.

Solar photovoltaic facilities at the — at the Cyril E. King Airport that the Port Authority is saving nearly $1,000 a day. That’s real money.

Aruba, which united its government, the utilities, and businesses behind a common strategy and action plan, has now brought enough renewable energy online to satisfy 30 percent of their demand, and may even reach 40 percent by the end of this year. That’s demonstrable progress. It’s happening now.

St. Lucia is breaking down the barriers to develop new investments in geothermal energy and is creating new legislation to create a national regulatory body for energy to stabilize the rules of the game and make investments more attractive to those of you who are energy suppliers here in the room.

Barbados has long been the leader in solar technology, and is poised to make major new investments in renewables.

Progress is practical, it is possible, and it is profitable. Significant improvements are within reach for just about every one of your countries. And as I said before, not a decade away. Now. Right now. If, and it’s a big if, you can summon within your systems the political will to seize the promise of this new moment.

Because, as we learned, real and lasting progress toward energy security everywhere in the world depends more than just on spending money. Because over the last 10 years, tens of millions of dollars have been pledged and invested. But we don’t have nearly enough to show for it.

So it can’t just be about money. It has to be about doing business the right way. Government money and targeted international aid can and must be available — is helpful, but the private sector is where the money is.

That’s why the primary goal of this summit isn’t to put up another solar panel, or sign another gas contract. It’s to help you create the conditions where your countries can attract private-sector investment. And it’s there. They’re ready. From hedge funds to private energy companies. This may not be easy, but it’s also not a mystery how it works. The geography may be different. The size and scales of each of your countries may vary. But there are certain core ingredients that remain the recipe for success moving toward energy independence.

First and foremost, you have to deal with corruption. You need to be choosing projects because they’re the most competitive -— not for other reasons. You need update and modernize not just the physical infrastructure, but your institutions and regulations. Rules need to be clear, transparent, and fair. Many of you are already doing that and way ahead of the curve.

Enforcement needs to be predictable under the rule of law. Courts need to adjudicate disputes fairly. You can’t bankrupt yourself on subsidies. Utilities need to be financially viable. It helps if you can harmonize your regulatory frameworks -– so that businesses can look to invest in an entire region, rather than just in a single country — trying to navigate the unique regulations of every country in the region.

We need to talk to the stakeholders, from utilities, to generators, to consumers, to articulate a common vision and create a system that works to realize that vision.

We need to have the political will to take on entrenched interests, to better serve our people. Some of you have been told differently. You’ve been promised easy solutions over the years. But if there were easy solutions and fixes, there would have already been found by now.

We’ve learned that the countries that fare the best are those willing to roll up their sleeves and put everything on the table. They take a determined and holistic approach, with an eye to the long-term. And they make it a paramount priority to attract private investment. This is not either-or. It’s all of the above — concessional loans, international development banks, private sector. All the above.

And I can promise you this: If you commit — and I believe you all are committing — to these goals, to this process, all of us here will work to support you. We’re prepared. I guarantee you we will do our part. And we can afford it. But we’re not going to waste money. We’re going to insist on
considerably more transparency, greater coordination, and changes in the regulations.

We’re not here to replace one flawed financing scheme with another. The United States and the international community
can and will do — and we’ll be involved. We can help. We can make it less difficult but necessary steps take a quantum leap toward energy security — the necessary steps that I’ve referenced and others.

And there’s a lot we can do –- some of which I spoke about in June in the Dominican Republic. In some cases, we can help provide financing. The U.S. government is in the process of establishing a team, a beefed-up team of Overseas Private Investment Corporation, known as OPIC, devoted entirely to the Caribbean. In the past most of our effort has been developing in other parts of the world. But this new focus, we have taken on in a shorthanded agency, an entirely new team to ensure that we focus on the Caribbean, to ensure projects can be connected to financing.

And today, OPIC will disburse its first installment, $90 million, for 34 Mega-Watt wind project by Blue Mountain Renewables in Jamaica. When construction begins in June, it will be a tangible example of what can be achieved when the public and private sector in both countries work together to meet this challenge and meet it head on.

The United States and the international community can also provide technical assistance to help countries attract investment in your energy sectors. USAID announced a $10 million program to supply energy investments in Jamaica; the U.S. Trade and Development Agency has announced three new grants to support clean energy in the Dominican Republic. We’re also looking at similar projects in other parts of the region.

We can help. We can help you build a more comprehensive model as we are working to do so — and we’re doing that as I speak, we’re doing it with the government of Grenada. This is an effort to show what is possible. We’re willing to work with all of you. But we have to be focused. We can help come — we can help convene all of us around the table to discuss and coordinate more effectively — as I promised to do last summer, and as we are doing today, and we’ll move on beyond today.

I’ve spoken at length about what success requires from you.
Let me speak about how, the United States and the donor countries, need to change the way we do business, as well.

We all want to invest in this new future in the Caribbean.
Everyone is well-intentioned. I know it’s easier in the short run to go out and cherry pick, to do a series of one-off projects. But to be effective over the longer term, that has to change.

We donors and investors need to talk to one another. It’s important that international financial institutions are more coordinated and more focused. We need one central fora to make sure our various efforts are aligned and achieve maximum impact in the region. That’s our responsibility. We have not done that thus far for you.

I promised last summer that we’d work within the international financial institutions and with others to do a better job in this coordination. The goal of this meeting today is to walk away with an agreement to create a coordinating mechanism that will maximize energy programs in the region. We support the World Bank’s proposal to create this and we hope you’ll join us in offering your support, as well.

These countries’ and institutions’ presence here at this meeting is encouraging — an encouraging sign. Now it’s important that we back up all we’ve talked about with some real, genuine action. Because imagine what will happen if, together, we finally get this right.

You, the countries of the Caribbean, have a chance at the supply of energy that’s more resilient, more sustainable, cleaner, more affordable than you have ever, ever had.

You have a chance to reduce the number of oil spills, protect your waters, put the money you are saving into schools, hospitals, jobs, infrastructure, and manufacturing. You have a chance to harness the natural wealth of your countries; to find and fuel your economies and save your people money; free up your government budgets and without the burden of insecure supplies of energy; to expand what is possible for the citizens of the Caribbean in the century ahead.

A lot of work lies ahead. I’m not Pollyannaish about this. I know there’s a lot of work. But we have a chance.

And I’d like to conclude in the words with — I was kidding my colleagues earlier today about Irish poets. And my good friend from Trinidad and Tobago said, you know we have a Nobel laureate. I’m going to send you his poems. But there’s an Irish poet Seamus Heaney. He wrote a poem called “The Cure at Troy.” And there’s a paragraph — there’s a stanza in that poem that applies to where I think we all find ourselves today. He said:

History teaches us don’t hope on this side of the grave, but then once in a lifetime,the longed-for tidal wave of justice can rise up, and hope and history rhyme.

We’ve got a chance. We got a chance to make hope and history rhyme here in terms of your economies. And the single-biggest burden that could be lifted from you right now, economically, is the cost of energy and the dependence that you still have on single suppliers. That’s what we can do. It can change everything.

And I know all of you I met with today are competent, committed leaders in your country. You all have the interests of your people at heart. We share your desire. We’re going to try our best to be the best partner we can possibly be in order to have you reach the objective that is within your reach, energy independence in the Caribbean.

So I thank you all for making the trip here. I’ll close where I began our early morning meeting. This meeting was planned for Miami. But it’s all the fault of Colombia that we’re not there. (Laughter.) And I want to explain why. The Miss Universe Pageant took place — (laughter) — seriously, and all the rooms were taken up. That’s because I guess the Colombians knew they were going to beat the American and end up with the runner-up being an American and Miss Universe being Miss Colombia. So I understand that. I understand that. (Laughter.) But that’s the reason you’re in the snow. That’s the reason you’re in the snow. (Laughter.)

Thanks for making the effort to be here. Love you. Thank you. (Applause.)

END
2:55 P.M. EST

Central Florida News

Mario Andretti Headlines First 15 Drivers Named to Sebring’s Historic ‘Class of 75’

Published

22 minutes ago

September 15, 2026

FNN SPORTS

Mario Andretti prepares for the 1970 Twelve Hours of Sebring, where he helped deliver Ferrari an overall victory in one of the most memorable finishes in the endurance race’s history. Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch

Sebring International Raceway begins honoring 75 of the event’s most successful drivers ahead of the historic 75th running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on March 20, 2027

SEBRING, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — Racing legend Mario Andretti headlines the first group of drivers selected for Sebring International Raceway’s “Class of 75,” recognizing 75 of the most successful drivers in the history of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

The recognition comes ahead of the 75th running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on March 20, 2027.

A 10-person panel of sports car racing experts debated and voted on the 75 drivers. The selections have been divided into five groups of 15, with additional names scheduled to be announced monthly through January.

The first Twelve Hours of Sebring was held March 15, 1952. Since then, the endurance race has been canceled only once, in 1974 amid the global energy crisis.

First 15 Drivers Named to ‘Class of 75’

The inaugural group includes Bob Akin, Mario Andretti, Joao Barbosa, Geoff Brabham, Derek Daly, Phil Hill, Bruce Jennings, Sascha Maassen, John Morton, Jim Pace, Hans Stuck, Nick Tandy, Richard Thompson, Fermin Velez and Andy Wallace.

Together, the drivers represent generations of Sebring history, from the race’s formative years to the modern IMSA era.

Andretti’s Place in Sebring History

Andretti made six starts at Sebring, earning three overall victories and one additional class win.

His overall victories came in 1967, 1970 and 1972. His 1970 triumph remains one of the race’s most celebrated finishes.

Andretti started that race from the pole in Ferrari’s No. 19 entry but retired the car with gearbox problems. Ferrari later moved him into the No. 21 Ferrari 512S for the closing stages.

Andretti ultimately defeated Peter Revson by 23.8 seconds, which at the time represented the closest finish in Sebring history.

Champions Across Generations

The Class of 75 also includes Phil Hill, a three-time overall Sebring winner who competed 13 times between 1953 and 1966. Hill won overall in 1958, 1959 and 1961 and added three class victories.

Hans Stuck also earned three overall victories, beginning with BMW’s landmark 1975 win. He returned to Victory Lane with Porsche in 1986 and 1988 and added two class victories during his Sebring career.

Geoff Brabham won overall in 1989 and 1991 during Nissan’s GTP era, while Derek Daly recorded two victories in three Sebring starts.

Fermin Velez captured consecutive overall victories in 1995 and 1996 driving a Ferrari 333SP, while Andy Wallace won back-to-back overall titles in 1992 and 1993 in the Toyota Eagle Mk III.

Tandy Represents Sebring’s Modern Era

Among the modern-era selections is Nick Tandy, who has accumulated one overall victory, three class wins and five podium finishes in 12 Sebring starts.

After class victories with Porsche in 2018, 2019 and 2020, Tandy joined Porsche Penske Motorsport’s prototype program.

His long-awaited overall Sebring victory came in 2025, when he teamed with Felipe Nasr and Laurens Vanthoor in a Porsche 963. The trio defeated the sister Penske entry by just 2.2 seconds.

Privateers and Sebring Mainstays Recognized

The selections extend beyond overall winners.

Bruce Jennings made 18 Sebring appearances and became one of the event’s notable privateer competitors. His 1962 debut produced a class victory and third-place overall finish.

Richard Thompson, known as the “Flying Dentist,” competed in the inaugural 1952 race. Thompson reportedly drove his MG-TD from Washington to Sebring, finished eighth and then drove the car home. He ultimately made 14 Sebring starts and earned two class victories.

Sascha Maassen recorded five Sebring victories, including four consecutive class wins from 2001 through 2004 with Alex Job Racing.

The group also recognizes the achievements of Bob Akin, Joao Barbosa, John Morton and Jim Pace, each of whom earned overall Sebring victories during their careers.

Four More Groups Coming

Sebring will unveil the remaining 60 members of its Class of 75 in four installments.

The next 15 drivers will be announced Oct. 13, followed by additional groups on Nov. 10, Dec. 15 and Jan. 12.

The complete list will ultimately recognize 75 drivers representing the history of America’s oldest major endurance race.

75th Twelve Hours of Sebring Tickets

Tickets, hospitality packages, car corral parking and reserved RV locations are currently in a renewal period through Sept. 16.

General admission tickets and parking passes are scheduled to go on sale Oct. 1. Highlands County resident tickets will also become available Oct. 1 with proof of residency and must be purchased in person at the raceway ticket office.

Fans can find ticket information and join waiting lists for hospitality, car corrals and trackside RV parking through Sebring International Raceway.

The 75th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring is scheduled for March 20, 2027.

Business

Addition Financial Foundation Awards $175,000 to 10 Central Florida Nonprofits

Published

5 days ago

September 10, 2026

FNN NEWS

Members of the Addition Financial Foundation’s 2026 Community Giving Class are recognized during the fifth annual Community Giving Celebration at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando. The foundation awarded $175,000 in unrestricted grants to 10 Central Florida nonprofits supporting communities across the region.

Fifth annual Community Giving Celebration recognizes organizations serving families, students and communities across the region

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — The Addition Financial Foundation honored 10 Central Florida nonprofit organizations Wednesday during its fifth annual Community Giving Celebration, awarding $175,000 in unrestricted grants and providing recipients with year-round organizational support.

The breakfast and awards ceremony was held at Addition Financial Arena on the University of Central Florida campus, bringing together representatives from the nonprofit, government, education and business communities.

Established in 2021, the foundation is the philanthropic arm of Lake Mary-based Addition Financial Credit Union. Each organization selected for the 2026 Community Giving Class was nominated by an Addition Financial team member based on its work in communities served by the credit union.

10 NONPROFITS RECEIVE COMMUNITY GIVING GRANTS

Three organizations — Central Florida Community Arts, Children’s Safety Village and Embrace Health — each received $20,000 grants. Seven additional nonprofits received $15,000 each: Empowered Girls Inc., First Tee Central Florida, Foundation for Foster Children, Gentian Creek Preserve, Prospera, Save a Life Pet Rescue and Tech Sassy Girlz.

The grants are unrestricted, allowing the organizations to direct the funding toward areas they determine will have the greatest impact.

“The Community Giving Celebration gives us an opportunity to shine a light on nonprofit organizations that are addressing important needs and creating meaningful change across our community,” said Cristina Lehman, executive director of the Addition Financial Foundation.

Lehman said the foundation’s involvement extends beyond the grants, including connecting organizations with volunteers, resources and opportunities throughout the year.

ADDITIONAL $5,000 AWARDS PRESENTED

Two additional $5,000 awards were presented during the celebration.

The Greatest Investment Girls Empowerment Program, a previous Community Giving Class participant, received one award. Save a Life Pet Rescue received another following a vote by Addition Financial team members who contribute to the foundation.

In addition to financial support, the 2026 class will receive volunteer assistance from Addition Financial employees, complimentary use of the organization’s community room and workshops on topics including media relations, fundraising and grant writing.

YEAR-ROUND COMMUNITY INVESTMENT

The Community Giving program is designed to build relationships between Addition Financial and nonprofit organizations beyond a single grant cycle.

This year’s recipients work across a range of areas, including arts and culture, child safety, health, youth development, education, foster care, environmental conservation, entrepreneurship, animal rescue and technology education.

Through unrestricted grants and continuing support, the foundation said the program is intended to help nonprofits strengthen their operations while expanding their impact throughout Central Florida.

Florida

Byron Donalds Secures Endorsement From Gainesville Democrat Cynthia Moore Chestnut, Spotlighting Cross-Party Politics

Published

1 week ago

September 5, 2026

FNN NEWS

Longtime Democratic leader backs Republican nominee as state Sen. LaVon Bracy Davis pushes back, renewing debate over the impact of cross-party endorsements in Florida politics

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (FNN) — Republican gubernatorial nominee Byron Donalds has secured the endorsement of Gainesville City Commissioner Cynthia Moore Chestnut, a longtime Democrat and former state lawmaker, drawing criticism from fellow Democrats and putting Florida’s history of cross-party political support in the spotlight.

Proud to have the endorsement of Cynthia Moore Chestnut, a longtime public servant who has represented her community at the city, county, and state levels.
I’m honored to have her support as our movement continues to grow across Florida! pic.twitter.com/r0oARJB15o
— Byron Donalds (@ByronDonalds) September 3, 2026

Chestnut announced her support for Donalds on Thursday and followed with a lengthy explanation defending her decision. She said she remains a Democrat but does not believe party affiliation should dictate her vote.

“My endorsement of Byron Donalds is not a betrayal of my values; it is a declaration that Black voters are not political property,” Chestnut wrote.
Chestnut, a former Florida House member, Alachua County commissioner and Democratic Party leader, said she wants to see Florida elect a Black governor in her lifetime.

That gives the endorsement additional historical significance. Donalds, who won the Republican nomination in Florida’s Aug. 18 primary, is seeking to become Florida’s first Black governor, according to The Associated Press.

The endorsement is also notable because Chestnut previously supported Democratic gubernatorial nominee David Jolly before shifting her support to his Republican opponent. Current reporting confirms Chestnut’s endorsement and her subsequent defense of the decision.

Florida Democratic state Sen. LaVon Bracy Davis, who represents Central Florida in the Florida Senate.

State Sen. LaVon Bracy Davis Pushes Back on Donalds Endorsement

Democratic state Sen. LaVon Bracy Davis of Ocoee responded with an extensive public statement saying she was “deeply disappointed” by Chestnut’s decision.

Bracy Davis focused much of her criticism on Donalds’ record on voting rights, including his opposition to federal voting-rights legislation and to the proposed Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Florida Voting Rights Act, which Bracy Davis sponsors.

“I want to see a Black governor of Florida in my lifetime too,” Bracy Davis wrote, while arguing that representation should not be separated from a candidate’s voting record and policy positions.

The disagreement presents competing views of political independence. Chestnut argues that Black voters should not be treated as the political property of either party. Bracy Davis argues that representation should be weighed against a candidate’s record and policies.

Byron Donalds’ Jim Crow Remarks Resurface

Bracy Davis also invoked Donalds’ controversial 2024 comments about Black families during the Jim Crow era.

Donalds said at a Philadelphia event that “during Jim Crow, the Black family was together” while discussing marriage and family structure. Democrats sharply criticized the remarks, while Donalds rejected interpretations that he was praising segregation.

The distinction is important: Donalds did not explicitly say Black Americans were better off under Jim Crow.

Cynthia Moore Chestnut Points to FAMU and Black Representation

Chestnut also cited Donalds’ connection to Florida A&M University and the importance she places on Black representation.

Donalds attended FAMU before transferring to Florida State University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree.

Chestnut, a FAMU graduate, said she respects Donalds’ support for historically Black colleges and universities and also cited shared cultural connections through his Jamaican and Panamanian family background.

Bracy Davis countered that attending an HBCU should not substitute for examining a candidate’s political record.

David Jolly, the 2026 Democratic nominee for Florida governor, previously represented Florida in Congress as a Republican from 2014 to 2017. He left the Republican Party in 2018, became politically unaffiliated and registered as a Democrat in 2025. Jolly faces Republican nominee Byron Donalds in the general election.

David Jolly, a former Republican congressman who became a Democrat in 2025, is the Democratic nominee for governor of Florida in 2026. Source David Jolly

David Jolly Was a Republican Before Becoming a Democrat in 2025

Party affiliation adds another dimension to the controversy.

Democratic gubernatorial nominee David Jolly represented Florida in Congress as a Republican from 2014 to 2017. He left the Republican Party in 2018 and became an independent.

Jolly remained unaffiliated for several years before registering as a Democrat in April 2025, as he considered entering the 2026 governor’s race.

He subsequently entered the race and won the Democratic nomination in the Aug. 18 primary. AP described the contest as Donalds, the Republican nominee, against Jolly, a former Republican congressman running as the Democratic nominee.

The circumstances differ from Chestnut’s decision: Jolly formally changed parties; Chestnut says she remains a Democrat while supporting the Republican nominee.

The history nevertheless creates an unusual political contrast: a longtime Democrat is supporting Donalds over a Democratic nominee who previously represented Florida in Congress as a Republican.

Byron Donalds Adds $1 Million From Orlando-Based Morgan & Morgan

Chestnut’s endorsement comes as Donalds continues attracting substantial financial support heading into the general election.

A Florida National News review of Florida Division of Elections campaign-finance records found that Morgan & Morgan contributed $1 million to Friends of Byron Donalds PAC on Aug. 26, 2026.

The contribution appears in the committee’s 2026 G1A report and identifies the contributor as “Morgan & Morgan,” with an address at 20 N. Orange Ave., 16th Floor, Orlando.

The same report shows 18 contributions totaling approximately $1.93 million, meaning the Morgan & Morgan contribution accounted for more than half of the money listed in that group of contributions.

Morgan & Morgan was founded by Orlando attorney John Morgan, who has a long history of political involvement and support for Democratic candidates and causes, although his political activity has crossed party lines.

The distinction is important: Florida’s filing identifies Morgan & Morgan — not John Morgan personally — as the contributor of the $1 million.

For Donalds, the developments represent two different forms of support as the general election takes shape: a seven-figure contribution from a prominent Orlando law firm and a cross-party endorsement from a Democratic elected official with decades of experience in Florida politics.

A 2024 election mailer from Orlando PAC features Democratic Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer’s endorsements, including Republican former Winter Park Mayor Steve Leary for Orange County Commission District 5. The slate also included Maxwell Alejandro Frost, Melissa Vickers, Scott Randolph, Karen Castor Dentel and Stephanie Vanos. The mailer illustrates cross-party support in an officially nonpartisan county race and is relevant to the broader debate over Democratic officials endorsing Republican candidates in Central Florida.

Democratic Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer included Republican Steve Leary among his endorsed candidates for the 2024 election. The Orlando PAC mailer promoted Leary for Orange County Commission District 5 alongside several Democratic candidates. Source Winter Park Voice

Buddy Dyer, Gary Siplin and Victoria Siplin Show Cross-Party Support Is Not New

Chestnut’s decision has generated attention, but Democratic elected officials supporting Republican candidates is not unprecedented in Central Florida.

During the 2024 Orange County Commission District 5 race, Democratic Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer endorsed Republican former Winter Park Mayor Steve Leary.

Political Rivals: Samuel Vilchez Santiago lost the 2020 Florida House District 48 Democratic primary to Daisy Morales, who went on to win the seat. During Morales’ 2022 reelection campaign, Vilchez Santiago supported Rita Harris, who defeated Morales in the Democratic primary. Vilchez Santiago later chaired the Orange County Democratic Party during the 2024 dispute over Morales’ party status. In their 2026 House District 43 rematch, the dispute resurfaced in news coverage and FHDCC attack mailers alleging Morales endorsed Republicans and was expelled from the local party. The mailers identified the Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee as the payer and Vilchez Santiago as approving them. Morales disputes the allegations and has challenged them through litigation and an election complaint.

Samuel Vilchez Santiago, then-chairman of the Orange County Democratic Executive Committee, told Winter Park Voice that the organization “sent out texts and mailers alerting voters that Leary is a Republican, not a Democrat.” Vilchez Santiago said those communications were not issued in response to Dyer’s endorsement, but were intended to educate voters.

However, former Democratic state Sen. Gary Siplin and Orange County Commissioner Victoria Siplin, also a Democrat, supported Leary as well.

Those endorsements occurred in an officially nonpartisan county election, an important distinction from the partisan governor’s race, although the candidates’ political affiliations were publicly known.

The examples nevertheless demonstrate that prominent Central Florida Democrats have previously crossed party lines to support Republican candidates.

Then-Orange County School Board Vice Chair Angie Gallo publicly endorses Joel Montilla for Orange County Commission District 5 in a campaign graphic paid for and approved by Montilla’s campaign. Source: Joel Montilla Campaign

Angie Gallo Endorsed Republican Joel Montilla and Served as His Campaign Manager

Another example emerged during the same 2024 Orange County Commission election.

Angie Gallo, an elected Orange County School Board member who served as board vice chair, publicly endorsed Republican Joel Montilla during his campaign for the District 5 commission seat.

Her involvement extended beyond an endorsement.

A Joel Montilla campaign press release dated Oct. 24, 2023, identifies “Angie Gallo — Campaign Manager” in the campaign’s contact information, providing direct campaign documentation of her role.

The campaign subsequently publicized Gallo’s endorsement of Montilla.

The distinction is significant: the documentary record establishes both a formal campaign-management role and a public endorsement.

The Orange County Commission race was officially nonpartisan, although Montilla’s Republican affiliation was publicly known.

Gallo’s involvement provides additional context for questions about when cross-party political activity becomes subject to internal Democratic Party rules.

Rep. Yvonne Hayes Hinson, D-Gainesville, Rep. Daisy Morales, D-Orlando, Rep. Tray McCurdy, D-Orlando (in front) and Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville, protest on the Florida Seal as debate is halted in the House of Representatives Thursday, April 21, 2022, at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. The session was halted by the protest, but continued after a brief recess. Phil Sears AP

Former Democratic State Rep. Daisy Morales Adds Context to Party-Loyalty Debate

Former Orlando state Rep. Daisy Morales, a Puerto Rican Democrat, provides another Central Florida example relevant to the debate over party loyalty and political independence.

In 2022, Morales, a Puerto Rican lawmaker known for working across party lines, represented a Central Florida district with a significant Puerto Rican population.

On April 21, 2022, Morales joined Black Democratic lawmakers protesting a congressional redistricting map backed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on the Florida House floor.

The demonstration received state and national attention.

The Miami Herald reported that several Black Democrats disrupted debate and that Democratic lawmakers sang “We Shall Overcome,” temporarily forcing the House into recess.

The Herald identified Morales alongside Democratic Reps. Yvonne Hinson, Travaris McCurdy and Angie Nixon in its reporting and accompanying photograph.

Morales carried a sign declaring:

“Legislators serve the people. Not your party.”

The Herald reported that McCurdy, Nixon and Rep. Felicia Robinson sat in the center aisle while more than a dozen Democratic colleagues gathered around them in solidarity. The Republican-controlled House later approved the congressional map 68-38 along party lines.

The demonstration also received national coverage.

NBC News, in reporting preserved through syndication, identified Morales as the Hispanic representative participating in the demonstration and subsequently issued a correction after initially identifying another lawmaker.

The episode placed Morales alongside Black Democratic lawmakers in one of the Legislature’s most visible protests of the 2022 congressional redistricting fight.

FNN also reported on the demonstration at the time, describing Democratic lawmakers as temporarily shutting down House proceedings while protesting the congressional map.

Two years later, Morales became involved in an Orange County Democratic Party dispute over an alleged loyalty-oath violation connected to the 2024 Orange County Commission District 5 election.

Morales disputes that she endorsed Republican Joel Montilla, maintaining that her involvement was limited to joining his campaign-launch host committee. Montilla has separately told FNN that Morales did not endorse him.

That creates a notable factual contrast with Gallo: Montilla’s own campaign documentation identifies Gallo as his campaign manager, and she subsequently publicly endorsed him.

The available record does not, however, establish that Morales and Gallo were subject to identical Democratic Party membership requirements, loyalty provisions or disciplinary authority.

Democratic state Rep. Jose Alvarez, center, speaks on the Florida House floor alongside Democratic state Rep. Susan Valdés, left, and Republican state Rep. Fabián Basabe, right. Source: Florida House

State Rep. Jose Alvarez Crossed Party Lines, Then Withdrew His Support

Cross-party support has also occurred in partisan legislative politics.

Democratic state Rep. Jose Alvarez of Kissimmee endorsed Republican state Rep. Fabián Basabe for reelection in 2025, saying his decision reflected his experience working with Basabe rather than their different party affiliations.

Alvarez later rescinded the endorsement in July 2026 and called for Basabe to resign following a civil jury verdict involving two former House employees.

The episode nevertheless provides another recent example of a Central Florida Democrat publicly supporting a Republican candidate.

Cross-Party Support and Democratic Party Discipline Are Different Questions

The examples involving Chestnut, Dyer, the Siplins, Gallo, Morales and Alvarez highlight an important distinction between cross-party political support and internal party discipline.

Being a registered Democrat or Democratic elected official does not necessarily make someone subject to the same county party loyalty oath, bylaws or disciplinary procedures.

That distinction is part of an unresolved dispute involving former state Rep. Daisy Morales, who filed a defamation lawsuit and sought a Florida Elections Commission investigation challenging campaign claims that she endorsed Republicans and was expelled from the Orange County Democratic Party. The allegations remain unresolved, and no finding of an election-law violation has been established.

The comparison with Angie Gallo is notable. The documentary record establishes Gallo’s formal role in Republican Joel Montilla’s campaign and her public endorsement, while Morales disputes endorsing Montilla — and Montilla has independently said Morales did not endorse him.

Whether the two were subject to the same party rules and disciplinary authority remains a separate factual question. Their situations can therefore be compared politically without assuming they constituted identical violations of Democratic Party rules.

Cynthia Moore Chestnut Says She Remains a Democrat

Chestnut has made clear that she does not consider supporting Donalds a departure from the Democratic Party.

“This endorsement does not mean I have stopped being a Democrat,” she wrote.

Instead, Chestnut framed her decision as an exercise of political independence and argued that Black voters should not be expected to support candidates solely on the basis of party affiliation.

Bracy Davis sees the endorsement differently, arguing that Donalds’ record on voting rights and other issues conflicts with principles Chestnut has advocated during decades in Democratic politics.

Their disagreement has transformed a single gubernatorial endorsement into a broader discussion about representation, party loyalty, policy and political identity.

What Comes Next: Will Other Democrats Follow Chestnut?

Chestnut’s endorsement now raises a broader question heading into the general election: Will other Democratic elected officials or longtime party leaders cross party lines and publicly support Donalds?

For now, Chestnut represents a notable individual endorsement rather than evidence of a broader Democratic movement toward the Republican nominee.

But the question carries added significance because of the historic nature of Donalds’ candidacy.

The Associated Press reported after the Aug. 18 primary that Donalds won the Republican nomination and is seeking to become Florida’s first Black governor. AP also placed Donalds among a historically significant group of Black major-party gubernatorial nominees running across the country in 2026.

Donalds has emphasized that winning the general election will require more than support from within his Republican base. After the primary, he told reporters that President Donald Trump’s endorsement was important but would not, by itself, carry him through the general election.

Chestnut has placed greater emphasis on the historic dimension. In explaining her endorsement, she explicitly cited her desire to see a Black governor of Florida during her lifetime.

That makes what happens next worth watching: whether Chestnut’s endorsement remains an individual cross-party decision or whether additional Democratic elected officials, party figures or other traditionally Democratic political supporters make similar choices before November.

The 2026 contest already presents an unusual political contrast: Donalds is seeking to become Florida’s first Black governor, while Jolly represented Florida in Congress as a Republican, left the GOP in 2018 and became a Democrat in 2025. Chestnut, a Democrat with decades of party involvement who says she remains one today, has chosen to support Donalds.

Whether other Democrats follow Chestnut remains an open question.