Florida’s governor’s race: Where Byron Donalds and David Jolly stand on key issues

TAMPA, Fla. - Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly are competing to become Florida's next governor as term limits prevent Gov. Ron DeSantis from running again.

Florida Gubernatorial Candidates

The backstory:

Florida voters are preparing to select their next governor in an open race to succeed incumbent Gov. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis, who took office after defeating Andrew Gillum in 2018 and secured reelection against Charlie Crist in 2022, is ineligible to run due to constitutional consecutive term limits. 

U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds grew up in New York, graduated from Florida State University, and served in the Florida House representing Hendry and east Collier counties before his election to Congress. David Jolly, a Dunedin native who earned his law degree from George Mason University, previously represented Pinellas County in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2014 to 2017.

Data Center Moratorium

Why you should care:

The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence data centers across the state has sparked widespread debate over local utility costs and resource usage.

Donalds supports allowing data center development while requiring facilities to pay their own utility costs under existing state laws, emphasizing that local governments should retain control over zoning, approval and permitting. 

Jolly proposes imposing a one-year moratorium on new data centers while state officials evaluate their impact on electricity, water, neighborhoods, property values and the environment. He notes that a permanent ban remains a possibility depending on research outcomes. 

Home Insurance Crisis

By the numbers:

Property insurance costs and hurricane risks continue to present major financial challenges for Florida homeowners. Jolly claims his proposal to create a state catastrophic fund covering wind and hurricane risks could reduce homeowners' insurance premiums by 60% to 70%. He suggests funding the initiative through existing catastrophic fund dollars, tourist taxes, restrictions on insurer profit shifting and rolling back lawsuit restrictions.

Donalds supports preserving the existing system while making state-backed reinsurance cheaper and more accessible for private insurers. His plan focuses on preserving tort reforms, keeping Citizens Property Insurance small, expanding My Safe Florida Home premium discounts, speeding up building permits to lower rebuilding costs, and creating an insurance scorecard to track claims and denials.

K-12 Education Reform

The other side:

Education policy highlights contrasting visions between investing in traditional public schools and expanding school choice options.

Donalds wants to expand school choice, so education funding follows the student, proposing earlier reading interventions, free tutoring for struggling third-graders, bonus pay for high-performing reading teachers, and customized post-secondary career pathways.

Jolly advocates for greater state investment in public schools, including higher teacher pay, expanded early childhood education and student mental health support. He also proposes applying the same basic standards to private schools receiving taxpayer-funded vouchers and means-testing the voucher program. 

Higher Education Access

Big picture view:

Admissions priorities and university programming reflect key differences in higher education strategy.

Jolly supports giving qualified Florida high school graduates preferred consideration for admission to public universities, arguing state-funded institutions should prioritize resident students. 

Donalds opposes diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in public universities while emphasizing merit-based admissions alongside expanded workforce training and apprenticeship alternatives.

State Housing Affordability

Local perspective:

Rising housing and construction expenses remain central to both candidates' platforms.

Jolly proposes direct state investments in workforce and affordable housing, down-payment assistance for first-time buyers, expanded renter assistance, and zero-interest state-backed loans to help condominium owners handle special assessments. 

Donalds focuses on making homes cheaper to build by speeding up permitting, reducing development timelines and streamlining government approvals.

Property Tax Relief

What they're saying:

Tax proposals focus on broad relief versus protecting municipal revenue streams.

Donalds supports Amendment 3 with the ultimate goal of eliminating homestead property taxes entirely, suggesting targeted relief for working families and seniors if broad elimination is delayed. 

Jolly opposes Amendment 3 due to the high financial burden it places on local governments, favoring targeted property tax relief such as expanded exemptions for first-time buyers.

Infrastructure and Growth

What's next:

Managing state infrastructure demands presents two distinct approaches to Florida's ongoing population growth.

Donalds wants to build infrastructure faster to match growth, prioritizing roads, bridges and energy projects while cutting regulatory delays.

Jolly advocates for restoring comprehensive statewide growth management with increased investments in transportation, infrastructure, housing, multimodal transit and high-speed rail before expansion continues. 

Environmental Protection

Big picture view:

Conservation plans focus on environmental policy broader impacts versus specific water restoration projects.

Jolly calls for treating climate change as a major policy issue, with increased funding for climate resilience, clean water, state parks and beaches tied to the tourism and fishing economy. 

Donalds emphasizes targeted water projects, including completing Everglades restoration, improving wastewater systems, reducing runoff and algae, protecting springs and aquifers, and safeguarding beaches from storms.

Energy Grid Options

Why you should care:

Utility pricing and power generation strategies outline the state's long-term energy plans.

Donalds favors an "all-of-the-above" strategy including natural gas and small modular nuclear reactors to ensure reliable power generation.

Jolly wants utilities to integrate more solar and renewable energy to reduce reliance on natural gas, while capping investor-owned utility returns at the national average to lower electric bills. 

Healthcare System Reform

The other side:

Healthcare accessibility and coverage proposals remain split between expansion and market transparency.

Jolly supports expanding Medicaid to increase access to healthcare, including community health centers and primary care. 

Donalds opposes government-run health coverage expansions, proposing instead to reduce healthcare costs through mandatory price transparency for common procedures and cutting prior authorization hurdles.

The Source: The information in this story was gathered from official platform statements provided by candidates Byron Donalds and David Jolly, state legislative records, and public reporting on the data-center debate featured on FOX 13 News.