David Jolly brought his campaign for governor to Florida A&M University on Monday, telling students in Tallahassee he would expand diversity in Florida’s public institutions and fund local DEI programs by executive order. The town hall closed out FAMU’s gubernatorial series ahead of the Nov. 3 general election. Jolly, a former Republican congressman now running as a Democrat, said the race could hinge on roughly 10% of undecided Black voters in Florida, calling them the most important front in the election.
The visit came roughly a month after Republican opponent Byron Donalds held his own town hall at FAMU. With no general election debates scheduled this year, both candidates have leaned on campus events to reach voters directly, and the FAMU stops have become one of the few places where the two campaigns have competed for the same room.
Hurricane Isaias also shaped the final stretch of the race. Jolly suspended political advertising and fundraising during the storm, saying he wanted to help children who were missing meals. Donalds’ campaign continued sending fundraising texts. Early voting is already open across Florida.
Does a candidate’s storm response change how you vote, or do you separate the two?
