With six days until Election Day, Florida’s gubernatorial candidates are moving past slogans and hinting at how they’d actually govern. Republican Byron Donalds said that if the state’s rainy day fund is already statutorily full, the money might be better spent letting Floridians pay less in taxes. He also framed himself as a continuation of Governor Ron DeSantis’s policies. Democrat David Jolly countered with a hard-edged promise: his first act as governor would be firing the state surgeon general, and he said he would use the powers of the office aggressively.
On the Suncoast, both messages have real weight. Tax relief speaks to residents grappling with insurance premiums, property taxes, and hurricane-season uncertainty. Public health leadership matters in a region where red tide warnings and emergency response decisions affect beach towns from Bradenton to Sarasota. The contrast is clear, and the window to weigh in is nearly shut. Early voting runs until Oct. 31 in some counties and Nov. 1 in others, so the deadline depends on where you live.
Whether you’re a year-round resident or a snowbird heading back for the season, this election shapes the next four years of state policy. Check your county’s early voting schedule this week, and don’t wait until the last minute. Which issue matters more to you: tax relief or new public health leadership?
