The political ads filling Suncoast airwaves during the governor’s race between David Jolly and Byron Donalds have drawn sharp criticism from a Suncoast Post editorial that argues the campaigns have leaned on fear and deception over substance. Among the examples: a Friends of Byron Donalds PAC ad that PolitiFact rated False for editing Jolly’s comments on gender-affirming care to misrepresent what he said, and a FOX 13 Tampa Bay report finding a Donalds ad cited a study about a different proposal than Jolly’s insurance plan. Both campaigns have also traded “hurricane tax” accusations, a phrase that resonates a little harder in communities still recovering from recent storm seasons.
The scale of the ad blitz is staggering. AdImpact projects $11.6 billion in political ad spending nationwide for the 2026 cycle, including roughly $5.6 billion on broadcast television. That spending arrives as a 2023 Pew Research survey found 65 percent of adults always or often feel exhausted by politics. The editorial’s suggestion: ask what an ad actually proposes, what it would cost, and who is paying for it. Station political ad records are available in FCC public inspection files, and they are open to anyone.
There is a practical takeaway here for Suncoast voters of every party. Before a thirty-second spot shapes your view of a candidate, take five minutes to check the claim, verify the source, and see who funded it. Elections are decided by people who show up informed.
Have you fact-checked a political ad this cycle? Tell us what you found in the comments.
