Analysis by WorldTribune Staff, August 17, 2026 Non-AI Real World News
The Free State of Florida was one of the first to resist the devastating lockdowns imposed by the Covid overlords.
While Floridians were enjoying that freedom, David Jolly was fleeing the state. He headed for locked-down Pennsylvania, where he proceeded to bash the Sunshine State and Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Jolly even proclaimed that obeying strict Covid rules was "greater than the calling of personal freedom."
Breitbart's Hannah Knudsen noted that Jolly had once told a group of people that he and his wife ask themselves every single day, "Should we raise our children in this state?"
Now, Jolly is running for governor of Florida as a Democrat.
He is expected to win Tuesday's Democrat primary. Polls show him with a substantial lead over the four other candidates. The candidate who polled closest to Jolyy, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, pulled out of the race in June after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
During the pandemic, Jolly fled Florida as millions flocked to the state of Florida to taste the freedom. Jolly said the policies of DeSantis which kept the sate open were an "abject failure."
"Look at Florida. There is no other way to evaluate Ron DeSantis's record in Florida than an abject failure when it comes to the public health of the citizenry. Over 20 million people in the state of Florida. It's an abject failure by Ron DeSantis to be the custodian of the state's public health, and you're seeing that," he said during an interview on MSNBC at the time.
"Look, we knew the inevitability of schools opening last week, and Ron DeSantis saying, 'I am not going to let school boards say you must wear a mask.' Nicole, you well know our children are not of school age, but if they were, I would not put my kids in a school in the state of Florida today, and that is because of the leadership of one person, Ron DeSantis, who has also been enabled and elevated and protected by Republican leaders around the state," Jolly continued.
Jolly then went as far as asserting that "personal freedom" be damned.
"He has created a public health crisis in the state of Florida, Ron DeSantis has, by his failure to recognize this is a moment for something greater than the calling of selfishness, greater than the calling of personal freedom. This is a moment where we do good for the collective, for society, and for the country," Jolly said.
Jolly openly stated that he favored mandates in all schools for masks and the Covid shots.
"Do you favor a mandate in all schools? Do you favor vaccination mandates, mask wearing, and so forth? The answer is yes. I do believe that vaccination should be required for schools," he said, once going as far as stating that Jesus would wear a mask and get vaccinated as well.
"What would Jesus do in a pandemic if you have a contagion?" he asked. "You would protect yourself and your fellow American and your fellow traveler from that contagion."
Byron Donalds, who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, leads in polling on the Republican side.
"Some good news for David Jolly: In just 78 days, he can take his Fauci prayer candles back to Pennsylvania and leave the governing to real leaders who want to continue Florida's success under conservative leadership," Byron Donalds for Governor Communications Director Gates McGavick said in a statement obtained by Breitbart News. "Once Byron wins in November, there will be even more winning in Florida and Jolly won't be able to stand it!"
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