David Jolly picks Gwen Graham as Democratic ticket running mate in Florida

David Jolly, the Pinellas Democrat leading his party’s race for governor, announced Wednesday that former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham will join him on the ticket.

Jolly is the first major gubernatorial candidate to announce his lieutenant governor.

Graham is the daughter of former Florida Gov. Bob Graham. She ran for governor in 2018 but lost in the primary to Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, who was the more progressive candidate.

Jolly, who was a Republican when he served as Pinellas’ U.S. representative, has run his campaign as a moderate Democrat. Graham joins him on the ticket in the center-left.

Her loss in 2018 to the U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders-endorsed Gillum was seen as a rejection of Graham’s milder, occasionally Republican-friendly brand of politics. Gillum later lost to Republican Ron DeSantis in the general election by less than half a percentage point.

But the Florida of 2026, branded by DeSantis as the ideal state for conservatives, isn’t the Florida of 2018. Jolly and Graham are embracing their centrist bona fides rather than running away from them.

When launching his campaign, Jolly said his policies had changed but his values hadn’t, emphasizing his belief in fiscal restraint and small government.

Jolly’s announcement comes a week after his main opponent for the Democratic nomination, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, withdrew from the race after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Among Republicans, there are several high-profile candidates, including President Donald Trump’s pick, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds. Other Republicans include investor James Fishback, former House Speaker Paul Renner and Lt. Gov. Jay Collins.

DeSantis is term-limited. He has not yet endorsed a candidate to replace him.

The primary election is Aug. 18.

This story was originally published June 10, 2026 at 12:43 PM with the headline "David Jolly picks Gwen Graham as Democratic ticket running mate in Florida."