Donalds and Jolly make final Florida pitches before Tuesday vote
The gubernatorial nominees hold statewide rallies Monday as early voters prepare to cast ballots.
By Kwame Silva ·
Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly are spending the final day of their campaigns on the road across Florida. The two nominees for governor are holding separate rallies on Monday to reach voters before polls open on Tuesday. This is the last chance for candidates to address large crowds before the election is decided at the ballot box.
Donalds began his day in Tarpon Springs with a stop on his "Defending the Florida Dream" bus tour. He traveled to Polk County at noon, where he was joined by Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd and U.S. Senate candidate Ashley Moody. His schedule ends in the afternoon in Sarasota. Jolly and his running mate, Gwen Graham, are finishing their "Believe in Better" tour in Central and South Florida.
The Democratic ticket started in Haines City in Polk County on Monday morning. They then moved east to Brevard County. Their final rallies are set for Palm Beach and Broward counties on Monday night. Both candidates are trying to energize their bases in the final hours before voting begins.
Registered voters who did not cast ballots during the early voting period must vote in person on Tuesday. Polling locations across the state open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. local time. Voters must bring a valid form of photo identification and a signature to the check-in table before they can cast a ballot.
Donalds told supporters over the weekend that he expects a high turnout. "We know that the voters of Florida are going to show up to polls in a major way on Election Day, and we are going to win the race, and I'm going to be your next governor," he said. He argued that the state should not be handed over to a party that has "ruined every other state." He cited lower construction and insurance costs, better roads, and protected aquifers as key priorities.
Jolly focused on economic values during a Sunday event in Miami. He stated that the economy should work for everybody. "Our kids, our grandkids are looking at us when the nation is breaking.. they are one day going to say, ‘Mom, Dad.. when the nation was breaking, what are you doing about it?’" Jolly said. He added that voters should be able to say they came together to change the world, not just win an election.
The candidates are addressing distinct groups of supporters in different regions of the state. Donalds emphasized specific policy goals like road building and agricultural production. Jolly focused on the moral responsibility of voters during times of national difficulty. Both sides are using these final gatherings to set the tone for the vote tomorrow.
