Meet the Republicans Voting Blue in Florida
Bobby Williams, a third-generation Floridian and founder of a disaster relief nonprofit, was one in the crowded field of Republican candidates in Florida this summer seeking to replace Gov. Ron DeSantis. A conservative from rural Polk County, Williams’ platform centered on preserving the state’s agricultural land and halting development, including data centers, as more people […]
Bobby Williams, a long-time Republican from rural Polk County, found himself supporting Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Jolly in Florida. Williams, a founder of a disaster relief nonprofit, lost the Republican nomination to Byron Donalds but chose to publicly endorse Jolly, citing that his message had changed to focus on "We the People" instead of big corporations.
Williams' decision to support a Democrat was not alone; other Republicans, including current and former officials, have also endorsed Jolly. Jolly, a former GOP member of Congress, has vowed to halt data center development and campaign funding from big corporations, garnering support from cross-party endorsements in other states like Iowa and Texas.
Despite the high stakes, Jolly faces an uphill battle to break the Republican control of the governor's office, which has been unbroken for 27 years. The changing support from Republicans reflects growing discontent over issues like rising gas prices, high grocery costs, and voter disapproval of Trump's actions.
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