Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has had an eventful two-term, eight-year run in the governor's mansion, and having reached his term limit it's time to elect his successor.
The Nov. 3 general election field for his replacement includes winners of the Democrat and Republican primaries, a Libertarian candidate and a number of No Party Affiliation candidates.
Here's a cross-section of those who did, and a few who didn't, answer questions based on voter questions and expressed priorities. Each of the candidates within a race were asked the same questions and given the same amount of time to respond. The candidates' answers were fact checked and only edited for space considerations. Therefore, this is no a comprehensive list of the candidates.
David Jolly, Democrat
Age: 53
Residence: Indian Rocks Beach
Occupation: Attorney
Education: Emory University B.A. in History, 1994; George Mason University J.D. cum laude, 2001
What are the most pressing problems you want to address, and what do you suggest to solve them?
My top priorities are housing, healthcare, and education. I will lower homeowners' insurance costs by creating a state catastrophic fund and investing in workforce and affordable housing. I will expand Medicaid and access to primary care through community health clinics, nonprofits, and federally qualified health centers. I will lead a 10-year renaissance in public education by raising teacher pay and ensuring that all publicly funded choice schools meet the same academic and service standards.
According to a University of North Florida poll, Floridians say housing affordability is their top issue. What are your solutions for dealing with Florida’s affordability issue?
Florida's affordability crisis starts with housing. I'll work to lower homeowners' insurance costs by creating a state catastrophic fund that removes hurricane coverage from the private market, reducing premiums. I'll fully fund the Sadowski Housing Trust Fund to expand workforce and affordable housing, remove unnecessary barriers to increasing supply, and invest in smart growth so working families, seniors, veterans, and young Floridians can afford a place to call home.
Please vote yes or no on the constitutional amendment to slash property taxes and explain your position: No.
I am concerned that the current effort is rushed and puts critical services and rural counties at risk, while likely shifting the tax burden to renters. We do need property tax relief. As Governor, I would propose moving to greater local control of property taxes, exemptions, and spending, recognizing and better addressing the financial disparity between urban and rural communities.
Utility costs are rising for customers in Florida, and the proliferation of data centers is expected to exacerbate that issue. How should Florida’s utility regulators respond?
Florida should place an immediate moratorium on new data centers until regulations address their impacts on electricity demand, water resources, and utility costs. Families should not subsidize massive commercial energy users. I support capping regulated utility profits at the national average to lower bills while maintaining reliable service. We must also accelerate clean, renewable energy to reduce costs and protect Florida's environment.
What do you think is the biggest environmental issue the government should address in Florida? Florida must address water pollution and quality throughout the state, continue Everglades restoration, address contamination north of Lake Okeechobee that contributes to unhealthy discharges, protect springs, wetlands, and beaches from overdevelopment, and maintain a ban on offshore oil drilling. We must also strengthen resilient infrastructure to address sea level rise, flooding, and stronger storms while expanding clean energy and smart growth to protect our environment and economy.
What is the single biggest issue the government should address when it comes to public education in Florida?
The single biggest issue the government should address in public education is how we value our teachers. The David Jolly Administration will embark on a statewide strategic plan, appoint a non-partisan task force to create a 10 year plan to reimagine education, promote best practices, and elevate Florida's profile as a state that values parents, students, and teachers.
Do you agree with the current federal and state governments’ approaches to immigration enforcement?
The Governor does not control federal immigration policy. However, Florida has an obligation to ensure that facilities operating within its borders comply with legal standards, constitutional protections, and basic human dignity.
Florida must approach immigration with common sense, and constitutional integrity. The Governor cannot solve federal immigration challenges alone, but can ensure Florida's policies are responsible, transparent, and focused on public safety rather than political theater.
Do you believe abortion restrictions in Florida should be more strict, less strict, or stay the same?
I believe the abortion restrictions in Florida are too strict. However I will respect the will of the voters. The David Jolly administration will support responsible policy to address the disproportionate impact on families, educational resources and access to healthcare. We would work to strengthen Florida's protection of individuals to make their own healthcare decisions without the interference of government.
Do you support expanding the eligible uses of the Tourist Development Tax under state law? If so, how would you allow local governments to use the TDT (i.e., for public infrastructure, transit, affordable housing, public safety)? If not, why not?
My priorities include the economy with an emphasis on housing, healthcare and education. Our administration would follow Florida law, work with our legislature and review the best use of TDT funds. If it becomes necessary to access TDT funds we will conduct a needs assessment and take into consideration the overall impact before taking any action.
Florida is currently fifth in the nation for measles cases because of declining vaccination rates among children. The Florida surgeon general recently introduced a new rule that would allow parents to opt out. It eliminates vaccine mandates that aren’t required by law and allows parents to opt out of four vaccines (Hib, Hepatitis B, chickenpox and pneumococcus) for “moral and ethical reasons”; and opt out of the tracking database. Herd immunity requires 92-95 percent community vaccination rates to keep dangerous diseases under control. Where do you stand on maintaining vaccine mandates for public/private school entry? Do you believe that vaccines cause autism? Do you believe that the number of vaccinations a newborn/infant receives is a contributor to autism?
I believe in science. Under my administration I will appoint a qualified, experienced, Florida Surgeon General and follow the guidance from the appointed leader. School requirements are how Florida makes sure the last vaccine doses actually get given, and they protect the children who cannot be vaccinated, including kids with vulnerable immune systems, cancer and transplants. School vaccine requirements help every child stay safe in the classroom.
Do you believe that vaccines cause autism? No
Do you believe that the number of vaccinations a newborn/infant receives is a contributor to autism? No
What specific actions will you take regarding the findings from the grand jury report on the Hope Florida controversy, and will you pursue the recovery of disputed funds?
I will enforce accountability and aggressively pursue the recovery of disputed funds. The David Jolly Administration would re-open the Hope Florida Investigation and use the full extent of state law to address any findings and hold those responsible for harming our most vulnerable population.
What will you do to protect voting rights and election integrity?
Florida has demonstrated that it can administer elections efficiently while also making voting accessible. We should build on that success by ensuring eligible voters have reasonable access to registration, early voting, vote-by-mail, and fair election administration. The Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Florida Voting Rights Act seeks to strengthen protections against discrimination, modernize voter registration, and restore voting access that has been narrowed in recent years following changes to federal voting rights protections.
As governor, I would support policies that protect every eligible citizen's right to vote while preserving strong safeguards against fraud, maintaining accurate voter rolls, and ensuring transparency throughout the election process. Democracy works best when every eligible voter can participate freely and every voter has confidence in the integrity of the outcome.
Byron Donalds, Republican
Age: 47
Residence: Naples
Occupation: Donalds has worked in the finance, insurance and banking industries in Southwest Florida, according to his campaign website. Since 2021, Donalds has served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida’s 19th district.
Education: Bachelor of Arts in finance and marketing from Florida State University.
Donalds did not respond to this questionnaire. However, to best serve you we researched the candidates website, interviews, social media and other publicly available information as a means of providing answers:
What are the most pressing problems you want to address, and what do you suggest to solve them?
Research shows the topmost priority on Donald's campaign website during the primary election was to "enact the Trump agenda" and "Make America Great Again."
According to a University of North Florida poll, Floridians say housing affordability is their top issue. What are your solutions for dealing with Florida’s affordability issue?
The candidate did not respond to our survey but research shows Donalds' campaign ads indicate he would try to make Florida more affordable for families by lowering property tax and homeowner's insurance costs. In an interview on the Cartier Family podcast on July 11, 2026, Donalds said he could potentially lower insurance rates by 20% by reforming the state's property insurance regulatory framework.
In that same interview, he pointed to a study by the National Association of Homebuilders that said government costs account for about 30% of new home construction. Donalds said modernizing Florida's permitting and planning processes for new home construction is one avenue he would explore for lowering housing costs for Floridians.
Please vote yes or no on the constitutional amendment to slash property taxes and explain your position:
At a campaign event in Tampa in September 2025, Donalds cautioned that if the state were to eliminate or substantially reduce property taxes it would cause a spike in sales tax that would make it more expensive for people to travel to Florida and harm the state’s tourism industry. Speaking at the same event, he indicated he would support raising the homestead exemption from $50,000 to between $300,000 and $400,000. In comments published in Florida Politics on March 23, 2026, Donalds said on “day one as governor,” he would be “focused on delivering real property tax relief and trying to repeal homestead property taxes overall.”
Utility costs are rising for customers in Florida, and the proliferation of data centers is expected to exacerbate that issue. How should Florida’s utility regulators respond?
In campaign ads, Donalds pledged to protect Floridians from AI data centers that he said will “jack up” utility rates and make everything else more expensive. He will fight for a ratepayer protection plan to ensure that Florida families do not see an increase in utilities as a result of datacenters, according to campaign ads.
What do you think is the biggest environmental issue the government should address in Florida?
Donalds is committed to preserving Florida’s environment, according to his website. This means working to complete Everglades restoration, improve water quality, expand access to water supply and protect Florida beaches and other natural resources, according to his website.
What is the single biggest issue the government should address when it comes to public education in Florida?
Donalds’ campaign website outlines a “Read to Succeed” plan, aimed at ensuring that Florida students learn to read at level by third grade. The plan includes equipping districts with science-of-reading based teacher training programs, establishing early reading indicators so struggling students are identified and helped before they fall behind, providing every third grader access to extra tutoring, and creating a statewide “Read to Succeed Award” to recognize teachers who demonstrate exceptional approaches to reading instruction.
Speaking at a campaign event in Tampa in September 2025, Donalds said he supports school choice for parents with a menu of both public and private school options.
Do you agree with the current federal and state governments’ approaches to immigration enforcement?
Donalds is in support of the federal crackdown on immigration, according to his website. He has pledged to support President Trump’s immigration policies as he feels illegal immigrants are making life unsafe and more expensive for American families, according to his website.
Do you believe abortion restrictions in Florida should be more strict, less strict, or stay the same?
Donalds’ website indicated that he would “protect life” in Florida.
Do you support expanding the eligible uses of the Tourist Development Tax under state law? If so, how would you allow local governments to use the TDT (i.e., for public infrastructure, transit, affordable housing, public safety)? If not, why not?
Donalds has said there could be a path to using the tax on hotel rooms for infrastructure needs in addition to supporting the tourism industry.
"What I've said when I've talked to restaurant, lodging and that industry, is we want to make sure that, yes, those dollars are being used for tourism, which is how it was designed," Donalds said.
But he allowed that if the tax is bringing in hundreds of millions, "Maybe we need to look at decreasing that tax or allowing for additional uses for road construction and things like that."
Florida is currently fifth in the nation for measles cases because of declining vaccination rates among children. The Florida surgeon general recently introduced a new rule that would allow parents to opt out. It eliminates vaccine mandates that aren’t required by law and allows parents to opt out of four vaccines (Hib, Hepatitis B, chickenpox and pneumococcus) for “moral and ethical reasons”; and opt out of the tracking database. Herd immunity requires 92-95 percent community vaccination rates to keep dangerous diseases under control. Where do you stand on maintaining vaccine mandates for public/private school entry? Do you believe that vaccines cause autism? Do you believe that the number of vaccinations a newborn/infant receives is a contributor to autism?
"Gov. DeSantis and and our Surgeon General Dr. Ladapo have already made moves on the rulemaking vaccines, the one, and put those under essentially giving parents the ability to make those decisions for their children," he said. "I agree with that decision. When it comes to polio, MMR, those are things that we want to make sure we study and really engage in before we make those determinations and work with the legislature before we make any of those decisions about requirements for those vaccines.
"I think it's important also to note that President Trump did allow for expansion and, really, quite frankly, reversing the concentration around the vaccine schedule. I know that my oldest son, he's 22 years old. The vaccination schedule for him was very different for kids today, and so spreading out that vaccination schedule, I think, does make sense. It gives an infant human body the ability to actually absorb and deal with that that rate of vaccination."
What specific actions will you take regarding the findings from the grand jury report on the Hope Florida controversy, and will you pursue the recovery of disputed funds?
Donalds said another investigation into the matter is not needed in the wake of a grand jury report and inquiries by state lawmakers, according to news reports.
"You've already had two investigations. What's appropriate now is looking at what we are going to do as a state. You already have Sen. Don Gaetz and Sen. Tracie Davis, one Republican and one Democrat, are looking to have real reform to make sure something like this doesn't occur again," Donalds said, according to WFLA.
What will you do to protect voting rights and election integrity?
"Florida has the best election laws in the country, and we're going to make sure we keep our elections secure," in response to questions about whether he supported a the Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Florida Voting Rights Act, proposed by Democratic state lawmakers. The legislation proposes to make vote-by-mail requests permanent and keep a database of criminal offenders to keep track of those who have had their voting rights restored. It would also make Election Day a paid holiday and eliminate the Office of Election Crimes and Security.
"This proposal would make Florida's elections look more like California's, and it takes them a month to count ballots. Why would we do that?"
C
harles Burkett, No Party Affiliation
Age: 65
Residence: Surfside
Occupation: Investments. I own (debt free) and operate commercial and residential property in eight states.
Education: University of Miami, BS, Finance
What are the most pressing problems you want to address, and what do you suggest to solve them?
Top problem: Affordability. And a driver of the affordability problem, aside from the massive inflation caused by the federal government printing trillions of dollars, is that in Florida we are full. Jamming more people into our state to compete for limited resources, roads, beaches, housing, etc., is badly hurting those of us already here. Property taxes on our homes are also out of control and must be radically reduced, and better, eliminated. Overdevelopment, overbuilding must be stopped.
According to a University of North Florida poll, Floridians say housing affordability is their top issue. What are your solutions for dealing with Florida’s affordability issue?
Florida is full and must stop adding people to our state, which is creating more and more competition for our limited resources. We already have gridlock on our highways and Floridians can't get to work, or do their job efficiently when they get there. I will eliminate all road tolls for residents. I will eliminate the elitist HOV lanes so our residents can get to where they are going quicker. I will eliminate the unfair Florida gas tax. I will waive permit fees for anyone improving their homes.
Please vote yes or no on the constitutional amendment to slash property taxes and explain your position: None given
There should be no taxes on your homestead. My plan, for residents and renters who have been in Florida at least 10 years, is to decrease property taxes on every homesteaded home by 1/10 for 10 years at which point the property taxes would be zero. The children and spouses of homesteaded properties whose owner dies, shall enjoy the same tax free benefit. Second home owners, tourists and investors will continue to pay property taxes.
Utility costs are rising for customers in Florida, and the proliferation of data centers is expected to exacerbate that issue. How should Florida’s utility regulators respond?
Data centers must provide for their own power and water supplies and must lower the cost of same to Florida residents, not increase the cost of same. Data centers should only be allowed in locations where a referendum vote of all the residents, not the elected officials who can be bought off, have approved it.
What do you think is the biggest environmental issue the government should address in Florida?
I believe clean air, water and environment are non-negotiable issues and I will ensure that those issues remain at the top of the priority list.
What is the single biggest issue the government should address when it comes to public education in Florida?
We need much more accountability. We need to hire great teachers and pay them well. We need to fire bad teachers. Students who disrupt or infringe upon the rights of other students to learn in school must be removed. Currently our schools are factories, moving children through the building and leaving almost 50% without basic reading, writing, math and other skills necessary to function in our world. Everything we do related to our schools should have one goal, the proper and demonstrable quality education of our children. That is the only result that matters and everything else must be aligned to achieve that goal - everything - with zero excuses.
Do you agree with the current federal and state governments’ approaches to immigration enforcement?
This is a simple issue. Legal immigration is good. Illegal immigration is bad. Immigration enforcement is necessary. More to the point, immigrants who want to come to America, must love America. Must want to become American. Must adopt our culture. Must add to our society, not take from it. Must speak English. Must be healthy. Must not have a criminal past. And, most importantly, must get in line and follow all our rules to be considered as a future American.
Do you believe abortion restrictions in Florida should be more strict, less strict, or stay the same?
Answered this way: In ending a pregnancy, the law must recognize the obligation to preserve the life of the mother and the fetus or unborn child. In other words, a woman who no longer wishes to be pregnant, shall have the right to remove a growing baby from her body on day one, through and up to one minute before birth. However, doctors performing the removal shall be ethically, morally and legally bound to take all reasonable steps to preserve the life of the mother first, and then the unborn child.
Do you support expanding the eligible uses of the Tourist Development Tax under state law? If so, how would you allow local governments to use the TDT (i.e., for public infrastructure, transit, affordable housing, public safety)? If not, why not?
I support requiring tourists and visitors to our state, as opposed to Florida residents, to pay towards the costs of running our state... to the greatest extent possible.
Florida is currently fifth in the nation for measles cases because of declining vaccination rates among children. The Florida surgeon general recently introduced a new rule that would allow parents to opt out. It eliminates vaccine mandates that aren’t required by law and allows parents to opt out of four vaccines (Hib, Hepatitis B, chickenpox and pneumococcus) for “moral and ethical reasons”; and opt out of the tracking database. Herd immunity requires 92-95 percent community vaccination rates to keep dangerous diseases under control. Where do you stand on maintaining vaccine mandates for public/private school entry? Do you believe that vaccines cause autism? Do you believe that the number of vaccinations a newborn/infant receives is a contributor to autism?
Governor DeSantis and his Surgeon General have led our state well on this issue, providing factual information and choice to Florida residents. I believe that it is critical to allow the experts to be heard on medical issues - all experts, and all sides of the debate. There are vaccines that have been proven over time to be safe and effective - this should be the standard. I believe in "my body, my choice." I do not believed anyone should be forced into a medical procedure. I believe parents, not government, have the right to make decisions for their kids, but I also believe schools can have reasonable requirements for school entry. We don't know if vaccinations cause autism, but I support studies and any other actions which would shine a light on that issue.
What specific actions will you take regarding the findings from the grand jury report on the Hope Florida controversy, and will you pursue the recovery of disputed funds?
Pass better laws requiring all state-received settlement funds to go to the right state accounts.
What will you do to protect voting rights and election integrity?
American elections must be free, fair, transparent and auditable. Questioning election results should be welcomed. Elections officials have a duty to show the election was free, fair and transparent. Unwillingness to open the records for inspection is un-American and reduces or eliminates confidence in our electoral system.
Moliere "Moe" Dimanche, No Party Affiliation
Age: 38
Residence: Orlando
Occupation: FedEx delivery driver
Education: St. Johns River State College and Florida School of the Arts, Studio Art major
What are the most pressing problems you want to address, and what do you suggest to solve them?
Corruption. The solution is to elect Moe Dimanche, a proven challenger to public corruption.
The ability to own a home. Florida has a lot of abandoned properties that end up being acquired my mortgage companies, or hauled off to auctions. I believe in the a program wherein the state acquires these properties and grant these properties for homesteading to eligible Floridians. I envision granting these homes to college graduates, young married couples, veterans and seniors.
According to a University of North Florida poll, Floridians say housing affordability is their top issue. What are your solutions for dealing with Florida’s affordability issue?
Again, my home grant program is the solution. If we can allay the burden of housing costs, we can help folks keep money in their pockets and stimulate our economy, especially in the leisure and hospitality sector, which has taken a severe beating over the last 8 years. Floridians deserve to enjoy themselves. Florida became too friendly to mortgage companies and big corporations over the last eight years and now leads the nation in foreclosures. That will change when I am governor.
Please vote yes or no on the constitutional amendment to slash property taxes and explain your position: Yes, with no explanation given.
Utility costs are rising for customers in Florida, and the proliferation of data centers is expected to exacerbate that issue. How should Florida’s utility regulators respond?
They won't have to respond if I am Governor because data centers will be banned.
What do you think is the biggest environmental issue the government should address in Florida?
Artificial rain and weather manipulation. The effects that cloud seeding have on the water supply are worse than what data centers could do, and artificial rain contains chemicals that are toxic to the food we eat.
What is the single biggest issue the government should address when it comes to public education in Florida?
I'm one of the parents who will not enroll my kids in public schools, with the exception of my oldest son, who is a 6th grader and already had friends from public school (he chose public school when asked). The decline in enrollment, and actual withdrawals, have a lot to do with the politicization of our schools, indoctrination as opposed to curriculum, and much, much more. The first step towards encouraging student enrollment is ending the politicization of education. It's not a coincidence that when Black history came under attack, parents wanted to home school their kids. It's not a coincidence that once ICE started entering our schools, parents withdrew their kids. It's not a coincidence that the rise in popularity of Democratic-Socialist politicians prompted a demand that "Socialism" be taught in schools now. It's all political theater and parents are correct to keep their kids away from it. That will change when I am governor.
Education quality should not be any different in either, and that goes for home schooling as well. I'd actually like to see more funding for home school, but I am concerned about the lack of funding for public schools as well. It's particularly harmful for the parents who embraced School Choice, only to be confronted with the issue of nonexistent transportation. Public Schools will see more funding under my administration because that's where the greatest number of children are receiving their education.
Do you agree with the current federal and state governments’ approaches to immigration enforcement?
Absolutely not. For the first time, we have seen Americans, born and raised on American soil, lose their lives to an immigration enforcement agency. I remember during the Bush-era, where an American life was sacred. It doesn't feel that way anymore, and under my administration, the federal government will not be assisted by law enforcement unless it involves drugs and drug trafficking.
Do you believe abortion restrictions in Florida should be more strict, less strict, or stay the same?
More strict.
Do you support expanding the eligible uses of the Tourist Development Tax under state law? If so, how would you allow local governments to use the TDT (i.e., for public infrastructure, transit, affordable housing, public safety)? If not, why not?
I definitely support that, and while I also support abolishing property taxes, I understand that there are concerns about replenishing some funding that may be affected by that. This is a good way to fill those gaps.
Florida is currently fifth in the nation for measles cases because of declining vaccination rates among children. The Florida surgeon general recently introduced a new rule that would allow parents to opt out. It eliminates vaccine mandates that aren’t required by law and allows parents to opt out of four vaccines (Hib, Hepatitis B, chickenpox and pneumococcus) for “moral and ethical reasons”; and opt out of the tracking database. Herd immunity requires 92-95 percent community vaccination rates to keep dangerous diseases under control. Where do you stand on maintaining vaccine mandates for public/private school entry? Do you believe that vaccines cause autism? Do you believe that the number of vaccinations a newborn/infant receives is a contributor to autism?
I am opposed to any vaccine mandates of any kind. I do believe that vaccines cause autism. I'm a parent who has watched three children grow up. I will never forget the moment when the twins were born and hauled off by hospital staff before even making skin-to-skin contact with my wife. Hospitals aren't even allowing parents to see what is happening with these children, who are born healthy, and our newborns are receiving injections before they receive breast milk. This is unacceptable and will end when I am governor.
What specific actions will you take regarding the findings from the grand jury report on the Hope Florida controversy, and will you pursue the recovery of disputed funds?
I am the only candidate in this race who called out those findings before the Grand Jury report was leaked, when it first happened. And Hope Florida isn't even the biggest problem. Alligator Alcatraz is, and I believe at least 10 tunes the money was misappropriated there. Under my administration, there will be a full recovery of all misappropriated funds over the last eight years, and this state will see an age of accountability that has never been seen before in this nation. That's why my campaign is called No MOE Corruption, because the corruption is coming to an end.
What will you do to protect voting rights and election integrity?
Voting Rights is, perhaps, the MOST precious, important and consequential component of our democracy. Voting rights need to be expanded, not inhibited. Under the last 2 administrations we saw rabid attacks on Voting Rights that encourage <em>less</em> participation in our elections, not more. I will do the opposite by ensuring that the State of Florida observes the Voting Rights Act of 1964, and reverse course on the current practice of unilaterally tampering with the voter rolls and enacting maps without consent of the Voters. The current administration has been an abomination as it relates to Voting Rights and what must be done to reverse course is too much to discuss in this answer.
The Gubernatorial field also includes (candidates did not respond to our candidate survey):
- Dean Ocean Abrams, No Party Affiliation
- Jeffrey Peter "Dr. Jeff" Datto, No Party Affiliation
- Frank Russo, No Party Affiliation
- Scott Jewett, Libertarian Party
