After Democrats flipped two state legislative seats in March special elections, one Democratic candidate for governor saw a surge in donations.
David Jolly, a former Republican U.S. representative from Pinellas County, raised almost $750,000 in his political committee, Florida 2026, in the last week of March.
Democrats made national headlines March 24 for flipping legislative districts in Tampa and Palm Beach County that President Donald Trump won handily in 2024.
That single week accounted for more than three-quarters of what Jolly’s political committee raised in 2026 as of March 31.
Jolly also won the endorsement of Emily Gregory, the Democrat who flipped the Palm Beach County seat that includes Mar-a-Lago.
Jolly, who entered the governor’s race in June, is one of two high-profile Democrats vying to take the Governor’s Mansion from term-limited Ron DeSantis. But Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, who launched his campaign in November, has so far seen sluggish fundraising.
Demings raised about $75,000 in his political committee, Moving Florida Forward, during the first quarter this year. That’s less than he raised during the first two months of his campaign last year, when he raised a little more than $100,000 to the committee.
As of 8 p.m. on Friday, Florida’s campaign finance database did not show the contributions their campaign accounts received during the first quarter.
Demings had raised more than $300,000 betwen his campaign and the political committee as of Dec. 31. The latest numbers from his political committee bring his total to more than $400,000 as of March 31.
Jolly’s campaign announced this week that it had topped $5 million in donations as of April 7.
But both those numbers pale in comparison to GOP gubernatorial front-runner Byron Donalds, who raised more $22 million in the first quarter of 2026 between his campaign and political committee. He’s now raised more than $68 million so far.
Demings’ committee’s biggest donations this quarter include $20,000 from retiree Marina Lee and $10,000 from CFI Resorts Management, which is affiliated with Westgate Resorts, an Orlando-based hospitality company. Demings also received $10,000 from Lils Holdings LLC, which does not appear to be registered with the Florida Division of Corporations.
Jolly’s political committee earned its biggest donation to date after the Florida special elections: $500,000 from Donald Sussman, a hedge fund executive who funds Democratic campaigns, according to InfluenceWatch, which tracks political donors.
Other major donations this year include $100,000 from retired professor and philanthropist Marsha Laufer — which also came after the special elections. Jolly’s committee also received $50,000 from Florida-based real estate company Kendall Properties LLC.
The political committee spent almost $500,000 this year as of March 31 — a little more than half of what it raised. That total includes $105,000 in contributions to the Florida Democratic Party this year.
Demings’ political committee has spent about $6,500 this year, largely on travel expenses as he meets with voters from around the state.
Democratic voters at a David Jolly event last week told the Tampa Bay Times that they’re feeling optimistic about their party’s prospects statewide after the special election wins.
“We are more enthused than ever to turn out and to win elections, but let’s not presume that we have already won hearts and minds,” Jolly said at the event. “So between now and November, we have to prove ourselves worthy to an emerging political coalition that we have not seen in the country, and certainly as Florida Democrats, we have not seen in a very long time.”
This is a developing story. Check back at tampabay.com for updates.
