Florida’s gubernatorial race has crystallized into a stark referendum on climate policy, pitted between Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly as they vie to succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Sunshine State faces escalating ecological pressures, yet the two candidates offer starkly divergent paths for the state’s energy and environmental future.
The Diverging Paths on Climate and Energy Policy
Republicans hold every statewide elected office in Florida, control the Legislature, and boast 1.5 million more registered voters than Democrats. Yet, the state’s political identity remains fiercely contested as voters weigh two former members of the House of Representatives with opposite views on global warming. Byron Donalds, a 48-year-old representing Florida’s 19th district in the southwestern part of the state, has secured endorsements from both President Donald Trump and Gov. DeSantis. David Jolly, 54, represented Pinellas County’s 13th district as a Republican from 2014 to 2017 before changing his registration to become a television analyst and vocal critic of Trump.
‼️NEW: Byron Donalds places his first general election ad, skips past defending Trump's economy, instead attacks rainbow crosswalks. See it here first.‼️ Hey friends, Byron is looking past his primary and just launched his first ad. Not once does he mention the cost of housing,…
Aubrey Jewett, associate director of the School of Politics, Security and International Affairs at the University of Central Florida, pointed out that a victory for Donalds would make him Florida’s initial Black governor and the country’s first Black Republican governor. Jewett noted that such a victory would mark a historic milestone for a former Confederate state with a long history of Jim Crow laws. Financially, the race displays a massive disparity. Donalds’ campaign has amassed roughly $141 million, while Jolly has raised $19 million, according to an Inside Climate News analysis of state campaign finance activity.
On environmental matters, the candidates offer voters an unmistakable contrast. Donalds largely supports maintaining the status quo established by DeSantis, who focused his environmental tenure primarily on Everglades restoration and water quality while dismissing the role of climate change in intensifying hurricanes and flooding. Conversely, Jolly advocates for renewing a climate change and clean energy strategy. Jewett explained that for voters prioritizing global warming, the choice is clear between a candidate who questions whether the science is settled and one who believes urgent action is required.
Property Insurance Pressures and the Tech Infrastructure Debate
Skyrocketing home insurance rates dominate voter concerns across the state. Jolly links the crisis directly to climate change and intensifying hurricane risks, proposing a state-backed hurricane fund to assume high-level risks and relieve homeowners of the most expensive policy components.
Another fierce flashpoint centers on hyperscale data centers. These facilities demand exorbitant amounts of water and electricity at a time when scientists urge strict energy conservation to curb fossil fuel emissions. Jolly has proposed an immediate moratorium on the facilities, whereas Donalds supports legislation approved earlier this year aimed at protecting residents from associated electricity costs. Susannah Randolph, director of the Florida chapter of the Sierra Club, which has endorsed Jolly, noted that data centers have unexpectedly emerged as a defining local issue. “It’s really become the issue where people are deciding on whether or not they are going to support the gubernatorial candidate, from what we have seen,” Randolph said.
Dueling Environmental Portfolios
Beyond data centers, the candidates champion different ecological priorities for Florida’s vulnerable geography. Jolly seeks to boost clean energy adoption across Florida by advocating for increased renewables and robust net metering regulations to foster greater rooftop solar usage. He also looks to safeguard vulnerable coastal areas through adaptation initiatives like elevated infrastructure and beach restoration efforts. Donalds has committed to finishing the massive undertaking of restoring the Everglades and applying that blueprint to other struggling ecosystems across Florida, including the Indian River Lagoon. Furthermore, he intends to create a Florida Coastal Corridor—modeled after the Florida Wildlife Corridor—to safeguard the state’s shores and reinforce them against severe storm impacts. Anna Upton, chief executive officer at the Everglades Trust, endorsed Donalds at a recent campaign event, emphasizing his relationships with state legislators, members of Congress and the federal administration to ensure that Everglades restoration advances. Historically, Florida functioned as an essential battleground state that backed the winning presidential nominee in six consecutive elections, beginning with Bill Clinton in 1996 and concluding with Trump in 2016.
