Jolly and Donalds split up for final Florida rallies before Tuesday vote

The race for Florida governor enters its final hours with both major candidates splitting their remaining energy between opposite ends of the state. Early voting ended Sunday, leaving Tuesday as the sole window for most voters to cast their ballots. This final weekend saw the candidates make distinct pitches to their bases in Coral Gables and Tampa.

David Jolly, the Democratic nominee, held a rally in Coral Gables on Sunday. He traveled alongside his running mate, Gwen Graham, to promote his platform. The duo focused on affordable housing, healthcare, education, and infrastructure projects. Jolly framed the closing days of the campaign as a test of voter participation rather than a debate over policy specifics.

“The reality is, this race is going to get decided by who shows up on Tuesday now, and I love that we’re starting where we are going into Tuesday,” Jolly told supporters. “But, we got to leave it all on the field, turn out every voter, and I know Byron’s going to try to do the same thing.”

Byron Donalds, the Republican candidate, campaigned in Tampa on the same day. His “Florida Dream” tour emphasized low taxes, property rights, and personal liberty. Donalds argued that these factors define the state’s appeal to new residents and current citizens alike.

“This is why people come here. They come for the freedoms, the opportunity, the liberty,” Donalds said. “They come for the safe streets. They come for the limited government, the low taxes, and when it comes to your personal pockets, the no taxes. That’s why people come, and as your next governor, we are going to remain the free state of Florida.”

Other high-stakes contests are also reaching their end. Democrat Angie Nixon made a final push in South Florida to unseat incumbent Republican Ashley Moody for U.S. Senate. In the 27th congressional district, Republican Maria Elvira Salazar is seeking re-election against Democrat Elliott Rodriguez. Miami voters will also decide the fate of public waterfront property on Virginia Key through Referendum 3. Opponents of the proposed long-term marina lease warned that construction would require dredging the bay bottom, potentially destroying seagrass, mangroves, and wetland habitats.

Polls open at 7 a.m. on Tuesday and close at 7 p.m. Unlike the early voting period, voters must cast ballots at their assigned precinct. Every voter must present a valid form of identification that includes their signature.