Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.

First Shot

Jerry Demings has worn the badge, held the gavel, and now he wants the keys to the Governor’s Mansion.

The Orange County Mayor’s entry into the 2026 race sets up a Democratic Primary between a longtime party stalwart with deep local roots and a former Republican who found a second political life speaking to disaffected moderates.

It sounds like 2014 all over again, but there are key differences. David Jolly isn’t a former Governor with a renowned pedigree in retail politics, and Demings’ name ID, while hardly universal, easily outpaces that of a state Senator two years removed from office.

Whether either can gain traction is another matter. Democrats haven’t won statewide since 2018, and th

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