In an X post Thursday, Republican nominee for Governor and current state Representative Byron Donalds accused Democratic gubernatorial nominee David Jolly of being a "Trojan Horse" for the Democratic socialists.
In the X post, Rep. Donalds reposted a Fox News Hannity Show clip during which Jolly implies he will campaign with Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate and current state Rep. Angie Nixon, who is part of the Democratic Socialists of America.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: David Jolly is a Trojan Horse for the socialists.
Now he’s sharing the ticket with democratic socialist Angela Nixon.
Florida will reject this far-left nonsense. pic.twitter.com/MpnfwL5uoh
— Byron Donalds (@ByronDonalds) August 20, 2026
Jolly, however, has not identified with the Democratic Socialists of America. He was part of the Republican Party until 2018 before registering as independent, and then joining the Democratic Party in the spring of 2025. He then announced his bid for governor in June as a Democrat.
Donalds appeared later in the video.
"The reason why I say that David Jolly is a Trojan horse for the Democratic Socialists of America is because he still thinks it's okay to steal the puberty from young kids," Donalds said in the clip, referring to Jolly's stance on transgender athletes in women's sports. "It's only he and the WNBA and Angie Nixon who think it's okay for boys to be playing in girls' sports."
Jolly has previously said it is not the governor's place to decide who can and can't play in local sports leagues, a position Donalds has criticized in the past.
Donalds also criticized Jolly's property insurance plan, which Donalds said is a "complete government takeover of insurance in our state, that's socialism."
Jolly's plan proposes a state catastrophic fund to take the natural disaster risk out of the private insurance market in Florida.
"He will bend the knee to the radical left," Donalds said.
Rep. Nixon won the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat in Florida in a stunning upset against establishment Democrat Alex Vindman.
In November, Nixon will face off against Republican incumbent Sen. Ashley Moody for the seat.
