Florida’s political waters just got a whole lot murkier, and it’s not from the usual alligator-infested swamps—it’s former Congressman David Jolly, the erstwhile anti-gun Democrat, suddenly draping himself in the Stars and Stripes of Second Amendment rhetoric as he eyes the governor’s mansion. Jolly, who once championed universal background checks, assault weapon bans, and every post-Parkland feel-good restriction that made headlines, is now crooning about his lifelong support for the right to bear arms. This isn’t some organic epiphany; it’s a calculated pivot in a state where Republicans hold a supermajority in the legislature and Governor Ron DeSantis has armed permitless carry into law. Jolly’s flip comes amid a crowded primary field, where he’s polling in single digits, desperately trying to peel off moderates and independents in a red-leaning battleground.
Dig deeper, and this reeks of classic opportunism, the kind that 2A advocates have sniffed out a thousand times before. Jolly’s record is a laundry list of gun-control advocacy: he co-sponsored the Assault Weapons Ban of 2019, pushed for red-flag laws, and even after leaving Congress, he lobbied for Bloomberg-funded Everytown initiatives. Now, in his gubernatorial bid announcement, he’s mumbling about responsible gun ownership while dodging specifics on constitutional carry or magazine limits—classic mask-donning to avoid alienating the NRA crowd without committing to real protections. Context matters here: Florida’s 2023 permitless carry law (HB 543) has already withstood legal challenges, and Jolly’s pro-2A pose is less about principle and more about surviving a primary against firebrands like Nikki Fried. It’s the same playbook Michael Bloomberg used in Virginia, flooding the zone with astroturf moderates who wink at gun owners while plotting reversals.
For the 2A community, this is a wake-up call wrapped in a red flag: vigilance over vibes. Jolly’s gambit could siphon votes from genuine pro-gun Democrats (if such unicorns exist), fracturing the opposition just enough to hand DeSantis—or worse, a squishy Republican—an easier path. But it also spotlights the fragility of flip-floppers; one debate gaffe, one unearthed clip from his FFL Shop days (wait, he owned a gun store?), and the mask slips. Gun owners in Florida should demand purity tests—will Jolly veto red-flag expansions? Stand against ATF overreach? Until then, treat this as the political theater it is: a reminder that trust but verify, because in the fight for our rights, yesterday’s enemy doesn’t become today’s ally overnight. Keep your powder dry, Florida—2026 is shaping up to be a battlefield.
