WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — The race to become Florida’s next governor is now in the hands of voters across the state.
Democrat David Jolly and Republican Byron Donalds are fighting to become Florida’s next governor and the race is neck and neck.
Both candidates are focusing on issues that affect Floridians’ wallets, including housing, healthcare, and the rising cost of living. However, they have different positions on A.I. data centers and Amendment Three, which would expand property tax exemptions for Florida homeowners.
Donalds, who is endorsed by President Donald Trump, supports data center development with regulations and backs Amendment Three.
Jolly, who is endorsed by former President Bill Clinton, is calling for a one-year moratorium on new data centers and opposes the amendment.
When CBS12 News spoke one-on-one with both candidates ahead of Election Day, we asked about their plans to make Florida more affordable. Both candidates say lowering property insurance costs is a priority, but they have different ideas about how to make that happen.
“We actually have a full project plan and policy built out to hit the ground running on day one, lower premiums in the state that directly impact homeowners, but also business owners as well,” Donalds told CBS12 News. “Because property insurance, if you get that down, it helps everybody in our state. We’re going to tackle that on day one.”
“Housing, healthcare, and education are the three pillars of people’s personal economy,” Jolly told CBS12 News. “I do think we need a state catastrophic fund for homeowners to cut insurance by 60 to 70 percent. I think we need an investment in workforce and affordable and entry-level housing, using funds that are currently available, from Miami to Riviera Beach, where we partner with the private sector to deliver more affordable housing.”
Despite the close race, Donalds does have a slight lead over Jolly in many polls cited by The New York Times.