Voters press Byron Donalds, David Jolly on insurance, affordability

TAMPA, Fla. — Florida governor’s race: Voters focus on affordability, insurance as Donalds, Jolly make their case

With Election Day approaching, Florida voters say affordability, homeowners insurance and the direction of the country are among the issues weighing on them as they decide between Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly in the race for governor.

Watch report from Michael Paluska:

Florida governor race: Voters press Byron Donalds, David Jolly on insurance, affordability

Tampa Bay 28 has spent months speaking with both candidates about issues affecting Floridians. Now, voters are weighing those positions as they head to the polls.

Navy veteran Samuel Livingston pointed to the cost of everyday necessities.

“Top issues?” Paluska asked Livingston.

“Hmm. I guess you can say gas prices, food, rent.”

Voter Ruby Robinson said she is also frustrated with the tone of the race.

“I won’t say what the top issue is pushing my vote, but I will say that I don’t like the the mudslinging. I don’t. I don’t like that,” Robinson said.

Army veteran Gregor Richkind said his concerns center on the Constitution and the country’s democracy.

“What are your top issues?” Paluska asked.

“My top issues. I think the absolute number one is, I think that any government that does not follow the Constitution of the United States is doomed to fail as as a democracy. I think democracy dies when governments abandon the Constitution.”

The sharp attacks between the two candidates have continued on the campaign trail.

“David Jolly is a fraud,” Donalds said.

“Byron Donalds is a liar,” Jolly said in a campaign ad.

But the voters who spoke with Tampa Bay 28 said they want answers about what the candidates would do if elected.

HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE

For Robinson, one of those questions is about the future of Florida’s homeowners insurance market.

“If you could ask both candidates one question, the same question, what would you want to ask them to get an answer to?” Paluska asked Robinson.

“It’s probably going to be what? Where do they see our insurance being long term? Like what? What? What’s what’s going to be happening?” Robinson wondered.

Donalds tells Tampa Bay 28 he has a multistep plan to lower insurance costs, including maintaining tort reforms enacted under Gov. Ron DeSantis and changing the state’s insurance regulatory structure.

Tampa Bay 28 reporter Nadeen Yanes pressed Donalds on the issue.

“Why isn’t insurance more of a topic today here in Tampa?” Yanes asked.

“Insurance is a top here all over the state we talk about it a lot we have a plan for insurance,” Donalds responded.

“Tell us for the viewers to understand how are we going to bring down premiums,” Yanes asked.

“Number one, we’re going to keep the tort reform of Governor DeSantis in place. Number two, we are going to reform Florida’s regulatory structure. There’s a 25% surcharge in our cap fund. We want to get rid of that surcharge. We don’t need it anymore.”

Jolly calls Florida’s homeowners insurance system broken and says he would use executive action to address it.

“The state of homeowners insurance in Florida is broken, we know that,” Jolly said. “We have a corrupt homeowners insurance system in the state of Florida because our laws allow it because our current governor and our legislature allow it,” Jolly said.

“I intend to use executive action to define fair and reasonable,” Jolly added.

Jolly has also framed affordability more broadly around some of Floridians’ largest household expenses.

“Peoples personal economy is rooted in housing, healthcare, and education, that’s what the affordability crisis really is and look Florida has done a lot of things really well so let’s keeping doing it but where we need to fix things this is the case I am making we need to change the leadership in Tallahassee,” Jolly said.

DATA CENTERS

Data centers are another issue on which Donalds and Jolly differ.

Jolly has called for a moratorium on data center development and has pointed to concerns about the impact on surrounding communities.

“What you are hearing the reason I have to raise my voice is the noise pollution that occurs from these major data centers,” Jolly said during a visit to a data center in Virgina.

Donalds has argued for an approach that allows companies to continue investing in Florida,

tying that investment to the availability of higher-paying jobs.

“People need to be able to afford the Florida dream and build for their lives. But, you can’t build for your life if you dont have a high paying job, and you are not going to have a high paying job if you dont have a company invest in your state,” Donalds said.

PROPERTY TAXES

The candidates also disagree on Amendment 3, a property tax measure.

Donalds supports the amendment, arguing property owners need relief, while Jolly questions its financial impact and has pointed to concerns about funding for local services.

“Do you support Amendment 3,” a reporter asked.

“I do I think voters need relief I think property owners need relief,” Donalds responded.

“I don’t think the math works and I think we know that because even Ron DeSantis won’t campaign for amendment 3, sheriffs have come out and said it is going to defund services,” Jolly said.

GAS PRICES AND AFFORDABILITY

Donalds has linked higher gas prices to international developments involving Iran while pointing to inflation under the Biden administration.

“That inflation rose under the Biden administration; it’s come down substantially without that the president has come back to the White House. When people are dealing with gas prices, yes, gas prices are higher. Nobody wants that, but that’s directly tied to the Iranians trying to close the Strait of Hormuz,” Donalds said.

Jolly has used gas prices to attack Donalds in campaign advertising.

“Since then gas, groceries, and home insurance have all gone up. Byron Donalds grade for Trump’s economy,” the ad says before playing a clip of Donalds saying, “he gets an A.”

“Trump promised to bring pricing down on day one did President Trump break that promise?” the ad continues.

“No, the president did not break that key promise,” Donalds says in the ad.

“Now Trump’s war with Iran is pushing gas prices even higher and Donalds is still defending it,” the ad says before another clip of Donalds saying, “gas prices are a little bit higher.”

For Robinson, insurance and gas prices remain near the top of her list.

“We’ve interviewed Donalds and Jolly both about affordability, insurance prices going up,” Paluska said.

“Gas prices not coming down,” Robinson said.

“Which one of those ranks on your list?”

“Probably the insurance and gas. Yeah, that’s something that they should be both paying close attention to,” Robinson said.