3 major issues that Republican Byron Donalds or Democrat David Jolly will need to address as Florida’s next governor

Key Points:

• The Florida governor's office has grown more powerful over the past three decades, with the upcoming election between Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly set to influence key policies in healthcare, education, and local governance.
• On health policy, Donalds supports current surgeon general Dr. Joseph Ladapo's vaccine mandate rollbacks, while Jolly opposes these changes and pledges to replace Ladapo with a pro-science public health leader; however, legislative restrictions limit the governor's authority on vaccine mandates.
• In education, Donalds backs the $4.5 billion universal voucher program allowing state funds for private and homeschooling, proposing only a scorecard for school performance, whereas Jolly seeks stricter standards for private schools receiving vouchers and wants to reinstate financial need-based eligibility, though legislative control limits gubernatorial influence.
• Regarding home rule, Donalds favors continuing and expanding Governor DeSantis's measures that limit local government autonomy and increase state audits and removal of elected officials, while Jolly advocates for restoring local control and opposes such removals; both candidates differ on data center policies, with Donalds supporting local decision-making and Jolly proposing a moratorium.
• Voters will also decide on Amendment 3, which would lower homestead property taxes but potentially reduce local government funding; Donalds supports the amendment, while Jolly opposes it.