This Florida Democrat Tests the Party’s Appeal: Mary Ellen Klas

After Zohran Mamdani clinched the Democratic Party nomination for New York mayor in June, Democratic elected officials were slow to embrace him, worried about being tarred as socialists. A notable exception? The Democratic candidate for governor in the red state of Florida: David Jolly, a former congressman — and former Republican.

“I’m not at all worried about Mamdani winning as a super-progressive in the city,” said Jolly. Speaking on MSNBC with host Stephanie Ruhle, Jolly said that voters across the country were hungry for change and that the party’s tent was big enough for everyone from “a socialist Democrat” ...