Jolly, Nixon make pitch to Black voters in Miami Gardens ahead of elections

Florida Politics admin October 9, 2026 0 Comments

Jolly, Nixon make pitch to Black voters in Miami Gardens ahead of elections

During Congresswoman Frederica Wilson’s annual “Pumps, Pearls and Politics” fireside chat at the Lou Rawls Center for Performing Arts at Florida Memorial University in Miami Gardens, the hall buzzed with excitement. Cheers, jeers, and energetic call-and-response exchanges echoed through the hall as the audience, dressed in bright green, pink, and red, some wearing candidate T-shirts, listened.

David Jolly, the Democratic nominee seeking to defeat Naples Congressman Byron Donalds in the gubernatorial race, and Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon (D-Jacksonville), who is challenging incumbent Ashley Moody, pitched themselves as champions for civil rights, economic opportunity and long-overdue change following nearly thirty years of Republican rule in the Sunshine State.

“I recognize that the disparity between Black and white America today is as greater — greater than on the day Martin Luther King gave his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech,” David Jolly told the audience Thursday at the event moderated by former CNN anchor Don Lemon.

Recent polls, such as the , reveal closer races for both the governor’s seat and the U.S. Senate, highlighting the potential influence of undecided Black voters. While most Black voters tend to support the Democratic Party, a considerable number remain unaligned, making their support crucial as Election Day nears. With October polls showing a tightening contest in both races, these undecided Black voters could play a pivotal role in determining the election results.

On stage first, Jolly addressed today’s toxic political landscape, saying that in a world full of Donald Trumps, he strives to be a Ted Lasso. He criticized his opponent, Donalds, accusing him of supporting policies that harm the Black community, including accepting funds from for-profit prisons. Jolly also called out Donalds for labeling him “DEI Dave” after he advocated for initiatives to increase capital investments in minority-owned businesses.

He also said he would bring back “all history” and make sure children like his were taught about events like the Rosewood massacre and key political figures such as San Francisco politician Harvey Milk.

“Black history is American history,” Jolly told the audience to loud applause.

Jolly said it “does not shame us to know our history; it strengthens us.” And referred to the banning of books as one of the “nonsense” of current politics.

He said parents have always had a choice in determining what books they did not want their children exposed to.

“This was never actually an issue. This was a political issue Republicans created to divide us,” he said. “We will make sure that parents have authority over what their kids get exposed to, but one parent shouldn’t have the ability to dictate the curriculum of an education system in the classroom.”

After Jolly, Nixon appeared on stage with Lemon, wearing her trademark pink. The Jacksonville representative highlighted that Floridians are experiencing a pivotal moment for civil and human rights. She called on the Black community to actively hold their elected officials accountable and not just be passive about their engagement.

“We need to be fighting against this rise in authoritarianism, this rise in fascism, and this rise of oligarchy,” she said.

Nixon criticized Moody—who was appointed to the U.S. Senate by Gov. Ron DeSantis following Marco Rubio’s departure—claiming she has backed policies that restrict healthcare access for working families while making daily life increasingly expensive and difficult.

She said the Black community needed to pursue an organizing strategy that combined working from the inside and grassroots pressure on the outside.

“We can’t just send strongly worded emails,” she said. “We at times have to, you know, shake the table a little bit.”

As Democrats seek to energize Black voters—a key constituency that has traditionally supported the party—the candidates’ appearances also aim to re-engage voters who may currently feel disillusioned with the Democratic Party.

Dressed in pink and sporting a cowboy hat, U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson took the stage at the end of the event to thank attending local politicians. She asserted that Florida serves as ground zero for many of the country’s culture-war battles from book bans, drag show restrictions, and the dismantling of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs.

“Florida is the epicenter, and Florida is what we are focusing on,” she said. “And when we change Florida, we change America.”

Wilson announced that she had invited Byron Donalds to be “put on the hot seat next.”