With President Donald Trump headed to Florida on behalf of GOP gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds, Democrat David Jolly is making sure voters know about the President’s visit.
The 30-second “Daddy’s Back” ad, which has begun airing in all markets, is Jolly’s latest attempt to tie Donalds to the man whose endorsement propelled the Naples Congressman to the Republican nomination.
Starting with a quote from Donalds during a cable news hit in 2025, Jolly’s ad notes rising prices for gas, food and home insurance, juxtaposed with Donalds giving Trump an “A” for his economy. In the spot, Donalds acknowledges that gas prices are “a little bit higher” amid the ongoing military conflict with Iran. The ad closes by asserting that Trump always gets his “blind loyalty.”
Donalds has attempted to contextualize the titular quote during interviews. He has said his “daddy’s back” comment about Trump was a misinterpreted joke.
“Joe Biden was asleep at the wheel. Nobody was running the federal government. I was there through all four years of Joe Biden’s presidency on Capitol Hill. So yeah, I was just being flippant. I was like, yeah, it seems like he’s back. Period. That’s what I said. But, you know, do I think he’s my daddy? No,” Donalds said during an interview with former Democratic congressional candidate and rap icon Luther Campbell.
Democrats have pushed the argument that Donalds is distancing himself from the President to court voters unaffiliated with either major party, who polls say have soured on Trump. Their strategy to flip the Governor’s Mansion depends on linking the President to his handpicked candidate to succeed Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Trump speaks Friday afternoon in Fort Myers, at the Alico Arena at Florida Gulf Coast University. Undercard speakers kick it off at 2 p.m.
A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. His work also can be seen in the Washington Post, the New York Post, the Washington Times, and National Review, among other publications. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski
October 22, 2026 at 3:33 pm
Donalds has been all in for Trump for a decade. He has been all over television & campaigns supporting Trump & his policies. Trying to distance himself from Trump after he’s driven the country into a ditch is way too little and way too late. Oh by the way, check.out Donalds’ attendence record at his current job. Speaks to how dedicated he is to doing work on behalf of his contituents. .
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October 22, 2026 at 5:22 pm
It’s almost like Donald’s is a felon and a fraudster. Oh. Right.
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October 22, 2026 at 5:58 pm
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