David Jolly Becomes Fourth Republican in Florida Senate Race

Jolly is running for Senate in Florida. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Posted July 20, 2015 at 10:20am

Rep. David Jolly, R-Fla., officially entered Florida’s open Senate contest Monday, becoming the fourth Republican running for his party’s nomination for the ultra-competitive seat.

“Based on my record as a conservative who has gotten results in the United States Congress and who has advanced the conservative principles we ran on, I am asking the people of Florida to let me serve as their next United States Senator,” Jolly told the Tampa Bay Times .

Jolly’s announcement comes just days after Florida’s Supreme Court ordered a mandatory redraw of the state’s congressional map — a move likely to make Jolly’s Tampa-based 13th District too Democratic to hold . The 42-year-old former lobbyist won the seat in 2014 in a special election after GOP Rep. C.W. Bill Young died in October 2013.

Jolly now joins Rep. Ron DeSantis, Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera and veteran Todd Wilcox in the race. A fifth Republican, Rep. Jeff Miller, is also mulling a bid.

Florida’s Senate seat is open in 2016 because Sen. Marco Rubio opted to run for president rather than seek re-election to his seat.

President Barack Obama carried the state twice, making it a top pick-up opportunity for Democrats — who must net five seats to ensure Senate control.

On the Democratic side, Reps. Patrick Murphy and Alan Grayson are running for their party’s nomination.

Florida’s Senate race is rated a Tossup contest by the Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report/Roll Call.