David Jolly — Past Speakers

**Congressman David Jolly**

Former Republican Congressman, Political Analyst on *CNN* and *MSNBC* with Publications featured in *The Washington Post,* *TIME* Magazine, and *Roll Call*

Congressman David Jolly (R-FL), who represented Florida’s 13th district from 2014 to 2017, made a name for himself as a pragmatic and independent voice within the GOP, often willing to break from party lines. Known for “speaking the truth” and being “the one Congressman willing to compromise,” Jolly has become a prominent advocate for reducing partisan rancor and promoting solutions-oriented leadership. Although he held several traditionally Republican views, Jolly prioritized pragmatic solutions over rigid ideology during his time in office. Jolly’s congressional career ended in 2016 after an electoral redistricting made his district more Democratic-leaning, leading to his defeat by Democrat Charlie Crist. Following his loss, Jolly grew increasingly critical of the Republican Party’s alignment with former President Trump. In 2018, he left the GOP, asserting, “You can’t be never-Trump and be a Republican,” as he believed the party had become too entrenched in Trump’s divisive politics. Since leaving Congress, Jolly has used his platform to advocate for reforms to America’s two-party system. Through his writings in major outlets like Time, The Washington Post, CNN, and the Tampa Bay Times, he has championed the idea of a multi-party democracy, arguing, “Most leading nations have multi-party democracies…and voters feel better represented.” Jolly currently serves as a political commentator for MSNBC and CNN and works as Executive Vice President at Shumaker Advisors Florida LLC. Before his congressional career, he worked for Rep. Bill Young and as a lobbyist in D.C. He is also the editor of A Divided Union, a book examining the challenges to bipartisanship. Jolly’s journey from a Republican congressman to a vocal critic of partisan politics highlights his commitment to pluralistic governance and his belief in policy-based decision-making over party allegiance.

Former Congressman David Jolly participated as a panelist at The Common Good Town Hall: “Bridging America’s Divides” moderated by John Heilemann and featuring co-panelists; Steven Brill, Frank Bruni, Alyssa Farah Griffin, George Packer, Heather Cox Richardson, Congressman Tim Ryan, and Andrew Yang.