It’s official: David Jolly is a

Democratic candidate for governor in ’26

Following the exploratory phase of his campaign this spring, David Jolly says he’s ready to go and has officially entered the Democratic primary for governor of Florida. He acknowledges the challenges about running in an electoral landscape that hasn’t elected any Democrat to a statewide office since 2018, but says the environment is ripe for that to change in 2026.

“We will be in every community, building trust and building relationships and building a coalition that will ultimately and successfully win an election where a Democrat hasn’t won in 30 years and where the voter registration rolls are against us,” he said in a phone interview with the Phoenix on Wednesday.

Watch the Announcement

By Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix

“In Florida we are in the midst of a generational affordability crisis,” he added. “Everybody feels it. I mean this has been affirmed everywhere I’ve gone, every group I’ve sat with.

Read more

Elon Musk departs DOGE with a horrific legacy

The malignancy that is his Department of Government Efficiency project lives on.

Elon Musk's government service has supposedly come to an end, with the billionaire decamping to his company town of Starbase, Texas. Except there he was in the Oval Office on Friday, in a press availability alongside President Donald Trump. Sporting a black eye — given to him by his 5-year-old, he said — Musk grumbled about his time in the nation's capital. "We became essentially the DOGE bogeyman," Musk said. "It just became a bit ridiculous."

By Paul Waldman, author and commentator, MSNBC

Read more.

Musk claims to have saved the government $175B. No where near his original target of $2T, or his revised target of $1T and not even close to the cost of Trump's "Big Beautiful bill" $3.8T - CBS Sunday Morning

A call for civic institutions to defend the First Amendment

Universities, law firms and media organizations must stand up for their rights while there’s still time

Will our nation’s top civic institutions – universities, media organizations, law firms, and the like – stand up for the First Amendment? Or will they bend the knee to the Trump regime when their rights – and the rights of those they represent – come under threat?

It’s an open question. Trump has taken shocking, really almost unimaginable steps to punish major institutions for their speech – for their support of diversity initiatives he opposes; for representing clients he doesn’t like; even for calling the Gulf of Mexico by its common name.

Dan Froomkin, Heads Up News May 21, 2025

Some institutions have risen to the challenge and fought back. But too many have surrendered. 

Read more.

Trump's 'big, beautiful' military parade

perfectly distills his presidency

Trump is finally getting the expensive, infrastructure-damaging ceremony

he wanted badly in his first term.

President Donald Trump is finally nearing the fulfillment of a dream that he’s had since his first term in office:

a lavish military parade that proceeds through the streets of Washington.

NBC News reports the parade will be “to Flag Day,” and will also mark the Army’s 250th birthday on June 14.

As it happens, that’s also the president’s birthday, though Trump told NBC News’ “Meet the Press”

moderator Kristen Welker that the “big, beautiful” parade is “not necessarily” about his birthday.

But, he said, “It’s a very important day.” Read more...

By Zeeshan Aleem MSNBC Opinion Writer/Editor

Trump throwing a party for himself with jets and tanks parading down Constitution Avenue

will be a wasteful, infrastructure-destroying display of jingoism

NOTE: Next All Members meeting, June 14,

will begin at 9:30 am

instead of 10 am

due to other activities happening that day.

Doors will still open at 9 am for socializing

SAVE THE DATE:

Members Meeting

June 14

Colony Cottage Rec Center

510 Colony Blvd.

Guest Speaker

Florida State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith

Topic: The legislative session and LGBTQ+ issues

Over 200 attended "The State of Our Democracy"

on May 17 with special guest speaker Harry Dunn,

capital city police officer on Jan 6. Sponsored by

Sumter County Democrats.

Watch the Video

Watch the slideshow

TVDC is looking for a member to fill vacant board position : Communications Director. 

Contact: Bill Knudson

Most Trump voters still say they have no regrets.

Here's why that matters.

A noticeable contingent of Kamala Harris voters has spent this year demanding that people who didn’t vote for her — whether for Donald Trump or another candidate — admit to a mistake that’s not only hurting the country but is hurting (or will hurt) them, too. Social media feeds are filled with people citing the latest Trump outrage and mockingly asking Trump voters, “Did you vote for this?!”

In the main, the Trump voter with buyer’s remorse is a mythical character not unlike, say, the moderate Republican.

Missed the May 10 members meeting, no worries,

check out the video and slide show.

Watch the Video

Watch the slideshow

Shout out to Scarlett Tyler, owner of Love Handles Home Bakery 

who provided fantastic cookies and other sweet treats for the May membership meeting.

Meet, Greet & Eat with like minded Singles

The Club's "Meet, Greet & Eat Singles" group welcomes new members. Visit with coordinators

Linda Ballou and Mary Ferguson at the monthly membership meetings, or email them.

Email

CHANCES TO DO SOMETHING THIS WEEK AND BEYOND

We're rounding up petitions for Barbie

and a Medicaid ballot measure

Barbie for Congress website

All of Sumter County is in Congressional District 11 and we are collecting 

Barbie Harden Hall petitions to get her on the ballot again for 2026.

We also are actively collecting petitions for a Florida Constitutional Amendment to expand Medicaid. 

You can find information and request a petition form at

https://floridadecideshealthcare.org/

Turn completed forms in the Sumter Democratic HQ on Wednesday afternoons or Saturday mornings.

You also can pick up the forms at the headquarters.

EDITOR'S NOTE: It's been a horrific month of MAGA madness.

We must find ways to fight back, for ourselves and the future of our nation.

Oppose, oppose, oppose. And do it loudly.

Don't despair and don't appease

Source: Paul Krugman, New York University professor of economics

Read

Oops, you've got to do it again!

Thanks to Florida Republicans trying everything they can to suppress our votes,

we all must reapply for Vote By Mail ballots.

What will it take? How many of us, regardless of party, still care about truth and democracy?

Source: Joyce Vance, Civil Discourse

Read

Scores of legal actions have been filed to block and challenge President Trump, Elon Musk, and others in the administration. Here's a one-stop nonprofit site, Just Security, where you can keep track.

Trump litigation tracker

Food pantry donations are always welcome

The Club and its generous members support multiple local food pantries. The preferred donations include food in cans, boxes, and jars, toiletries, and laundry and cleaning supplies.

View Club President Bill Knudson's analysis of economic data and policies

Economics in Perspective