Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Jolly and running mate Gwen Graham are bringing their statewide "Believe in Better" bus tour to Sarasota on Saturday, Oct. 31, giving area voters a look at the ticket three days before the Nov. 3 election.

The campaign's published schedule lists an Oct. 26 evening launch in Pensacola and stops through Nov. 2. Pasco County and Sarasota are both on the Oct. 31 itinerary.

The Sarasota rally listing says doors open at 12:30 p.m. and the program runs from 1 to 2 p.m. The address is private and is sent by email after registration.

The tour closes with stops in Miami on Nov. 1 and Palm Beach County and Wilton Manors on Nov. 2.

A tight race heads into the final stretch

A UNF poll released Oct. 21 put Donalds at 49% and Jolly at 47%, including voters who initially were undecided but then leaned toward a candidate. The two-point gap was within the survey's overall margin of error of plus or minus 2.81 percentage points. UNF surveyed 1,471 likely voters Oct. 12–19.

That margin has narrowed. In July, Donalds led by five points.

“Given the margin of error, a win by either candidate would be unsurprising,” UNF polling director Sean Freeder said in the release.

Jolly, a former Republican congressman who represented Florida's 13th Congressional District from 2014 to 2017, left the GOP in 2018 and registered as a Democrat in April 2025. He announced his gubernatorial campaign in June 2025. Graham, a former Democratic congresswoman, is his running mate.

Donalds already toured Sarasota

Donalds brought his own "Defending the Florida Dream" bus tour through Sarasota on Oct. 22, starting the morning at Yoder's Restaurant and Amish Village on Bahia Vista Street with Attorney General James Uthmeier, WWSB reported. About 100 people attended, according to WUSF.

Where voters split

The UNF poll also found Donalds ahead on trust over property insurance, 43% to 38%, while Jolly led on data centers, 41% to 37%.

Jolly's campaign platform calls for an immediate moratorium on hyperscale data-center construction until environmental impacts and safeguards are studied.

Jolly also appears to be drawing crossover support. The poll found 11% of registered Republicans back Jolly, while 5% of registered Democrats support Donalds. Among voters with no party affiliation, Jolly leads 55% to 38%.

Early-voting dates vary by county. Sarasota County's official voter guide lists early voting through Sunday, Nov. 1. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Updated Oct. 26: This article now includes the rally's published time and registration details. The tour launch wording has been corrected to reflect its scheduled evening start.