Former President Bill Clinton will make his first public campaign appearance of the 2026 midterm elections next week, traveling to Florida to campaign for Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Jolly as he attempts to defeat Rep. Byron Donalds and flip Republican control of the statems executive.

Clinton is scheduled to join Jolly at an evening interfaith event in Hollywood, Florida, on Tuesday, October 20, just two weeks before Election Day and as early voting begins in parts of the state.

The appearance comes as Donalds has established himself as the favorite in the race to succeed outgoing Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. A Stetson University poll conducted October 1-9 found Donalds leading Jolly 52% to 41% among likely voters. Other recent surveys have shown a closer contest, including one that found the candidates tied at 47%. Recent Florida polling has generally placed Donalds ahead.

Jolly, a former Republican congressman who won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in August, has sought to present himself as an alternative to the state's Republican leadership. Bringing Clinton into the campaign could help attract attention and energize Democratic supporters, but it also risks giving Republicans an opportunity to redirect the conversation toward the former president's political baggage.

Clinton's appearance comes amid renewed scrutiny of his past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Clinton recently testified in a House Oversight Committee investigation into Epstein's connections, drawing fresh attention to the former president's history with the financier. Clinton has denied knowing about Epstein's crimes.

The decision to feature Clinton so close to Election Day could therefore prove to be a difficult political calculation for Jolly, particularly as he seeks to persuade voters that his candidacy represents a change in direction for Florida. Rather than keeping attention on state issues and his own proposals, the campaign risks inviting questions about a national Democratic figure whose history remains politically contentious.

Clinton has remained active in Democratic campaigns over the years, although his involvement has varied between election cycles. In 2022, he concentrated his appearances in the closing days of the midterms, campaigning for Democrats in New York, New Jersey and South Texas. In 2024, he made dozens of stops in battleground states on behalf of then-Vice President Kamala Harris and other Democratic candidates.

He has already participated in fundraising efforts for Florida Democrats this year. Earlier this week, Clinton and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries headlined a New York fundraiser for Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz, who is running in a newly drawn competitive congressional district following a redistricting effort backed by DeSantis.

With Donalds leading in several recent surveys, Clinton's visit puts Jolly's campaign in the position of deciding whether the former president's presence will energize Democratic voters or create an opening for Republicans to focus on controversies beyond the Florida governor's race.