Moliere Dimanche, an Orlando resident running with no party affiliation, is one of several candidates seeking the Florida governor's office in the Nov. 3 general election.

Asked why he is running, Dimanche said in our candidate questionnaire: "I believe that most Floridians have had it with public corruption. It affects every aspect of our life and there is no way to escape it anymore … I'm in this race to put an end to corruption once and for all."

His running mate is Benjiman Rojas, according to the Florida Division of Elections. Dimanche filed his candidacy on June 26, 2024, and qualified on June 10, 2026, by paying the qualifying fee.

Other candidates in the race are Byron Donalds (Republican), Charles Burkett (No Party Preference), David Jolly (Democratic), Dean Ocean Abrams (No Party Preference), Frank Russo (No Party Preference), Jeffrey Peter Datto (No Party Preference) and Scott Jewett (Libertarian).

Candidate information

Born: Nov. 7, 1987

Residence: Orlando, Florida

Party: "I am not affiliated with any party. I believe both parties can be right at times, and on the wrong side of things as well," Dimanche said in our questionnaire.

Family: "I have a ton of brothers, and no sisters. My father was deported to Haiti in 1988 and I don't really know him … My wife is a registered Republican and has been a pro-life activist since she was a child because her mom was very active protesting against Planned Parenthood. We have 3 sons. My oldest son, Caleb is a 6th grader at Discovery Middle School, and we have 5-year-old identical twins," Dimanche said in our questionnaire.

Education: "I attended West Orange High School in Winter Garden, Florida and received a scholarship to attend Florida School of the Arts. Flo Arts is a part of St. John's River State College in Palatka, Florida," Dimanche said in our questionnaire. He holds an associate of arts in studio art from St. Johns River State College, according to Wikipedia.

Experience and public service

Asked about his occupation, Dimanche said in our questionnaire: "I am a FedEx driver. I previously worked as a barber before I published a book called It Takes a Criminal to Know One: How the Inspector General and I are one and the Same. I took a book tour from 2016-2109 and showcased my art all over the world before I settled down and began working for FedEx."

On previous office, Dimanche said: "I have never held, or been appointed to public office. I did run for mayor of the city of Orlando, but did not appear on the ballot because I did not manage to pay the qualifying fee. I also ran for District 5 Commissioner, but the check I provided forms qualifying fee was returned by the City of Orlando without explanation and I did not appear on the ballot."

In 2007, at age 19, Dimanche received a 10-year prison sentence for theft of construction materials and served 8.5 years before being released, according to Wikipedia. While incarcerated, Dimanche said he litigated a civil rights case in the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, Dimanche v. Brown (2015). His Redemption series, a portfolio of drawings made in prison, earned him a Pell Grant scholarship and has been featured in Folio, Salon.com and The Conversation, according to Wikipedia.

On the issues

Top priority: Asked about his single most important issue, Dimanche said in our questionnaire: "Within my first year I would definitely put guard rails around Amendment 3, if it passes … Florida needs to return to a place where the governor stayed out of the People's business, let them vote, and uphold whatever laws or Amendments the People pass. I want Floridians to trust the government again."

Economy and cost of living: "The best thing we can do is take the cost of living off of folks as best we can … In Maryland, and in Michigan, municipalities implemented a beautification initiative where they awarded abandoned properties to anybody in America for $1, as long as they homesteaded the property and took care of any repairs. I want to do that in Florida," Dimanche said in our questionnaire.

Public safety: "I led the charge to incorporate Pine Hills into its own municipality, so I have unique expertise here … That is my home, and I sought to change that narrative," Dimanche said in our questionnaire, citing the February 2023 killings in Pine Hills as a catalyst for his proposal.

Education: Dimanche said in our questionnaire: "I'd definitely like to see more funding and opportunities granted to parents who home-school their kids … These parents will certainly have an opportunity to fund their child's education if they choose home school."

Running as an independent: "I believe we are in a time where folks don't know what to expect anymore … the two major parties are two sides of the same coin. Once we break away from that, we will see a state, and a country that finally meets our expectations. I'm asking Floridians to start with me," Dimanche said in our questionnaire.

The general election is Nov. 3.