Moliere "Moe" Dimanche, a Haitian American from Orlando and a No Party Preference candidate, is one of eight people certified for the Nov. 3, 2026, Florida gubernatorial election. His running mate is Benjiman Rojas.

Asked why he is seeking office, 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."

Candidate information

Party: No Party Preference

Education: Dimanche said: "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."

Family: Dimanche said: "I have a ton of brothers, and no sisters. My father was deported to Haiti in 1988 and I don't really know him. … We have 3 sons. My oldest son, Caleb is a 6th grader at Discovery Middle School, and we have 5-year-old identical twins."

Occupation: Dimanche said: "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."

Filing: Dimanche filed his candidacy on June 26, 2024, and qualified on June 10, 2026, paying the qualifying fee, according to the Florida Division of Elections.

Experience and public service

Asked about 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."

According to Wikipedia, in 2007, at age 19, Dimanche received a 10-year prison sentence for theft of construction materials, serving 8.5 years before being released. His Redemption series, a portfolio of drawings made while in prison, earned him a Pell Grant scholarship to the Florida School of the Arts.

On the issues

Top priority: Dimanche said: "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."

Economy and cost of living: Dimanche said: "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. … I want to GIVE these homes to Floridians for free."

Public safety: Dimanche said: "I led the charge to incorporate Pine Hills into its own municipality, so I have unique expertise here. … I proposed incorporation to secure a law enforcement presence for Pine Hills because relying on county resources in unincorporated communities is a recipe for disaster."

Running as an independent: Dimanche said: "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."

Other candidates certified for 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).