Byron Donalds, a congressman endorsed by Donald Trump, has secured the Republican nomination for governor in Florida. Donalds will now face Democrat David Jolly, a former Republican congressman, in the November general election to succeed current Governor Ron DeSantis.
Donalds, who has represented southwest Florida since 2021, defeated three other Republican contenders, including Jay Collins, who was DeSantis’s choice for lieutenant governor. Donalds’ campaign website states his commitment to implementing Trump’s agenda. He polled close to 50% in some surveys leading up to the primary.
In the weeks before the primary, Donalds’ television advertisements focused on Jolly rather than his Republican rivals. Following his primary victory, Donalds continued this approach, stating on X that his Democratic opponent would raise taxes, increase living costs, and bring a radical left agenda to Florida. He predicted Jolly would lose the November 3 election.
Jolly, who previously served as a Republican congressman and lawyer, became an independent before switching to the Democratic party last year. He ran a moderate campaign and easily won against five other Democrats, including state representative Dotie Joseph and Dayna Marie Foster, who was endorsed by the Florida Democratic Progressive caucus.
In his victory speech, Jolly addressed political division and the economy, attributing rising costs in the state to Donalds. He also claimed Donalds had sold the governor’s mansion to special interests. Donalds’ campaign emphasized affordability, aiming to reduce property taxes and insurance costs.
Trump’s endorsement of Donalds was seen as a significant factor, similar to how Trump’s backing aided DeSantis’s 2018 gubernatorial campaign. DeSantis did not endorse any candidate in this race. If Donalds wins in November, he would become only the second elected Black governor in a southern US state.
Jolly faces a challenging election, as no Democrat has won a Florida governor’s election since Lawton Chiles in 1994, and no Democrat has won a statewide election in Florida since Nikki Fried was elected agriculture commissioner in 2018.
