Mr. Donalds will become Florida’s first Black governor, maintaining his party’s hold on a state that has not put a Democrat in the job since the 1990s.
Wins by Byron Donalds in Florida, Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia and Wes Moore in Maryland mean multiple Black governors will serve simultaneously for the first time.
Donalds, who was backed early by President Trump, will become the state's first Black governor.
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) won the 2026 election to become Florida’s next governor, defeating Democratic hopes of flipping the seat blue through rival David Jolly. Donalds won the race to succeed outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) with 50% of the vote compared to Jolly’s 48.7%, as of 9:09 p.m. The outcome cements Donalds’s rise from […]
Donalds, who billed campaign as ‘a continuation of the DeSantis-era of success’, becomes state’s first black governor Republican Byron Donalds will be the next governor of Florida, and its first Black leader, after defeating Democrat David Jolly in one of the country’s most-watched midterm races. Donalds was endorsed by Donald Trump and appeared twice with the president at rallies in the campaign’s closing days despite previously appearing to distance himself . He will succeed Ron DeSantis, the former presidential candidate who will be termed out of office in January. Continue reading...
Republican Rep. Byron Donalds defeated Democrat David Jolly to become Florida’s next governor, NBC News projects, extending the GOP’s nearly three-decade run in the Governor’s Mansion.
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) is projected to defeat Democrat David Jolly in the Florida gubernatorial race, according to Decision Desk HQ. Donalds, who has represented the Sunshine State’s 19th Congressional District since 2021, will succeed outgoing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in January. DeSantis is term-limited and could not run for reelection. Donalds is leading…
Republican Byron Donalds is projected to win the race to succeed Ron DeSantis in Florida, according to Decision Desk HQ, becoming its first Black governor and extending the party’s control on the state despite a strong challenge by the Democrats.
Byron Donalds makes history as the first Black Republican governor in the nation, defeating David Jolly in Florida's heated gubernatorial race.
Republican Jim Schwartzel is projected to win Florida’s 19th District, according to Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ). Schwartzel defeated Democrat Victor Arias, keeping a GOP stronghold in southwest Florida firmly in Republican hands. The victory sends the conservative media executive to Washington to replace Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), who gave up his seat to run for…
Florida voters elected Republican Byron Donalds as their next governor Tuesday in a race to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Donalds was declared the victor over Jolly by just about a point with 93% of precincts reporting. He will take office in January, replacing DeSantis — a favorite among conservatives — after eight years ...
Florida voters are choosing between Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly in a surprisingly competitive governor's race
Donalds is long on promises, short on details, and still trying to sell Ron DeSantis' culture war.
Florida Republicans aren't panicking about sluggish turnout for the midterms , but in the words of one GOP elder: "We're white-knuckled." Why it matters: Florida once looked like a much safer Republican bet for the midterms. Losing any statewide race would stun and embarrass its elite Republican residents, starting with President Trump . "I don't necessarily want to be the bearer of bad news, but I don't think the turnout is as strong as we would like to see," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis fretted last week. The biggest GOP concern is U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds' campaign for governor, though most polls show him narrowly leading Democrat David Jolly. Donalds has raised $176 million; Jolly just $28 million. Zoom in : The GOP's jitters are rooted in early turnout data. Republicans led Democrats in early ballots cast by just 2.8 percentage points as of Saturday afternoon. That's much lower than in the past two general elections — and it's despite a much-bigger Republican registration advantage over Democrats: 11 points. Republican turnout is weakest in parts of the conservative Panhandle and rural North Florida, including many of the 17 counties Donalds lost in the Republican primary. In those 17 counties, GOP turnout is 3.2 points below 2022, compared with 1.1 points below in counties that Donalds won, University of Florida political scientist Michael McDonald found. Between the lines: Republican turnout is made up of more habitual voters, while Democrats and independents are banking ballots from people who don't always show up. That could benefit Jolly if polls underestimate those voters. Democrats already have surpassed their entire 2022 early and mail-in vote totals in 15 counties, compared with four counties for Republicans. Nearly every poll shows independent voters favoring Democrats by double digits, so Republicans need a heavy turnout advantage. About two-thirds of Florida voters typically cast ballots before Election Day, making the early and absentee margins critica
In his recent breakdown of the Republican Party’s internal mechanics, the Washington Examiner’s chief political correspondent Byron York highlighted a stark operational reality: President Donald Trump holds a 95% approval rating among self-described MAGA Republicans. While conventional political coverage filters this data through a lens of partisan triumph or panic, an objective institutional analysis reveals […]
President Donald Trump is set to speak at a rally in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Friday at 7 p.m. as he works to shore up Republican support just days before the 2026 midterm elections. The president is expected to boost several GOP candidates in the Sunshine State, including Byron Donalds in his gubernatorial bid and […]
