Republican Rep. Byron Donalds won the Florida governor’s race on Tuesday, defeating Democratic nominee David Jolly. Donalds becomes the state’s first Black governor and will succeed Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is leaving office.
The contest was closer than many expected in the final weeks. Donalds had tried to paint Jolly, a former Republican congressman who switched parties and ran a centrist campaign, as an out-of-touch liberal. He also reached out to Black voters, a group that traditionally backs Democrats.
The race tested whether President Donald Trump’s low approval ratings would spill over into Florida, where Republicans have a roughly 1.5 million voter registration advantage. No Democrat has won the governor’s office in more than 30 years. Donalds also held a large fundraising edge over Jolly, who campaigned in Democratic strongholds such as Broward County and in Republican areas of Central Florida and the Panhandle.
Voters focused on high prices and the cost of homeowners insurance, a major concern in a state often hit by hurricanes. DeSantis, who won his 2022 reelection by nearly 20 points, leaned heavily into culture-war issues during his time in office. Donalds kept a steady tone during the campaign, supporting Trump while distancing himself from the president on his website.
For South Florida residents, the outcome sets the direction of state policy on insurance, cost of living and education for the next four years.
