Archive · 19 Aug 2026
Byron Donalds Wins Historic Republican Florida Governor Nomination
Byron Donalds won the Republican contest to run for governor of Florida.
David Jolly won the Democratic contest.
They will face each other in the November election.
The winner will replace Gov.
Ron DeSantis.
Donalds is the first Black Republican nominee for Florida governor.
He says he wants to cut taxes and change insurance rules.
He also supports making healthcare prices easier to see.
The election may show how much influence Donald Trump has in Florida and whether Democrats can win back support.
U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds won the Republican nomination for Florida governor in Tuesday’s primary.
Former Rep. David Jolly won the Democratic nomination for the November election.
Donalds defeated Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and other Republican candidates.
Donalds became the first Black Republican nominee for Florida governor.
The election will replace outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis and test President Donald Trump’s influence in Florida.
- Who
- U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds and former Rep. David Jolly won their respective party nominations; Lt. Gov. Jay Collins was among Donalds’s Republican opponents.
- What
- Donalds won the Republican nomination for Florida governor, while Jolly won the Democratic nomination.
- When
- The nominations were decided in Tuesday’s primaries; the general election will take place in November.
- Where
- Florida.
- Why
- The November election will choose a successor to outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis and could shape Florida’s political future.
Democratic Perspective
Republican Perspective
Florida’s political direction
Democratic Perspective
Democrats are seeking to regain ground in a state that has shifted right since 2016.
Republican Perspective
Donalds’s nomination reflects the strength of conservative politics in Florida and will test President Donald Trump’s influence in the state.
Donalds’s candidacy
Democratic Perspective
The November contest will determine whether Democrats can make gains against the Republican nominee.
Republican Perspective
Donalds emphasizes his conservative record and says his candidacy should be judged on merit rather than primarily on its historic significance.
Policy priorities
Democratic Perspective
The Democratic nominee will offer an alternative to Donalds’s proposed tax cuts, insurance changes, and healthcare price-transparency measures.
Republican Perspective
Donalds has pledged tax cuts, insurance reform intended to lower costs, and greater transparency in healthcare pricing.
- Republican nominee
- Byron Donalds
- Democratic nominee
- David Jolly
- Historic milestone
- Donalds is the first Black Republican nominee for Florida governor.
- Republican opponents
- Donalds defeated Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and other candidates.
- Policy promises
- Tax cuts, insurance reform to lower costs, and greater healthcare price transparency.
- Outgoing governor
- Ron DeSantis
- Election timing
- The general election is scheduled for November.