Politics · United States · 25 mins ago
Byron Donalds narrowly wins Florida governor’s race
Republican Byron Donalds won Florida’s governor’s race against Democrat David Jolly.
With 98% of votes counted, Donalds had 50% and Jolly 49%, in a contest called by the Associated Press.
Donalds will succeed term-limited Governor Ron DeSantis, who stayed neutral in the Republican primary and endorsed him after he won the nomination.
Donalds was backed by President Donald Trump, while Jolly, a former Republican congressman, ran as a Democrat and criticised Trump.
Donalds became the first Black Republican elected governor in the United States, and Florida’s first Black governor.
The close result came as voters raised concerns about the economy, rising costs and data centers, and Democrats gained seats in Congress.
Republicans keep control of Florida’s governorship, giving Trump a political ally in the country’s third-largest state as the parties look toward 2028.
Republican Byron Donalds defeated Democrat David Jolly in Florida’s closely watched governor’s race, according to the Associated Press call reported by the outlets.
Donalds will become Florida’s first Black governor.
The race was close: the Daily Mail reported Donalds had 50 percent to Jolly’s 49 percent with 98 percent of the vote counted.
Donalds had the backing of President Donald Trump and campaigned on continuing outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis’s conservative policies.
Both candidates focused on affordability, while Jolly also criticized data center development.
- Who
- Republican Byron Donalds defeated Democrat David Jolly.
- What
- Donalds won Florida’s governor’s race and will become the state’s first Black governor.
- When
- The result was reported on November 4, 2026, after voting on Tuesday.
- Where
- Florida.
- Why
- Voters chose a successor to term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis. The sources also describe affordability and the state’s future direction as central campaign issues.
Byron Donalds
David Jolly
Policy direction
Byron Donalds
Donalds said he would continue and build on DeSantis’s conservative agenda.
David Jolly
Jolly criticized that record and campaigned on lowering costs and improving affordability.
Data centers
Byron Donalds
Donalds introduced legislation requiring data centers to generate their own power and water.
David Jolly
Jolly criticized Donalds’s ties to the industry and called for a moratorium on new data center construction.
Trump endorsed Donalds for governor, before Donalds formally launched his campaign, according to Fox News.
Donalds won the Republican nomination and Jolly won the Democratic primary.
Trump rallied with Donalds in Fort Myers and Daytona Beach, according to the Daily Mail.
Florida voters chose between Donalds and Jolly in the governor’s race.
The Associated Press called the race for Donalds.
- Vote count
- Donalds had 50 percent and Jolly 49 percent with 98 percent counted, according to the Daily Mail.
- Campaign fundraising
- Donalds raised nearly $150 million; Jolly raised roughly $22 million, according to the Daily Mail.
- Outgoing governor
- Ron DeSantis was term-limited and is due to leave office in January.
- Registered voters
- Florida had about 1.5 million more registered Republicans than Democrats, plus 3.3 million unaffiliated voters, according to NPR.
9 sources
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What people are saying
The people of Florida love the trajectory set by Governor DeSantis. We're going to maintain that trajectory, and we're going to build it and take Florida to a whole new level,
Byron Donalds is a liar. I've condemned socialism in the DSA [Democratic Socialists of America] hundreds of times, and he knows that.
I’ll fight to lower costs, and always put you first,
Posts on X
This election comes down to who you trust. I’ll fight to lower costs and always put you first. I'm asking for your vote.