Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) is projected to win Florida's gubernatorial race, defeating Democrat David Jolly, according to Decision Desk HQ. With 93.4% of the vote counted as of 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Donalds holds a narrow lead of 0.8 percentage points.
Donalds, who has represented Florida's 19th Congressional District since 2021, will succeed outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who is term-limited and could not seek reelection. The three-term congressman secured the Republican nomination in August, easily defeating Lt. Gov. Jay Collins in the primary by more than 20 points.
His victory extends the GOP's hold on the governor's mansion in Tallahassee. Jolly, a former Republican who represented Florida's 13th District in Congress for three years in the 2010s, ran as a Democrat but could not break the long Republican winning streak. A Democrat has not won the Florida governorship since Lawton Chiles defeated Jeb Bush in 1994, despite Florida's status as a key presidential battleground.
Historic milestone
When Donalds is sworn in on Jan. 8, he will become Florida's first Black governor and only the second Black governor of a state south of the Mason-Dixon Line. He will join Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) as the only Black governors in the nation.
Donalds, who is of Jamaican and Panamanian descent, has downplayed the historical significance of his candidacy. In March, he told CBS News Miami's Jim DeFede that he has not "focused" on his race in politics. "It's not so much about my race," he said. "I think [it] is more about the policies I support, the principles I stand for, commonsense conservative policies that have made Florida the envy of the other 49 states in the union."
Trump's early endorsement
Before Donalds even launched his campaign, he had the backing of President Trump. Days before the congressman entered the race, Trump said Donalds "would be a truly Great and Powerful" governor of the nation's third-most-populous state.
While Donalds praised DeSantis on the trail, the outgoing governor did not officially endorse him until September, after Donalds had already won the nomination.
Donalds's running mate, Lt. Gov.-elect Bryan Ávila (R), is a state senator and the third lieutenant governor of Cuban descent in Florida's history, following Republicans Carlos Lopez-Cantera and Jeanette Núñez.
Donalds's victory is part of a broader Republican wave in Florida, even as Democrats made gains elsewhere. His win solidifies the GOP's dominance in a state that was once a toss-up in presidential elections.
With the governor's race called, attention now shifts to how Donalds will govern. He has signaled a continuation of DeSantis's conservative policies, but his historic election could also make him a national figure. As Democrats claim a generational remake in Washington, Donalds's win ensures Florida remains a Republican stronghold.
In the coming weeks, Donalds will begin building his administration and preparing for the transition. His victory is a significant moment for Florida Republicans, who have not lost a gubernatorial race in three decades. The state's political landscape, however, remains dynamic, and Missouri voters rejecting a GOP redistricting plan shows that electoral outcomes can be unpredictable.
