Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly set to square off for Florida’s governorship
Byron Donalds won with 49.1% of the vote as Democrats chose David Jolly, setting up a November race for governor.
- On Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds won the Republican gubernatorial nomination and former Rep. David Jolly secured the Democratic nod, setting up a November general election to replace term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis.
- Donalds campaigned on alignment with President Donald Trump's conservative agenda, while Jolly, a former Republican who joined the Democratic Party in 2025, emphasizes a broad coalition strategy targeting independents and disaffected Republicans.
- Buoyed by $111 million in campaign contributions, Donalds enters the 76-day general election as the prohibitive favorite in a state that has shifted reliably right since 2016, complicating Democratic efforts to compete.
- Jolly criticized Donalds for campaign ads failing to mention housing or healthcare costs, while Donalds labeled his opponent a "vehicle for the Democrats' crazy left wing," revealing their starkly different general election priorities.
- If elected in November, Donalds would become Florida's first Black governor, though he has downplayed the historic nature of his candidacy, emphasizing instead tax cuts and insurance regulation overhauls.
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Florida Governor's Race Is Set
US Rep. Byron Donalds won the Republican nomination for Florida governor and former Rep. David Jolly picked up the Democratic nod in the state's primary elections Tuesday, setting the stage for a November battle to replace outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis, the AP reports. Tuesday's primaries gave final form to a...
After primary wins, two pro-Israel candidates will battle for Florida's governor's office
The Associated Press called both the Republican and Democratic primary races for governor at 8 p.m., about an hour after polls closed on Tuesday, with around 85% of the votes counted in both races.
Donalds, Jolly emerge from primaries
David Jolly, left, and Byron Donalds, right, are the nominees for their respective parties. (Photos via each candidate's social media accounts)Florida voters will pick either U.S. Byron Donalds or former Rep. David Jolly as the state’s next governor after both men won their primaries Tuesday. Donalds took 48% of the vote in a crowded primary that included nine other Republicans. Jolly easily defeated five opponents in the Democratic primary, ea…
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Local 3 NewsRepublican Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly will face off in the November general election for the governorship of Florida, CNN projects.
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