The Associated Press has projected that Representative Byron Donalds and former Representative David Jolly have secured their respective party nominations for the Florida gubernatorial race. Their primary victories establish a general election contest to determine the leadership of the nation’s third-most populous state.
Donalds, who has represented the Naples and Fort Myers region since his 2020 election, successfully navigated a Republican primary field that included far-right online provocateur James Fishback. Fishback’s campaign drew significant scrutiny due to his use of sexist and racist language, as well as his association with Nick Fuentes.
A prominent member of the House Freedom Caucus, Donalds has consistently identified as a “Make America Great Again” lawmaker and received the endorsement of President Trump. His legislative record includes a high-profile 2023 challenge against Kevin McCarthy for the speakership, which extended into 15 rounds of voting. He later sought to succeed McCarthy after the former speaker was removed from his position 10 months later.
On the Democratic side, Jolly emerged from a crowded field to claim the nomination. He is the second notable Republican-turned-Democrat to seek the governorship in Florida over the last two election cycles. With Florida trending increasingly conservative over the past decade, the Cook Political Report currently classifies the upcoming November contest as Solid R, positioning Donalds as the favorite to win the seat. The report also notes that donalds, first elected in 2020 to represent Naples, Fort Myers and the surrounding area, was backed by President Trump and has long branded himself as a “Make America Great Again” member of the House.
Source: CBS News
