Florida voters elected Republican Byron Donalds as their next governor Tuesday, defeating Democrat Jason Jolly in a race decided by less than one percentage point. With 93% of precincts reporting, Donalds will take office in January, succeeding term‑limited Governor Ron DeSantis after eight years.
Donalds Wins Tight Governor Race
Donalds was declared the winner by a margin of roughly one point, according to official results, with 93% of precincts reporting. He will be inaugurated in January, replacing DeSantis after eight years in the governor’s mansion.
The contest tested Florida’s political direction in a state that has moved decisively to the right in recent cycles. President Donald Trump captured Florida by 13 points in 2024, and Republican voter registration has expanded. Democrats hoped Jolly, a former Republican congressman who became an independent and then a Democrat, could build a coalition around affordability, housing costs, property insurance, health care and public education.
Donalds, a Republican congressman for the 19th district, campaigned as a Trump ally, emphasizing affordability, government efficiency, school choice and parental rights. He earned Trump’s endorsement and served as one of the most prominent Florida surrogates during the 2024 campaign.
Jolly represented the 13th district, covering Clearwater and Largo, from 2014 to 2017 as a Republican. He registered as a Democrat in 2025 and launched his gubernatorial campaign.
Donalds becomes Florida’s first Black governor, extending the GOP’s gubernatorial hold since 1994. The state has not elected a Democratic governor since Lawton Chiles defeated Jeb Bush in 1994, nor voted Democratic in a presidential race since Obama’s 2012 win.
Republicans aim to continue DeSantis’s conservative agenda while shaping Donalds’s distinct profile. His victory signals continued GOP dominance in a state that has not seen a Democratic governor in three decades.
