Republican Byron Donalds has won Florida’s governor’s race, defeating Democrat David Jolly and extending nearly three decades of Republican control over the state’s top office. He succeeds term-limited Ron DeSantis.
Donalds, a U.S. House member since 2021, entered the race early with backing from President Donald Trump. Before his political career, he worked as a credit analyst and portfolio manager. He served in the Florida House starting in 2016, focusing on issues including school choice and insurance policy.
“Mr. President, I want you to hear from Florida that we are still red.”
During his victory remarks, Donalds also said: “Before I say anything — I want to thank my LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.”
In Congress, Donalds has supported lower taxes, stricter border enforcement, and reduced federal involvement in state and local affairs. Affordability was central to his campaign platform, which included calls for tax cuts, changes to insurance regulations intended to lower costs, and greater price transparency from healthcare providers.
Florida continues to operate without a state income tax, a feature that has distinguished it from higher-tax states that have seen residents and businesses relocate elsewhere. Property tax burdens remain a concern for some residents, but the state’s overall fiscal environment has continued to draw new arrivals.
Donalds’s win follows a stretch in which Florida, under DeSantis, drew national attention for resisting many of the COVID-era restrictions — including extended lockdowns, school closures, and business mandates — that were imposed in numerous other states.
Some social media reaction to the results noted that Donalds would become the first Black governor in Florida’s history, a point highlighted amid broader commentary on the night’s election results.
Donalds now takes office with stated priorities of pursuing insurance reform, tax relief, and continuing the state’s approach of limiting government intervention in individual and business decisions. Whether those priorities translate into measurable results for residents and prospective newcomers will shape how his administration is judged going forward.
