Republican Rep. Byron Donalds is projected to defeat Democrat David Jolly in Florida’s gubernatorial election on Tuesday, November 3, according to the Fox News Decision Desk. The result would make Donalds the first Black candidate elected governor of Florida. Fox News also described his victory as the first gubernatorial election win by a Black Republican in the United States.
Donalds, a three-term congressman representing southwest Florida, will take over from Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who cannot seek another term because of term limits. A prominent House ally of President Donald Trump with an expanding national profile, Donalds campaigned on maintaining and extending DeSantis’ conservative policies in the country’s third most populous state.
In a victory statement on X, Donalds expressed gratitude and outlined priorities that included affordability, public safety and opportunities for young people. “I am humbled and grateful beyond measure,” he said. He pledged to work to preserve Florida’s standing and help its residents pursue what he called the Florida Dream.
Trump endorsed Donalds in February 2025, before the congressman formally entered the contest. Donalds subsequently announced his candidacy on Fox News’ “Hannity.” He secured nearly half the vote in the August Republican primary, defeating a crowded field that included Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner and business executive James Fishback. In late September, the removal of some Trump references from his campaign website drew attention as the president’s approval ratings continued to fall.
Born in New York City, Donalds relocated to Florida for college and worked in finance, insurance and banking before pursuing public office. Previously a Democrat, he joined the Republican Party in 2010 during the Tea Party movement. He won election to the Florida House in 2016 and served two terms before entering Congress.
Jolly, a Florida native, worked as a senior adviser to then-Rep. Bill Young, as well as a lawyer and lobbyist. He entered Congress through a March 2014 special election and won a full term later that year, but lost his 2016 re-election bid. After leaving office, he became a cable news political commentator and outspoken Trump critic. He left the Republican Party in 2018 and became a Democrat in 2025 before launching his campaign.
The candidates clashed over Donalds’ repeated accusations that Jolly supported “radical socialism.” Jolly rejected the characterization in an interview with Fox News two weeks before the election, saying he had repeatedly condemned socialism in the Democratic Socialists of America.
The close race unfolded in a state that has moved rightward over the past decade after years as a major presidential battleground. DeSantis won re-election in 2022 by nearly 20 points, and Trump carried Florida by 13 points in 2024. Republicans hold an advantage of roughly 1.5 million registered voters, but a difficult political climate for the GOP helped Democrats compete again.
