Byron Donalds Staves Off ‘Blue Wave’ To Keep Florida Red

Florida voters elected Republican Byron Donalds as their next governor Tuesday in a race to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Donalds was declared the victor over Jolly by just about a point with 93% of precincts reporting. He will take office in January, replacing DeSantis — a favorite among conservatives — after eight years in the governor’s mansion. The race was too close for comfort for Republicans in a state DeSantis won by nearly 20 points just four years ago. 

The contest offered a test of Florida’s political direction in a state that has moved decisively to the right in recent election cycles. President Donald Trump carried Florida in 2024 by 13 points, and Republicans have expanded their advantage in voter registration. Democrats nevertheless hoped that Jolly, a former Republican congressman who later became an independent before joining the Democratic Party, could assemble a coalition around affordability, housing costs, property insurance, health care, and public education.

Donalds, a Republican congressman representing the 19th district — which covers a portion of the southern gulf coast of the state — campaigned as a conservative ally to President Trump. He emphasized affordability, government efficiency, school choice, and parental rights. Trump endorsed Donalds, who served as one of the most prominent Florida surrogates for the president during the 2024 campaign. 

Jolly represented the 13th district — which covers the western isthmus of Tampa Bay, including Clearwater and Largo — from 2014 to 2017 as a Republican. He registered as a Democrat in 2025 and launched his gubernatorial campaign.

Donalds will make history as Florida’s first black governor. His victory also extends the state’s Republican winning streak in a state that has not elected a Democratic governor since 1994, when Lawton Chiles defeated Jeb Bush. The state has not gone to Democrats in the presidential election since 2012, when President Barack Obama beat Mitt Romney by just over 70,000 votes.

Republicans will look to Donalds to continue the conservative agenda pursued under Ron DeSantis, while establishing his own identity out of the shadow of one of Florida’s most successful Republican governors.