Byron Donalds Claims Florida: “And Now, I Am Your Next Governor”
Byron Donalds stood before a roaring crowd Tuesday night and made it official. The Trump-endorsed congressman from Southwest Florida had just edged out Democrat David Jolly in a tight race, locking down the governorship and keeping the Sunshine State firmly in Republican hands for a fifth straight term.
“And now, I am your next governor,” Donalds declared from the podium, Florida flags flanking him as phones went up across the room. The crowd erupted. Donalds, set to become the first Black governor in state history and the first Black Republican governor in the nation, wasted no time turning to the person who made the run possible.
“I want to thank my wife, because Erica’s been the rock of our family, she’s allowed me to do this,” he said. “Everybody give it up for the next First Lady of the great state of Florida.” More cheers followed.
Donalds, backed by both President Trump and outgoing Governor Ron DeSantis, campaigned on keeping Florida affordable, safe, and free—the same formula that turned the state from a perennial battleground into a conservative stronghold.
Jolly, a former Republican turned Democrat, never found enough traction. The result extends GOP control dating back to Jeb Bush and sends a clear signal that Florida voters rejected the alternative.
Donalds takes over from DeSantis in January. The free state stays free.