Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) introduced he is operating for Florida governor on Tuesday, changing into the primary main candidate to leap into the race.
“I’m here to announce my candidacy as the next governor of the great state of Florida,” Donalds instructed Fox Information’ Sean Hannity.
“We now have a terrific governor. Ron DeSantis has achieved an amazing job for our state however now the job is to maintain the perfect state within the nation as the perfect state within the nation, in order that’s going to be the mission at hand, “he continued.
The announcement comes as Florida first girl Casey DeSantis is contemplating a possible run for the governor’s mansion. Donalds mentioned “It’s very early” when requested about the potential for the primary girl leaping into the Republican major.
Trump formally endorsed Donalds earlier than he jumped into the race final week.
“I’m the only person in this race, so we’ll see what happens,” Donalds mentioned. “I’m excited to have the full endorsement of President Trump. He has a lot of faith in me.”
The announcement comes after Donalds instructed GOP donors in Florida that he deliberate on launching a bid for the governor’s mansion in Tallahassee.
Donalds enters the Republican major as a heavy favourite with the backing of President Trump, in addition to a powerful lead in early polls.
“Byron Donalds would be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida and, should he decide to run, will have my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, BYRON, RUN!” Trump mentioned in a submit on his Fact Social platform earlier than the congressman formally launched his marketing campaign.
Donalds teased an announcement shortly after Trump’s endorsement, writing on X “President Trump is making America great again. I’m committed to working with him to keep Florida great.”
Gov. DeSantis, who has an icy relationship with Donalds, declined to endorse the congressman throughout a press convention on Monday.
“The reality is we’ve achieved victories in Florida. We need to start achieving those victories up there,” he mentioned. “I think people look at it and say you’ve got a guy like Byron, he just hasn’t been a part of any of the victories that we’ve had here over the left over these last years. He’s just not been a part of it. He’s been in other states campaigning doing that and that’s fine, but okay, then deliver results up there.”
As a substitute, DeSantis talked up his spouse as a possible candidate.
“She’s somebody that has, I think, the intestinal fortitude and the dedication to conservative principles,” DeSantis mentioned of his spouse. “Anything we’ve accomplished, she’d be able to take to the next level.”
The congressman represents the state’s nineteenth Congressional District, which incorporates Naples, Fla.
Earlier this month Trump shared a ballot from the Florida Republican agency Victory Insights on TruthSocial exhibiting Donalds main a hypothetical GOP major subject with 31 % assist. Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez (R) trailed at 4 % assist adopted by the state’s Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson (R) at 3 % assist, and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez at 1 % assist.
However different polls present Casey DeSantis main in title ID.
A ballot launched final week by the College of North Florida’s Public Opinion Analysis lab discovered that 33 % of registered voters in Florida had by no means heard of the primary girl, whereas 66 % mentioned that they had by no means heard of Donalds.
Along with having a powerful probably benefit within the Republican major, Donalds additionally stands to have a bonus within the basic election in 2026. Florida has turn out to be the middle of the Republican political universe over the past decade, with Republicans up and down the poll making features within the state underneath President Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R ). Trump received the state by simply over 13 factors in 2024 after successful the state by simply over three factors in 2020. Moreover, conventional Democratic strongholds, notably Miami Dade County, have flipped from blue to pink.
