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GOP Rep. Byron Donalds defeats David Jolly, becoming Florida’s first Black governor
NBC News • • nation
Key Points:
- Republican Rep. Byron Donalds won the Florida governor’s race against Democrat David Jolly, continuing the GOP’s nearly 30-year control of the Governor’s Mansion and becoming Florida's first Black governor.
- Donalds, endorsed early by former President Donald Trump and supported by outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis, raised $130 million, giving him a significant financial edge over Jolly, who struggled to gain national Democratic support.
- Jolly, a former Republican turned Democrat, declined to debate Donalds, a move criticized by both parties and used by Donalds to portray Jolly as evasive and too far left for Florida voters.
- Donalds focused his campaign on maintaining Florida’s conservative policies, opposing socialism, and promising to continue DeSantis’s legacy, while facing some public opposition during events, including at Florida A&M University.
- The election result marks Florida’s fifth consecutive Republican governor, reinforcing the state’s current Republican-leaning political landscape.
