Rep. Byron Donalds made history Tuesday, becoming the first Black Republican elected governor in the United States, as projected by the Fox News Decision Desk. Donalds, a three-term congressman from southwest Florida, defeated Democratic rival and former Rep. David Jolly in a tight race.
Donalds, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, will succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. He stated his intention to continue and build upon DeSantis' conservative agenda, aiming to elevate Florida to "a whole new level."
Donalds launched his gubernatorial campaign after receiving Trump's endorsement in February of the previous year. He secured nearly half the vote in Florida's August GOP gubernatorial primary, surpassing a field of rivals that included Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner, and business executive James Fishback.
During the campaign, Donalds employed anti-socialism messaging, accusing Jolly of embracing "radical socialism." Jolly, in turn, called Donalds a liar and asserted he had repeatedly condemned the Democratic Socialists of America.
Jolly, a Florida native, previously served as a top advisor to then-Rep. Bill Young. He worked as a lawyer and lobbyist before winning a special congressional election in March 2014 and a full term later that year, losing re-election in 2016. After leaving office, Jolly became a vocal critic of Trump and a political commentator. He left the GOP in 2018 and registered as a Democrat the year prior to launching his gubernatorial bid.
Donalds, originally from New York City, relocated to Florida for college. He worked in finance, insurance, and banking before entering politics. He switched from Democrat to Republican in 2010, aligning with the Tea Party movement. Donalds was elected to the Florida House in 2016, serving two terms before winning his congressional seat.
Florida has trended Republican in recent years, with DeSantis winning his 2022 re-election by nearly 20 points and Trump carrying the state by 13 points in his 2024 White House victory. Despite a roughly 1.5 million registered voter advantage for Republicans, Democrats have remained competitive in the state.