Florida Gubernatorial Race: Byron Donalds Elected

Byron Donalds holds over 50% of the vote in the Florida gubernatorial race, according to Fresh Take Florida’s election dashboard as of 95% precinct reporting. The result confirms Donalds as the state’s first Black governor. This win follows a campaign marked by intense scrutiny of his support for data centers and his wife’s charter school network, which received $30 million in taxpayer funding.

Donalds, a congressman from southwest Florida, secured the Republican nomination with the backing of President Donald Trump. He raised approximately $148 million for his 2026 campaign. His Democratic opponent, David Jolly, a former Republican, raised just $22 million. The financial disparity was compounded by a 1.5 million voter advantage for Republicans in the state. Despite these advantages, Donalds never pulled away decisively in polling, facing persistent questions about data centers and his association with a historically unpopular president.

During the campaign, Donalds characterized Jolly as a “radical socialist.” Jolly focused his efforts on high consumer prices and the cost of homeowners insurance. Historical data suggested a tough contest for the Democrat, given that Governor Ron DeSantis won reelection by nearly 20 points in 2022 and Trump carried the state by 13 points in 2024. However, polls on Election Day indicated Jolly remained within single digits of Donalds.

At the Tampa Convention Center, the mood shifted as Donalds extended his lead. By 9 p.m., most outlets had projected a winner, but Jolly had not yet appeared on stage. The DJ played a remix of “I Gotta Feeling (That Tonight’s Gonna Be a Good Night)” while supporters consoled one another. Democratic consultants watched the results intently before turning their attention away from their devices.

NBC called the race in Donalds’ favor at 9:10 p.m. Eastern time. The crowd responded with boos as the music ceased. The DJ then played a sped-up house remix of “Party In The U.S.A.” for the second time that evening. Jolly took the stage at 9:30 p.m. to deliver his concession speech. He stated, “it has been the honor of a lifetime to move this state 14 points in a new direction.”

Jolly added, “Somewhere out there tonight is someone that, in the next cycle, is going to get it across the finish line.” The official count places Donalds ahead with a majority of the reported ballots, finalizing his transition to the governor’s office.