Byron Donalds wins Florida governor's race, becomes first elected Black Republican governor in US history
Donalds defeated Democrat David Jolly by 1.3 points in a race far closer than Florida Republicans' 19-point blowout four years ago, as Democrats swept most of the rest of the country.
Byron Donalds will be Florida's next governor — and the first elected Black Republican governor in American history — after narrowly defeating Democrat David Jolly on November 3, 2026, in a race that ended far closer than either party expected in a state Republicans have dominated for years.
In unofficial returns as of November 6, Donalds and running mate Bryan Avila received 4,135,701 votes (50.01%) to Jolly and running mate Gwen Graham's 4,029,461 (48.72%) — a margin of roughly 106,000 votes, or 1.29 percentage points, according to The Florida Press. The state is scheduled to certify the official result on November 17, with Donalds set to take office on January 5, 2027.
The result stands in sharp contrast to 2022, when incumbent Governor Ron DeSantis won re-election by 19.4 points. That gap — from a near-landslide to a race decided by barely one point — came on a night when, according to Fox News, Democrats swept into power across most of the rest of the country, making Florida one of the few bright spots for Republicans.
Donalds, who has represented Florida's 19th Congressional District since 2021, ran explicitly as a continuation of DeSantis's tenure. He touted the outgoing governor's endorsement and framed his campaign as "a continuation of the DeSantis-era of success", warning voters that Jolly was seeking "to undo what Ron DeSantis built," according to The Guardian.
Jolly, a former Republican congressman who switched parties and ran a centrist campaign, according to PBS, leaned into the economic pressures bearing down on Florida residents. His closing pitch — "I'll fight to lower costs, and always put you first" — targeted soaring housing and property insurance costs that a September poll found were the top concern for nearly 70% of respondents, per The Guardian.
Both parties sent prominent surrogates to Florida in the race's final stretch. Donald Trump, whose nationwide approval had been weighed down by the Iran war and cost-of-living pressures according to The Guardian, appeared with Donalds at rallies in Fort Myers and Daytona Beach. On the Democratic side, Bill Clinton headlined a fundraiser that raised $3 million for Jolly's campaign, and Barack Obama endorsed Jolly, according to The Guardian.
The historic dimension of the result drew immediate commentary. MSNBC host Symone Sanders Townsend acknowledged the significance — "It is a historic win. It is the first time Florida has elected a Black governor" — before questioning its political meaning, saying Donalds "sounded similar to Ron DeSantis" in a morning interview and invoking the phrase "all kinfolk ain't skinfolk" to suggest his conservative agenda conflicted with broader Black community interests, according to Fox News. Tim Graham of the Media Research Center criticized the remarks, saying Sanders Townsend was "trying to argue that Blackness and conservatism are polar opposites."
It is a historic win. It is the first time Florida has elected a Black governor.— Symone Sanders Townsend, MSNBC host
Symone Sanders is trying to argue that Blackness and conservatism are polar opposites or that being a Black conservative is being a traitor to your race.— Tim Graham, Media Research Center director of media analysis
The governor-elect inherits a state where a booming economy and rapid population growth have pushed up costs and driven many residents out. He also inherits a Republican supermajority in the state legislature — though House and Senate Republican leaders have signaled a desire to operate more independently than they did under DeSantis, according to The Guardian.
Florida has not elected a Democratic governor since 1994, according to Wikipedia. The 2026 race was the eighth consecutive Republican gubernatorial victory in the state and the second consecutive election in which the Democratic nominee was a former Republican.
Why it matters — Donalds's win extends Republican control of Florida's governorship while his razor-thin margin — compared to a 19-point blowout four years ago — signals that even reliably red states are not immune to voter anxiety over housing costs and economic pressures.
⚠ Not yet confirmed
- Donalds previously appeared to distance himself from Trump before the two appeared together at closing rallies
- Trump's nationwide unpopularity was driven by the Iran war and cost of living
Reported by theguardian.com, thehill.com, pbs.org, foxnews.com, floridaelectionwatch.gov, thefloridapress.com, en.wikipedia.org
