The Florida primaries to select the two candidates for the governor position will take place this Tuesday, August 18, featuring a robust list of contenders from both parties competing to succeed Ron DeSantis.
The Republican leader, in office since January 2019, cannot seek a third consecutive term due to the limits established by the state constitution.
Thus, in November, Florida voters will head to the polls to elect a new governor.
According to a follow-up by Univision, the race for the two gubernatorial nominations is drawing significant electoral attention in the state during this primary season.
In the Republican primary, there are 12 qualified candidates, although four have taken center stage in the contest.
The federal congressman Byron Donalds arrives as the undisputed favorite: he has the explicit support of President Donald Trump and polls indicate he has a lead of about 40 points over his opponents, according to the average published by the Tampa Bay Times on August 11.
A poll from the James Madison Institute showed him with 49% support among Republicans, followed by Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins with 18%, former state House Speaker Paul Renner with 8%, and businessman James Fishback with 4%.
Collins, a veteran of the Special Forces with 23 years of service and awarded the Purple Heart, announced his candidacy in January with a phrase that summarized his profile: "I am running for governor because leadership is forged under pressure, not with clever phrases."
Renner, a former assistant prosecutor and veteran of the Navy who served in Afghanistan, confirmed his candidacy in September 2025.
Fishback, for his part, faced a legal challenge initiated by Collins, who questioned whether he met the seven-year residency requirement in Florida; a judge allowed him to remain on the ballot.
Among the Republican candidates hoping to succeed DeSantis is also Rachel Rodriguez, the only woman in the Republican race. She is a lawyer and the daughter of a Cuban mother who arrived in the United States in 1962. She registered as a candidate in January with a message focused on family values and public service.
On the Democratic side, former congressman David Jolly is the frontrunner. He has selected Gwen Graham - a former federal legislator and daughter of ex-governor Bob Graham - as his running mate for the lieutenant governor position.
Jolly, who was a Republican before switching parties, announced his candidacy in June 2025 with a moderate profile that Democrats hope will attract independent voters and dissatisfied Republicans.
The race was practically decided after the departure of Jerry Demings, the mayor of Orange County, who left the contest in June after announcing a diagnosis of prostate cancer.
The other candidates, with fewer chances, are: Dayna Marie Foster, a mathematics teacher whose campaign has focused on educational issues; Evelyn Castillo-Bach, executive director of an organization advocating for criminal justice reform; and Thomas Eloy Fernández, a 20-year veteran of the Air Force, health professional, husband, father, and community leader.
Additionally, the Haitian-born attorney Dotie Joseph, Florida state representative since 2018, and Stephann Norman, from Tampa, who aims to "revitalize education" and focus on affordable housing and healthcare for everyone.
The elections are especially significant for the Cuban-American community in Florida.
Donalds, the Republican favorite, has actively nurtured that vote with hardline statements against the regime in Havana, which he has labeled a "brutal and murderous communist dictatorship." If elected governor in November, he would be the first black Republican governor in the state's history.
The general election debates between the candidates for governor are scheduled for October 15 at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.
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