The primaries held on Tuesday in Florida defined the two candidates who will contest the position of governor of the state in November.
The polls closed at 7:00 PM Eastern Time, and the results confirmed the matchups that many anticipated: there were no surprises, as the favorites from both sides emerged victorious.
The Republican Byron Donalds and the Democrat David Jolly won their respective primaries and will face each other on November 3 to decide who will succeed Ron DeSantis, who cannot seek a third consecutive term according to the Florida Constitution.
Byron Donalds: Trump's candidate
In the Republican camp, Byron Donalds, a 47-year-old congressman representing Florida's 19th District since 2021, won the nomination with 48% of the votes.
Donalds has the explicit support of President Donald Trump, therefore his victory reaffirms the dominance of the most conservative wing within the Republican Party in Florida.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Donalds could become Florida's first African American governor if he succeeds in November. In the history of the United States, only three African Americans have been elected governor through popular vote: Douglas Wilder, Deval Patrick, and Wes Moore.
His agenda includes tax cuts, a reform of insurance regulations to lower costs for consumers, and greater price transparency from healthcare providers.
In terms of foreign policy, Donalds has described the Cuban regime as a «brutal and murderous communist dictatorship that must fall» and has advocated for a total regime change on the island, a position that aligns him with the influential Cuban-American electorate in Florida, which totals approximately 1.6 million people.
David Jolly: the former Republican who changed sides
On the Democratic side, David Jolly won comfortably with 61% of the votes.
A lawyer and television analyst, he secured the nomination with an unconventional political profile: he was a Republican, then became independent, and is now competing under the Democratic banner.
Jolly, 53 years old and from the Tampa Bay area, served in Congress from 2014 to 2017. He announced his candidacy for governor in June 2025 as an outspoken critic of President Trump.
As the candidate for lieutenant governor, she chose former congresswoman Gwen Graham, daughter of former senator and ex-governor of Florida Bob Graham, who also ran for governor in 2018.
Graham revealed that she agreed to be a running mate because she believes Florida is headed in the wrong direction and wants to help change that.
Jolly's campaign is centered around three main pillars: ensuring the economy works for everyone, providing solutions for housing, insurance, healthcare, and education, and protecting the rights of all individuals.
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