The Republican candidate for governor of Florida Byron Donalds selected the Cuban-American state senator Bryan Ávila as his running mate for the elections on November 3rd.
The announcement was made on Tuesday at the Freedom Tower, in downtown Miami, a location rich in symbolism for the Cuban-American community.
Donalds, backed by President Donald Trump, won the Republican primary on August 18 with nearly 47.8% of the votes and will face Democrat David Jolly, accompanied by Gwen Graham, in November. The contest will determine the successor to Governor Ron DeSantis, who cannot run for a third consecutive term.
When introducing his running mate, Donalds emphasized: “Bryan Ávila is a military officer and a dedicated public servant who has spent his career fighting to uphold freedom and reduce costs. He is also the son of Cuban exiles. This is a man who understands the Florida Dream and why we must defend it.”
Who is Bryan Ávila?
Bryan Ávila is 42 years old and was born on June 25, 1984, in Hialeah, Florida. He is the son of Cuban exiles who left the island, leaving behind their home and business. In the United States, his father worked as a truck driver and his mother as a secretary.
The state senator graduated from Miami Springs Senior High School in 2002 and has a strong academic background. He earned an associate degree from Miami Dade College, a bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Miami (2006), and two master's degrees from Florida International University, in Criminal Justice and Public Administration.
Before fully committing to politics, he served as an adjunct professor at Miami Dade College from 2009 to 2014, and later taught at Broward College.
In 2013, he was elected vice president of the Republican Party of Miami-Dade County. He served until his election to the Florida House of Representatives in 2014, representing District 111 of Miami-Dade. He remained in that position until 2022 and held the title of president pro tempore in his final years.
In 2022, he was elected unopposed to the Florida Senate for District 39, which includes areas of Miami-Dade, where he chairs the Finance and Tax Committee and is the vice chair of the Transportation Committee.
In May 2026, as the chair of the Finance and Taxation Committee, he played a key role in the approval of the HB 7031E tax package, with an estimated impact of 272.2 million dollars.
In the military field, Ávila joined the Florida Army National Guard in April 2016, graduated with honors from the Basic Leadership Course for Officer Candidates, and holds the rank of captain. His awards include the Army Commendation Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, and the Outstanding Volunteer Military Service Medal.
At the Tower of Liberty this Tuesday, he appealed directly to his family heritage while delivering his speech: "My parents fled communist Cuba and left behind their home and their business because they knew what happens when the government takes control, when freedom disappears, and when socialism turns opportunity into misery."
Main moments in the political career of Bryan Ávila
Senator Ávila has been involved in several significant moments throughout his legislative career in Florida.
In December 2019, while serving as a state representative for District 111, he presented a bill alongside Senator Manny Díaz Jr. to eliminate express lanes and prohibit new tolls on the Palmetto Expressway in Miami, an initiative that directly impacted thousands of drivers in South Florida.
More recently, in May 2026, his role as president of the Senate Finance and Tax Committee placed him at the center of the debate surrounding the comprehensive tax cut package approved by the state legislature.
Regarding that measure, Ávila stated: "This is a comprehensive tax relief package that positively impacts taxpayers, homeowners with principal residence exemptions, members of the military, small counties, and rural counties."
If the Donalds-Ávila formula succeeds in November, Ávila would become the lieutenant governor of Florida.
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