Republican Byron Donalds Wins Florida Governor's Race

Republican Byron Donalds has won Florida's gubernatorial race, according to the Associated Press. The race was closely watched due to its significance in the midterm elections.

Donalds, who will be Florida's first Black governor, received backing from President Donald Trump and maintained a strong campaign finance advantage. His victory came amid a national backdrop of Republican dissatisfaction with Trump over gas prices and the Iran conflict.

Donalds focused his campaign on affordability issues, including inflation, housing, and insurance, and pledged to continue the conservative policies of outgoing Governor Ron DeSantis, who remains popular in the state.

Polls showed a tight race throughout the campaign, with Florida having 1.5 million more registered Republicans than Democrats and 3.3 million unaffiliated voters who could influence the outcome.

Donalds, 48, has served two terms in Congress and two terms in the Florida House. He left the Democratic Party in 2010 and became an early Trump supporter in 2024, with Trump reciprocating by endorsing him.

Jolly, 54, ran on a 'believe in better' slogan, emphasizing affordability and criticizing Donalds for accepting campaign contributions from data center companies. Donalds introduced legislation this summer that would require data centers to generate their own power and water.