Florida Primary: Byron Donalds, David Jolly to compete for Florida governor in November

The race to be Florida's next governor has been decided.

Byron Donalds earned the most votes to secure the Republican nomination, while David Jolly earned the most votes to secure the Democratic nomination. Both will compete against each other in the November general election.

Florida Primary Election Results

By the numbers:

About Byron Donalds

Byron Donalds was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2016 and served two terms. In 2020, he was elected to the U.S. Congress to represent Florida's 19th congressional district.

He was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York.

He graduated from Florida State University, where he earned his degree in finance and marketing. Before entering politics, he worked in banking, finance, and insurance, according to his online bio.

In May 2026, President Donald Trump endorsed Donalds at a rally in The Villages: "This guy's gonna be a great governor."

Donalds unveiled his education plan during a stop in Brandon – urging every public school to build a customized road map starting in sixth grade. This map would include individualized curriculum with relevant classroom credits and real-world working experiences.

Through his "Healthy Florida Healthy Families" initiative, Donalds is working toward a plan to remove ultra-processed food, artificial dyes, and harmful additives out of Florida school meals.

His other initiatives are to continue President Trump’s "Make America Great Again" agenda through fighting illegal immigration, expanding the state's economic opportunity by diversifying the community and creating jobs and preserving the environment through the Everglades restoration project.

About David Jolly

David Jolly served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2014-2017 as a Republican. He left the Republican Party and joined the Democratic Party ahead of announcing his candidacy for governor.

He was elected via special election to the 113th Congress to fill the late seat of Rep. Charlies William Young. He was re-elected, and then lost in 2026.

Jolly has named Gwen Graham as his running mate – who previously represented Florida’s 2nd Congressional District. Graham built her early career around education, where she focused on supporting teachers and students.

The main issues the Jolly/Graham team is focused on are affordable healthcare for Floridians, reducing gun violence and restoring services for veterans, according to their websites. Jolly has been focused on reducing the state’s affordability crisis by expanding affordable access to housing, healthcare, and education.