Byron Donalds Wins Florida Governor’s Race, AP Projects

Donalds projected to win

November 3, 2026 · 9:40 p.m. Eastern

Republican U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds has won Florida’s race for governor over Democrat David Jolly, the Associated Press projects. The result keeps the state’s highest office in Republican hands.

Donalds would become Florida’s first Black governor when he takes office, Axios reported. He will succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

A news organization’s race call is a projection, not an official certification. Florida election officials will continue counting and reviewing ballots before the result is finalized.

Different paths to the ballot

Donalds, who represents southwest Florida in Congress, won the Republican nomination after receiving President Donald Trump’s early endorsement. DeSantis endorsed him after the primary, according to Axios.

Jolly is a former U.S. representative who previously served as a Republican before becoming an independent and later a Democrat. He emphasized affordability and insurance reform, while Donalds campaigned on continuing DeSantis administration policies and on issues including school choice and public safety, Florida’s Voice reported. The outlet also reported that Jolly conceded.

The contest offered Democrats an opportunity to win the governorship in a state where Republicans have held the office for decades. On the same ballot, AP projected that Republican Ashley Moody had won Florida’s U.S. Senate special election.

A milestone for Florida

Donalds’s projected victory marks a first for the state. AP’s reporting on election-year milestones identifies him as Florida’s first Black governor. The distinction takes effect when he assumes office; the current governor remains DeSantis until the transition.

Donalds served in Florida’s House before winning election to Congress in 2020, according to Florida’s Voice.

Where the race was held

The governor’s race was statewide. The star marks the approximate Tallahassee area, Florida’s capital, for geographic context; it does not identify a polling place.

Key dates

1. 2020 — Donalds won election to the U.S. House.
2. August 18, 2026 — Donalds and Jolly won their respective gubernatorial primaries, CBS News reported.
3. November 3, 2026 — Floridians voted in the general election, and AP projected Donalds the winner.

Sources and visual credits

Associated Press: race call · AP: election milestones · Axios: race coverage · Florida’s Voice: election and candidate background · CBS News: primary results.

Visual: conceptual paper-cut ballot and capitol illustration, not a photograph of an election event. Map data: OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.