Donalds and Jolly set for Florida governor general election
Rep. Byron Donalds won the Republican primary and former Rep. David Jolly won the Democratic primary in Florida's gubernatorial race to succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis. The general election matchup pits a Trump-backed House Freedom Caucus member against a prominent Republican-turned-Democrat in a state that has shifted significantly rightward.
Rep. Byron Donalds and former Rep. David Jolly have advanced to the general election to succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis, per CBS News reporting. Donalds won the Republican primary while Jolly won the Democratic primary, setting up a November matchup in one of the nation's most closely watched gubernatorial contests.
Donalds, first elected to the House in 2020 to represent Naples, Fort Myers and surrounding areas, has been backed by President Trump and has branded himself as a "Make America Great Again" member of the House. He is a prominent member of the House Freedom Caucus and challenged then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy in 2023, forcing 15 rounds of voting before ultimately losing. He later put his name in to replace McCarthy when McCarthy was ousted from the speakership 10 months later.
Donalds defeated several primary challengers, according to CBS News. One of those challengers was James Fishback, described as a far-right online provocateur who had garnered attention during the campaign for support from Nick Fuentes and his use of racial slurs and sexist language.
Jolly, a former House member, defeated several challengers for the Democratic nomination. According to CBS News, Jolly became the second prominent Republican-turned-Democrat to run for governor in Florida in two election cycles.
Cook Political Report rates the general election contest as Solid R, per CBS News reporting. Donalds is considered the favorite to win in November as Florida has moved significantly to the right in the past decade, according to the same outlet.
Rep. Byron Donalds and former Rep. David Jolly won their respective party primaries and will face each other in the general election to succeed Ron DeSantis as Florida governor.
Donalds enters the general election with structural advantages in a state that has tilted Republican, while Jolly's Democratic primary victory signals the party's continued effort to compete in a major state it has lost ground in. The November contest will test whether Donalds' Trump backing and Freedom Caucus profile can extend his party's recent Florida dominance.
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- cbsnews.com lean-left / high
- The Hill center / high
- Guardian US lean-left / mostly-high
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