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Byron Donalds was elected Florida’s next governor on Tuesday, Nov. 3, defeating Democrat David Jolly, according to a projection by The Associated Press. In his victory speech, the Republican promised to lower costs for families, reduce insurance premiums and make housing more affordable.
The race was close. Donalds had 4,132,275 votes (50.02%) to Jolly’s 4,024,554 (48.71%), according to unofficial results from the Florida Division of Elections, checked on the morning of Nov. 4.
When he takes office on Jan. 5, Donalds will be the first Black governor in Florida’s history. He succeeds Ron DeSantis, who is term-limited.
The margin was far narrower than in 2022, when DeSantis won reelection by more than 19 points. Even so, Republicans extend a hold on the governorship that has lasted 28 years.
Donalds opened the speech by thanking “my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Byron Donalds on victory: ‘I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’ https://t.co/KFWs57MtBy
— WPLG Local 10 News (@WPLGLocal10) November 4, 2026
Byron Donalds’s economic promises
“We are going to drive down costs for the people of this state. We are going to lower insurance premiums for the people of this state. We are going to make housing more affordable for the people of this state,” Donalds said in the speech, delivered at a watch party in Hollywood, Florida, and carried by FOX 35 Orlando and other stations.
He also set a goal for the economy: “We are going to build the economy to heights never even thought. We will be a top ten global economy.” He did not explain in the speech how Florida would get there.
During the campaign, he proposed cutting property taxes, streamlining construction permits and removing certain insurance premium surcharges, according to WUSF.
Donalds added that he will protect Florida’s agricultural lands, water and environment “for the future of this state.”
Elsewhere in the speech, he credited Florida’s success to “common sense, conservative principles” that back law enforcement, mentioning Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters and the state’s other sheriffs. He also stressed the role of parents.
“We are going to be a state that makes sure that the children of Florida belong to their parents and not to the government,” he said.
A message to Trump
The first call Donalds received that night came from Jolly, whom he congratulated on a hard-fought race. The second came from President Donald Trump, to whom he addressed a message from the stage.
He thanked Trump for his support and for being in his corner. Trump endorsed Donalds more than a year ago, and Donalds went on to win the Aug. 18 Republican primary against 10 other candidates.
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“Mr. President, I want you to hear from Florida that we are still red,” he said.
“Mr. President, I want you to hear from Florida that we are still red.” Byron Donalds delivers a message to President Trump as he celebrates a historic victory in Florida’s governor’s race, becoming the state’s first Black governor. Donalds reveals Trump was the second person to call him after his victory, thanking the president for his support and for standing in his corner throughout the race. He also praises outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis’ leadership over the past eight years and vows to build on his legacy to keep Florida “the very best state in America.” Tune in to Fox News Channel now for live midterm election updates: https://t.co/ISpW9Fc0R3
— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 4, 2026
Donalds also thanked DeSantis, who he said “has done a great job leading Florida these last eight years.”
Bryan Ávila and what Byron Donalds has said about Cuba
The lieutenant governor will be Bryan Ávila (our coverage of his selection, in Spanish), Donalds’s running mate, a former state senator born in Hialeah to Cuban exiles. Ávila resigned from the Florida Senate in August to run for the office.
On Cuba, Donalds staked out his position in August at Miami’s Freedom Tower (our coverage of that event, in Spanish), saying the regime needs to fall and that the Cuban people would have a great friend in him as Florida’s next governor.
Also on Tuesday, Cuban American Rep. Carlos Gimenez won reelection in Florida’s 28th Congressional District.
The campaign and what comes next
According to Donalds, his team toured every county in the state and knocked on more than 2 million doors. “We hit 50 cities in 13 days,” he said.
On Oct. 19, the first day of early voting, his campaign launched a bus tour of 50 stops across 38 counties, according to WLRN. On Oct. 26, it announced it had passed 2 million doors.
Donalds also said that Florida will “not tolerate bigotry of any kind, including anti-Semitism,” and promised that it will be “a state for everybody.”
He closed by addressing those who did not support him: “Even if you didn’t vote for me, you have my word that I will be your governor too.” And he ended: “Tonight we celebrate. Tomorrow we work.”
Correction note (Nov. 4, 2026): an earlier version of this note said Trump’s endorsement effectively shut out other Republican challengers. Donalds faced 10 other candidates in the Aug. 18 primary, so we corrected that sentence.
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