Byron Donalds elected Florida's first Black governor

Byron Donalds won the Florida governor's race on Tuesday, becoming the first Black person to hold the office. Fox News and NBC projections declared him the winner after he defeated Democrat David Jolly in a tight contest.

Donalds led Jolly by 150,000 votes with more than 98 percent of the ballots counted. The margin was narrow enough to keep the race competitive through the night, but it was sufficient to secure the victory for the Republican candidate.

The incoming governor represents the Make America Great Again movement and maintains close ties to President Donald Trump. He served as a U.S. Representative for the past six years before seeking the higher state office.

Ron DeSantis, also a Republican, finishes his second term this coming January. Term limits prevent him from running for a third term, clearing the way for Donalds to take over the governor's mansion.

This election marks the fifth consecutive term for a conservative governor in Florida. The state was historically a swing vote in the 20th century, but recent cycles have solidified Republican dominance. Donalds will be the first Black Republican elected as a governor in the United States.

Only three other Black Americans had previously won state governorships: Douglas Wilder in Virginia, Deval Patrick in Massachusetts, and Wes Moore in Maryland. That list expanded later that same Tuesday night when Keisha Lance Bottoms won the Georgia race, becoming the first Black woman elected to the office.