Donalds wins Florida governorship with 50% of the vote

Byron Donalds became Florida’s first Black governor on Tuesday night, defeating Democratic challenger David Jolly to secure the top executive position in the state. With approximately 99% of ballots counted, Donalds captured 50% of the vote compared to Jolly’s 48.7%, according to Associated Press data. The margin of victory was slim, mirroring the tight gubernatorial races seen in Florida during the 2010s.

The financial disparity between the two campaigns was stark. Donalds raised nearly $174 million across his campaign account and the Friends of Byron Donalds political committee. Jolly raised less than $28 million. A Jolly aide noted after the election that outside Democratic groups provided limited funding for his race, a factor that likely influenced the outcome.

Donalds addressed a crowd at the Seminole Hollywood Hard Rock Hotel in Davie after the results were confirmed. He described the victory as a moment of celebration before the work begins. “Tonight we celebrate, tomorrow we work, and over the next four years we’re going to take Florida to a whole new level,” he said. He received a congratulatory call from President Donald Trump, who was the second person to reach out to him. Donalds recalled telling the President, “Mr. President, I want you to hear from Florida that we are still red.”

David Jolly conceded from the Tampa Convention Center, acknowledging the narrow loss while maintaining that the underlying political fight continues. He emphasized that the coalition of voters who supported his campaign and Gwen Graham should be viewed as integral parts of the state’s demographics. “They’re now your constituents,” Jolly told Donalds during their conversation. He urged the incoming governor to prioritize the people of the entire state over party ideology or specific agendas.

The Republican hold on Florida’s Cabinet seats was also secured. James Uthmeier, appointed by Ron DeSantis to the chief financial officer post, won re-election with 51% of the vote against José Javier Rodríguez. Blaise Ingoglia, appointed to the agriculture commissioner role, also secured 51% of the vote to defeat Annette Taddeo. Wilton Simpson, the current agriculture commissioner, retained his seat with 51% of the vote against Joey Mendoza Atkins.

Donalds will inherit a Republican-controlled Legislature, though Democrats no longer hold a superminority position. The last Democrat elected to the Florida governorship was Lawton Chiles in November 1994. Pre-election polls suggested the race would track more closely to the 2018 contest than the 2022 re-election, where DeSantis won by a wide margin. Donalds will now take office as the first Black person elected to a statewide position in Florida.