Byron Donalds Wins Florida Governor Race Over David Jolly, Becoming the State's First Black Governor

Republican Rep. Byron Donalds won Florida’s race for governor on Tuesday, Nov. 3, defeating Democrat David Jolly in a contest AP described as unexpectedly competitive down the stretch. The Associated Press called the race just after 9 p.m. ET. Donalds will be Florida’s first Black governor, and he will succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The result kept the governor’s office in Republican hands on a night when Democrats made large gains elsewhere, including flipping governorships in Texas, Georgia and Iowa.

Who won the Florida governor race?

Donalds did. Unofficial results posted by the Florida Division of Elections showed:

That is a margin of roughly 108,000 votes, or a little over one percentage point. The totals are unofficial and may change as the remaining ballots are counted and results are certified. The Independent Florida Alligator, reporting earlier in the night, put the gap at about 95,000 votes.

The Alligator noted that late polls showed Donalds ahead by no more than five points and that the final result was even closer.

Donalds: “I will give you everything I have”

After the call, Donalds wrote on X: “I am humbled and grateful beyond measure. As your Governor, I will give you everything I have.” He said he would make life in Florida more affordable, keep streets safe and invest in young people, the Alligator reported.

Donalds, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump who had Trump’s endorsement, has represented a Southwest Florida district in Congress since 2021. He was born in Brooklyn, graduated from Florida State University in 2002, and worked in finance and insurance before serving four years in the Florida House, according to the Alligator.

Jolly concedes: “We have not lost the fight”

At a packed Tampa Convention Center, Jolly told supporters he had called Donalds to congratulate him, CBS12 reported.

“And yes, we have lost this election tonight, but we have not lost the fight in any of us.”

Jolly said he asked the governor-elect to remember that people who voted for him and running mate Gwen Graham “are not radical communist socialists. They’re now your constituents.”

Jolly, a former Republican congressman from the Tampa Bay area, left the GOP and later became a Democrat. He was trying to become the first Democrat elected Florida governor since 1994. CBS12 noted that registered Republicans outnumber Democrats in the state by roughly 1.5 million.

Money and issues in the race

• Fundraising gap: Donalds raised almost $150 million to Jolly’s $22 million, the Alligator reported.
• Data centers: Critics pointed to more than $5 million Donalds received from data center developers. Jolly promised to pause data center development for a year, and Donalds favored a cautious approach with safeguards.
• Affordability: Both candidates centered their campaigns on costs, especially housing, homeowners insurance and health care. Donalds backed Amendment 3, a homestead tax exemption measure.
• Education and immigration: Donalds supports expanding school choice, requiring E-Verify for businesses and tougher penalties for fentanyl trafficking, according to his platform as summarized by the Alligator.

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Earlier coverage: Byron Donalds vs. David Jolly: Florida Governor Race on Election Day, Poll Closing Times and Amendment 3 (Nov 3)