Byron Donalds Beats David Jolly, Becoming Florida’s First Black Governor

Newsweek · Hugh Cameron, Anna Commander · 2026-11-04 02:29 UTC

The contest was shaped by local concerns, like data centers, but also nationwide feelings about Trump and his agenda.

Republican Byron Donalds won Florida's gubernatorial race against Democrat David Jolly. The Associated Press called the race for Donalds at 9:09 p.m. ET, with 50.1 percent of the vote to Jolly's 48.7 percent.

The race became one of this year’s closest-watched gubernatorial contests. Term limits prevented Governor Ron DeSantis from seeking reelection.

President Donald Trump’s stumping for Donalds gave a national dimension to the race. The candidacy of Jolly—a former Republican congressman turned independent turned Democrat—was also viewed as a novel challenge for the GOP.

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