Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) announced Tuesday that he plans to run for Florida governor next year, when Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ term expires.
Donalds, who was born and raised in Brooklyn, made the announcement during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity.
“Sean, we have a wonderful state,” Florida’s 19th District representative said. “I got to Florida when I was 17 years old, off of a Greyhound bus with just a trunk full of clothes. And over the rest of my time in Florida, I built a family, I built a career.”
“I was able to serve four years in the state legislature, four years in Congress,” Donalds continued. “And I think now is the time to now take the mantle and lead our state into the future.”
The three-term congressman has already received the coveted endorsement of President Trump, who backed his candidacy last week after hearing rumblings that he was considering a gubernatorial run.
“I know Byron well, have seen him tested at the highest and most difficult levels, and he is a TOTAL WINNER!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“As Governor, Byron would have a BIG Voice, and would work closely with me to advance our America First Agenda,” the president added. He will fight tirelessly to Secure our Border, Stop Migrant Crime, Strengthen our Military, Protect our Vets, Restore our Economic Power, Advance American Energy DOMINANCE, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment.”
“Byron Donalds would be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida and, should he decide to run, will have my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, BYRON, RUN!”
Donalds, who endorsed Trump over DeSantis in the 2024 GOP presidential primaries, praised the Sunshine State’s popular sitting governor in his announcement.
“We have a great governor,” the congressman said. “Ron DeSantis has done a tremendous job for our state.”
“But now the job is to keep the best state in the country as the best state in the country,” he added. “And so that’s going to be the mission at hand. And I’m excited to announce my candidacy with you tonight.”
DeSantis was asked about Donalds potentially jumping into the race on Monday and told reporters that the congressman should be “focused on enacting [Trump’s] agenda.”
“They haven’t done very much yet,” DeSantis said of GOP lawmakers in Congress. “They’re not putting his executive orders into place. We’ll see what they do on the spending, but we have such a narrow majority that to be trying to campaign other places and missing these votes, I think, is not something that’s advisable at all.”
“We’ve achieved victories in Florida,” DeSantis continued. “A guy like Byron, he just hasn’t been a part of any of the victories that we’ve had here over the left over these last years.”
The governor’s wife, Casey DeSantis, has also been rumoured to be considering a 2026 gubernatorial run.
“People ask me all the time about our wonderful first lady, who has done a fantastic job as first lady of Florida,” DeSantis said when asked about the possibility of his wife running. “I will tell you this. You’re talking about somebody like her. I won by the biggest margin that any Republican has ever won a governor’s race here in Florida. She would do better than me.”
