Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., appears to be growing vocal about his run for governor of Florida in 2026 in the race to succeed the term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Donalds, a distinguished friend, ally and supporter of President-elect Trump in the House of Representatives has told potential donors and political players in Florida in recent days that he plans to run for governor, Republican sources confirmed to Fox News.
Some of those conversations took place last weekend in Orlando during the Florida GOP’s annual meeting.
“He means it,” a source with knowledge told Fox News.
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Another signal came a week ago when Donalds hired the research firm of prominent Republican pollster Tony Fabrizio. Fabrizio was a top researcher on Trump’s 2016 and 2024 presidential campaigns.
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The conservative former state lawmaker who represented parts of Southwest Florida’s 19th District in Congress for four years has been eyeing a possible bid for governor for months.
“I’ve thought about it. I don’t really rule anything out,” Donalds said in a Fox News Digital interview last spring, when asked about a possible run for governor.
Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla. (Fox News Digital/Paul Steinhauser/File)
Donalds, who was one of Trump’s top surrogates on the campaign trail last year, was interviewed a few days after Trump suggested at a closed-door fundraiser in New York City that if Donalds were to run for governor of Florida in 2026, he would have done that. “Lots of friends in the race.”
“It’s really cool that people back home in Florida are looking at me as the next governor of the state. It’s really an honor. It’s honestly surreal to think about it because I’m 45 and my journey through politics has been very fruitful Donalds said at the time. “It’s really humbling and an honor, but I’m just focusing on the job I have.”
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Another prominent Florida Republican believed to be considering a run is state Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, the former Senate president.
And former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who was Trump’s first choice for attorney general in his second administration before dropping out amid controversy, has also said he is thinking about running.
Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., speaks during the Republican National Convention on July 15, 2024. (Reuters/Mike Segar)
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is also said to be considering replacing DeSantis, her ally in Tallahassee, but the governor said Thursday Moody appointed as successor to Senator Marco RubioTrump’s nominee for secretary of state, who will likely be one of the president-elect’s first Cabinet picks to be confirmed by the Senate.
And Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, who was also believed to be interested in a possible gubernatorial campaign, is considered the front-runner in this month’s special congressional elections to fill Gaetz’s seat.
“If Moody goes to the Senate, Donalds, should he choose to run for governor, would be the clear favorite over Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, the choice of the Tallahassee establishment,” Fabrizio said. “We’ll see if the Tallahassee establishment gets smarter after gambling and losing in 2010 against (former two-term governor and current senator) Rick Scott and in 2018 against Ron DeSantis.”
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With Florida, once a key battleground state in the general election, now firmly red, the slowly emerging gubernatorial battle may be determined by who Trump, the Republican Party’s kingmaker in his adopted home state of Florida and across the country, will ultimately supports.
But not to be underestimated is any possible support from DeSantis in the race to succeed the governor.
