Gop Rep. Byron Donalds Formally, his campaign launches the Governor of Florida on Friday with what is invoiced as a home home rally.
The conservative legislator, who has represented the 19th Congress district of Florida in the southwest of the State for four years, is currently the only large republican that jumps in the race of 2026 for term Limited GOV GOV. Ron Desantis to follow up.
Donalds, an avid supporter and ally of President Donald Trump, announced his candidacy during a appearance Fox News ” Hannity“At the end of last month, days after the president’s landing.
In addition, two Maga World Rock -Sstars – Donald Trump Jr., the oldest son of the president, and Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist and commentator who leads the powerful Turning Point USA Youth Organization – recorded videos for the kick -off of Donalds’ campaign, sources tell Fox News. Conservative commentator Benny Johnson will speak personally during the event.
First on Fox: Leading conservative group Backt Donalds in Florida
Rep. Byron Donalds, a Republican from Florida, during the conservative political action conference in National Harbor, Maryland, on Friday, February 21, 2025. (Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg via Getty images)
The campaign event, in Bonita Springs, comes as Florida First Lady Casey Desantis has acknowledged that she is considering a Gubernatorial Run from 2026 to succeed her husband in Tallahassee.
“I think what you will see is a show of violence and I think the support and momentum that Bryon generates throughout the state, whether it is now fundraising or basic support will be clear,” Veteran Republican strategist and the inhabitant of Florida told Fox Newson.
What Byron Donalds told Lara Trump from Fox News
Lawson – he served like one Advisor of Desantis As well as his predecessor in Tallahassee, former Governor and current Senator Rick Scott – emphasized that “with” with ” President Trump’s Backing, Donalds is the person to beat in this race. “
Desantis has repeatedly recommended the performance of his wife as First Lady in Florida and her framed as a worthy successor.
Government of Florida, Ron Desantis and his wife, First Lady Casey Desantis, celebrate his victory over Democratic Gubernatorial Nominated Rep. Charlie Crist during an election night watch party in the Tampa Convention Center on November 8, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Octavio Jones/Getty images)
Moreover, Casey Desantis responded to speculation at the end of last month when she was asked by reporters if she would run.
“To quote the late Yogi Berra,” Desantis said, repeated a famous line of late baseball legend. “If you see a fork on the road, take it.”
The governor then joked against reporters that “you can read what you want in it.”
Ron and Casey Desantis go off with Trump while the breed of the Governor of Florida warms up
When asked this month on the Ideas Summit of the National Review Institute in National Harbor, Maryland, whether she could launch a campaign, Casey Desantis said “We will see.”
Sources last month confirmed to Fox News that the governor stopped on behalf of his wife to donors.
Casey Desantis, First Lady of Florida, during a campaign event for her husband, Gov. Ron Desantis, in Atlantic, Iowa, on Saturday, January 13, 2024. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty images)
The next campaign to submit the deadline of cash in the race of the Governor of the Florida comes at the end of this weekend, and a source in the political job of the congress member predicted Fox News that Donalds would “destroy the” Desannis of $ 1 million in his successful Campagne “.
“I think he will show a really strong fundraising number,” added another Located in Florida Republican strategist, who asked to stay anonymous to speak freer.
Donalds has been free for GOV. Desantis.
“We have a great governor,” said Donalds in his “Hannity” interview last month. “Ron Desantis has done great work for our state. But now it is task to keep the best state in the country as the best is in the country. And so that is the mission obvious.”
Rep. Byron Donalds speaks in the Capital One Arena during an event for the second inauguration of President Donald Trump, in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025. (Reuters/Mike Fresh)
A Gop -strategist who has been working on Florida Races for a long time, said he thinks Donald’s “was really careful to be Kumbaya with the Governor and Casey. I think you have seen that from his messages … He wants to build on the conservative record of success in Florida while also smearing his own path.”
The source, however, added that Donalds will use Friday’s campaignkickoff to “create a marker to show that this is his race to win.”
An internal survey that was held earlier this month for the Donalds campaign indicated that the Casey Desantis congress member was aiming for a few figures in a hypothetical Gop -Primary Confrontation. However, the survey suggested that the lead from Donalds to more than 20 points increased when the respondents were informed that he is supported by Trump, whose influence over the Gop is stronger than ever.
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Florida used to be the best general election battleground -state of the nation, but it has been waved dramatically to the right in the last few election cycles. Desantis won his re -election from 2022 with almost 20 points and Trump wore the state with 13 points last November.
With Florida now clearly a red state, the winner of the Republican Gubernatorial Primary will be considered the favorite in next year’s general elections.
