Republican Byron Donalds Wins Florida Governor's Race Over Democrat David Jolly in Close Contest

Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, 48, won Florida's governor's race on Tuesday, defeating Democrat David Jolly, a former Republican congressman, in a closer-than-expected contest that the Associated Press called just after 9 p.m. Eastern. Donalds led about 50 percent to 49 percent with 98 percent of the vote counted; earlier, with over 95 percent counted, he led by 1.3 points, or under 102,000 votes. He becomes Florida's first black governor. Donalds, backed by President Donald Trump, has served in Congress since 2021 and succeeds term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis, who endorsed him only after the primary. Donalds raised more than $140 million, outspending Jolly roughly 7-to-1, while Trump carried Florida by 13 points two years ago. Donalds promised lower property taxes and insurance costs; Jolly focused on affordability. Republican Sen. Ashley Moody was projected to hold her seat over Democrat Angie Nixon, as Democrats won control of both the House and Senate.

The right-leaning outlets agree the race was tight but frame it differently. The Daily Mail calls it a "massive scare," noting voters soured on the economy, rising costs and data centers, and suggesting Trump's endorsement may have been a weight. Breitbart also calls it a nail-biter but credits DeSantis-era policies, cites Florida's 16.9 percent GDP-per-resident growth, and attacks Jolly's pandemic-era record. MS NOW, on the left, says Donalds "outran history," leading with his platform and Jolly's affordability message, and its excerpt gives no margin or Trump discussion. Both sides agree Donalds won and succeeds DeSantis; they differ on whether the closeness reflects Trump's weakness, conservative strength or a historic achievement. BBC News adds a national angle: the Moody-Nixon Senate race and Democratic gains elsewhere.