Republican US Representative Byron Donalds has been elected Florida’s first Black governor, defeating Democratic candidate David Jolly in the November 3 general election, according to CBS News projections.
Donalds, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump who represents Southwest Florida in Congress, will succeed Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who was barred from seeking a third consecutive term.
His victory marks a historic milestone for Florida, which has never elected a Black governor in its 180-year history.
Donalds also joins a small group of Black Americans elected to lead a US state. Before the 2026 midterm elections, only three Black governors had been elected in the country’s history, all Democrats: Douglas Wilder of Virginia, Deval Patrick of Massachusetts and Wes Moore of Maryland, according to The Associated Press.
His candidacy was part of a historic field of Black gubernatorial candidates contesting elections under both major political parties.
Despite the significance of his achievement, Donalds largely avoided making race a central theme of his campaign.
In a March interview with CBS News Miami’s Jim DeFede, he acknowledged the significance of potentially becoming the first Black Republican governor of a Southern state but said he preferred to focus on his conservative policies and political principles rather than his race.
Donalds, who was first elected to Congress in 2020, secured the Republican gubernatorial nomination in August with Trump’s endorsement.
During his campaign, he prioritised tax cuts, lower property insurance costs and expanded educational opportunities.
He also sought to increase Republican support among Black voters, telling CBS News in October that his campaign was targeting more than 20 per cent of the Black vote in Florida.
His election extends Republican control of the Florida governor’s office, which the party has held since 1999.
Donalds defeated Jolly, a former Republican congressman who switched parties and contested the election as a Democrat.
Jolly built his campaign around affordability, housing and rising insurance costs as Florida continued its shift towards the Republican Party in recent election cycles.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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