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Byron Donalds becomes Florida's first Black governor

Byron Donalds becomes Florida's first Black governor

Rule Changes

The Trump-backed Republican beat Democrat David Jolly by about 107,700 votes, while Ashley Moody held a Senate seat and Democrats took Congress

Yesterday: Donalds names transition team

Overview

Updated 4 hours ago

Byron Donalds won Florida's governor race with 50.02% of the vote to Democrat David Jolly's 48.7%. The roughly 107,700-vote margin made him the state's first Black governor and the first Black Republican elected governor in the country.

Republican Ashley Moody held Florida's Senate seat. On Nov. 10, Donalds named a transition team led by Miami business executive Manuel “Manny” Kadre, with Tarren Bragdon, founder of the Foundation for Government Accountability, as policy chair. A recount in Florida's 27th Congressional District ended with Republican Maria Elvira Salazar declared the winner.

Why it matters

Florida's Republican governor will face a Democratic Congress, setting up two years of conflict over federal money and rules.

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Key Indicators

$130M
Donalds' campaign fundraising
NBC News reported Donalds raised about $130 million, a large edge over Jolly.
8x
Donalds' fundraising advantage over Jolly
The Washington Post reported Donalds raised about eight times as much as Jolly.
107,682
Donalds' vote margin over Jolly
Donalds took 4,132,363 votes to Jolly's roughly 4.02 million, about 1.3 percentage points.
19.4
DeSantis' 2022 re-election margin
The last gubernatorial race was far less competitive than 2026.
5
Black governors elected in 2026
The Washington Post reported a record five states will soon have a Black governor; Donalds joins four Democrats.

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People Involved

Byron Donalds
Byron Donalds
Republican congressman from Florida; governor-elect
Governor-elect; named transition team Nov. 10; takes office January 2027
 David Jolly
David Jolly
Former Republican congressman; Democratic nominee for Florida governor
Lost the 2026 governor's race
 Ashley Moody
Ashley Moody
Republican senator from Florida
Won the special Senate election; serves out Marco Rubio's term through 2029
 Angie Nixon
Angie Nixon
Democratic state representative; Senate nominee
Lost the special Senate election
 Ron DeSantis
Ron DeSantis
Outgoing Republican governor of Florida
Term-limited; leaves office in January 2027
 Donald Trump
Donald Trump
President of the United States
Endorsed and campaigned for Donalds
MK
Manuel “Manny” Kadre
Miami business executive; chair of Donalds' transition team
Chairing the transition
TB
Tarren Bragdon
Policy chair of Donalds' transition team; founder of the Foundation for Government Accountability
Policy chair

Organizations Involved

RP
Republican Party of Florida
State political party
Held the governor's office and a Senate seat in 2026, but lost its state House supermajority

Florida's Republican Party has controlled the governor's office since 1999 and both legislative chambers for most of that period.
Florida Democratic Party
Florida Democratic Party
State political party
Lost the governor's race and the Senate race in 2026

Florida Democrats have not won the governor's office since 1994.

Timeline

1994 November 2026

11 events Latest: Yesterday Showing 8 of 11
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  1. Donalds names transition team

    Latest Appointment

    Manny Kadre will chair the team. Ryan Smith is executive director, Teresa Ressel is senior adviser and Tarren Bragdon is policy chair.

  2. Salazar declared winner after two-day recount

    Election

    The Miami-Dade Canvassing Board recounted 247,952 votes and found Salazar ahead of Eliott Rodriguez 50.22% to 49.78%.

  3. Donalds calls first Black governor win 'a matter of pride'

    Statement

    On NBC's Meet the Press, Donalds said his election is 'a matter of personal pride' and 'a matter of pride for Black Americans all through the country.' The Washington Post reported a record five states will soon have a Black governor.

  4. Florida votes; Moody holds Senate seat

    Election

    Republicans kept the Senate seat Rubio vacated; Democrats took Congress nationally.

  5. Donalds projected winner in governor's race

    Election

    He becomes Florida's first Black governor, defeating David Jolly 50% to 48.7%.

  6. Amendment 3 cuts property taxes

    Ballot measure

    The amendment passed with about 62% of the vote, raising the homestead exemption from $50,000 to $150,000, and to $250,000 by 2028. Local officials warn of nearly $5 billion in lost revenue in the first year, rising to about $12 billion a year once fully phased in.

  7. Democrats break Florida House Republican supermajority

    Election

    Democrats won enough state House seats to end the Republicans' supermajority, though the GOP kept the governor's office and the Senate seat.

  8. Donalds wins Republican primary

    Election

    Trump's early endorsement helped him clear a crowded field.

  9. Jolly joins the Democratic Party

    Party switch

    The former Republican congressman had left the GOP in late 2018.

  10. DeSantis re-elected by 19.4 points

    Election

    The margin was far wider than his 0.4-point win in 2018.

  11. Last Democratic governor wins Florida

    Election

    Lawton Chiles was re-elected. No Democrat has won the governor's office since.

Scenarios

1

Donalds is sworn in and Florida stays on DeSantis's course

Likely Resolves by Feb 1, 2027

Discussed by: AP and NBC News, citing Donalds's campaign promises

Donalds campaigned on continuing DeSantis's conservative agenda, expanding school choice and lowering home insurance costs. He takes office in January 2027 with a Legislature his party controls. The open question is whether he governs as a DeSantis continuation or builds a separate profile.

2

Florida homeowners get property insurance relief

Uncertain Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: The Washington Post, reporting Donalds's platform

Donalds made lower home insurance rates a central campaign promise. Delivering relief depends on the Legislature and the state Office of Insurance Regulation, not the governor alone. A measurable statewide rate change would be the first test of whether the promise produced anything.

3

Donalds files paperwork for a national run

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: NBC News, citing his $130 million war chest and Trump ties

Donalds will be a first-term governor of a large state with a national donor network. He has not announced anything. A leadership PAC or exploratory committee would be the first measurable step toward higher office.

4

Amendment 3 forces local budget cuts across Florida

Likely Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: Local officials, reported by the Florida Observer and the Independent Florida Alligator

Amendment 3 raises the homestead exemption and cuts property tax revenue that cities and counties use for public safety, parks and emergency response. The Florida Observer reports the change could cost local governments nearly $5 billion in its first year and about $12 billion a year once fully phased in. A measurable drop in local services or a legislative backfill would settle it.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1989

Doug Wilder elected governor of Virginia (1989)

Doug Wilder, a Democrat, won Virginia's governor race, becoming the first Black American elected governor of a state. He had previously served as lieutenant governor and state senator.

Then

He took office in 1990 and served one term.

Now

Seventeen years passed before another Black candidate won a governor's race.

Why this matters now

Wilder established the precedent that Donalds and the 2026 class of Black governors followed.

2006

Deval Patrick elected governor of Massachusetts (2006)

Deval Patrick, a Democrat, won the Massachusetts governor's race, becoming the second Black American elected governor. He won re-election in 2010.

Then

He served two terms and left office in 2015.

Now

No other Black governor was elected until Wes Moore in Maryland in 2022.

Why this matters now

The country had elected only three Black governors before 2026, never more than one at a time.

2022

DeSantis wins Florida by nearly 20 points (2022)

Ron DeSantis won re-election by 19.4 percentage points, a huge shift from his 0.4-point win in 2018. Florida had not elected a Democratic governor since 1994.

Then

Republicans widened their grip on the Legislature and congressional delegation.

Now

The state moved sharply right, making it a testing ground for conservative policy.

Why this matters now

Donalds inherits that dominant position, but won by a narrower margin than DeSantis did.

Sources

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BBC News AP News NBC News The Washington Post NPR Wikipedia The Guardian The Independent Florida Alligator Florida Observer Tampa Free Press Miami Herald The Hill WLRN Orlando Weekly Florida Politics NBC News The Washington Post