Florida Republicans have made their choice—and Donald Trump’s preferred successor to Gov. Ron DeSantis is heading into the general election with the full force of the MAGA movement behind him.
Rep. Byron Donalds, a longtime Trump ally and one of Florida’s most recognizable Republicans, cruised to victory Tuesday in the crowded GOP primary for governor, defeating a field that included several prominent Florida political figures.
The win delivers a major victory for Trump in a state that has become one of the Republican Party’s strongest political strongholds.
Donalds, a third-term congressman and former Florida state lawmaker, entered the race with something his rivals could not manufacture: Trump’s endorsement.
The president backed Donalds before the congressman had even officially launched his campaign. In February 2025, Trump made his preference unmistakable.
“Byron Donalds would be a TRULY GREAT and POWERFUL Governor for Florida and, should he run, will have my complete and total endorsement. RUN, BYRON, RUN!” Trump wrote.
Donalds took the hint.
His campaign has centered squarely on carrying the Trump agenda into Florida, with immigration enforcement, affordability, deregulation and lower taxes among his central priorities. He has also emphasized infrastructure investment and completing restoration efforts in the Everglades.
But this primary was about more than policy.
It was also a referendum on what comes next for the Republican Party in a state transformed under DeSantis.
Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, a close DeSantis ally, finished behind Donalds after running explicitly on a promise to “protect the DeSantis legacy.” Collins benefited from support among Florida’s Republican establishment and repeatedly highlighted the fact that DeSantis had appointed him lieutenant governor.
The governor himself, however, stayed out of the primary.
That silence left Republicans to decide which direction they wanted the state to take after DeSantis leaves office.
The answer was Donalds.
The congressman has been closely aligned with Trump for years, most notably backing Trump over DeSantis during the 2024 Republican presidential primary. That loyalty became an important part of Donalds’ political identity as the contest unfolded.
And Trump’s early endorsement made the choice even clearer.
For Florida Republicans, Donalds now has the opportunity to take the political philosophy that made the state a national Republican success story and push it even further into the Trump era.
His campaign has promised to “enact the Trump agenda” in Florida, including aggressive immigration enforcement and policies aimed at reducing taxes and regulatory burdens.
That message fits the state’s political trajectory.
Florida has moved dramatically to the right over the past decade, transforming from a traditional swing state into one of the GOP’s most reliable strongholds. Donalds enters the general election with that political landscape firmly in his favor.
But the bigger story is the handoff.
DeSantis turned Florida into a national conservative laboratory, while Trump remains the dominant force in the Republican Party. Donalds has positioned himself directly between those two political legacies—embracing the conservative record built in Florida while making no mistake about where his strongest allegiance lies.
With the primary behind him, Donalds can now turn toward November.
Trump picked his candidate before Donalds even entered the race.
Florida Republicans just gave that candidate the nomination.
Now the Trump-backed Republican has a clear shot at taking the Sunshine State into the next chapter of the America First era.
