Jamaican-American Congressman Byron Donalds has secured the Republican nomination for governor of Florida, setting up a November showdown with former Democratic Congressman David Jolly in a race that could make history for the state.
Donalds emerged victorious in Tuesday’s Republican primary, defeating a field of 11 candidates and positioning himself to succeed Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who is barred from seeking another consecutive term because of term limits.
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The November contest carries significance beyond the usual partisan battle. If Donalds wins, he would become Florida’s first Black governor and the first governor of Caribbean descent. Jolly’s victory on the Democratic side, meanwhile, gives his party an opportunity to reclaim the governor’s mansion for the first time since 1999.
Donalds, who represents Florida’s 19th Congressional District, has frequently highlighted his Jamaican and wider Caribbean heritage. He was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and has spoken publicly about the influence of his Caribbean background on his approach to public service. His political career includes service in the Florida House of Representatives before his election to Congress in 2020.
His gubernatorial campaign received a major boost when President Donald Trump endorsed him early in the race. The endorsement helped establish Donalds as the Republican frontrunner in a crowded field, a position he maintained through the primary campaign.
The Republican victory also places Donalds at the centre of a potentially historic election for Florida’s Black and Caribbean communities. A Donalds victory would mark the first time a Black candidate has been elected governor in the state’s history, while his Jamaican heritage would make him the first person of Caribbean descent to hold the office.
His Democratic opponent, David Jolly, is a former Republican congressman who represented a Tampa Bay-area district before leaving the Republican Party. Jolly has selected former U.S. Representative Gwen Graham as his running mate for lieutenant governor.
Jolly’s nomination also represents a significant opportunity for Democrats. Florida has not elected a Democratic governor since Lawton Chiles left office in January 1999, making the November race a test of whether the party can make inroads in a state that has become increasingly Republican in recent election cycles.
The race is also unfolding against a changing political landscape in Florida. Republicans continue to hold considerable statewide strength, while the 2026 election has produced several notable contests involving candidates from both parties and increased attention on the state’s future political direction.
For Caribbean Americans, however, the gubernatorial contest carries an additional dimension. Donalds’ Jamaican roots place Caribbean identity prominently in one of the country’s most closely watched state elections, particularly in South Florida, where large Caribbean and Caribbean-American communities have established deep cultural, economic and political ties.
Donalds and Jolly will face each other in the November 3 general election, when Florida voters will determine who will become the state’s next governor.
