Republican Byron Donalds wins Florida governor's race over Democrat David Jolly
Donalds got 50 percent to Jolly's 48.7 percent, per Newsweek, and succeeds term-limited Ron DeSantis, who leaves office in January.
Florida voted on Tuesday, Nov. 3, in the elections. Republican Byron Donalds won the race for governor over Democrat David Jolly, according to Newsweek, with 50 percent of the vote to Jolly's 48.7 percent. Newsweek reports that Donalds becomes Florida's first Black governor.
He succeeds Republican Ron DeSantis, who is term-limited and leaves office in January. Jolly is a former member of who moved from the Republican to the Democratic party. In the U.S. , Republican Ashley Moody beat Democrat Angie Nixon, Newsweek reports.
Republicans won most House races, but many margins moved toward Democrats compared with 2022, and some races were still too close to call. DeSantis said on X that the revised likely kept the Republican House delegation at its 2024 level and that the old map would have given Democrats more seats. He also predicted large Democratic gains nationally, making a Republican recapture of Congress in 2028 very unlikely.
Donalds's campaign called Florida the "premier Republican stronghold in America." Florida's Division of Elections shows Republicans ahead in voter registration.
- 50 percent Donalds's share of the governor's vote, against Jolly's 48.7 percent — Newsweek
- 50.9 percent Moody's share in the Senate special election, against Nixon's 48 percent — Newsweek
- 20 Republicans and 8 Democrats Florida's likely US House delegation, per DeSantis — Newsweek
- 1.5 million Republican voter registration advantage, per Florida's Division of Elections — Al Jazeera English
- four Florida House races still too close to call — Newsweek
Three sides of the story
Liberal1 outlet
DeSantis's legacy shaping the race to succeed him
Al Jazeera English opens with DeSantis, saying "few modern governors" have left as deep a mark on Florida. It describes how he turned a into a Republican stronghold, pointing to his 19-point re-election win in 2022 and the 1.5 million voter registration edge Republicans now hold. It ties his laws on race and gender in schools, including the Stop Woke Act, to similar measures in other states.
The piece frames the governor's race as a test of that legacy. Donalds pledges to continue DeSantis-style politics and calls him the "best governor in the country." Jolly, a Republican-turned-Democrat, pitches affordability and healthcare.
Its main voice is University of Central Florida professor Aubrey Jewett, who expects Donalds to keep much of the agenda, perhaps with "a little bit of softening" on race, and predicts DeSantis will seek the presidency again in 2028.
- Al Jazeera English: How Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will shape his state’s 2026 midterm race
Center1 outlet
Florida's narrower results and whether 2028 competes
Newsweek leads with Florida largely resisting the Democratic wave, while several congressional races moved toward Democrats compared with 2022, raising the question of a more competitive state in 2028. It gives the results in detail: Donalds's 50 percent to Jolly's 48.7 percent, Moody's win over Nixon, and four House races too close to call. It sets Republican celebration, including a Donalds campaign memo calling Florida the "premier Republican stronghold in America," beside the narrower margins.
It quotes DeSantis on X on the redistricting results and on his forecast of Democratic gains. Nixon told Newsweek she was not getting massive amounts of money from billionaires, and the piece notes she received no funding from two national Democratic Senate committees. University of Florida professor Sharon Wright Austin says Democrats are "preparing for 2028" and questions whether more national funding could have changed the outcomes.
Conservative1 outlet
Republican turnout surge and a push to vote
Townhall's election-day piece says Republicans are "surging" in Florida and urges every Republican voter to go to the polls. It is built largely from posts on X. One shows a voter saying "Bad weather is temporary, socialism is forever" as heavy rain hits the state. Another, from OSZ, says Republicans are up 22 points so far on election day, against 15 in 2024.
A third user writes that if Florida and Montgomery , Texas, are accurate representations of the day's voters, polls are "probably off by around 12%." Townhall adds that polling "could be off by as much as 12 percent." It also cites an Echelon Insights poll in which respondents said they were voting for Democrats by 5 points, while believing their neighbors were voting for Republicans by 3.
Townhall says the neighbor question is often a more reliable indicator. It notes Kalshi odds for Donalds rising to 73%. An editor's note says the midterms will decide the fate of Trump's "America First" agenda.
Which side made the stronger case?
All sources: 3 articles from 3 outlets
Liberal (1)
- Al Jazeera English: How Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will shape his state’s 2026 midterm race
Center (1)
Conservative (1)
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