Congressman Byron Donalds has officially announced his candidacy for governor of Florida, becoming the first to declare his intention to run amid rumors that incumbent Gov. Ron DeSantis' wife, Casey DeSantis, may also enter the race.
Donalds, who represents Southwest Florida, including the areas of Naples and Fort Myers, threw his hat in the ring Tuesday -- with the backing of President Donald Trump.
“After a lot of prayer and a lot of thought with my family and my friends, I am here to announce my candidacy to be the next governor of the great state of Florida,” Donalds said.
Reflecting on his journey, Donalds shared, “I got to Florida when I was 17 years old off a Greyhound bus with just a trunk full of clothes. Over the rest of my time in Florida, I built a family, I built a career in financial services.”
Trump expressed his support for Donalds on Truth Social, posting: “I know Byron well, have seen him tested at the highest and most difficult levels, and he is a TOTAL WINNER. As Governor, Byron would have a BIG Voice and would work closely with me to advance our America First Agenda.”
Trump’s endorsement emphasized Donalds' commitment to securing the border, stopping migrant crime, strengthening the military, protecting veterans, restoring economic power, and advancing American energy dominance.
DeSantis and the Congressman have thrown shots at each other in the past.
Two days ago, DeSantis made a comment toward Donalds while uplifting his wife.
“A guy like Byron, he just hasn’t been a part of any of the victories that we’ve had here over the left over these last years,” DeSantis said.
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During his announcement, Donalds remained positive, acknowledging DeSantis' contributions.
“We have a great governor. Ron DeSantis has done a tremendous job for our state, but now the job is to keep the best state in the country as the best state in the country,” Donalds said.
The Florida Democratic Party also weighed in.
“Byron is only interested in power, and he won’t fix our property insurance crisis or bring down the cost of living for Floridians. He only has a shot at the nomination because Trump endorsed him, and Trump is only endorsing him because he wants a puppet in the governor’s mansion,” the party said in a statement to News4JAX.
As speculation continues about Casey DeSantis' potential candidacy, a recent UNF poll shows her as a favored contender, though she has yet to make an official announcement.
