Trump-backed Byron Donalds makes his campaign debut in the 2026 race to replace Gov. Ron DeSantis
By STEPHANY MATAT
Associated Press
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds — backed by President Donald Trump — opened his campaign Friday evening at a rally in his hometown of Bonita Springs in southwest Florida.
Donalds spoke to local residents at Sugarshack, a live music venue and restaurant in downtown Bonita Springs, and he outlined his top priorities he’d message to voters on the campaign trail: addressing Florida’s insurance crisis, building new roads, restoring the Everglades, making Florida the “financial capital of the world” and ensuring children in schools “master math, reading, writing and reasoning.”
“This is the free state of Florida, and as your next governor, it will remain the free state of Florida,” Donalds said.
After his wife, Erika Donalds, introduced him, Byron Donalds took the stage to the song “The Time is Now” by John Cena, and he was greeted by an energized crowd that cheered and waved “Team Donalds” signs.
The Republican congressman took the opportunity not only to introduce his campaign, but to tell the story of how he arrived in Florida — at 17 years old with a bag of clothes on a Greyhound bus. Donalds said his first political event was at a tea party rally in Naples, the area he now represents, 16 years ago.
“Together, we will get this done. Together, Florida will continue to be the best state in America and show the other 49 how to get the job done,” Donalds said to close his rally. His wife and three sons then joined him on stage.
Donalds’ campaign opening comes a month after he officially announced his run to replace Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whose term is expiring.
So far, Donalds, 46, has no major challenger in the Republican primary. But DeSantis had hinted previously that his wife, Casey DeSantis, would be a worthy candidate to continue his administration’s legacy.
DeSantis and his wife have visited South Florida to see Trump since the Donalds announcement. They also played golf with Trump in early March at the Trump International Golf Course.
For Donalds, the next step is to begin securing endorsements among Florida legislators and the state’s congressional delegation, many of whom are close allies of DeSantis.
Any Republican who joins the race after may face hurdles in finding Republican donors to back them since Donalds has secured Trump’s endorsement. Trump’s backing in other gubernatorial and congressional races has proven to massively aid candidates, including DeSantis in 2018.
Other than Casey DeSantis, potential GOP candidates include former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, who said in January that he was considering a run, and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, who sparred with the governor over immigration policies earlier this year.
Donalds may not have a lot of name recognition across Florida, but he has been a staunch Trump ally.
He was elected in 2020 to the U.S. House, and he is part of the conservative congressional Tea Party Caucus and is highly regarded by Republican colleagues in his circle. He was also on a short list of people considered to be Trump’s vice presidential running mate last year.
