U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) introduced his candidacy for governor of Florida in 2026 throughout a Fox Information look Tuesday night time.
“We’re going to proceed being the freeest state and the very best state shifting ahead,” he stated.
Attributable to time period limits in Florida, Ron DeSantis will not be eligible for reelection, and Byron Donalds was the primary to formally announce his bid for the Republican main.
As The Gateway Pundit reported, President Trump made an early endorsement for Donalds within the state’s 2026 gubernatorial race final week.
Pres. Trump Endorses Byron Donalds for Governor of Florida in 2026
The endorsement got here amid hypothesis about different potential candidates for the Republican nomination. Florida First Woman Casey DeSantis has been talked about as a attainable contender.
Throughout a information convention in Tampa Bay Monday, DeSantis was requested about President Trump’s endorsement of Donalds for governor.
DeSantis responded, “We’ve achieved victories in Florida. We have to begin attaining these victories up there.”
He added, “You bought a man like Byron — he simply hasn’t been part of any of the victories that we’ve had right here over the left these final years.”
DeSantis then teased the thought of his spouse operating for governor, saying, “I received by the largest margin that any Republican has ever received a governor’s race right here in Florida. She [Casey] would do higher than me.”
Donalds responded to rumors of Casey DeSantis leaping into the race by saying, “It is nonetheless early,” and noting he is “excited to have the total endorsement of President Trump.” He added, “[Trump] has a variety of religion in me.”
Amongst his priorities are to “flip Florida into the monetary hub of the world” and “turn out to be probably the most business-friendly state in our nation,” he stated. Donalds additionally spoke a few plan to “take the lead on cryptocurrency and digital property,” probably “having crypto be part of the state’s monetary portfolio.”
WATCH:
Donalds: After a variety of prayer, a variety of ideas with my household and my mates, I am right here to announce my candidacy to be the following Governor of the nice state of Florida. And Sean, now we have a beautiful state. I acquired to Florida after I was 17-years-old off of a Greyhound bus with only a trunk full of garments, and over the remainder of my time in Florida, I constructed a household, I constructed a profession, 17 years in monetary providers. I joined the Tea Occasion motion, was within the conservative motion.
I used to be in a position to serve 4 years within the state legislature, 4 years in Congress, and I believe now could be the time to now take the mantle and lead our state into the longer term. We have had an incredible governor. Ron DeSantis has performed an incredible job for our state, however now the job is to maintain the very best state within the nation as the very best state within the nation. And so, that is going to be the mission at hand, and I am excited to announce my candidacy with you tonight.
