A Republican nomination secured
Florida Congressman Byron Donalds won the Republican nomination for governor in the state's August 18 primary, earning 47.8% of the Republican vote according to the Florida Division of Elections' official results. Jay Collins finished second with 25.2%, followed by James Fishback with 10.5% and Paul Renner with 8.5%.
The result put Donalds forward as the Republican nominee for an open governor's seat. Governor Ron DeSantis is unable to seek another consecutive term under Florida's constitutional term limits.
Donalds, who represents Florida's 19th Congressional District in the U.S. House, entered the governor's race in February 2025. His campaign received an endorsement from President Donald Trump, and the Republican primary ultimately produced a field of multiple candidates before voters selected Donalds as the nominee.
The November matchup
The general election is scheduled for November 3, 2026. The Democratic nominee is former Congressman David Jolly, setting up a general-election contest between two former members of the U.S. House.
Florida's Division of Elections lists Donalds as the Republican candidate for governor and Bryan Avila as his running mate. Jolly is the Democratic nominee. Several candidates without major-party affiliation also qualified for the general-election ballot, making the November contest broader than the two major-party campaigns.
The issues shaping the final month
The campaign has focused on several issues likely to remain prominent through Election Day. Property taxes and the cost of living have been central themes, along with housing, immigration, education, economic development and the state's approach to large data centers.
Donalds has emphasized affordability, economic growth, education, immigration enforcement and law-and-order policies. At a September forum hosted by WLRN, he also discussed property taxes, housing and data centers, arguing that local governments should retain a role in decisions involving data-center development.
Jolly has emphasized affordability, housing, education, health care and changes to state government. On several issues, the candidates have presented different approaches, giving voters a range of policy questions to consider as the campaign moves toward November.
Florida enters the final stretch
As of October 1, the campaign had entered its final month. Recent political coverage has highlighted a more competitive environment than some earlier assessments of the race, while polling has produced varying results depending on the survey and field dates. Those measurements are snapshots rather than guarantees of an election outcome.
For voters, the next stage is less about the primary and more about evaluating the candidates, their stated policies and the consequences of the choices on the November ballot. Florida's governor will have broad responsibilities involving the state budget, appointments, executive agencies, public safety, education and the implementation of state law.
When Floridians vote
Florida's general election is set for November 3. Early voting is scheduled to begin October 19 in the statewide election cycle, although specific early-voting locations and hours are administered by local election officials.
Voters should use the Florida Division of Elections and their county supervisor of elections for current registration information, ballot details, voting locations and any applicable deadlines.
This Florida Kalash Media article was published October 1, 2026 and is an original editorial summary of publicly reported election information. Primary vote totals were checked against the Florida Division of Elections official results. Candidate and general-election information was checked against the Florida Division of Elections candidate record. Additional reporting and issue context were reviewed from The Associated Press, Axios Miami and WUFT. The campaign photograph above is displayed with attribution to the Byron Donalds for Governor campaign website. This article is intended as news and civic information, not political endorsement or legal advice.