Byron Donalds Wins GOP Primary To Succeed DeSantis As Florida Governor

BreakingBusinessByron Donalds Wins GOP Primary To Succeed DeSantis As Florida GovernorBySara Dorn,Forbes Staff. Sara Dorn is a Forbes news reporter who covers politics.Follow AuthorAug 18, 2026, 08:18pm EDTToplineRep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., won the Republican primary on Tuesday to succeed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, as a crowded field of Republicans vied to replace Donalds in Florida’s 19th District. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., arrives for a news conference in the U.S. Capitol on developments regarding Cuba, including the indictment of former Cuban President Raul Castro, on May 20, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagesKey FactsDonalds, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, had won around 49% of the vote shortly after the Associated Press called the race.Donalds was widely expected to win the contest, with most polls showing him leading by double digits. Donalds will go on to face Democrat David Jolly, a former Republican congressman-turned-independent, in the general election to succeed DeSantis, who is term-limited. if (!window.cnxel) { window.cnxel = {}; window.cnxel.cmd = []; var iframe = document.createElement('iframe'); iframe.style.display = 'none'; iframe.onload = function() { var iframeDoc = iframe.contentWindow.document; var script = iframeDoc.createElement('script'); script.src = '//cd.elements.video/player.js?cid=62cec241-7d09-4462-afc2-f72f8d8ef40a'; script.setAttribute('defer', '1'); script.setAttribute('type', 'text/javascript'); iframeDoc.body.appendChild(script); }; document.head.appendChild(iframe); const preloadResourcesEndpoint = 'https://cds.elements.video/a/preload-resources-ovp.json'; fetch(preloadResourcesEndpoint, { priority: 'low' }) .then(response => { if (!response.ok) { throw new Error('Network response was not ok', preloadResourcesEndpoint); } return response.json(); }) .then(data => { const cssUrl = data.css; const cssUrlLink = document.createElement('link'); cssUrlLink.rel = 'sty...