Florida Politics: Byron Donalds Elected Governor
The MAGA-aligned Republican defeated Democrat David Jolly by 150,000 votes to become the state's first Black governor.
By Amir Navarro ·
Byron Donalds defeated Democrat David Jolly on Tuesday to become the new governor of Florida. Projections from Fox News and NBC declared him the winner as more than 98 percent of ballots were counted.
The race was tight, with Donalds securing a lead of 150,000 votes over his opponent. He will take office next January, replacing Republican Ron DeSantis, who is leaving after completing two terms.
Donalds is a prominent figure in the Make America Great Again movement and is closely aligned with President Donald Trump. He served as a federal representative in the House for the past six years before running for the governorship.
His victory marks a historic shift in the state's political leadership. Donalds will be the fifth consecutive Republican governor of Florida, a state that has elected conservative leaders since 1998. He will also be the first Black person to hold the office.
Nationally, Donalds becomes the first Black Republican elected governor. Prior to this, only three Black individuals had served as state governors in the United States: Douglas Wilder in Virginia, Deval Patrick in Massachusetts, and Wes Moore in Maryland.
In a parallel outcome this Tuesday, Keisha Lance Bottoms won the governorship in Georgia. She becomes the first Black woman elected to the office. These results are part of the broader mid-term elections held on Tuesday, which included races for all House seats and one-third of the Senate.
Source: KTAZ
