WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Republican Rep. Byron Donalds introduced Tuesday that he’s getting into the 2026 race to succeed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who’s ineligible to hunt one other time period after eight years in workplace.
Donalds enters the race with President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Donalds has been a frequent Trump surrogate and was on the quick record to be his vice presidential operating mate final 12 months.
DeSantis, who can’t run once more on account of time period limits and unsuccessfully tried a presidential bid towards Trump final 12 months, has not but made any official endorsement for his successor.
Simply earlier than Donalds’ announcement, DeSantis prompt that his spouse, Casey DeSantis, could be a worthy governor and mentioned Donalds was not part of his victories on conservative priorities.
The 46-year-old Donalds, who lives in Naples in southwest Florida, was born and raised in Brooklyn. He graduated from Florida State College.
He was working as a monetary adviser when then-Gov. Rick Scott appointed him to the board of trustees at a state school, cementing his rise within the state GOP.
He entered the Florida Home in 2016, received a seat within the U.S. Home in 2020 and has been on the quick record for a number of alternatives ever since, together with being nominated in January 2023 by the far-right wing of as a candidate for Home speaker.
After Trump’s endorsement, Donalds indicated that he would make an announcement quickly and mentioned he was “dedicated to working with him to Hold Florida Nice.” In a speech on the Conservative Political Motion Convention on Feb. 21, Donalds mentioned Trump has known as him to speak to him about operating.
“Florida is just not going to cease main,” Donalds mentioned. “We’re going to construct off of what we’ve performed, and we’re going to proceed to guide larger, higher, quicker, better, safer, freer, as a result of the American dream is for everyone, and we’re going to indicate the opposite 49 states the best way to get it performed.”
Along with Casey DeSantis, different potential GOP candidates embody former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, who mentioned in January that he was contemplating a run, and Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, although he just lately fought with DeSantis over immigration insurance policies.
However Trump’s endorsement could clear the best way for Donalds given his dominance in Republican politics, notably in his adopted residence state. Trump established residency in Palm Seaside throughout his first time period.
“Byron Donalds could be a very Nice and Highly effective Governor for Florida and, ought to he determine to run, may have my Full and Complete Endorsement,” the president posted Thursday on his social media web site. “RUN, BYRON, RUN!”
One of many state’s most high-profile Black Republicans, Donalds would develop into the primary African American to function governor if he wins.
Donalds and his spouse, Erika Donalds, constructed a repute for working to remodel public training and direct extra taxpayer {dollars} into non-public and constitution faculties. A former county faculty board member, she runs an organization that oversees constitution faculties and a digital academy.
