Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Aug 20
Florida Sets 2026 Governor Race Between 47-Year-Old Donalds and 53-Year-Old Jolly
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Aug 20

Florida Sets 2026 Governor Race Between 47-Year-Old Donalds and 53-Year-Old Jolly

3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Aug 20

Summary

  • Byron Donalds, 47, and David Jolly, 53, are set to face off in Florida’s 2026 governor’s race to succeed term-limited Ron DeSantis.
  • Donalds enters the general election pledging to preserve DeSantis-era conservative policies while adding a push to cut property taxes and address housing and insurance costs.
  • The matchup also reflects a personal and political split: Donalds was once close to DeSantis but backed Donald Trump in 2024 and later criticized the administration over slavery teaching standards.
  • Jolly, a former Republican congressman elected in 2014, became an MSNBC Trump critic, then an independent, and switched to the Democratic Party last year before launching his bid.
  • November’s winner will inherit a state reshaped by DeSantis’ eight years in office, though his influence has weakened since his failed 2024 presidential campaign.

Insights

How could a proposed $12 billion tax shift permanently alter Florida's housing market and local public services?
What hidden economic trade-offs lie beneath the campaign promises to aggressively slash property taxes and insurance rates?