Byron Donalds

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Donald Trump Jr. is endorsing Rep. Byron Donalds for Florida governor, following in his father's footsteps and cementing Donalds as the frontrunner over possible contender Casey DeSantis, the state's first lady.Why it matters: The move by Trump Jr. — a key player in MAGA media — comes after a presidential race in which Donalds was a constant pro-Trump presence on the campaign trail. Florida's 2026 race is loaded with potential intrigue: It's likely to be a show of the Trump machine's power in Florida, where DeSantis's husband, Ron, is the term-limited governor who briefly was Donald Trump's rival in the 2024 GOP primary.Zoom in: Trump Jr., 47, hosts an influential podcast, "Triggered," a GenX pillar of MAGA's media universe. He's a trusted political adviser to his dad.President Trump pre-endorsed Donalds five days before the congressman's Feb. 25 announcement on Sean Hannity's show on Fox News.Donalds' campaign is run by Trump campaign vets: Tony Fabrizio (pollster for both Trump and Donalds), senior adviser Chris LaCivita (2024 Trump campaign co-manager) and Danielle Alvarez (senior adviser for both campaigns).By the numbers: A recent Fabrizio poll of likely GOP primary voters in Florida showed Donalds with a small lead over Casey DeSantis, 34%-30%.After they were told the governor would endorse his wife, she marginally led Donalds. But the Trump effect was bigger: When respondents were told about Trump's endorsement, Donalds' lead over DeSantis grew to 45%-23%. The bottom line: Donalds led Casey DeSantis 38%-28% when voters were informed of both endorsements — an indication that Trump's endorsement had more sway that Ron DeSantis'.The poll also showed that Vice President Vance would beat Ron DeSantis in a hypothetical 2028 presidential primary by 14 percentage points.And as Axios first reported, the same poll indicated former Rep. Matt Gaetz would have a big lead in a hypothetical matchup against Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, Gov. DeSantis' former chief of staff.The big picture: During the past week, the Donalds campaign strategically leaked the poll results to send a message: Florida is Trump Country, and the DeSantis stewardship in Tallahassee has a 2026 expiration date. Registered Republicans vastly outnumber registered Democrats in Florida, so the victors in statewide GOP primaries are heavy favorites to win office.What they're saying: "My friend Byron Donalds is a great patriot and has my full endorsement to serve as Florida's next governor," Trump Jr. said in a statement provided first to Axios."Byron is a fighter and a true champion for our America First movement. He will be a great leader for Florida and he will fight alongside my father to make America greater than ever before!"Flashback: President Trump and Ron DeSantis had a falling out after the governor decided to run against him for president in 2024. DeSantis quickly made amends after he was walloped in Iowa, but his annoyance with Donalds (who endorsed Trump early on over the governor) erupted the day before Donalds announced his bid for governor."You got a guy like Byron, he just hasn't been a part of any of the victories that we've had here over the left over these last years. He's just not been a part of it," DeSantis said at press conference.Said a DeSantis confidant: "If Byron thinks all this will scare Casey out of the race, it's not going to work. It might have the opposite effect."Trump calls DeSantis for advice on occasion and likes golfing with the governor.To try to keep Trump on the sidelines in the governor's race, Ron and Casey DeSantis golfed with Trump two weekends ago at the president's West Palm Beach course.It's unclear what promises, if any, Trump made.

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Florida Rep. Byron Donalds is running for governor.

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President Donald Trump isn’t done humiliating Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Late Thursday, he ended the speculation surrounding his preferred candidate for the Sunshine State’s 2026 governor’s race by endorsing MAGA loyalist Byron Donalds for the position.“I am hearing that Highly Respected Congressman Byron Donalds is considering running for Governor of Florida, a State that I love, and WON BIG in 2016, 2020, and 2024,” the president wrote on Truth Social before speaking at the Republican Governors Association’s annual meeting. “As Governor, Byron would have a BIG Voice, and would work closely with me to advance our America First Agenda.”He continued, “Byron Donalds would be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida and, should he decide to run, will have my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, BYRON, RUN!”Donalds has yet to confirm he will run for the governorship, but after Trump’s endorsement, the GOP congressman posted on social media that he’s “committed” to working with Trump to “keep Florida great,” mentioning he will soon announce his plans.The president’s support for Donalds will surely have a chilling effect on the race. Trump won Florida by more than 13 percentage points this past November. And his endorsement comes before any serious candidate officially has declared their intention to run.It’s likely that Trump wanted to stick it to Ron DeSantis one last time before the governor’s term ends in January 2027. (The current governor is term-limited and cannot run again.) After all, Trump’s endorsement of Donalds comes right as speculation ramped up that Florida’s first lady, Casey DeSantis, was considering running to succeed her husband. Florida first lady Casey DeSantisAccording to NBC News, Ron DeSantis had recently started making calls about his wife’s potential run.“I don’t know if that changed Byron’s timeline at all, but the sitting governor was starting to make calls, it seems to have really kicked this race off,” a donor who spoke with DeSantis told the outlet.Donalds likely wanted Casey DeSantis out of the race, too. At least one poll showed her favorables higher than his, and it doesn’t help that Ron DeSantis and Donalds have a rocky relationship. While the two were once allies, their relationship soured, in part, due to a disagreement over how middle schoolers in the state should learn about Black history. Donalds criticized the new guidelines approved by the governor, which stated that students should be informed about how Black people benefited from slavery.Neither DeSantis has commented on Trump’s endorsement of Donalds, but Trump’s endorsement may have dashed Casey’s plans for running. “Looks like that’s that,” one Ron DeSantis donor told Politico. And it’s not just Casey DeSantis who may decide to sit out the race now that Trump has handpicked DeSantis’ successor. Even embattled former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who entertained the idea of running for the governor’s seat, acknowledged that Donalds is the clear favorite. “That’s a big boost for Byron,” he told Politico.Assuming Casey DeSantis and Gaetz don’t run, that would leave Wilton Simpson, the state’s agriculture commissioner, as Donalds’ only potential challenger. But as Politico noted, Simpson could instead just seek a second term in his current office.One reason why Trump’s endorsement could preemptively end the GOP’s gubernatorial primary is because the president has a lot of sway in Florida. Trump’s backing of DeSantis in 2018 was pivotal to his campaign; the Republican went on to win that year’s primary with 57% of the vote. And unfortunately, there’s no indication that Trump’s influence over the party is waning. Any Republican hoping to succeed in Florida—a state Trump has called home since 2019—needs to kiss the ring and earn Trump’s favor. Or at the very least, they need to avoid getting on his bad side.Although Donalds hasn’t officially announced his candidacy for governor, he’s been telling donors since at least January that he intends to run. And he hired an alum of Trump’s 2016 campaign: Fabrizio, Lee & Associates. This firm, led by Tony Fabrizio, who was Trump’s chief pollster during his first presidential campaign and has conducted polling for MAGA Inc., a pro-Trump super PAC.Donalds will become Florida’s first Black governor if he runs and wins. And the early endorsement from Trump is surely a boon for his odds. So much for Trump missing Gaetz.Campaign Action

In response, Donalds expressed his commitment to collaborating with the president to "Keep Florida Great" while indicating he would announce his decision soon.

President Donald Trump on Thursday publicly supported Republican Rep. Byron Donalds' likely bid for Florida governor in 2026.

President Donald Trump is making it very clear he would endorse Republican Rep. Byron Donalds if he runs in the 2026 race to succeed term-limited Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis

'RUN, BYRON, RUN'

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New York Rep. Mike Lawler, here at a campaign rally in Congers in October, is weighing a bid for governor. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)

Primary battles are already underway in key Senate and gubernatorial races ahead of the 2026 midterms, an election that will determine not only control of Congress but also the governorships in several states. Retirements and term limits have triggered wide-open contests that are poised to become packed with candidates, while a few potentially vulnerable incumbents [...]

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Rep. Byron Donalds had an odd way of describing the president-elect.

Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida has shared with potential donors and political big-wigs in the state that he intends to run for governor, making him the second MAGA loyalist to consider throwing his hat in the ring. “He was in town [Tallahassee] meeting with all the folks you need to meet with. He told them he is in,” a source who met with Donalds told NBC News. “It’s the steps any candidate takes as they prepare to run for governor.”Donalds reportedly made similar remarks at a GOP meeting in Orlando this past weekend, according to the outlet.NBC News said it spoke with five sources familiar with Donalds’ thinking and upcoming plans. While there have long been rumors that the Florida representative is angling to replace Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is term-limited and will leave office in January 2027, this is the biggest sign yet that the Trump loyalist will likely leave his plum congressional seat in an attempt to be the Sunshine State’s next top executive.When asked for comment, Donalds didn’t deny the rumors but told NBC News he’s focused on “helping President Trump pass his America First Agenda.” A spokesperson for Donalds did not immediately respond to Daily Kos’ request for comment.Former Rep. Matt GaetzShould Donalds run, he might face some intriguing competition. Disgraced former Rep. Matt Gaetz is also toying with whether to run for the gubernatorial seat. In a statement to NBC News, Gaetz reiterated that he and his wife are still considering his next steps.Notably, this is not the first sign of Donalds’ increased interest in running for Florida’s governorship. Earlier this month, he hired one alum of President-elect Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign: Fabrizio, Lee & Associates. This company is led by Tony Fabrizio, who was Trump’s lead pollster during his first campaign for the White House and has conducted polling for MAGA Inc., a pro-Trump super PAC. NBC News also reports that Donalds is working with Brad Herold, who served as an advisor to DeSantis during his 2018 run, among others who have long worked to help boost MAGA-type Republicans.Trump will almost certainly try to sway the fast-approaching GOP primary for Florida’s governor race. Last year, at a high-dollar fundraiser in New York, Trump asked Donalds point-blank whether he was planning to succeed DeSantis, whom Trump has had a rather stormy professional relationship with.And let’s not forget, Trump’s influence can mean a lot in this race. After all, Trump’s endorsement of DeSantis in 2018 helped propel his candidacy. DeSantis won that year’s Republican primary with 57% of the vote; his closest competitor, Adam Putnam, the state’s former agriculture commissioner, received 37%. There’s no sign, either, that Trump’s grip on the party is slipping. Any Republican hoping to succeed in Florida politics likely needs to kiss the ring and earn Trump’s approval; at the very least, they need to avoid getting on his bad side. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantisDonalds, who is 46, rose to prominence during the tea party movement. He was elected to Florida’s House of Representatives in 2016. Then, in 2020, he won a seat in the U.S. House, representing Florida’s 19th Congressional District. In his relatively short time in Congress, Donalds has become a close ally of Trump’s. He was among the group of Republicans who voted to overturn the 2020 election results after Trump lost to Joe Biden, and was endorsed for the House speakership by far-right lawmakers who refused to back then-Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s bid in early 2023. Last year, it was rumored that Trump might tap Donalds as a running mate.That’s not to say Donalds is a shoo-in to be Florida’s next governor, should he decide to run. Beyond Gaetz, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson could jump in the race. At one point, it looked like the race to replace DeSantis might attract more candidates, but the field has narrowed. State Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis is running to replace Gaetz in Congress (with Trump’s blessing, of course), and state Attorney General Ashley Moody has just been appointed to fill the Senate seat that Marco Rubio will vacate if he is confirmed as Trump’s secretary of state, as is expected.There’s no timeline set for Donalds’ next steps. While he could, of course, leave Washington, D.C., early to start his bid, concerns about Republicans’ slim margins in the House make that tricky to navigate. As NBC News pointed out, Donalds may make his next move more clear following the conclusion of Florida’s two scheduled special elections, one of which reveals who Gaetz’s replacement will be. Both elections will take place on April 1. Campaign Action

'I will always back the blue'

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis plans to tap the state's attorney general, Ashley Moody, to replace Sen. Marco Rubio when he leaves his office to become the next U.S. Secretary of State, according to a source briefed on the deliberations.Why it matters: Moody is a DeSantis and Donald Trump loyalist. Her appointment will set off a chain-reaction of office-seeking and Florida political drama heading into 2026.The announcement is scheduled for a press conference Thursday morning in Orlando.Breaking it down: Picking Moody for Senate clears the way for DeSantis to name his chief of staff, James Uthmeier, to replace her as AG, according to the source who said that "it was always Ashley. And James is the obvious pick to replace her." Rep. Byron Donalds is already filling out a political team to run for governor in 2026.If Moody decides to run for reelection for her newly appointed Senate seat, she is on a crash course with Rep. Cory Mills, who announced recently that he would run for Rubio's seat.The office of attorney general also comes open in 2026.Go deeper: Florida dominates Trump's West Wing

Welcome to At the Races! Each week we bring you news and analysis from the CQ Roll Call campaign team. Know someone who’d like to get this newsletter? They can subscribe here. “Can you say no to the president of the United States when he asks you to do something unethical or illegal?” That question, posed [...]The post At the Races: Stand by me appeared first on Roll Call.

Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., has been telling potential donors and Florida political players that he is running for governor in 2026.

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With votes still being counted in the 2024 election, at least two dozen ambitious House members are already sizing up runs for higher office in 2026, Axios has learned.Why it matters: This extraordinarily large cohort could cause all kinds of headaches for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) as they navigate a razor-thin House majority.Both sides are trying to maximize attendance and minimize early retirements in one of the most closely divided Houses in history.Driving the news: The scale of House members eyeing bids for higher office in 2026 is far greater than is publicly known, according to lawmakers and aides who spoke to Axios.Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) told Axios that "folks have talked about" him running for governor and that he is "not actively seeking it nor ruling it out."Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) is being encouraged to run for governor and considering it, sources familiar with the matter told Axios.Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) is weighing running for Senate if Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) retires, sources familiar with the matter told Axios.Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio) may run for Vice President-elect Vance's Senate seat if outgoing Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) doesn't, sources told Axios.Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) is also considering a run for governor, according to sources familiar with her thinking.Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) is seen as a potential candidate for governor, Axios previously reported.Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), who has floated a run for governor, is also considering vying to replace Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), according to sources familiar with the matter.Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) is a potential candidate for statewide office in Colorado, several senior House Democrats told Axios.Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) is being encouraged to run for governor, a source familiar with the matter told Axios, though he hasn't publicly indicated any plans to do so.Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) told Axios he is "considering both" challenging Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) or a run for governor.Zoom in: Those names are on top of a slew of House members already publicly running or considering bids for other offices.Considering a run for governor: Reps. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), John Rose (R-Tenn.) and Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.).Considering a run for Senate: Reps. Andy Barr (R-Ky.), Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) Clay Higgins (R-La.), Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.).Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) are both running in the 2025 New Jersey governor election.Several House members, including Reps. Mike Carey (R-Ohio) and Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), are also vying for Vance's Senate seat.Zoom out: House members have been fleeing the lower chamber at a historic clip in recent years, with many saying the body is dysfunctional and toxic.Congressional leaders will also have to deal with cash-strapped members looking to potentially jump ship early for a private-sector payout.Between the lines: Some members just want to keep their names in the mix or boost their name ID. Others will have to undergo a genuine deliberation process.Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), seen as a potential candidate for governor or Senate in 2026, "will have political options" but is spending most of his time on "how Republicans can be successful in the 119th" Congress, a source close to him told Axios.Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), floated as a potential Senate candidate, is focused "on the upcoming Congress and hasn't made any decisions about 2026 yet, but is committed to working to ensure Democrats win back control of the Senate and the House," a spokesperson said.

When President-elect Trump moves from Mar-a-Lago to Pennsylvania Ave., he'll bring a gaggle of fellow Floridians with him.Why it matters: Florida has become the epicenter of Trump's political movement and the state that is shaping the modern Republican Party.Driving the news: After Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) withdrew from consideration as attorney general on Thursday, Trump's next choice was another Sunshine State ally, former Florida AG Pam Bondi. Trump's nominee for secretary of state, Sen. Marco Rubio, also hails from Florida.So do the incoming chief of staff, Susie Wiles, and national security adviser, Rep. Michael Waltz.Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) was the Trumpworld favorite for majority leader, though he didn't receive Trump's endorsement and his bid fell short.The big picture: During his four years out of office, Trump turned Mar-a-Lago into the mecca of MAGA, with the movement's top figures making regular pilgrimages.Meanwhile, Gov. Ron DeSantis turned Florida into a test kitchen for policies that have become national conservative priorities and led a rightward shift that has left the state well-stocked with ascending GOP talent.Helped by an influx of conservative-leaning voters, Trump and DeSantis turned a pivotal swing state MAGA red. Registered Republicans now outnumber Democrats by a million.South Florida has also become a hub for conservative and libertarian-leaning business leaders, particularly in the hedge fund and crypto worlds.Friction point: DeSantis' run for president created a rift among Florida Republicans, forcing them to choose sides between the governor and Trump.Wiles, who helped DeSantis win the governor's mansion in 2018 before they had a falling out, jumped on Team Trump.So did other prominent Republicans in the state, like Waltz and U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, who was on some shortlists for vice president.What we're watching: Whether Wiles, a veteran of top Florida lobbying firm Ballard Partners, will stock the West Wing with people from her network in the Sunshine State.Bondi is also a Florida Ballard alum.Zoom out: Trump's other home state, New York, also has an outsized presence in his administration-in-waiting, Politico notes. Among them: Rep. Elise Stefanik as UN ambassador; former Rep. Lee Zeldin as EPA administrator; and ex-ICE head and former New York state police officer Tom Homan as "border czar."Trump has also poached from TV, nominating two Fox News hosts, former Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) and Pete Hegseth, and talk show veteran Dr. Mehmet Oz.Go deeper: Trump builds his "central casting" Cabinet