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Ballot Explained

Governor · November 3, 2026

Who's running for governor of Florida

2 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.

Candidates
2
Incumbent
Open seat
Parties
Republican · Democratic
State primary
Aug 18

Candidates appear in ballot order. We do not rank them, score them, or recommend one — here is how this is put together, and here is what the office actually does.

2 candidates · ballot order · open seat

Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.

What they say they stand for

Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.

  • Implementing President Trump’s Make America Great Again agenda.
  • School choice and protecting parental rights in education.
  • Allowing parents and community members to review instructional materials in schools.
  • Making Florida’s government more transparent.
  • Reforming how state and outside groups handle public money so taxpayer funds are not misused for political purposes.
  • Guaranteeing every Florida child access to clean food and water through the Healthy Florida Healthy Families initiative.

What they’ve actually done

Documented record from official sources.

  • Served in the Florida House of Representatives.
  • Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2020 and re-elected in 2022.
  • Serves on the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the House Financial Services Committee.
  • Was one of almost 150 Republicans who voted in 2021 to object to the 2020 presidential election results.
  • According to the FEC, his authorized committee reported fundraising and spending activity for the 2025–2026 cycle.
  • The Florida Division of Elections lists him as the qualified Republican candidate for Florida governor in 2026.

Arguments in favor

  • President Donald J. Trump said Byron Donalds would be a “TRULY GREAT and POWERFUL Governor for Florida” and gave him his “complete and total endorsement.”

    — President Donald J. Trump

  • Republican primary voters backed Donalds for governor, and NBC News projected him as the Republican nominee for the November race.

    — NBC News

  • President Donald J. Trump, Sen. Rick Scott, and other prominent Republicans endorsed Donalds.

    — President Donald J. Trump; Sen. Rick Scott; endorsements listed on Byron Donalds for Governor

Arguments against

  • David Jolly said Byron Donalds is trying to “break our trust in each other” and to tell Floridians “not to believe in each other” or “believe in better.”

    — David Jolly

  • Gov. Ron DeSantis said Donalds wasn’t “part of the victories” Republicans have had over Democrats in Florida.

    — Gov. Ron DeSantis

  • David Jolly described Donalds as part of “harsh attack ads” and “divisive culture war ads” that the other side was running.

    — David Jolly

What we couldn’t verify

  • The sources reviewed did not provide a detailed, comprehensive issue platform beyond campaign slogans and selected priorities.
  • No published criticism of Byron Donalds beyond the statements quoted above was found in the sources reviewed.
Their campaign site ↗Sources:byrondonalds.combyrondonalds.comtitanswire.usatoday.comdavidjolly.comtime.comnbcnews.comdos.elections.myflorida.comwusf.orgapnews.comfec.gov

What they say they stand for

Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.

  • Says he wants to build a coalition of Democrats, independents, and disaffected Republicans.
  • Says Florida’s economy should work for everybody and that everyone should be welcomed, empowered, and celebrated in the state.
  • Supports reforming Tourist Development Taxes to give local governments more control over some of the revenue, while not harming tourism.
  • Says hotel-tax revenue should be considered for a catastrophic fund to help cover hurricane and natural-disaster losses.
  • Says some tourist-tax revenue could be redirected toward raising teacher pay by 30%.
  • Supports requiring gun owners to carry liability insurance.
  • Calls for a statewide moratorium on new data center projects until Florida adopts stronger protections for water supplies, utility customers, and workers.
  • Says he wants a state-managed catastrophe fund that would remove hurricane coverage from private insurance markets.
  • Says he is focused on lowering property insurance costs and expanding gun-safety measures.
  • Says he wants to slow the expansion of data centers until stronger consumer and environmental protections are enacted.

What they’ve actually done

Documented record from official sources.

  • Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
  • Launched his bid for Florida governor in June 2025.
  • Won the 2026 Democratic primary for governor.
  • Named Gwen Graham as his running mate for governor.

Arguments in favor

  • David has demonstrated a commitment to putting people over politics and is fighting tirelessly for Florida families. Floridians have chosen a leader with the experience, independence, and vision to lower costs, strengthen the state’s economy, protect fundamental freedoms, and deliver for Florida.

    — DNC Chair Ken Martin / Democratic National Committee

  • Jolly won the Democratic nomination by a 55-point margin, which was presented as evidence that he had united Democrats behind him.

    — James Call, Tallahassee Democrat

Arguments against

  • Byron Donalds called Jolly “a Trojan horse for the radical Democrats and for the Democrat socialists,” and said Jolly would “bend the knee to the Democrat socialists of America.”

    — Byron Donalds

  • Byron Donalds’ campaign said Jolly has a “radical anti-gun past” and argued that he wants to abolish the Second Amendment and trample Floridians’ rights and freedoms.

    — Ryan Smith, chief strategist for the Byron Donalds campaign

What we couldn’t verify

  • No published criticism of David Jolly beyond the campaign attacks and Donalds’ remarks was found in the sources reviewed.
  • The sources reviewed do not provide a full record of Jolly’s congressional votes or committee work.
  • The sources reviewed do not establish the outcome of the 2026 general election.
Their campaign site ↗Sources:orlandosentinel.combyrondonalds.comdavidjolly.comtampabay.comnbcnews.comdesmoinesregister.comdemocrats.orgapnews.comdos.elections.myflorida.com

Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.

Florida’s 2026 governor race is on the general-election ballot, and the Division of Elections indicates the qualifying period has closed for governor; AP reported Donalds as the Republican nominee and Jolly as the Democratic nominee. Ballot order follows Florida’s statewide party order, which places Republicans before Democrats for this cycle. ([dos.fl.gov](https://dos.fl.gov/elections/?os=a&utm_source=openai))

This is one contest on a longer ballot

A Florida ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.

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