US Rep Byron Donalds wins GOP nod for Florida governor against Ex-Rep
David Jolly for the Democrats
[August 19, 2026]
By BILL BARROW
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds won the Republican
nomination for Florida governor and former Rep. David Jolly picked up
the Democratic nod in Tuesday's primaries, setting the stage for a fall
campaign to replace outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis and decide the state's
future political direction.
November's election will test President Donald Trump’s grip on his
adopted state and Democrats’ ability to resurrect Florida as a national
political battleground. Florida has moved notably to the right since
Trump's victory in 2016, though Democrats hope to regain ground from his
slumping popularity ratings.
DeSantis, a leading conservative figure who has both clashed and
collaborated with Trump over the years, is barred from running for a
third consecutive term.
Also Tuesday, progressive state Rep. Angie Nixon won the Democratic
nomination for a U.S. Senate special election, defeating retired Army
Lt. Col Alexander Vindman, a onetime National Security Council official
who testified in Trump’s first impeachment in 2019.
Nixon, who was heavily outspent by Vindman, will face Sen. Ashley Moody,
winner of the Republican nomination, in November to fill the last two
years of Marco Rubio’s Senate term. Rubio left the seat to become
Trump's secretary of state last year.
Donalds could be a historic figure in Florida
Donalds would be Florida's first Black governor if he wins in November.
He defeated a former DeSantis running mate, Lt. Gov. Jay Collins,
political newcomer James Fishback and others Tuesday.
The 47-year-old congressman Donalds told his supporters at a Universal
Studios resort hotel that he’d heard from Republican rivals who pledged
their help in winning the general election.
“The primary is over,” Donalds said. “Tonight we put aside our
differences. Tonight we are one united Republican Party.”
Donalds described Trump's backing as important but not determinative.
“Obviously, he has the strongest following of anybody in our party,” he
said. However, he added, “you can’t just sit back and think the
president’s endorsement is going to carry you.”
Donalds has promised to push tax cuts, overhaul Florida’s insurance
regulations to lower consumer costs and seek greater price transparency
from healthcare providers.
The Democrats’ candidate for governor, Jolly, is a former Republican
congressman who switched parties last year. He did not shy away from his
partisan history as he addressed supporters Tuesday night.
“To my Democratic friends, thank you for welcoming me into the party,”
he said.
Jolly’s speech detailed a platform that balances between both political
parties: an embrace of capitalism and a lean government, but one that
“needs to do its part to fill the gaps,” such as with education and
housing.
“As an old-school Republican, I talk about ending the culture wars not
to celebrate some progressive platform,” he said, “but because I still
believe in the old school Republican, Libertarian policy that government
should simply stay out of your life, and stay out of your bedroom.”
It's the second time in a row that Democrats have nominated a onetime
Republican for governor.
Four years ago, they backed former Gov. Charlie Crist, only to see him
lose by nearly 20 percentage points to DeSantis.
Rich Chamberlin, a retiree in Port St. Lucie, said he supported Jolly in
Tuesday's primary, spurred on by attack ads against him.
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Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds, center,
waves next to his wife Erika, while standing on stage with their
children Darin, left, Damon, second from left, and Mason during at a
primary election party Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Orlando, Fla. (AP
Photo/John Raoux)
“I saw anti-Jolly ads. I said ‘Ok, if they are against him, then I
must be for him,'" Chamberlin said, adding it didn't matter to him
that Jolly was once a Republican.
A progressive gets Democratic nomination for Senate
Florida voters haven't sent a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since
2012, and this year's race was always going to be an uphill climb.
Moody, a former state attorney general, was appointed by DeSantis to
fill Rubio's seat last year after he became Trump's secretary of
state. She's now running to finish the last two years of his term.
Moody will face Nixon, a progressive state lawmaker who scored an
upset victory over the Army veteran Vindman. Nixon would be
Florida’s first Black U.S. senator if elected in November.
"Rep. Nixon ran a strong campaign," Vindman posted on social media.
"I will be standing by her side in the fight against Ashley Moody. I
hope you’ll join me.
Wasserman Schultz wins in a new plurality Black district
In U.S. House primaries, Tuesday’s biggest contest saw longtime
Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, defeat former U.S.
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and others in a redrawn south
Florida district.
Wasserman Schultz, who is white, urged voters in the new, plurality
Black district to help her return to Washington for a 12th term.
Cherfilus-McCormick had sought a comeback after resigning earlier
this year under a pending federal indictment and threat of House
ethics sanctions.
Wasserman Schultz entered a new district after DeSantis' successful
push for new congressional maps intended to boost Trump's midterm
election prospects.
Her four Black primary opponents — including Cherfilus-McCormick —
had argued that the district should have a Black representative. But
the voters went with a candidate who touted long experience from
serving in Congress since 2005.
Surrounded by her campaign staff Tuesday night, Wasserman Schultz
tearfully thanked voters for having confidence in her. She said she
wanted to “make all of you proud, to make sure that the people we
spoke to all across this district know that I will fight so they can
pay their rent.”
Republican Rep. Cory Mills is ousted by a challenger
Former television news reporter Ryan Elijah won the Republican
nomination for Florida’s 7th Congressional District, ousting the
scandal-plagued Mills.
A two-term congressman, Mills has denied allegations of domestic
violence against a former girlfriend and other controversies.
But Florida Republicans including DeSantis had abandoned Mills ahead
of the primary and the congressman was not included on Trump's final
list of Florida endorsements. Elijah advances to the general
election in a central Florida district that is considered reliably
Republican.
____
Associated Press reporters Gisela Salomon in Miami and David Fischer
in Port St. Lucie, Florida, contributed.
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