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Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., appears to beryllium getting much vocal astir moving for Florida politician successful 2026 successful the contention to win term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Donalds, a starring friend, state and protagonist of President-elect Trump successful the House of Representatives, successful caller days has been telling imaginable donors and Florida governmental players that helium intends to tally for governor, Republican sources corroborate to Fox News.
Some of those conversations occurred past play successful Orlando astatine the Florida GOP's yearly meeting.
"He’s serious," a root with cognition told Fox News.
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Another awesome came a week agone erstwhile Donalds hired salient Republican pollster Tony Fabrizio's probe firm. Fabrizio was a apical pollster successful Trump's 2016 and 2024 statesmanlike campaigns.
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The blimpish erstwhile authorities lawmaker who has represented parts of southwest Florida's 19th District successful Congress for 4 years has been eyeing a imaginable gubernatorial bid for months.
"I’ve thought astir it. I don’t truly regularisation thing out," Donalds said successful a Fox News Digital interrogation past outpouring erstwhile asked astir a imaginable tally for governor.
Donalds, who was a apical surrogate connected the run way past twelvemonth for Trump, was interviewed a fewer days aft Trump, astatine a closed-door fundraiser successful New York City, suggested that if Donalds ran for Florida politician successful 2026, he'd person "many friends successful the race."
"It’s truly chill that radical backmost location successful Florida see maine to beryllium capable to beryllium the state’s adjacent governor. It’s truly an honor. It’s honestly surreal reasoning astir it due to the fact that I’m 45 and my travel done authorities has been a truly fruitful one," Donalds said astatine the time. "It’s truly humbling and an honor, but I conscionable absorption connected doing the occupation I have."
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Another salient Florida Republican who’s believed to beryllium considering a tally is authorities Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, the erstwhile president of the authorities Senate.
And erstwhile Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who was Trump's archetypal prime for lawyer wide successful his 2nd medication earlier dropping retired amid controversy, has besides said he’s reasoning of running.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody was besides thought to beryllium mulling a tally to win DeSantis, her state successful Tallahassee, but the politician connected Thursday named Moody to win Sen. Marco Rubio, Trump's nominee for caput of state, who is apt to beryllium 1 of the president-elect's archetypal Cabinet picks to beryllium confirmed by the Senate.
And Florida's main fiscal officer, Jimmy Patronis, who was besides believed to beryllium funny successful a imaginable gubernatorial campaign, is considered the front-runner successful this month's peculiar legislature predetermination to capable Gaetz's seat.
"With Moody going to the Senate, should helium take to tally for governor, Donalds would beryllium the wide favourite implicit Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, who is the Tallahassee establishment's choice," Fabrizio said. "We'll spot if the Tallahassee constitution smartens up aft betting and losing severely successful 2010 against [former two-term politician and existent Sen.] Rick Scott and successful 2018 against Ron DeSantis."
With Florida, which was erstwhile a apical wide predetermination battleground state, present firmly red, the dilatory emerging gubernatorial conflict whitethorn beryllium determined by whom Trump, the GOP's kingmaker successful his adopted location authorities of Florida and crossed the country, whitethorn yet back.
But not to beryllium discounted is immoderate imaginable endorsement by DeSantis successful the contention to win the governor.
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