At the Republican Party of Florida Leadership Forum in Tampa, Governor Ron DeSantis announced his endorsement of U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds as his preferred successor in the Florida governor’s race. The endorsement, delivered on Tuesday night, put an end to speculation after DeSantis had stayed out of the primary.
DeSantis Calls for Vigilance
DeSantis warned Republican voters not to become complacent as the November election approaches, urging them to “keep their foot on the gas” and build on the successes of his administration.
Full Ticket Endorsed
Alongside Donalds, DeSantis also endorsed the rest of the statewide Republican ticket: Attorney General James Uthmeier, Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, who all appeared on stage together.
Background and Unity
The joint appearance marked a public show of unity after years of tension. Donalds had supported President Donald Trump over DeSantis in the 2024 presidential primary, and the two had not shared a stage since July 2025.
Campaign Messages
Donalds told the audience that Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Jolly would reverse the policies enacted under DeSantis, calling Jolly’s insurance proposal “socialism” that would hand control to government and fail the people.
Jolly’s campaign responded that his platform aims to lower housing and health‑care costs, improve education for families, and address data‑center growth, while characterizing Donalds as continuing the same Republican agenda.
Election Outlook
Donalds will face Jolly in the November 3 general election, with Jolly running alongside former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham. Other statewide races include Attorney General Uthmeier versus Democrat Jose Javier Rodriguez, CFO Ingoglia versus Annette Taddeo, and Agriculture Commissioner Simpson versus Joey Mendoza Atkins.
With just 64 days until the midterms, Florida Republicans hope the rally and unified ticket will translate into strong voter turnout in November.
Original reporting: Tampa Bay Florida News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
