Florida’s lieutenant governor, Jay Collins, publicly endorsed Republican gubernatorial nominee Byron Donalds on Tuesday morning at The Shores Resort in Daytona Beach. Collins, who finished second to Donalds in the GOP primary with 25.2% of the vote, said the endorsement is essential to maintain Florida’s “conservative proving ground” and to keep the momentum heading into the November election.
Endorsement remarks
“We have become the conservative proving ground to America in Florida and guys we have to keep that momentum,” Collins told the crowd before announcing his support for Donalds. He warned against a potential Democratic governorship, stating, “We simply cannot afford a world where David Jolly is governor of the free state of Florida. Can you imagine what that would look like?”
Campaign dynamics
During the same town‑hall event, Donalds took a jab at his Democratic opponent, David Jolly, for declining to debate him. “Mr. Jolly says that he doesn’t want you to hear about his record,” Donalds said. Jolly’s campaign responded that they had accepted multiple debate invitations, but Donalds refused and instead set his own rules via press release. Jolly also accused Donalds of running false ads and misleading Florida voters.
In a recent interview with WESH 2, Jolly claimed that “the more Byron Donalds spends, the worse his numbers get,” and his campaign aired a new TV ad criticizing what they described as excessive spending on projects like ballrooms and data centers while ordinary Floridians simply want to build a good life.
Data‑center debate
Jolly outlined a plan to block the construction of hyperscale AI data centers in Florida, proposing a moratorium to protect jobs, wages, and family privacy. Donalds countered by noting that a new state law already includes ratepayer protections and that an independent study on the economic, environmental, and energy impacts of data centers is underway, with results expected after the election.
“Let’s be very clear when you’re building anything in our state, the governor doesn’t decide what gets built or doesn’t get built. Building permits come from local government and we are going to respect local control, and if a local government says no, the answer is no,” Donalds said.
Policy priorities
Donalds also highlighted his support for school choice, sharing how the option benefited his own family. He advocated for allowing district professionals to decide how to use state‑allocated funds, with appropriate oversight, to address specific local needs.
Poll snapshot
The latest St. Pete Polls survey shows an extremely close race, with Donalds leading Jolly by a hair: 43.5% to 43.4%. While this single poll reflects a momentary snapshot, it underscores the competitive nature of the upcoming election.
With just six weeks remaining until voters head to the polls, both campaigns are intensifying outreach across the state, emphasizing conservative values, local control, and economic stewardship as they vie for Florida’s highest office.
Original reporting: WESH Orlando — read the source article.
