TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds won the Republican primary with 47.8% of the vote with 99% of the expected vote in, and former Rep. David Jolly won the Democratic primary with 61% of the vote with 99% of the expected vote in.
The two will now face each other in November’s general election.
Donalds faced a crowded, if not competitive, primary challenge from Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, James Fishback, and former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner.
Donalds quickly earned the lead in early primary polling after President Donald Trump endorsed him in the race. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis stood behind Collins, but the governor’s popularity in the Sunshine State didn’t extend to his second in command.
Jolly faced the potential of a competitive primary when Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings announced he was in the race. His wife, Val Demings, recently lost her bid for U.S. Senate in 2024. The mayor dropped out of the race in the summer, citing health concerns.
As for the general election, the Cook Political Report rates Florida as “solid Republican,” while Sabato’s Crystal Ball ranked the race as “safe Republican.” Additionally, Polymarket odds put the chances of a Republican winning the race as more likely.
Despite those odds, Democrats, led by Jolly and Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried, say that the race is still very much winnable.
