Republican U.S. Representative Byron Donalds has secured victory in the Florida governor’s race, defeating David Jolly, as projected by the Associated Press on Tuesday.
Donalds will succeed Governor Ron DeSantis, maintaining Republican control of the governor’s mansion. His campaign centered heavily on education policy, with Donalds consistently highlighting his legislative record in support of school choice initiatives and parental rights.
Prior to his election to Congress in 2020, Donalds served in the Florida House of Representatives. During his tenure in Tallahassee, he championed legislation that expanded state scholarship programs, including the Family Empowerment Scholarship and the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship, which currently serve more than 500,000 students across the state each year.
In Washington, Donalds established himself as an early and vocal supporter of the federal Education Freedom Tax Credit, a measure designed to broaden scholarship access on a national scale beginning in 2027.
The projected outcome drew praise from prominent school choice advocacy organizations, including the AFC Victory Fund, a federal super PAC affiliated with the American Federation for Children, which had formally endorsed Donalds ahead of the election.
“Congratulations to Byron Donalds on his election as Florida’s next governor,” said Tommy Schultz, CEO of AFC Victory Fund, in an official statement. “From his time in the Florida Legislature to his service in Congress, Byron has consistently supported policies that expand educational opportunities and give parents more choices for their children’s education.”
Schultz further noted that Donalds “will take office in a state with one of the nation’s most expansive school choice landscapes and continue to prioritize options for families.”
Donalds is scheduled to take the oath of office as Florida’s 47th governor in January.
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