Posted on 08/12/2026 5:37:50 AM PDT by MtnClimber
For months, Florida Republicans have been told the governor's race was essentially over before it had truly begun. The message: Byron Donalds has it.
The money was raised. The endorsements were secured. The consultants declared a frontrunner. Many in the political class behaved as though Republican voters were simply expected to ratify a decision that had already been made.
But voters have a funny habit of refusing to follow the script.
A new benchmark survey from the Political Matrix suggests that the race may be far more fluid than conventional wisdom would have us believe. Congressman Byron Donalds remains in first place with 32.2 percent support, but nearly one-third of Republican voters remain undecided. Former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner has climbed into second place at 18.8 percent, while James Fishback stands at 13.1 percent. Jay Collins and Bobby Williams trail in the low single digits.
The most interesting number in the poll isn't who is leading. It's who isn't decided.
Nearly one out of every three Republican voters is still looking for someone to earn their vote. That should tell every campaign something important. Florida Republicans are not looking for a coronation. They're looking for leadership.
Political momentum isn't measured only by who's in first place. It's measured by who is giving voters a reason to take a second look. Between the previous Political Matrix survey and the current one, Renner gained ground while continuing to define himself before voters. Donalds remains the frontrunner, backed by significant financial support and President Donald Trump's endorsement, but even with those advantages, a substantial share of the Republican electorate has yet to commit.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
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For the R-primary, my sample ballot is marked with four possible choices for Governor. If Donalds wins the primary I will vote for him against any Dim. Right now I am leaning toward Renner in the primary. With 11 running, it is sure to go to a runoff election.
I’m uncomfortable with Byron Donalds and voted early this past weekend and I voted for Paul Renner, I’ll vote for Donalds if he wins the nomination, the Democrat in this race is very formidable, David Jolly is a former Republican and will sound very centrist, the Republicans have to unite after the primaries because Jolly could win if the Republicans are fighting themselves
“Florida Republicans are not looking for a coronation. They’re looking for leadership.”
Aren’t we all? ;)
My advice for Florida voters...
Remember Andrew Gillum.
Ex-Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum is back in jail after testing positive for meth
Bingo.
The Vero Beach old ladies will not vote a Black Brooklyn carpet bagger with a sleaze and shifty ridden all over him.
And being the POT lobbyist bag man.
They move to Fl to get from the Donalds from Brooklyn.
Gillum lost in Fl since the elderly white refuse to vote for him. They refused to vote for the Gov slot.
I know, I volunteered for the Desantis recount team in Brevard and Indian River.
Donalds is a disaster that will lose BIG in the general election.
The Dems did not have Donnie Trump sticking his nose and picking another
idiot like Vivek who is heading for huge Loss in Ohio.
Donalds won’t DEBATE and is hiding thinking
another
Stupid Trump endorsement will win it
A Brooklyn NY carpet bagger and pot head lobbyist man
and sleaze bag spells big loss in Nov.
Thanks Trump for another loss.
“With 11 running, it is sure to go to a runoff election.”
There is no runoff in Florida. Whoever gets the plurality; that’s it.
Florida doesn’t have a runoff. Its winner takes all. No thanks to Renner. He has run the nastiest campaign! I am supporting Jay Collins.
I see that only nonpartisan primaries in Florida require 50% + 1. For partisan primaries the person with the most votes wins.
WE are working for Jay Collins to stop Donalds.
Donalds will get the Dem elected.
I wish Trump would stop sticking his nose where is it’s not wanted and pushing his Pot lobbyist candidate.
Woo Hoo, I see that Hong did not win the Wisconsin primary, but it was too close to comfort, 39.8% to 39.4%.
what is a nonpartisan primary?
Florida politics is notoriously fluid and hard to grasp due to wide variations in its demographics, fragmentation of its media market, and the the sheer size of the state. The road distance from Pensacola to Miami is virtually the same as the distance from Tulsa to Chicago and the cultural differences are more acute in Florida than in the Midwest.
WI is a open primary state .
Anyone can vote in the Dem or GOP primary.
Change the state constitution and keep Desantis. He’s done a great job so why change him in the name of “Democracy”. Hopefully the fact that he did a good job doesn’t amount to a Democrat taking over. That would be quite disappointing.
“”Florida Republicans are not looking for a coronation. They’re looking for leadership.””
***
They’re looking for the same level of leadership that they have had with DeSantis. They’re not going to find it... but maybe, if lucky, they’ll get a close second.
Donalds seems like a solid conservative and I like him, but as governor, he is still an unknown... and I don’t see DeSantis endorsing him.
I posit that if DeSantis comes out with a last minute endorsement of Renner or Collins, that is the person that will be the next governor of Florida... and I’m betting that he’ll endorse Renner.
It is an election for a position that does not identify party affiliation like school board. The main election is held during the Primary election window because if more than two people run there may need to be a runoff election during the General election.
For those of us in “Flyover Country,” Donalds has seemed solid. His TV appearances are fine. But, something must be going on at the Florida level that we don’t see. Is there substance to the anti-Donalds sentiment, or is it politics as usual (not racism)?
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