Pro-Life Republican Byron Donalds Wins Florida Governor’s Race

Republican U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds defeated Democrat David Jolly in Florida’s gubernatorial election Tuesday, securing the governorship for the GOP and preserving the state’s pro-life policies.

With more than 97 percent of the vote counted, Donalds led with roughly 50 percent to Jolly’s 48.7 percent, according to state tallies. Early returns had favored Jolly before Election Day ballots from Republican strongholds, particularly the Panhandle, narrowed and then reversed the margin.

Donalds, who is pro-life and represents Florida’s 19th Congressional District, will succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis and become Florida’s first Black governor. His running mate, former state Sen. Bryan Avila, will serve as lieutenant governor. President Donald Trump endorsed Donalds more than a year ago, effectively clearing the Republican primary field.

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America said he “has voted consistently to protect the lives of the unborn and to stop forced taxpayer funding of abortion,” citing his role in “delivering the largest pro-life legislative victory in two decades by defunding Big Abortion businesses, like Planned Parenthood, of Medicaid dollars for one year through the reconciliation bill H.R.1.” The group also noted that he “stood strong against attempts to further subsidize plans that cover elective abortion.”

Florida Voice for the Unborn PAC endorsed Donalds after the primary, stating that “Congressman Byron Donalds is an outstanding pro-life champion who can be counted on to defend the rights of our unborn brothers and sisters, as evidenced by his exemplary voting record in both the United States House of Representatives and the Florida House of Representatives.” The PAC praised his selection of Avila as lieutenant governor, calling the choice a demonstration of “sound judgment by choosing a fellow pro-life stalwart with an impeccable voting record.”

“As a father, I can safely say that my three children are the greatest gifts I have ever received,” he has said. “Infants deserve a right to life and should be entitled to the same legal protections that are afforded to all Americans. Our nation must care for its most vulnerable.”

Jolly, a former Republican congressman who switched parties, campaigned on ending culture-war issues and addressing affordability while supporting broader abortion access. Donalds, by contrast, emphasized continuing DeSantis’ policies on public safety, education and protections for the unborn.

The result keeps the Florida governorship in Republican hands, where it has been since 1999, and maintains a pro-life executive in a state that has enacted some of the nation’s stronger limits on abortion.

He has a chance to receive a lot national attention, he’s the governor of the largest Republican State after Texas went up in flames, especially with the property tax amendment passing in Florida.

He needs to be ready when the hurricanes hit Florida, DeSantis was excellent at this, Donalds needs to keep up the good work, keep taxes low, keep pounding away at school choice and he’ll be okay.

However I don’t know much about him.

There is a lot of info online regarding Donalds. Why didn't you do your research before voting for him? Especially before the Republican Primary back in August? He's an ex-New Yorker (from New York City) and former life-long registered Democrat who actually has had run-ins with the law regarding use of controlled substances. He worked as a debt collector for many years.

I've been screaming all year long about his being a RINO but no one pays any attention to what I write. The Republican Party of Florida and Trump have done Floridians a great disservice presumably because they figured all the white women voters here would flock to him. They were right. His election is going to turn a purple state into a blue one.

As to the phony Amendment 3 regarding so-called property tax reduction, the devil is in the details. Again, research is essential. This so-called cap on taxes is a freaking joke as it only applies to non-school taxes which are only a small portion of the total homeowner tax bill.

In Hillsborough County alone, almost 90 percent of the tax bill for homeowners is composed of three separate school taxes which are ALL exempt from the new law. DeSantis knows this but this is typical Floridian law-making bullshit.

Statutes in Florida law always give with the right hand, then in the next sentence, take away what they just gave you with the left. All in service to the latest special interest group's lobbyists greasing the palms of the legislators in Tallahassee. Like the national teacher's unions who were given total access to the property tax rolls in Hillsborough to squeeze homeowners here with a ballot initiative for a massive pay increase in 2024 for all the leftwing public skrewel teachers over the next 3 years.

That particular "tax" item is listed on the Hillsborough County tax bill simply as "School--Voter Approved" with the dollar amount right next to it.

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