Byron Donalds caught everyone by surprise with this stunning revelation about his campaign strategy

The 2026 Florida governor’s race is heating up fast.

Major players are making their moves while dark horse candidates scramble for position.

And Byron Donalds caught everyone by surprise with this stunning revelation about his campaign strategy.

Byron Donalds drops bombshell about his massive fundraising advantage

Congressman Byron Donalds (R-Naples) isn’t just running for Florida governor – he’s steamrolling the competition with a war chest that’s left his opponents in the dust.

The Trump-endorsed candidate has raised a jaw-dropping $22 million since launching his campaign just four months ago.¹

That’s not a typo.

While other potential candidates are still testing the waters, Donalds has already built a financial fortress that would make seasoned politicians green with envy.

His nearest competitor, Democrat David Jolly, has managed to scrape together just $1 million – a paltry sum that shows just how far behind the pack he’s fallen.²

But Donalds isn’t just relying on his fundraising prowess to coast to victory.

He’s been crisscrossing the state like a man on a mission, visiting 28 of Florida’s 67 counties to meet voters face-to-face.³

“We’re going to go everywhere. We’re going to see as many people as we can and really understand their stories – and try to earn their vote,” Donalds told 10 Tampa Bay.⁴

The Trump factor changes everything

What makes Donalds’ campaign so formidable isn’t just the money – it’s the golden endorsement from President Donald Trump that came with it.

Trump’s blessing in Florida politics is like having a nuclear weapon in your back pocket.

The President’s coattails helped carry the state by 13 points in the 2024 election, and his popularity among Florida Republicans remains sky-high.⁵

When Democrats try to attack Donalds, they’re essentially taking on Trump himself – a losing proposition in the Sunshine State.

Donalds has already branded his primary Democratic opponent as “an anti-Trump radical leftist” who’s “completely out of touch with Florida voters and our values.”⁶

“Florida is Trump country,” Donalds declared, and the polling data backs him up.⁷

DeSantis drama threatens to shake up the race

But there’s trouble brewing in paradise for the Republican frontrunner.

Governor Ron DeSantis has been notably cool toward Donalds’ campaign, raising speculation that the governor might back another candidate or even encourage his wife Casey to jump into the race.

When asked about the tension, Donalds tried to downplay the rift.

“These things ebb and flow in politics,” Donalds said. “We agree politically. We agree philosophically. But every now and again in politics, you have disagreements – and that’s okay.”⁸

But political insiders know that DeSantis’ support – or lack thereof – could be the difference between a comfortable primary victory and a brutal slugfest.

The governor still commands significant loyalty among Florida Republicans, and his political operation remains one of the most sophisticated in the country.

DeSantis himself has been building his own war chest through the Freedom Fund, raising $1.3 million in just the second quarter of this year.⁹

Democrats in complete disarray

While Republicans sort out their family drama, the Democrat Party in Florida is facing a complete meltdown.

Their leading candidate, David Jolly, is a former Republican congressman who only joined the Democrat Party earlier this year.¹⁰

Think about how desperate things must be when your best hope is a guy who spent most of his career fighting against everything you claim to believe in.

Jolly’s trying to make the best of a terrible situation, touring small Democrat clubs in forgotten towns like Zephyrhills.

At one meeting, longtime Democrats told him they hadn’t seen a gubernatorial candidate since Lawton Chiles – who died in 1998.¹¹

That’s not a sign of a healthy political party – that’s a sign of complete abandonment.

The endorsements Jolly received from former Congresswoman Gwen Graham, former Health Secretary Donna Shalala, and former party chair Karen Thurman are telling.¹²

Notice anything about that list?

They’re all “former” everything.

None of them currently hold elected office, and the most recent among them left Congress four years ago.

The stakes couldn’t be higher

If Donalds wins, he’ll make history as Florida’s first Black governor and the first Black Republican governor in modern U.S. history.

But he’s not running on identity politics – he’s running on results.

“Florida is a meritocracy,” Donalds explained. “We’re not a state caught up in the color of someone’s skin. We’re really caught up in: Can somebody get the job done?”¹³

His platform focuses on kitchen table issues that matter to Florida families.

He wants to tackle the cost of living crisis by cutting federal spending, attracting more insurance carriers to the state, modernizing the electric grid, and investing in transportation infrastructure.¹⁴

On immigration, Donalds toured the controversial “Alligator Alcatraz” detention facility in the Everglades and defended its $450 million price tag.

“The cost pales in comparison to the long-run cost of keeping illegal aliens in the United States,” he said.¹⁵

A campaign built for the long haul

With Republicans holding a massive voter registration advantage in Florida, Donalds is already looking beyond the primary to a general election strategy.

He’s talking about broadening his appeal to young people through economic diversification, to parents through education choice, and to seniors through maintaining quality of life.¹⁶

“What really brings everybody together is making sure Florida maintains its ethos,” Donalds said.¹⁷

The numbers don’t lie.

Donalds has the money, the endorsements, and the momentum that wins elections.

His opponents are scrambling to catch up, but they’re fighting an uphill battle against a candidate who’s already lapped them twice.

Florida Republicans are getting ready to crown their next governor, and Byron Donalds is making it clear he’s the only serious choice.

¹ 10 Tampa Bay, “Congressman Byron Donalds talks bid for Florida governor and the issues he wants to tackle,” July 10, 2025.

² Ibid.

³ Ibid.

⁴ Ibid.

⁵ USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida, “David Jolly for Florida governor campaign snags key Democrat endorsements for 2026,” July 11, 2025.

⁶ Ibid.

⁷ Ibid.

⁸ 10 Tampa Bay, “Congressman Byron Donalds talks bid for Florida governor and the issues he wants to tackle,” July 10, 2025.

⁹ Kimberly Leonard, “Campaign filings provide 2026 crystal ball,” Politico, July 11, 2025.

¹⁰ USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida, “David Jolly for Florida governor campaign snags key Democrat endorsements for 2026,” July 11, 2025.

¹¹ Ibid.

¹² Ibid.

¹³ 10 Tampa Bay, “Congressman Byron Donalds talks bid for Florida governor and the issues he wants to tackle,” July 10, 2025.

¹⁴ Ibid.

¹⁵ Ibid.

¹⁶ Ibid.

¹⁷ Ibid.