Byron Donalds just ripped the cover off one shocking truth that left Casey DeSantis flustered

Ron DeSantis thought he had the 2026 Governor’s race all figured out.

His allies were confident they could control who would be the next leader of the Sunshine State.

But Byron Donalds just ripped the cover off one shocking truth that left Casey DeSantis flustered.

Byron Donalds on top in new Florida poll

A brand new poll shows their carefully laid plans for 2026 might be falling apart.

U.S. Representative Byron Donalds is crushing all potential Republican rivals for Governor in 2026, including Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis.

A new St. Pete Polls survey reveals that Byron Donalds commands almost 35% support among 831 likely Republican Primary voters, while Casey DeSantis trails with over 27%.¹

The Naples Congressman’s advantage stems from having President Donald Trump’s powerful endorsement.

Other candidates are getting crushed in the early polling, with Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson earning just 3% and former House Speaker Paul Renner capturing only 2%.¹

But here’s where it gets really interesting.

If Senator Jay Collins enters the race instead of Casey DeSantis, Byron Donalds’ numbers become even more dominant.

Under that scenario, Donalds would soar to almost 44% while Collins would barely crack 2%.¹

These results come from polling conducted July 8-10 with a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points, giving the numbers solid credibility.

Head-to-head matchups show Donalds is unstoppable

The survey tested direct matchups between candidates with different endorsement scenarios.

When pitted head-to-head against Casey DeSantis – with Donalds having Trump’s backing and DeSantis getting the Governor’s endorsement – the results were decisive.

Byron Donalds captured greater than 49% support compared to just over 21% for the First Lady.¹

That’s more than a two-to-one shellacking.

Against Jay Collins in a head-to-head race, the numbers become even more lopsided with Donalds earning 57% to Collins’ less than 10%.¹

These aren’t close races.

These are blowouts that show Florida Republicans have already made up their minds about who they want as their next Governor.

Donalds keeps it classy while building momentum

Despite tensions brewing with the DeSantis camp, Byron Donalds maintains a respectful tone when discussing the current Governor.

Speaking to a Miami-Dade County GOP breakfast over the weekend, Donalds complimented Governor DeSantis for his leadership record.

“We’ve had great policy and great leadership in our state. Now it’s time to look to the future, diversifying our economy, making sure that the best jobs that exist anywhere in America exist here, making Florida the financial capital of the world,” Donalds told the packed crowd at Kuba Cabana in Doral.²

The Congressman didn’t shy away from addressing the elephant in the room either.

“In parties, we typically sometimes have internal battles,” Donalds acknowledged. “It happens. It’s like families. You mean to tell me you have never had an internal battle in your family come up?”³

But Donalds made sure everyone in that room knew about his trump card.

He singled out Ambassador to Peru nominee Bernie Navarro to remind the crowd that the two of them were with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles when Navarro found out about his nomination.³

Then he delivered the knockout punch to Miami-Dade GOP County Chair Kevin Cooper: “Have you heard of this guy named Donald Trump? His endorsement’s pretty big deal, don’t you think?”³

“Having President Trump’s endorsement has propelled us into a very dominant position in this race for governor,” Donalds added.³

Trump’s endorsement changes everything

The power of President Trump’s endorsement can’t be overstated in Republican politics.

Florida Republicans know that Trump carried the state twice and just won a massive nationwide victory in 2024.

When the 45th and 47th President of the United States endorses someone, Republican voters listen.

That’s exactly what’s happening with Byron Donalds.

The Congressman has Trump’s full backing, and these poll numbers prove that Florida Republicans are ready to follow Trump’s lead once again.

DeSantis now finds himself in a tough spot since he’s going against the guy Trump picked.

What this means for Florida’s political future

This poll changes everything in Florida Republican politics.

DeSantis has been the big dog in the Florida GOP for years now.

But now his own political future – and that of his allies – is being challenged by a Trump-endorsed candidate who clearly has momentum.

The fact that Byron Donalds is leading even when facing the Governor’s wife shows just how much influence Trump still wields with Republican voters.

It also demonstrates that Florida Republicans are ready for new leadership that can take the state to the next level.

Donalds has outlined an ambitious vision for making Florida “the financial capital of the world” while diversifying the economy and improving infrastructure.²

He’s talking about bringing the best jobs in America to Florida and leveraging artificial intelligence and stronger public transit to modernize the state.³

That forward-looking message is clearly resonating with voters who want to build on DeSantis’ successes rather than just maintain the status quo.

The 2026 Governor’s race is still more than a year away, but these early poll numbers suggest that Byron Donalds is going to be very difficult to beat.

With Trump’s endorsement and a commanding lead in the polls, Donalds is looking like the man to beat in what promises to be a fascinating race for Florida’s future.

¹ Jacob Ogles, “Poll: Byron Donalds emerges as early favorite for Governor over Casey DeSantis,” Florida Politics, July 14, 2025.

² A.G. Gancarski, “’Time to look to the future’: Byron Donalds talks Governor’s race, New York mayoral battle,” Florida Politics, July 12, 2025.

³ Kimberly Leonard, “Donalds, GOP tensions and Florida’s future,” Politico, July 14, 2025.