JUST IN: Popular GOP Congressman Signals Run For Florida Governor

The jostle for supremacy in the 2026 Florida governor’s race was jolted on Wednesday after news that a popular Republican congressman is readying a run to replace Gov. Ron DeSantis.

DeSantis, who is term-limited, must make way for a new executive who will likely inherit a strong southern economy buttressed by low taxes and fewer regulations, two selling points that have made Florida a prime spot for Americans seeking to relocate over the past few years. The appeal of succeeding the former presidential candidate is obvious, but rising above the pack will require name recognition as well as formidable fundraising.

Both belong to Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), the pugnacious Trump ally who has confided to allies and loyal donors that he intends to run. During a meeting of the state Republican Party in Orlando last week, the south Florida congressman sponsored a suite at the venue where he began to share the news, according to those present.

The signs have grown since then. Donalds’s schedule has been filled with meetings with key Florida lobbyists and donors this week as he looks to show up support and protect his flank in what’s expected to be a crowded GOP field.

“He was in town [Tallahassee] meeting with all the folks you need to meet with. He told them he is in,” a source who met with Donalds told NBC News. “It’s the steps any candidate takes as they prepare to run for governor.”

Asked about his future, Donalds told the outlet: “I’m fully focused on helping President Trump pass his America First Agenda. Florida will proudly lead the way.”

It’s worth noting that Donalds, despite his forceful advocacy for Trump in front of Black audiences along the campaign trail last year, has not been tapped for a role in the president-elect’s cabinet or elsewhere in his administration. That may indicate that Trump is aware Donalds already has his sights set on a future employer: the state of Florida.

If so, Donalds stands to benefit from a thinning of the herd in recent weeks. Five or six names have percolated to the top of the pack, but some have already announced that their intentions lie elsewhere.

Jimmy Patronis, Florida’s chief financial officer, recently announced he will be running to replace Matt Gaetz in Florida’s 1st congressional district. State Attorney General Ashley Moody is rumored to be President-elect Trump’s most preferred pick to fill Marco Rubio’s seat in the U.S. Senate.

With both out of the race, that will pit Donalds against only one other high-profile individual: state Agriculture Commission Wilton Simpson, who formerly served as president of the state Senate.

However, Gaetz hasn’t quit suggesting that he may return to elected office. Since withdrawing his nomination for U.S. attorney general, the MAGA leader has nabbed a well-paid anchorship at One America News, but whether he stays happy there is an open question.

“Florida needs a Governor who can break the control insurance companies have over Tallahassee. I can do that, so it’s something Ginger and I are considering,” Gaetz said when asked by NBC if he’s considering a run for governor next year.