Who is Byron Donalds? The Trump ally is favored to become Florida's next governor.

In February 2025, President Trump made a surprising endorsement in the Florida governor's race. It wasn't who he chose, but when he decided to back them that was unexpected. The primary was still 18 months away and the man he endorsed hadn't even declared his candidacy yet. Still, Trump's word carries so much weight in the Republican Party, particularly in his newly adopted home state, that Rep. Byron Donalds quickly became the frontrunner in the Florida GOP gubernatorial primary. "Byron Donalds would be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida and, should he decide to run, will have my Complete and Total Endorsement," Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time. "RUN, BYRON, RUN!"Donalds formally entered the race five days after Trump's post. Throughout his campaign, polls have shown h