Republican · Florida governor · 2026
Byron Donalds
Donalds grew up in Brooklyn, raised by a single mother, and moved to Florida for college.
Biography
Byron Donalds grew up in a household headed by his mother in Brooklyn, then built his adult life and family in southwest Florida.1 He and his wife, Erika, live in Naples with their three sons, Damon, Darin and Mason.1 Before entering elected office, his work included finance, insurance and banking in the region.1
He graduated from Florida State University in 2002 with a degree in finance and marketing, then eventually moved from financial services into the Florida House.1 There he chaired the Insurance and Banking Subcommittee and sponsored a 2017 law changing how public school instructional materials could be challenged.12
That law extended the ability to challenge materials to school district residents, including people without children enrolled, and required a hearing process.3 Donalds subsequently won election to Congress in 2020 and was a prominent surrogate for Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.1 Trump has endorsed his bid for governor.1
Against Democrat David Jolly, Donalds favors keeping Florida’s private insurance market, preserving the DeSantis administration’s lawsuit restrictions and reducing the number of policies held by Citizens.4 He also proposes an insurance comparison scorecard and changes to home strengthening grants, while rejecting Jolly’s proposed public wind coverage system.4 On data centers, he says local communities should control approvals and development costs should not be passed on to taxpayers.5
Record and controversies
Civil assault suit dropped
Kelly Mason sued Donalds in July 2026, alleging threats during a 2022 grocery store confrontation; his campaign denied the allegations and called the case political.6 Florida Politics reported by October 7 that Mason had dropped the suit.7 Describing that suit as still pending would therefore be outdated.7
Financial disclosure corrections
Florida Bulldog documented amendments Donalds filed in June and August 2026 adding previously omitted debts and his wife’s retirement asset to disclosures from earlier years.8 His spokesperson said he voluntarily updated disclosures to ensure compliance, but declined to explain why the omissions occurred.8 A separate 2024 Campaign Legal Center complaint alleged unreported stock transactions; the October report said its disposition had not been made public.8 The reporter’s inference that the complaint may have been dismissed is not an official dismissal finding.8