Rep. Byron Donald (R-Florida), a close ally of President-elect Trump and a rising star in the House Republican Party, is moving toward announcing his candidacy for governor in 2026.
Officials said Mr. Donald has approached Florida-based donors about running, including Tony Fabrizio, who was Mr. Trump's pollster in the 2016 and 2024 presidential campaigns. They say they hired politicians.
Meanwhile, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has chosen Attorney General Ashley Moody to replace Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) in the Senate, opening an even bigger path for Mr. Donald. Donald will be one of the highest-profile figures within the Democratic Party. GOP field.
“A lot of people in the state are eager to have him in the race,” one source said. “It’s really grassroots coming to Byron.”
A person close to Mr. DeSantis said the candidate had been rallying to run to replace Mr. Moody before Mr. DeSantis appointed him to the Senate.
“Byron Donald's biggest competition was Ashley Moody,” said one Florida Republican political consultant.
Asked about future plans and Fabrizio's hiring, Donald told The Hill last week, “We have a lot planned.”
“Any time you have an opportunity to hire top talent, you should definitely do it,” Donald said. “Everything changes in politics, so you never know what the opportunities will be.”
“But if you have the opportunity to lock someone up and add them to your team, you want to do it.”
Mr. Donald has long emerged as a leading candidate for governor. But before President-elect Trump won in November, the potential field for the position looked more competitive.
Mr. Donald, Mr. Moody, Rep. Mike Walz (R-Fla.) and state chief financial officer Jimmy Patronis (R) were among the potential candidates for the job. But with Mr. Moody moving to the Senate, Mr. Walz to the administration, and Mr. Patronis likely to win the special parliamentary election, Mr. Donald's advantage in the race appears to be growing.
“Six months ago it looked like it was going to be a very crowded race, but now it looks like there are two, maybe three, strong candidates in the race. “There's no question, given all the current trends, that Byron Donald is the favorite to be the next governor,” said Ford O'Connell, a Florida-based Republican strategist.
But the field still has the potential to expand.
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) said earlier this month that he began considering a run for governor because of his “compelling vision” for Florida.
Gaetz was charged with a damning House Ethics review that outlined Trump's brief tenure as attorney general nominee, prostitution and statutory rape charges, and found “substantial evidence” of violations of House rules, state and federal law. There is a considerable amount of baggage, including committee reports. He has been accused of illegal drug use. The former lawmaker denied any wrongdoing.
And because of Gaetz's close relationship with Donald Trump and his longtime loyalty to Trump, it's unclear how the president-elect will approach building support in the primaries.
“I don't think Trump would support Gaetz or Donald,” the source said.
Mr. Donald has rapidly risen to prominence on cable news as one of Mr. Trump's most vocal Hill supporters, and some believe he is likely to receive the president's support. At last year's Republican National Convention, Mr. Donald was conspicuously seen sitting next to Mr. Trump in the VIP section.
“In the end, whoever wins will have President Trump's support, and all signs point to it being Byron,” O'Connell said.
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson (Republican) is also said to be considering running for office, with a large amount of campaign funds in hand. According to NBC News, Simpson has $30 million in cash on hand.
Simpson will be a formidable opponent financially, but Donald's efforts to raise his profile in Washington and beyond are seen as invaluable.
“Wilton Simpson has the cash. Byron Donald has the fame,” said one Florida Republican political consultant.
One possible wild card in the scenario is who the governor will elect to replace him. Mr. Donald and Mr. DeSantis had a falling out after the congressman supported Mr. Trump in the Republican presidential primary.
“I don't think Gov. DeSantis would do anything intentionally to favor Byron,” the source said.
–Contributed by Michael Schnell
