# Donalds and Jolly lead Florida gubernatorial primaries
*Los candidatos republicano Byron Donalds y demócrata David Jolly avanzan hacia la general con amplias ventajas en encuestas y financiamiento.*

- Medio: Civic Coast News (https://civiccoastnews.com)
- URL: https://civiccoastnews.com/noticia/donalds-y-jolly-lideran-las-primarias-gubernatoriales-de-florida
- Sección: Politics
- Autor: Civic Coast News Staff
- Publicado: 2026-08-09T07:03:44.172Z
> Byron Donalds and David Jolly dominate their respective Florida primaries, with Donalds receiving Trump's endorsement and Jolly courting moderates after switching to the Democratic Party.

## Las claves

- Byron Donalds and David Jolly are commanding double-digit margins to become the presumptive Republican and Democratic nominees for Florida governor.
- The primaries take place in Tallahassee with an Election Day set for August 18 as candidates prepare for general election competition.
- Both leaders have already begun cross-campaigning toward the general elections while defining their national platforms.

TALLAHASSEE — The primaries for Florida’s next governor are shaping up as inevitable conclusions, with presumptive Republican candidate Byron Donalds and Democratic candidate David Jolly commanding double-digit margins. With an Election Day set for Aug. 18, the primary race resembles more of a competition for second place than a real challenge between leaders. Both candidates have already begun cross-campaigning toward the general elections, marking a contrast with the typical uncertainty of these stages.

### The Republican Party dynamic

Within the GOP, Rep. Byron Donalds maintains a dominant position. According to the latest polls conducted by the James Madison Institute, Donalds averages 49% of vote intention among likely Republican voters. Vice Gov. Jay Collins sits in a distant second place, fluctuating between 10% and 13%, with recent peaks at 18%. The financial gap is equally abyssal: Donalds has raised $103 million through the end of July, a figure that exceeds half the funds accumulated by Ron DeSantis for his reelection in 2022. In contrast, Collins has gathered approximately $10.5 million.

The Republican race is characterized by intense internal disputes and personal attacks. Donalds was endorsed by designees of the DeSantis administration, including Attorney General James Uthmeier and Sen. Ashley Moody, while Gov. Ron DeSantis has stated he will not support any primary candidate. Tension reached its peak when former Rep. Paul Renner criticized the disputes as "scandalous" and full of "saloon acts," after incidents where candidates like James Fishback were removed from events due to physical altercations.

### The Democratic front and centrist strategy

On the Democratic side, David Jolly leads by a margin of 36 points over State Rep. Dotie Joseph. The race is notably quieter compared to its Republican counterpart. Jolly has selected Gwen Graham as his running mate, a strategic decision to attract both loyal Democrats and moderate Republicans dissatisfied with the country’s direction under the Trump administration. Jolly, an ex-congressman who left the Republican Party in 2018 due to disagreements with Donald Trump and registered as a Democrat in April 2025, has raised $9.4 million through the end of July.

Rep. Joseph has leveraged Jolly’s changing political history to criticize his past legislative record, arguing that his previous votes are opposite to the party's current values. Despite this, the Democratic field does not present additional significant challenges in available polls, more context in [Donalds and Jolly Advance to Florida Gubernatorial General Election](/noticia/donalds-and-jolly-advance-to-florida-gubernatorial-general-election).

### Implications and historical context

Kyle Kondit, managing editor of Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball, noted it would be a surprise if Donalds or Jolly lost their respective primaries. Both appear to be looking toward the general election; Donalds has challenged Jolly to general debates, while the latter responded by asking him to first win the primary.

Florida's political context has evolved since 2018, when then-Gov. Rick Scott endorsed DeSantis over Adam Putnam. This year, candidates agree on key issues such as immigration law enforcement and reducing property taxes, although they differ in data center regulation. With Donalds leading by six or seven points in projected general election polls, the scenario suggests a highly polarized final contest between two figures who have already defined their national platforms.
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Fuente original: https://civiccoastnews.com/noticia/donalds-y-jolly-lideran-las-primarias-gubernatoriales-de-florida