Latest news with #Donalds
Miami Herald
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Poll: Florida Republicans split between Casey DeSantis, Byron Donalds for governor
A new public poll released on Thursday sends mixed signals to first lady Casey DeSantis should she decide to run for governor in 2026. The poll, conducted by the University of North Florida, shows that she is slightly ahead of U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds among registered Republican voters. Donalds has been endorsed in the race by President Donald Trump and would be her main opposition in a Republican primary. But her lead — 32% support compared to his 29% support — is within the margin of error, meaning the Republican gubernatorial primary could be tied or Donalds could even be slightly ahead among these voters. 'Casey DeSantis was an early favorite when we asked about this in fall of 2023,' Michael Binder, who leads the Public Opinion Research Lab at UNF that did the poll, said in a press release. But after Trump's endorsement of Donalds, her lead 'has all but disappeared.' And among Republicans who voted in last year's primary, Donalds is ahead by 15 points. Further complicating the matter is the Hope Florida Foundation saga, revealed in a Herald/Times investigative series this spring. According to the poll, two-thirds of Florida Republicans are still unaware of the charity that funneled $10 million from a Medicaid settlement to two-dark money groups that then gave similar amounts to a political committee intent on defeating the recreational marijuana amendment on last year's ballot. There's at least one criminal probe into the transfers of money. 'While their lack of knowledge helps Casey DeSantis now, the Donalds campaign and others are sure to campaign on the scandal and, as Republican voters learn more, she's likely to lose some support,' said Dr. Sean Freeder, a UNF professor of political science. Most Republican voters — 57% – said they view the first lady favorably, compared to 43% for Donalds. She has higher name recognition, too. Only 19% of respondents had never heard of her, compared to 40% who had never heard of him. Here are the groups with whom the first lady leads: Women Hispanics and Latinos North and central Florida voters Voters under the age of 65 Here are the groups with whom Donalds leads: MenVoters over the age of 65South Florida votersVoters from the 2024 Florida Republican primary Former Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz, now a conservative news anchor, had 8% support among respondents. There were still 18% who were undecided.
The Hill
16-07-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Byron Donalds on potential Powell firing: ‘I'm not there yet'
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) said he 'not there yet' with firing Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell, after President Trump indicated he was considering it. He instead called on Congress to enact spending cuts. 'I'm not there yet, but I'll tell you that the president doesn't rule anything out,' Donalds said at the Hill Nation Summit Wednesday in response to a question from The Hill reporter Mychael Schnell about Powell. 'It's pretty clear the president is frustrated about where short-term interest rates are,' Donalds said. He added he wanted to see rates lowered, but stopped short of joining calls to fire Powell that have been echoed by some congressional Republicans. The White House has mused about the move, although it's not clear Trump has the legal authority to do so. 'I think the greater issue is Congress being smart with the people's money,' Donalds added. Donalds worked in banking and finance prior to coming to Congress. He authored a letter in December with Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.) calling on the Fed to ditch its dual mandate of focusing on balancing unemployment and inflation. The lawmakers argued that the board should focus on inflation.
Newsweek
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Byron Donalds' Chances of Beating Casey DeSantis in Florida—Polls
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Recent polls show Florida Representative Byron Donalds emerging as the early favorite among statewide Republican voters to secure the party's nomination for governor, surpassing Florida first lady Casey DeSantis. Why The Florida Governor Polls Matter The 2026 Florida gubernatorial race is attracting significant attention. Governor Ron DeSantis is term-limited, and speculation has swirled about his wife's potential candidacy. With no official announcement from Casey DeSantis, polls offer an early view into candidate viability and the influence of endorsements, particularly from national Republican figures including President Donald Trump. Changes in Florida's political landscape in recent years, along with the importance of Trump's base in GOP primaries, heighten the stakes in this contest, which will determine the next leader of one of the most populous U.S. states. Trump endorsed Donalds in February, prompting the congressman's officially candidacy. "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 posted on Truth Social in February. "RUN, BYRON, RUN!" Byron Donalds speaks at Latino Wall Street CPAC Latino Conference 2025 at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on June 28, 2025, in Hollywood, Florida. Byron Donalds speaks at Latino Wall Street CPAC Latino Conference 2025 at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on June 28, 2025, in Hollywood, Latino Wall Street What To Know About Recent Polls Polling conducted July 8-10 by St. Pete Polls for Florida Politics, sampling 831 likely Republican primary voters, showed Donalds securing about 35 percent support compared to roughly 27 percent for Casey DeSantis. Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and former state House Speaker Paul Renner lagged behind, each receiving less than 4 percent support. The margin of error was 3.4 percentage points. Newsweek reached out to the Donalds campaign and DeSantis' office for comment. The poll indicates that other rumored Republican candidates remain largely unknown among primary voters. In a hypothetical head-to-head matchup, Donalds' support increased to more than 49 percent if he was endorsed by Trump, while DeSantis, backed by her husband, registered just over 21 percent. The same poll found that if another DeSantis ally, Jay Collins, replaced Casey DeSantis in the race, Donalds' support would increase to about 57 percent. The findings aligned with an internal Donalds campaign poll reported in March, which surveyed likely Florida GOP primary voters in February. That poll saw Donalds leading DeSantis 34 percent to 30 percent in an initial matchup. A poll in May showed similar results. Donalds led DeSantis by 19 percentage points, 44 percent to 25 percent, according to a survey of 516 registered Republican voters by conservative Tallahassee-based think tank the James Madison Institute. What Happens Next The Florida GOP gubernatorial primary is scheduled for August 18, 2026. As of July, Donalds is the only prominent Republican figure to have officially announced his candidacy. Donalds holds a 6-point lead in a hypothetical gubernatorial matchup with former U.S. Representative David Jolly, 37 percent to 31 percent, according to a poll from Victory Insights conducted June 7-10, right after Jolly announced his candidacy.
Politico
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Donalds, GOP tensions and Florida's future
Good morning and welcome to Monday. Rep. BYRON DONALDS wants Gov. RON DESANTIS' job. The congressman also wants DeSantis to know he thinks he's done a 'tremendous' job. The gubernatorial hopeful praised DeSantis at a Miami-Dade County GOP breakfast over the weekend. Even though DeSantis has made it clear he doesn't think Donalds should succeed him, it's widely viewed as counter-productive for Donalds to punch back in the now-red county. After all, in 2022 DeSantis was the first Republican gubernatorial candidate to win Miami-Dade in 20 years. So when Donalds gave his pitch to the county party, he focused on how great Florida already is and how he wants to make it an economic powerhouse — the go-to state for tech, aerospace and finance companies and careers. He wants to see broader use of artificial intelligence and stronger public transit. Yet he didn't simply ignore the elephant in the room. 'In parties, we typically sometimes have internal battles,' Donalds conceded. 'It happens. It's like families. You mean to tell me you have never had an internal battle in your family come up?' Donalds also underscored his closeness to DONALD TRUMP and the president's endorsement. At one point he singled out Ambassador to Peru nominee BERNIE NAVARRO, who was in the room, to say the two of them were with White House chief of staff SUSIE WILES when Navarro found out about the nomination. He then teased Miami-Dade GOP county chair KEVIN COOPER with: 'Have you heard of this guy named Donald Trump? His endorsement's pretty big deal, don't you think?' before pivoting to: 'Having President Trump's endorsement has propelled us into a very dominant position in this race for governor.' The room — at the colorful, faux foliage-filled Kuba Cabana in Doral — was packed despite it being a mid-July Saturday morning. (Asked how his Spanish was, Donalds chuckled and said 'not good' and acknowledged he had work to do on that front, adding, 'I'm definitely not in RICK SCOTT category.') But in discussions with attendees, there seemed to be a tacit sense in the room that the parameters of 2026 were about to shift. When Republican Party of Florida chair EVAN POWER took the stage, he urged the group not to get 'caught up in fighting internal wars' and to debate policy without making it 'personal.' Yet it's fair to say the party is bracing for what's next. It's widely expected DeSantis will soon appoint allies to the positions of lieutenant governor and chief financial officer, setting up possible primary face-offs against Trump's endorsees Donalds and state Sen. JOE GRUTERS. The position of lieutenant governor, in particular, could be the strongest signal yet of who the governor envisions as the best person to carry on his legacy. But even then, interviews in the last week reveal that few are willing to all-out dismiss the possibility that Florida first lady CASEY DESANTIS may decide to jump in late in the game, given that she has name ID money can't buy. Playbook asked Donalds to address the dynamic in an interview Saturday, and he continued to keep it positive. The representative said he and DeSantis still hadn't had the chance to talk about the race, but that he'd been open to it for a while because he wants to discuss how DeSantis hopes to see the state evolve. He noted he stopped by the governor's office when he was in Tallahassee in April while meeting with state House members. 'I said, 'You know what, let me go to his office and let them know I'm in the building, and if the governor's here, would love to be able to meet with him,'' he said. 'It wasn't able to come together. But we'll find a way.' SPOTTED: RPOF executive director BILL HELMICH, Sunny Isles Beach Mayor LARISA SVECHIN, Homestead Mayor STEVEN LOSNER, state Rep. JUAN CARLOS PORRAS, Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections ALINA GARCIA, property appraiser of Miami-Dade County TOMÁS REGALADO. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget that Playbook should look at? Get in touch at: kleonard@ WHERE'S RON? Gov. DeSantis is holding a press conference at 10 a.m. at New College of Florida in Sarasota. ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... SAME TOUR, DIFFERENT TAKES — At least five members of Congress and roughly 20 state legislators toured the 'Alligator Alcatraz' detention center in the Everglades over the weekend — the first inspection by elected officials of the facility since it opened about a week ago. Republicans, including state Sens. BLAISE INGOGLIA of Spring Hill and JAY COLLINS of Tampa, insisted the facility was appropriate, clean and staffed similar to any detention facility. But Democratic lawmakers raised concerns about food quantity, drinking water and high temperatures, with Rep. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ calling the facility an 'internment camp.' 'They are essentially packed into cages, wall-to-wall humans, 32 detainees per cage,' she said in a news conference following the tour. Democrats also said they thought they got a 'sanitized' version of the center and complained they were not allowed to talk to detainees or enter the tents where people were living so that they could get a better look and understanding of the conditions. 'The rhetoric does not match the reality,' Ingoglia said. 'It's basically all political theater coming from the [Democrats]. What they're saying is pure bullshit.' — Kimberly Leonard MORE DEVELOPMENTS FROM 'ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ' — Who's in detention: The Miami Herald and the Tampa Bay Times obtained records showing that more than 250 detainees of 700 reviewed being held at 'Alligator Alcatraz' had no criminal charges in the US outside of illegal border crossings, found Ana Ceballos, Claire Healy, Shirsho Dasgupta and Ben Wieder. One-third have criminal convictions ranging from attempted murder to traffic violations and others have pending charges. Trump said when he toured the facility that it would be for the 'worst of the worst.' (See the list of names.) — Environmental concerns remain: Environmental groups on Friday warned federal and state officials they are preparing for a possible broader legal action against the new Everglades immigration detention facility. Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity said in their 60-day notice letter that federal agencies are violating the Endangered Species Act and, along with state officials, wetlands protections in the federal Clean Water Act. — Bruce Ritchie — More scrutiny over contractors: Texas-based IRG Global Emergency Management Inc. gave $10,000 to RPOF just after state Attorney General JAMES UTHMEIER floated the idea for the facility, reports Romy Ellenbogen of the Tampa Bay Times. The company then landed transportation contacts from the state. — A look at the past: The jetport has long been controversial, and the fight to preserve the area 'was the catalyst for creating Big Cypress National Preserve,' reports Bill Kearney of the South Florida Sun Sentinel AHEAD OF THE WEEKEND — Florida university leaders took initial steps toward creating a new multistate college accrediting board Friday, putting into motion the first major attempt to reform accreditation under the Trump administration. The state university system's Board of Governors voted to establish the so-called Commission for Public Higher Education as a nonprofit in Florida and set up a board to run it, with hopes of scoring final US Department of Education approval by mid-2028. Major universities in five other Southern states have already signed on to the idea, signaling a possible shift in the higher education landscape as Republicans rail against 'woke indoctrination' on college campuses. The proposed accrediting board is meant to serve as competition to the longstanding regional accreditors that have operated for years but face fresh scrutiny from top GOP leaders. — Andrew Atterbury DESTIN WATERFRONT LAND PURCHASE — State Senate negotiators put language in the 2025-26 state budget during the final days of the legislative session that could provide tens of millions of dollars to buy a waterfront parcel for a Destin park totaling less than five acres. State Sen. Jay Trumbull (R-Panama City) told POLITICO that he requested the language Senate budget negotiators first proposed on June 13, the last day of budget negotiations. Trumbull said the purchase would provide valuable public water access and prevent a condominium tower he said has approvals to begin construction. Okaloosa County also is backing the project, though a spokesperson said the county did not request the language. — Bruce Ritchie DEATH ROW TREND — 'At least 34 boys who stayed at Dozier and another 16 sent to Okeechobee … ended up on Florida's death row,' reports Leonora Lapeter Anton of The Marshal Project. 'At least 19 others ... went to prison for murder but were not sentenced to death. Twenty-five of them killed when they were 15, 16, 17 or 18 — soon after departing the reform schools. Combined, men who attended Dozier and Okeechobee have killed at least 114 people.' — 'Bright lights, no rules: Florida's illegal gambling dens are hiding in plain sight,' by Josh Salman, Michael Moore Jr. and Derek Gilliam with Suncoast Searchlight and Bradenton Herald. FILINGS NOW IN — GOP state Sens. JOE GRUTERS of Sarasota submitted his personal financial disclosures over the weekend. The Trump-endorsed candidate for Florida chief financial officer has a net worth of just under $2.6 million and his accounting business is worth $850,000. PENINSULA AND BEYOND — 'Brightline seeks $400M to kick off plans for Orlando-to-Tampa route,' by Martin E. Comas of the Orlando Sentinel. — 'Mayor's budget cuts include Miami-Dade's 'New Americans' office for immigrants,' reports Douglas Hanks of the Miami Herald. CAMPAIGN MODE RUNNING FOR STATE SENATE — House Democratic Leader FENTRICE DRISKELL is running for Senate District 16, reports Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics. The seat is currently occupied by state Sen. DARRYL ROUSON, who faces term limits, and so far Driskell is challenging Rep. MICHELE RAYNER for the seat, which is heavily Democratic. Driskell had previously expressed interest in running for governor, but many Democrats have opted not to enter that race given how much rebuilding the party needs to do in Florida. DATELINE D.C. BACKING BONDI — Trump defended Attorney General PAM BONDI over the weekend as having done a 'fantastic job,' as she's been under fire from MAGA World over her handling of the JEFFREY EPSTEIN investigation, reports POLITICO's Zach Montellaro. The Department of Justice and FBI released a joint statement saying Epstein didn't kill himself nor had a 'client list,' which angered the MAGA base that had engaged in conspiracy theories about a murder to silence him. — 'Moving NASA HQ from DC to Space Coast still on lawmakers' minds,' by Richard Tribou of the Orlando Sentinel. TRANSITION TIME — JAYLENE KENNEDY is now a legislative assistant for Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.). She previously was a legislative assistant for Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.). ROSS DIETRICH is now deputy chief of staff for Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.), where he previously was legislative director. — State Rep. MICHAEL GOTTLIEB (D-Davie) has been appointed to the Florida Public Service Commission Nominating Council. ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN BIRTHDAY: Mike Vasilinda, former television reporter and journalist.
The Hill
01-07-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Donalds raises $22M in Florida governor bid
Rep. Byron Donalds's (R-Fla.) gubernatorial campaign said on Tuesday it has raised a whopping $22 million since the congressman entered the race in February. Donalds currently has over $20 million in cash on hand, according to his campaign. Axios was the first to report on the fundraising haul. Donalds is widely seen as the front-runner in the still-solidifying Republican primary for governor in the Sunshine State. Florida first lady Casey DeSantis has been considering a run, but Donalds received President Trump's coveted endorsement days before he entered the race earlier this year. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) is term-limited and cannot run for a third consecutive term in the state. A James Madison Institute poll conducted in May showed Donalds leading DeSantis 44 percent to 25 percent in a hypothetical matchup after Republican voters were informed about Trump's endorsement of Donalds. Prior to voters learning of Trump's endorsement, DeSantis narrowly led Donalds 29 percent to 28 percent. While the governor and the congressman have traded barbs in the past, the two were present on Tuesday for Trump's visit to the state's new detention facility in the Everglades Alligator Alcatraz. Donalds praised Trump and DeSantis for their work on immigration at a roundtable marking the opening. 'To the governor, I really appreciate you and commend you for your leadership on this, taking swift, decisive action to building this facility,' Donalds said.
