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Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Donalds coy on potential Florida governor bid while thanking Trump for endorsement
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) was coy while discussing his potential Florida gubernatorial bid during a Friday interview while also expressing gratitude for landing an early endorsement from President Trump. When asked if and when he might enter the race during his appearance on NewsNation's show 'The Hill,' Donalds said that he is not 'going to get into it now, there's a lot of different things that we're thinking through, but I do got to say, really appreciative of President Trump and his support.' He added, 'You know, it's something where, you know, I think if we decided to make that that jump, you know, the mission is going to be about making sure that Florida just goes to higher and higher heights.' Trump endorsed Donalds, his close ally on Capitol Hill and a rising star in the GOP, on Thursday, proclaiming that Donalds would have a 'big voice' and would work 'closely' with the commander-in-chief to advance his America-first agenda. 'He will fight tirelessly to Secure our Border, Stop Migrant Crime, Strengthen our Military, Protect our Vets, Restore our Economic Power, Advance American Energy DOMINANCE, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment,' Trump wrote on Truth Social. Donalds said Friday that he and his team are having internal discussions, including about his potential entrance into the race. 'Nothing really to put out right now, but I'm really appreciative of the support from President Trump and the support pouring out from so many other people around the state, around the country,' Donalds told NewsNation's Blake Burman. Days before the endorsement, which tends to carry a significant amount of weight in Republican primaries, Trump showcased an internal poll conducted by Florida-based Republican pollster Victory Insights, that showed Donalds, who represents Florida's 19th Congressional District, being in the top spot in a hypothetical Sunshine State's governor's race. Donalds was on top with 31 percent. Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez (R) was at 4 percent while the state's Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson (R) got 3 percent. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez received 1 percent backing. While Donalds has not officially announced his state-wide run, he has bolstered his campaign team. He has spoken to Florida-based donors about a potential bid and has brought on Trump's 2016 and 2024 presidential pollster Tony Fabrizio, The Hill reported last month. 'A lot of people in the state are eager to have him get into the race,' one source familiar with the matter told The Hill. 'The grassroots truly comes to Byron.' It is unclear who DeSantis, whose term ends in January 2027, will support once the race kicks off. Donalds and the Florida governor have had a tense relationship. The House Republican endorsed Trump in April 2023, even before DeSantis officially kickstarted his presidential bid which ended in January last year. On Friday, Donalds praised DeSantis's work in Florida. 'I think the one thing that is clear is that, look, Governor DeSantis has done a great job for our state,' Donalds said on NewsNation. 'We all know that, and but there's going to be time to pick a new governor, and then we'll go on from there.' Earlier on Friday, Donalds told The Hill he has not spoken with DeSantis yet, 'but I know we will.' He said 'It's too early for that' when asked if he thinks that the Florida governor would endorse him. NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
22-02-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Donalds coy on potential Florida governor bid while thanking Trump for endorsement
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) was coy while discussing his potential Florida gubernatorial bid during a Friday interview while also expressing gratitude for landing an early endorsement from President Trump. When asked if and when he might enter the race during his appearance on NewsNation's show 'The Hill,' Donalds said that he is not 'going to get into it now, there's a lot of different things that we're thinking through, but I do got to say, really appreciative of President Trump and his support.' He added, 'You know, it's something where, you know, I think if we decided to make that that jump, you know, the mission is going to be about making sure that Florida just goes to higher and higher heights.' Trump endorsed Donalds, his close ally on Capitol Hill and a rising star in the GOP, on Thursday, proclaiming that Donalds would have a 'big voice' and would work 'closely' with the commander-in-chief to advance his America-first agenda. 'He will fight tirelessly to Secure our Border, Stop Migrant Crime, Strengthen our Military, Protect our Vets, Restore our Economic Power, Advance American Energy DOMINANCE, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment,' Trump wrote on Truth Social. Donalds said Friday that he and his team are having internal discussions, including about his potential entrance into the race. 'Nothing really to put out right now, but I'm really appreciative of the support from President Trump and the support pouring out from so many other people around the state, around the country,' Donalds told NewsNation's Blake Burman. Days before the endorsement, which tends to carry a significant amount of weight in Republican primaries, Trump showcased an internal poll conducted by Florida-based Republican pollster Victory Insights, that showed Donalds, who represents Florida's 19th Congressional District, being in the top spot in a hypothetical Sunshine State's governor's race. Donalds was on top with 31 percent. Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez (R) was at 4 percent while the state's Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson (R) got 3 percent. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez received 1 percent backing. While Donalds has not officially announced his state-wide run, he has bolstered his campaign team. He has spoken to Florida-based donors about a potential bid and has brought on Trump's 2016 and 2024 presidential pollster Tony Fabrizio, The Hill reported last month. 'A lot of people in the state are eager to have him get into the race,' one source familiar with the matter told The Hill. 'The grassroots truly comes to Byron.' It is unclear who DeSantis, whose term ends in January 2027, will support once the race kicks off. Donalds and the Florida governor have had a tense relationship. The House Republican endorsed Trump in April 2023, even before DeSantis officially kickstarted his presidential bid which ended in January last year. On Friday, Donalds praised DeSantis's work in Florida. 'I think the one thing that is clear is that, look, Governor DeSantis has done a great job for our state,' Donalds said on NewsNation. 'We all know that, and but there's going to be time to pick a new governor, and then we'll go on from there.' Earlier on Friday, Donalds told The Hill he has not spoken with DeSantis yet, 'but I know we will.' He said 'It's too early for that' when asked if he thinks that the Florida governor would endorse him.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Will a DeSantis run again? Poll favors Florida governor's wife, Trump may favor this candidate
While Ron DeSantis can't run for governor again in 2026, some voters might want to see another DeSantis on the ballot. But one notable Florida voter, President Donald Trump, seems to have another candidate in mind. According to the latest poll from the University of North Florida's Public Opinion Research Lab (PORL), Casey DeSantis, Florida's First Lady, came out on top of a list of potential gubernatorial candidates with 30% of respondents giving a favorable opinion of her compared to 20% for former Florida Attorney General and now Florida Senator Ashley Moody, 18% for former Rep. Matt Gaetz, 15% for Rep. Byron Donalds, and 7% for Florida Agricultural Commissioner Wilton Simpson. Gaetz, a former North Florida representative and one-time Trump nominee for U.S. Attorney General before he withdrew his nomination over allegations of sexual misconduct and drug use, had the highest unfavorable rating, even among Republican voters. 39% of the people asked responded unfavorably to Gaetz, including 62% of Democrats and 23% among polled GOP voters. Many of the candidates suffered from brand awareness, with 33% of respondents saying they had ever heard of Casey DeSantis or Gaetz. But they fared better than Moody (54%), Donalds (66%) and Simpson (79%). There were no potential Democrat candidates included in the poll. On Monday, Trump shared a different poll from Victory Insights showing Donalds as the clear leader in a potential gubernatorial race. Donalds. who has not declared but has reportedly told donors he's 'launching a bid' for the office, received 31% of the hypothetical vote compared to Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez (4%), Wilton Simpson (3%) and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez (1%). Trump, who has previously praised Donalds, shared the poll on the social media site he owns, Truth Social, without comment. Casey DeSantis and Ashley Moody were not included in the Victory Insights poll. Victory Insights itself received a 1.3 rating out of 5 by polling site 538's ranking of accuracy and transparency. PORL received a 2.8 rating. Due to term limits, Ron DeSantis may not run for governor in 2026. But he might be able to run after that, as long as someone else has the job first. The Florida Constitution says "No person who has, or but for resignation would have, served as governor or acting governor for more than six years in two consecutive terms shall be elected governor for the succeeding term." DeSantis, who dropped out of the presidential primary in 2024 after a brief campaign, has not ruled out running for president again in 2028. She may be considering it. NBC News reported earlier this month that donors have been urging her to run, according to sources familiar with her thinking, although she has not publicly commented. However, Ron DeSantis dismissed the notion in an interview with Fox News' Laura Ingraham last week. "This is not anything new, people have been asking her to do this for a long time," he said, "but she's not seeking to do anything. "But it's flattering that people are asking her to do it." According to the PORL poll, where 871 active Florida registered voters were asked their opinions about specific potential candidates for the Florida 2026 gubernatorial race: Casey DeSantis Overall: 30% favorable, 22% unfavorable, 33% never heard of her, 14% don't know, 1% refused to answer Democrat: 7% favorable, 44% unfavorable, 32% never heard of her, 15% don't know, 2% refused to answer Republican: 57% favorable, 3% unfavorable, 28% never heard of her, 12% don't know, 1% refused to answer NPA/Other: 19% favorable, 23% unfavorable, 40% never heard of her, 17% don't know, 2% refused to answer Matt Gaetz Overall: 18% favorable, 39% unfavorable, 33% never heard of him, 9% don't know, <1% refused to answer Democrat: 4% favorable, 62% unfavorable, 30% never heard of him, 5% don't know, 0% refused to answer Republican: 33% favorable, 23% unfavorable, 31% never heard of him, 13% don't know, 1% refused to answer NPA/Other: 13% favorable, 38% unfavorable, 40% never heard of him, 8% don't know, 1% refused to answer Ashley Moody Overall: 20% favorable, 10% unfavorable, 54% never heard of her, 15% don't know, 1% refused to answer Democrat: 8% favorable, 20% unfavorable, 57% never heard of her, 14% don't know, 1% refused to answer Republican: 35% favorable, 3% unfavorable, 45% never heard of her, 16% don't know, 0% refused to answer NPA/Other: 13% favorable, 9% unfavorable, 63% never heard of her, 15% don't know, 1% refused to answer Byron Donalds Overall: 15% favorable, 9% unfavorable, 66% never heard of him, 10% don't know, <1% refused to answer Democrat: 3% favorable, 18% unfavorable, 70% never heard of him, 10% don't know, 0% refused to answer Republican: 27% favorable, 2% unfavorable, 60% never heard of him, 10% don't know, 1% refused to answer NPA/Other: 12% favorable, 9% unfavorable, 69% never heard of him, 10% don't know, 0% refused to answer Wilton Simpson Overall: 4% favorable, 4% unfavorable, 79% never heard of him, 13% don't know, <1% refused to answer Democrat: 4% favorable, 6% unfavorable, 78% never heard of him, 13% don't know, 0% refused to answer Republican: 7% favorable, 2% unfavorable, 76% never heard of him, 15% don't know, 0% refused to answer NPA/Other: 2% favorable, 5% unfavorable, 83% never heard of him, 9% don't know, 1% refused to answer This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Poll favors Casey DeSantis as next Florida gov, Trump may not
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump shares poll showing Donalds leading Florida governor's race
President Trump is touting a internal poll showing Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) leading in a hypothetical Florida governor's race. Trump touted the poll, which was conducted by the Florida-based Republican pollster Victory Insights, in a post on Truth Social. The poll showed Donalds leading a hypothetical Republican primary field with 31 percent support. Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez (R) trailed at 4 percent support followed by the state's Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson (R) at 3 percent support, and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez at 1 percent support. No one has jumped into the Republican primary for the state's gubernatorial race, but Donalds has told a number of Florida Republican donors that he plans on launching a bid. Simpson and Nuñez have both been floated as potential candidates for the position as well. Trump's endorsement will likely carry a ton of weight in the state's Republican primary given the president's residency and presence in the state. Donalds has long been a vocal ally of Trump and endorsed him over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in the state's 2024 Republican presidential primary. Donalds sat in Trump's box during the Republican National Convention last year, and last month Trump gave Donalds a shoutout at the inaugural parade. 'Stand up, Byron,' Trump said at the parade last month. 'What a future this one has.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Does Donald Trump have a favorite Republican in the 2026 governor's race?
On Monday, a cryptic post by President Donald Trump might have officially marked the beginning of the 2026 Florida governor's race. On his Truth Social platform, Trump posted a screen grab of a survey showing U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds far ahead of three other Republican opponents in a hypothetical primary. Donalds, the southwest Florida representative who is widely seen as a rising star in Republican politics, is rumored to be eying a run for governor. Trump offered no additional commentary along with the post. But if Trump were to endorse Donalds, it would be a massive boost to the candidate's chances. Trump famously tilted the 2018 Republican gubernatorial primary in favor of then-U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis with a series of online posts. But Donalds isn't the only close Trump ally rumored to be looking at a run for governor. Former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, whom Trump initially chose to be his attorney general, is also looking at the race. Given that Trump nearly handed Gaetz the reins of the U.S. Department of Justice, it would be a minor upset if Trump were to endorse anyone over Gaetz in a Republican primary that included the former panhandle-area representative. Gaetz withdrew himself from consideration for attorney general amid allegations that he used illegal drugs while in Congress and had sex with an underage girl. 'Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!' Trump posted to social media in response to Gaetz withdrawing. The timing of Trump's post was also strange. It showcased a survey that is nearly a month old — and is already potentially out of date. At the time it was released, the poll, conducted by Victory Insights, showed Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez running a distant second behind Donalds. She just left the DeSantis administration to take over as the interim president of Florida International University. Her political future is uncertain. Since that poll, NBC News also reported that Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis is considering a run for governor — despite her husband saying publicly she has no interest in a run. Also rumored to be interested: Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, who's sitting on tens of millions of dollars in political donations. The Victory Insights survey had him polling at 3%. The survey showed more than 60% of respondents were undecided. The primary is scheduled for August 2026. When the survey landed in late January, Gaetz noted in an X post that the poll didn't include all potential candidates. When asked about Trump's post, Gaetz echoed that point. 'It still doesn't include me :)' Gaetz texted a reporter.
