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Florida government news
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Florida primary voters chose Byron Donalds and David Jolly for governor. The general election will test Republican dominance after DeSantis.
Background
Florida's primary elections on August 18, 2026, set the stage for the general election to replace term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Republicans have controlled the governorship since 1994, and Democrats have not won since 1994. The primary also included races for U.S. Senate and congressional seats under a redrawn map.
How it unfolded
- Aug 17, 2026AP previews Florida's primary, noting 11 Republican candidates for governor and the significance of the race.
- Aug 18, 2026Florida primary elections held; Byron Donalds wins Republican nomination, David Jolly wins Democratic nomination by a 55-point margin.
- Aug 19, 2026NBC News reports Donalds and Jolly set to square off; Miami Herald reports Kevin Guthrie lost his job after joining Collins' ticket.
- Aug 21, 2026WLRN reports Jay Collins lost big but won 16 counties in North Florida; Byron Donalds promotes economic plans and defends Trump's record.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Jared Perdue will take over as FDEM director after Kevin Guthrie's removal.
- Analysts
- Analysts note Donalds has Trump's endorsement and a financial advantage, while Jolly aims to build a coalition of Democrats, independents, and disaffected Republicans.
- Public
- More than 3 million independent voters are excluded from Florida's closed primaries, limiting their participation in partisan races.
Still unverified
Kevin Guthrie's surprise at losing his job is based on a report from colleagues; the Miami Herald notes the announcement was not widely shared in advance.