Byron Donalds' Chances of Beating David Jolly in Florida Governor Race—Poll
A new poll shows Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly tied at 40 percent in Florida's gubernatorial race, with 16 percent of voters undecided. The race is seen as competitive despite Florida's recent trend toward Republican dominance. Both candidates are positioning themselves as reformers ahead of the August 18 primary.
- ▪Byron Donalds and David Jolly are tied at 40 percent in a poll conducted by The Public Sentiment Institute.
- ▪Donalds received strong support from voters aged 65 and older and non-college-educated white voters, while Jolly led among Asian voters and those aged 18 to 29.
- ▪President Donald Trump endorsed Donalds in February, and Jolly, a former Republican, switched to the Democratic Party in April 2025.
- ▪The poll surveyed 687 likely voters on April 27 and has a margin of error of 3.7 percent.
- ▪Both the Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball consider the race safe for Republicans despite the close polling.
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By Anna CommanderDeputy News EditorShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberSee more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.A new statewide poll for Florida's gubernatorial race shows GOP Representative Byron Donalds and Democrat candidate David Jolly are tied, underscoring a seemingly competitive race to succeed term-limited Governor Ron DeSantis.The findings come in a state that President Donald Trump won by 13 points in 2024 against then-Vice President Kamala Harris and where no Democrat has won the governorship in over 20 years.Newsweek reached out to Jolly's and Donalds' campaigns on Monday for comment.Why It Matters Florida, once a battleground evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, zoomed…
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