Donalds towers over a sleepy Florida governor's race
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Almost a month before the Aug. 18 primary, the race to be Florida's next governor is shaping up to be a dud.
Why it matters: The contest to lead the nation's third-most populous state is bloated with candidates who lack name recognition and front-runners whose sizable polling leads have sapped much of its drama.
State of play: A total of 29 candidates qualified to run for governor: 11 Republicans, six Democrats, six independents, five write-in candidates and one Libertarian.
- U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds has emerged as the clear front-runner, buoyed in large part by President Trump's endorsement. His campaign has raised more than $90 million, far outpacing the rest of the field.
- Among Democrats, David Jolly is leading. He's a Tampa Bay native and, to some, a déjà vu candidate: another former Republican who became an independent, then revived his political career as a Democrat.
Other Republican contenders include Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, former House Speaker Paul Renner and investor James Fishback.
The big picture: Neither the Republican Party of Florida nor the Florida Democratic Party plans to hold a debate before the Aug. 18 primary.
- That means voters won't get a chance to see the leading candidates face off on stage before casting their ballots.
Yes, but: Last week, Collins, Renner and Fishback participated in a debate hosted by conservative podcast host Patrick Bet-David and streamed on YouTube.
- Donalds, whom Bet-David dubbed "the Elephant not in the room," skipped the debate — but his name still made at least 60 appearances.
- The debate featured questions about affordability and a pop quiz on the price of staples like milk and eggs. It's amassed about 135,000 views.
Between the lines: Donalds' dominance over the field is years in the making.
- When Gov. Ron DeSantis and Trump had a falling out ahead of the 2024 Republican presidential primary, Florida Republicans faced a choice about where to place their loyalties.
- Collins and Renner sided with DeSantis. Donalds stuck with Trump, a decision that later earned him the president's early and full-throated endorsement in the governor's race.
- That bet has paid off. Donalds now sits comfortably atop the field, while candidates who sided with DeSantis trail well behind — and without the governor's endorsement.
The bottom line: Florida's race for governor has plenty of candidates but little competition.