TALLAHASSEE, Fla — Florida’s 2026 race for governor is beginning to take on a more familiar shape, with candidates fanning out across the state, rolling out policy proposals and sharpening contrasts as they try to break through before most voters are fully engaged.
Watch report from Forrest Saunders
On the Republican side, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds remains the best-known candidate, buoyed by President Donald Trump’s endorsement and strong fundraising. Donalds this week launched his “Defending the Florida Dream” tour in The Villages, where he unveiled a health care proposal focused on price transparency.
“We want to make sure that our health care system is the most transparent in all of America, so that you know the price going in ahead of time,” Donalds said.
But Donalds’ rivals are arguing the GOP primary remains unsettled.
Former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner, who has been campaigning on affordability and leadership, is using the early phase of the race to criticize dysfunction in Tallahassee and question whether Donalds has truly consolidated Republican support.
“Both sides of the aisle, people get sick of campaigning and supporting a candidate who says, I’m going to make you know all your wildest dreams come true, and they get in there and they just turn into just a mix of ego and arrogance and self promotion,” Renner said.
Lt. Gov. Jay Collins is making a similar case, pitching himself as a conservative veteran closely aligned with Gov. Ron DeSantis and the governor’s record.
“The governor and I are on the same page in pretty much everything,” Collins said. “Functionally, philosophically, I came from the military just like him.”
Collins has been seeking to position himself as the candidate most closely tied to DeSantis, though that effort produced an awkward moment this week when the governor declined to endorse anyone while appearing at a news conference Collins also attended.
“You know — I feel the need to do something. I do it. And so you guys can, can stand by and and just watch,” DeSantis said, drawing laughter.
Another Republican candidate, James Fishback, continues to draw attention and controversy, adding another layer of unpredictability to the GOP field. Fishback has shown some appeal with younger Republicans, but recent court filings reported this week alleged he used fake accounts and paid engagement to shape media coverage, compounding scrutiny already surrounding his racially charged rhetoric and legal problems in federal court.
“I don't hate anyone, I love America and if you take money tied to a foreign country you are traitor to the United States of America,” Fishback said at a recent rally. “We must always put America first.”
On the Democratic side, former U.S. Rep. David Jolly is making affordability the centerpiece of his campaign, arguing Republicans have failed to address the rising cost of living in a state they have controlled for years.
“Is homeowners insurance any better? Is health care more affordable? Are people more confident in their access to housing? Have we invested more in education? No, we haven’t,” Jolly said. “We haven’t because Republicans chose not to.”
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, also running in the Democratic primary, is presenting himself as an experienced executive with a public safety background.
“What sets me apart from any of the candidates in the race is my experience in life,” Demings said.
The next major test for the field will come with June qualifying, which will determine which candidates make the ballot for the August primary. The winners of those contests will advance to the Nov. 3 general election.
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