By Michael Moline | Editor in Chief
“Mr. President, I want you to hear from Florida that we are still red.” — Florida Gov.-Elect Byron Donalds
The Florida Capitol building on March 11, 2026. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix)
Byron Donalds made history by defeating Democrat David Jolly to become the nation’s first Black Republican governor, as well as the first Black person ever elected statewide in Florida. The race was close, with Donalds winning 50.1% of the vote over Jolly’s 48.7%, with about 99% of votes counted. Imagine the outcome had national Democrats invested serious money in the state. All four Republican incumbent members of the Florida Cabinet won reelection.
Again, close but no cigar in the Senate race, with Ashley Moody winning a narrow victory over progressive Democrat Angie Nixon. “You know, throughout this campaign, I said that this election would come down to freedom versus socialism. Well Florida chose freedom,” Moody said. “I’m going to wake up tomorrow and keep fighting against the corruption that’s keeping our wages stagnant and driving up our costs,” Nixon rejoined. Meanwhile, the GOP’s congressional gerrymander gambit fell flat.
The announcement is not a surprise, as PSC staff recommended late last month that the panel deny Duke’s proposal for a large data center tariff. “The only reason that utility regulators denied Duke’s plans to pass data center costs to families and small businesses is because of legislation preventing them from doing so,” said Brooke Ward, Florida state director for Food & Water Watch.
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