Florida voters went to the polls Tuesday to select Republican and Democratic nominees for the state’s 2026 gubernatorial election. The contest follows the conclusion of Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R) second term, as he is barred by state law from seeking a third consecutive term.
Gov. DeSantis is scheduled to leave office in January 2027. The primary election features a multi-candidate Republican field and a Democratic primary as both parties seek to replace the outgoing executive.
According to polling data reported by The Hill, Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) is the current leader in the Republican primary and has received an endorsement from President Trump. On the Democratic side, David Jolly is the leading candidate in the polls. Polls in the state were scheduled to close at 7 p.m. EDT on Tuesday.
The scale of the impact is reflected in the candidates' profiles; the Republican front-runner is a sitting member of the U.S. House of Representatives, while the Democratic leader is a former congressman. The primary results will narrow the field for a general election that will decide who oversees Florida's multi-billion dollar state budget and a workforce of approximately 100,000 state employees. Residents would notice changes in policy priorities starting when the new governor takes office in early 2027.
The primary is part of a broader election cycle in Florida that includes a special Senate primary for the remainder of Marco Rubio's term and several House primaries. The results from Tuesday will establish the official nominees for the general election. Following the certification of these primary results, the winning candidates will begin their general election campaigns ahead of the November vote. Gov. DeSantis’s successor is scheduled to be inaugurated in January.