by Ben Whedon
Florida voters are set to head to the polls to choose the Republican and Democratic nominees for Senate and governor on Tuesday, with the governor’s race setting up a test of President Donald Trump’s endorsement power.
The president has endorsed Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., to succeed Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., in the state, but he faces several candidates that have waged aggressive campaigns against him. DeSantis himself has not issued an endorsement in the contest.
“The reality is when I get behind a candidate, I’m telling voters that this is somebody that shares my values and that shares our goals for the state of Florida,” he said. “You have a candidate who does not do that, I am not going to be supporting them, and that’s what happened in that race,” DeSantis said, according to The Miami Herald.
About Donald, DeSantis said he had not “been a part of any of the victories that we’ve had here over the Left over these last years,” according to Florida Politics.
Ending many legal immigration pathways, banning data centers, and addressing affordability
Donalds will square off against Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, former Florida Speaker of the House Paul Renner, and outsider candidate James Fishback. While polling has shown Donalds with a clear lead, most of the online attention has focused on Fishback, a populist figure who has campaigned on ending many legal immigration pathways, banning data centers, and affordability.
Donalds declined to debate with his Republican primary opponents, citing his polling lead. At present, Donalds commands an average 48.7% support in the contest, compared to Collins’s 11.2%, Fishback’s 8.8% and Renner’s 3.8%, according to RealClearPolitics.
Betting odds heavily favor Donalds, with Kalshi assigning 97.2% odds to Donalds winning. Fishback places second with 1.7%. On the Democratic side, former Rep. David Jolly, Fla., is not facing a serious primary contest. Kalshi is a CFTC regulated exchange dedicated to trading on the outcome of future events.
Fishback not expected to win, but could be a bellwether
The Republican primary would likely go unnoticed if not for the candidates opposing Donalds. That two of the most high-ranking Republicans in the state can barely muster 15% between them seems to be a testament to the strength of Trump’s endorsement. More curious is the Fishback surge, which has seen the 31-year-old surge to national prominence, if only online. Fishback has specifically targeted disaffected young men and embraced populist positions on immigration and job growth. He also has the support of right-wing influencer Nick Fuentes, who has attracted a following among young men. Fishback, for his part, has also praised Fuentes, leading many Republicans in the state to condemn his campaign.
One noteworthy moment saw him create a Tinder account to “meet young female voters where they are,” which resulted in a swift ban from the app. Though he is not expected to win, a strong performance from Fishback in the primary could provide a signal about the viability of similar candidates in later races.
The Senate race is expected to be even less dramatic. Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., is seeking a full term after DeSantis appointed her to fill the seat vacated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The Democrats face a choice between state Rep. Angela Nixon, D, and Alex Vindman, who is most well-known for his role in the first Trump impeachment. Vindman is heavily favored, and recent polling has shown Vindman with a 10-point lead.
Overall, the state is regarded as reliably Republican. Moody leads over Vindman by an average 8.4% and over Nixon by 9.5%. Donalds, meanwhile, leads Jolly by 5.0%.
– – –
Ben Whedon is a reporter for Just the News. Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network and contributed to this story.
Photo “Byron Donalds and Donald Trump” by Byron Donalds.
