Republican Rep. Byron Donalds defeated Democrat David Jolly to become Florida’s next governor, NBC News projects, extending the GOP’s nearly three-decade run in the Governor’s Mansion.
\n\nDonalds, who was endorsed early by President Donald Trump, was widely considered the favorite. He will become Florida’s first Black governor when he is sworn in next year.
\n\nDonalds raised a staggering $130 million, giving him a huge financial advantage, and he was running in a state that has not elected a Democratic governor since 1994. Jolly did work to keep things closer than the last gubernatorial contest, which term-limited GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis won by more than 20 points.
\n\nBut Jolly, a former Republican congressman who became a Democrat, was outmatched and unable to secure much help from national Democratic groups, which have largely abandoned Florida over the past few election cycles.
\n\nWhile Donalds welcomed support from Trump, much of his late messaging highlighted his endorsement from DeSantis and a promise to continue his legacy.
\n\nDeSantis has a better approval rating than Trump in Florida, but he has had an icy relationship with Donalds. He did not endorse in the open GOP primary this year.
\n\n“We have one goal, and that goal is…
Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/business