Byron Donalds Targets Black Voters in Florida Governor Race

Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, a Florida Congressman for nine years, has often avoided using his race in his political campaigns. Recently, at a series of events aimed at Black voters in Miami, he shifted this approach.

In an interview, Donalds, now running for Florida governor, stated he is aiming to capture more than 20% of the Black vote. He remarked, “There are many Black voters considering my campaign because they want someone who can guide Florida into the future.” He added that Black voters are becoming less monolithic in their support for the Democratic Party.

To compare, Gov. Ron DeSantis received support from 13% of Black voters in the 2022 election, as per CBS News exit polls. President Trump garnered around 15% of Black votes in Florida during his 2024 campaign.

In 2024, Donalds was a prominent advocate for Mr. Trump among Black voters, traveling nationwide with Rep. Wesley Hunt of Texas. Their tour, “Congress, Cigars & Cognac,” aimed to connect with and persuade voters skeptical of Trump’s campaign. Now, Donalds uses a similar strategy for his gubernatorial bid.

If elected, Donalds would join a small group of Black state executives, with only three having been elected as governors in U.S. history. This year, three nominees, including Donalds, could become the first Black Republican governors.

When asked about potentially making history, Donalds expressed, “It’s wild, honestly.” He has typically shied away from identity-focused campaigning. At the Black Professionals Summit’s Legacy Con, he emphasized, “Florida is a meritocracy. Here, people from various backgrounds care about who can effectively lead.”

Legacy Con organizers invited both Donalds and Democratic nominee David Jolly, although Jolly cited a scheduling conflict and did not attend.

With less than a month of campaigning left, Donalds rejected claims that his minority outreach is either new or limited. He stated, “We’re targeting every voter,” highlighting efforts to engage Black voters in North Miami and Broward County, as well as Hispanic voters in Doral and Hialeah.

However, some voters in South Florida remain skeptical due to his ties to President Trump. At Lorna’s Caribbean Restaurant, Miami Gardens resident Jermaine Woodside initially feared Donalds’s connection to Trump might harm his campaign. After a lengthy conversation with Donalds, Woodside left more open-minded, but still concerned about Trump’s influence.

Donalds urged voters not to judge him solely on his past with Trump: “Look at the issues I’m pushing forward. Yes, I’ve endorsed Trump, but my focus is on being governor of Florida.”

Not everyone has been convinced. Kalyn James, a Miami resident, attended a meet-and-greet in Overtown, expressing dissent by holding a “Vote Blue” sign with Donalds’s name crossed out. She commented, “I don’t think he has the support he thinks he has. His win would make history, but I believe it’s the wrong side of history.”

Jasmine Burney-Clark, of voting rights group Equal Ground, criticized Donalds for not committing to a state voting rights bill, which Jolly endorsed. She called Donalds’s events disingenuous, accusing him of pandering for Black votes.

Despite the complex politics, recent polls indicate a close race for the governorship, which Democrats have not won since the 1990s. Donalds aims to widen his appeal with Black voters, making it more challenging for Democrats to reclaim the office.