President Donald Trump brings his midterm campaign blitz to Daytona Beach on Friday, headlining a rally for Rep. Byron Donalds, the Republican nominee for governor. Donalds faces Democrat David Jolly, a former Republican congressman who changed parties. Donalds is considered the favorite, but the race is far closer than Gov. Ron DeSantis’s nearly 20-point reelection win four years ago, and both parties are treating it that way.
Trump is also expected to campaign for Sen. Ashley Moody, who is running in a special election against state Rep. Angie Nixon after Gov. DeSantis appointed Moody in 2025 when Marco Rubio became Secretary of State. The Daytona Beach stop sits in freshman Rep. Randy Fine’s district, a reminder that Florida voluntarily redrew its congressional map ahead of the midterms, where Republicans currently hold 20 of the state’s 28 House seats.
For Suncoast listeners, the rally is a couple hours up the coast but the stakes reach right down to us. The governor’s race and the Senate special election will shape Florida policy for years, from hurricane recovery funding to red tide research and everything in between. If you’re a snowbird heading back for the season, your November ballot is already taking shape.
What matters most to you in this year’s governor’s race? Let us know in the comments.
