Byron Donalds Projected to Win Florida Governor’s Race Despite Trailing in Broward

By Villij News Staff

Republican Byron Donalds has been projected as the winner of Florida’s gubernatorial election by Fox News and CBS News, setting the stage for him to become the state’s first Black governor even as Democrat David Jolly holds a substantial lead in Broward County’s unofficial returns.

The result places Donalds on course to succeed Gov. Ron DeSantis and move from representing Southwest Florida in Congress to leading the state’s executive branch. For Broward residents, election night has produced two different pictures: a strong local showing for Jolly and a statewide contest called for his Republican opponent.

According to Broward County’s 9:01 p.m. reporting update, Jolly received 429,174 votes, or 65.44%, compared with Donalds’ 218,790 votes, or 33.36%. Those figures describe voting within Broward County and do not represent the statewide totals.

Fox News and CBS News Miami reported their projections Tuesday evening as election officials continued tabulating ballots. Election results remain unofficial until certified by the appropriate authorities.

Broward County’s Returns Show a Different Local Preference

Jolly’s advantage in Broward amounted to 210,384 votes in the 9:01 p.m. snapshot. He received nearly twice as many county votes as Donalds, underscoring the difference between the county’s reported preference and the statewide outcome.

Candidate	Broward County votes	Share
David Jolly — Democrat	429,174	65.44%
Byron Donalds — Republican	218,790	33.36%

Selected candidates shown. Source: Broward County Supervisor of Elections, unofficial results updated November 3, 2026, at 9:01:39 p.m. Additional candidates also received votes.

At that reporting time, Broward’s dashboard showed 341 of its 346 precincts fully reporting and five partially reporting. Early voting was marked complete, while vote-by-mail and Election Day reporting remained partial.

The countywide precinct percentage describes reporting progress across Broward. It does not establish that every ballot in the governor’s race, or any particular municipal contest, has been counted.

Residents can review subsequent updates through the Broward County Supervisor of Elections’ official results dashboard.

How Donalds Can Win Florida While Trailing in Broward

Florida’s governor is elected through votes cast across the state. Broward contributes to that statewide count alongside Florida’s other counties.

A large advantage in one county can be outweighed by the combined results elsewhere. Jolly’s Broward lead therefore does not contradict a statewide race call for Donalds.

The distinction is particularly important when following election-night coverage. County results answer how voters in that county voted. Statewide results combine the returns needed to determine the overall contest.

For readers watching Broward’s dashboard, a Democratic lead in the governor’s race should consequently be understood as a local result. The statewide outcome must be assessed using returns from throughout Florida.

The Florida Department of State publishes those broader figures through Florida Election Watch.

A Historic Result for Florida

Donalds is projected to become Florida’s first Black governor, a milestone in the state’s political history. CBS News also reported that his election would make him the first Black Republican elected governor in United States history.

He will succeed DeSantis, who could not seek a third consecutive term. The transition will place a new Republican administration in charge of a state government whose decisions reach into public education, insurance regulation, infrastructure and the allocation of state funding.

The historical significance of the result accompanies the practical responsibilities of the office. For residents, the next stage will involve following the administration’s appointments, proposed policies and spending priorities as Donalds prepares to govern.

From Finance to the Florida House and Congress

Donalds brings experience in both state and federal government to the governor’s office.

According to his official congressional biography, he grew up in Brooklyn, graduated from Florida State University with a degree in finance and marketing, and worked in banking, finance and insurance before entering elected office.

He was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2016, representing Hendry County and eastern Collier County. His legislative experience included chairing subcommittees dealing with education and insurance and banking.

Donalds was subsequently elected to Congress in 2020 and took office in January 2021. His congressional press kitidentifies Florida’s 19th Congressional District as encompassing portions of Lee and Collier counties.

His background provides a record that residents can examine as he moves into statewide leadership, particularly on subjects involving financial regulation, education and the responsibilities of government.

Affordability and Insurance Were Central Campaign Issues

The cost of living was a major issue in the governor’s race, including the expense of maintaining a home in Florida.

On his campaign’s affordability page, Donalds outlined proposals involving insurance regulation, state fees and improvements to programs that help homeowners strengthen their properties against storms.

His campaign called for changes to the My Safe Florida Home program and other grant programs to prioritize storm-hardening improvements intended to reduce insurance costs. It also proposed reviewing certain state fees and pursuing regulatory changes affecting premiums.

Those proposals will require follow-through through the relevant legislative, budgetary or administrative processes. Their effect on household costs will depend on the measures ultimately adopted and implemented.

Jolly also campaigned on affordability and changes to Florida’s property insurance system, according to CBS News. The competing approaches made the governor’s race relevant to residents facing ongoing questions about housing expenses and financial stability.

Donalds Celebrates as Election Reporting Continues

Donalds delivered a victory speech Tuesday evening while election results continued to be reported.

In a victory statement reported by Fox News, he said he was “humbled and grateful beyond measure.” The statement emphasized affordability, public safety and investment in young people.

Those priorities provide an early indication of the subjects his administration intends to emphasize. Specific proposals, appointments and budget recommendations will provide further information about how those commitments are translated into government action.

For Broward County, the next phase will also involve examining how statewide priorities address the circumstances and concerns of communities that supported his opponent.

Why a Race Call Comes Before Certification

Election-night projections and official certification serve different purposes.

News organizations analyze the votes already counted, the ballots believed to remain and where those outstanding votes are expected to come from when deciding whether to call a race.

The Associated Press explains its race-calling process as determining when trailing candidates no longer have a path to victory. AP has also called the governor’s race for Donalds.

Election officials continue their work after those calls. Remaining ballots must be processed under the applicable rules, totals reviewed and official returns prepared.

That is why Donalds can be identified as the statewide winner by news organizations while Broward’s dashboard continues showing unofficial results and incomplete reporting categories.

What Happens Next?

Florida’s official reporting and certification timeline lists November 7 as the deadline for counties to submit their first unofficial returns. Official county returns are due November 16, with the state Elections Canvassing Commission scheduled to meet November 17 at 8 a.m. to certify the statewide returns.

The process also provides for recounts when the applicable margins require them.

Beyond certification, Broward residents will have reason to follow the transition closely. Under the Florida Constitution, the governor holds the state’s executive authority, has responsibilities involving planning and budgeting, and reviews legislation passed by lawmakers.

Those powers give the office a direct role in decisions that can affect local governments, schools, public services and household expenses throughout Broward County.

For continuing municipal results and other local contests, readers can follow Villij News’s Broward County election-night coverage.

Villij News will continue following the certification of Florida’s election results, Donalds’ transition to the governor’s office and the policies affecting residents, families and communities throughout Pompano Beach and Broward County.