Ron DeSantis thought he could control who replaces him as Florida Governor.
But Donald Trump had other plans.
And Byron Donalds just shattered one Florida record that left DeSantis scrambling.
Trump's Pick Crushes Every Fundraising Record in Florida History
Trump-endorsed Byron Donalds raised $45 million in 2025 for his Florida Governor campaign.
That's not impressive — that's unprecedented.
The Naples Congressman just posted the biggest fundraising haul in Florida gubernatorial history at this point in the election cycle.
The numbers left jaws on the floor across Tallahassee.
Donalds pulled in $13.1 million in the fourth quarter alone from more than 8,000 donors.
For perspective, that's two and a half times what Ron DeSantis raised at this point in the 2018 cycle.
https://twitter.com/ByronDonalds/status/2008283058688926141?s=20
It's also $3 million more than Adam Putnam raised in total during that entire primary.
"Byron Donalds enters the 2026 election as the proven Trump-endorsed conservative fighter ready to unify Florida Republicans, crush the Democrats, and deliver on an affordability agenda to lower costs for working families, seniors, and young people," Ryan Smith, Donalds' chief strategist, said.
The money tells you everything about where this race is headed.
Trump's endorsement in February turned Donalds from contender to juggernaut overnight.
Beyond Trump, Donalds secured backing from Elon Musk, Senator Rick Scott, House Speaker Mike Johnson, golf legend Phil Mickelson, and before his assassination in September, Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
Donalds now has endorsements from 17 of Florida's 20 Congressional members, 27 Florida Sheriffs, and three-quarters of the Republican caucus in the Florida Legislature.
That's not a campaign — that's a coronation.
The Numbers Don't Lie About Who's Winning
The polls back up what the money is saying.
A December poll from The American Promise showed Donalds crushing the Republican field.
He's got 38% support among likely Republican primary voters.
Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins — who hasn't even declared he's running — sits at 9%.
Investment CEO James Fishback has 2%.
Former House Speaker Paul Renner pulled 1%.
Trump's endorsement made the difference impossible to overcome.
When voters find out Trump backs Donalds, his support rockets to 57% while Collins and Renner combined barely crack 3%.
The general election numbers look just as dominant.
An Associated Industries of Florida poll showed Donalds beating Democrat frontrunner David Jolly 49% to 41%.
That's outside the margin of error in a state Trump won by 13 points.
DeSantis Is Trying Everything to Stop Trump's Pick
Ron DeSantis is not happy about any of this.
The Governor spent months trash-talking Donalds and pumping up his wife Casey as the real conservative choice.
"A guy like Byron, he just hasn't been a part of any victories that we've had over the left over these last few years," DeSantis said in February.
https://twitter.com/realJennaEllis/status/1995902976976732581?s=20
He even tried pressuring Tallahassee lobbyists not to donate to Donalds' campaign.
That pressure campaign failed spectacularly.
The money kept flooding into Donalds' war chest from Trump's national donor network.
Illinois billionaire Richard Uihlein cut a $1 million check.
Texas healthcare executive Clive Fields — who previously donated to DeSantis' presidential campaign — dropped $500,000 for Donalds.
DeSantis even sat down with Trump at Mar-a-Lago to beg him to stay neutral.
Ron and Casey asked Trump to hold back his endorsement until Casey decided whether to run.
Trump told them he was "caught off guard" by Casey's potential candidacy.
But the President didn't rescind his endorsement of Donalds.
That tells you exactly who Trump thinks should be Florida's next Governor.
Casey DeSantis Waited Too Long to Make Her Move
Casey DeSantis has been teasing a gubernatorial run for nearly a year.
Early polls showed she could compete with Donalds.
A July University of North Florida survey had her leading Donalds 32% to 29%.
https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1981869780345991614?s=20
But that was before Trump's endorsement transformed the race.
By December, Donalds had built an insurmountable lead in money, endorsements, and voter support.
"I think the ship has almost sailed on Casey DeSantis before her run for governor started, and she's really got to make that decision now or it's over," Sean Foreman, a political science professor at Barry University, told Newsweek.
Casey keeps dropping hints about running without actually announcing.
"When you come to a fork in the road, take it," she said last month.
That Yogi Berra quote doesn't inspire confidence she's ready to take on Trump's handpicked candidate.
The longer Casey waits, the harder it becomes to catch Donalds.
He's already locked up most of the major Republican donors, elected officials, and grassroots support.
DeSantis is term-limited and can't run again himself.
So he's stuck watching Trump install his own ally as Florida's next Governor while DeSantis' preferred candidates scramble for leftovers.
Trump won this proxy war and everyone in Florida knows it.
Donalds hasn't even aired a single TV ad yet and he's already crushing the competition.
"With President Trump's endorsement, $45 million raised, and massive voter support across the Sunshine State, Byron Donalds will be Florida's next Governor come November," Smith added.
The Florida Republican primary is August 18, 2026.
Based on these fundraising numbers, that race might already be over.
Sources:
- Jacob Ogles, "Byron Donalds raised $45M over course of 2025 to run for Governor; added $13M in Q4," Florida Politics, January 5, 2026.
- Frank Kopylov, "Trump-endorsed Rep. Byron Donalds raises $13.1 million in Q4, pushes 2025 total to $45 million in Florida governor bid," Florida News, January 5, 2026.
- Mitch Perry, "Donalds campaign says its raised more than $40 million in race for governor," The Phoenix Flyer, December 18, 2025.
- Mitch Perry, "DeSantis disses Donalds, touts First Lady, when asked about 2026 governor race," Florida Phoenix, February 24, 2025.
- Allan Smith, "Ron DeSantis' team is urging Florida lobbyists not to back Rep. Byron Donalds for governor," NBC News, March 19, 2025.
- Allan Smith, "The fight to replace Ron DeSantis in Florida is on, marked by jockeying with Trump," NBC News, March 4, 2025.
