If Florida wasn’t on the political map already, it definitely took center stage after President-elect Donald Trump (R) won the 2024 presidential election. Florida lawmakers are moving into jobs in the Trump Administration, vacancies must be filled, and political aspirations are coming to light. In a social media post that will surely make headlines, Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R) suggested that Florida Rep. Byron Donalds (R) could be aiming to become Florida Governor.
Before President-elect Trump decided on Ohio Senator JD Vance (R) to be his Vice President, Rep. Donalds was speculated to be on his vice-presidential shortlist. On the campaign trail, the Florida congressman was a staunch supporter of the president, routinely taking the stage with him and calling on voters to Make America Great Again.
Florida Senator Marco Rubio (R) is leaving a vacancy in the senate as he moves on to Secretary of State, and rumors have swirled regarding Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) serving as senator now that former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz (R) is turning his sights to The Matt Gaetz Show.
So, who will run for Florida Governor?
Over the weekend, Rep. Luna shared a picture of her and Rep. Donalds attending a UFC event together, captioning it “with the next FL Governor @ByronDonalds.”
With the next FL Governor @ByronDonalds 🏆! @ufc pic.twitter.com/r9aR0cC1M0
— Anna Paulina Luna (@realannapaulina) December 15, 2024
Now, it could just be an offhanded comment from Rep. Luna’s part, but in the world of politics, offhanded comments like that are rarely expressed.
Rep. Donalds hasn’t officially disclosed any interest in pursuing Florida's top post, but with his growing popularity within the party and across the nation, Rep. Luna could be hinting at Rep. Donalds’ political aspirations in 2026.
With the state being as red as it’s ever been, the seat is likely to remain red, so time will tell which Republicans and Democrats will step up to the plate for a run at the governorship.
