A recent public opinion poll conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy shows Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis is slightly more popular than Florida Congressman Byron Donalds.
The poll of 264 registered Republican Florida voters found Mrs. DeSantis with a 53% favorable rating to Byron Donalds' 48%. Both DeSantis and Donalds have similar unfavorable ratings (9% and 6%) while more voters have no opinion about Donalds (46%-38%) to DeSantis.
Does that mean Mrs. DeSantis will run for Florida governor? Should Rep. Donalds be concerned after he announced his gubernatorial bid?
Both remain to the seen. But the poll at least provides a glimpse at what Republican voters are thinking heading into the 2026 Florida gubernatorial election.
The poll also found Gov. Ron DeSantis ›› holding a 53% job approval rating to 42% disapproval with all Florida voters as of this month. However, DeSantis' popularity has dropped from a 62%-24% high-low from March 2019.
Notably, DeSantis' job performance hovered from 53% to 59% across four polls from Feb. 2021 to March 2023.
President Donald Trump also has a favorable job approval rating with all Florida voters, the poll found. President Trump holds a 52% job approval rating to 44% disapproval with voters, up from a 47%-50% job performance rating in Dec. 2019.
Trump endorsed Donalds for governor shortly before his official announcement
Moreover, both DeSantis' and Trump's job performances are overwhelmingly popular among Republicans (89% and 85%) in the state. DeSantis and Trump are also above water with Independents (51% and 55%).
Of note, these poll questions were asked to 625 registered voters statewide regardless of party affiliation.
Does the president's job bump help Donalds? Or does Mrs. DeSantis get a boost thanks to her husband's work?
Yet another question that remains to be seen.
Anyway you slice it, a Donalds-DeSantis Florida gubernatorial battle could be brewing sooner than you think. It also could show whether Trump or Ron DeSantis controls more of the state's political turf.
Trump won Florida by 13 points over Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. Before that, he essentially knocked Ron DeSantis out of the Republican primary race before he even made it to Florida.
“The new Mason Dixon poll spells bad news for the DeSantis'! Their favorability has sunk as Republican voters consider whether they will be disloyal to President Donald Trump AGAIN. Will they light their donor’s money on fire like they did in Iowa when they chose to betray President Trump the first time," said one Republican operative and donor who asked that we keep his identity out of this article.
DeSantis defeated Democratic candidate Charlie Crist by nearly 20 points for his second gubernatorial win. Arguably, his mandate is why Republicans hold supermajorities in the state House and Senate.
Who will win a potential round 3 of the political proxy war? Get ready.
