Polls Put Byron Donalds Ahead in GOP Primary as Florida Governor Race Tightens

Overview

• Stetson University polling finds Byron Donalds at 38% among likely Republican primary voters, with 45% either undecided or preferring someone not in the current field.
• The same survey shows a close general election, with Donalds leading David Jolly 47% to 40% while Jerry Demings holds a 46% to 42% edge in that test.
• A separate Echelon Insights poll reports Donalds ahead 49% to 43% against Jolly and 48% to 44% against Demings, pointing to single-digit margins across polls.
• Stetson notes a Democratic oversample and a smaller-than-usual GOP advantage in its sample, which means small leads could swing as turnout patterns and independent voters come into focus.
• Donalds’ fundraising dwarfs his rivals, with more than $22.2 million raised in the first quarter and over $67 million total, compared with Jolly’s $2 million in Q1 and Demings’ roughly $254,000.