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Governor · Florida · open seat

Florida Governor

David Jolly vs Byron Donalds

ForecastR +7.1
Democrat12%
Republican88%
RatingLikely R
Full forecast
Brief me as

Neutral view. Pick a side and the War Room briefs you as that campaign's operative.

Vital signs

Campaign health, 0 to 100, from public money, outside spending, ballots and activity
DemocratDavid JollyCriticalBase 21, minus 4 for liabilities
170100
  • Money weight 2513

    Raised $22.0M against $149.0M for Byron Donalds.

  • Cash weight 2012

    $6.0M in the bank against $44.0M for Byron Donalds.

  • Early vote weight 1543

    Registered Democrats cast 40% of the 2,522,664 ballots in Florida so far, against 40% for the other party. That is 6.5 points worse for Democrats than the forecast expected by now. Counts registration, not votes.

  • Activity weight 1025

    7 campaign stops by the candidate or surrogates in 30 days.

  • −4 Outmatched five to one in cash. $6.0M against $44.0M.
RepublicanByron DonaldsStrong
720100
  • Money weight 2587

    Raised $149.0M against $22.0M for David Jolly.

  • Cash weight 2088

    $44.0M in the bank against $6.0M for David Jolly.

  • Early vote weight 1557

    Registered Republicans cast 40% of the 2,522,664 ballots in Florida so far, against 40% for the other party. That is 6.5 points better for Republicans than the forecast expected by now. Counts registration, not votes.

  • Activity weight 1025

    8 campaign stops by the candidate or surrogates in 30 days.

Open the people file

How each side wins

From the forecast, the polls, the county map, voter groups, money and ballots
If you work for David Jolly
  1. Close the gap

    David Jolly trails by 7.1 and wins 12% of simulations. Closing it takes about 316,557 voters switching sides, or 633,113 more net votes from new turnout.

  2. The range

    In 8 of 10 simulations the result lands between R +14.9 and D +1.0. A normal polling error decides it.

  3. The polls

    The polls page average is R +5.6. Your best recent poll is Change Research at D +0.8; your worst is YouGov for N+ Univision at R +9.1. 15 polls in the last 30 days.

  4. Turn out the base

    The biggest vote banks for Democrats: Broward, a projected net 190,630 votes; Orange, a projected net 83,690 votes; Palm Beach, a projected net 49,543 votes. Every point of extra turnout here is worth more than persuasion anywhere else.

  5. Win the battlegrounds

    The large counties within 12 points: Miami-Dade, D +0.7, 9.5% of the vote; Palm Beach, D +7.9, 7.0% of the vote; Hillsborough, D +4.5, 6.3% of the vote; Pinellas, D +4.8, 5.1% of the vote.

  6. Where you run behind the 2024 map

    Against the 2024 presidential vote, David Jolly runs furthest behind in Collier, St. Lucie, Lee. That is where the forecast sees voters who backed your side two years ago and have not come back yet.

  7. The coalition levers

    Groups big enough to move the race: Large counties, 79% of voters, 51 to 47, where a 5 point gain is worth 3.96 points; Voters who cast ballots in 2022 and 2024, 67% of voters, 46 to 50, where a 5 point gain is worth 3.35 points; Voters who find daily costs hard to afford, 62% of voters, 51 to 45, where a 5 point gain is worth 3.12 points.

  8. Where you lose ground

    The forecast's worst groups for David Jolly: Immigration voters 19 to 78, White voters 37 to 62, Midsize counties 39 to 59. Cutting the loss here is often cheaper than winning new groups.

  9. The money

    $6.0M cash against $44.0M. Outspent: lean on earned media, digital, field and the outside groups, and pick the two or three media markets that decide it.

  10. The early vote

    Registered Democrats cast 40% of the 2,522,664 ballots in Florida so far, against 40% for the other party. That is 6.5 points worse for Democrats than the forecast expected by now.

  11. What the ballots so far say

    The early vote has moved this forecast 1.8 points away from David Jolly. Election Day has to make it up: the remaining vote must break harder your way than the forecast expects.

  12. Byron Donalds's strongest asset

    Cash: $44.0M in the bank against $6.0M for David Jolly.

If you work for Byron Donalds
  1. Protect the lead

    Byron Donalds leads by 7.1 in the forecast and wins 88% of simulations. The cushion is about 633,113 votes; a one point swing is about 44,711 voters changing sides.

  2. The range

    In 8 of 10 simulations the result lands between D +1.0 and R +14.9. A normal polling error decides it.

  3. The polls

    The polls page average is R +5.6. Your best recent poll is YouGov for N+ Univision at R +9.1; your worst is Change Research at D +0.8. 15 polls in the last 30 days.

  4. Turn out the base

    The biggest vote banks for Republicans: Lee, a projected net 90,134 votes; Collier, a projected net 60,763 votes; Marion, a projected net 49,966 votes. Every point of extra turnout here is worth more than persuasion anywhere else.

  5. Win the battlegrounds

    The large counties within 12 points: Miami-Dade, D +0.7, 9.5% of the vote; Palm Beach, D +7.9, 7.0% of the vote; Hillsborough, D +4.5, 6.3% of the vote; Pinellas, D +4.8, 5.1% of the vote.

  6. Where you run behind the 2024 map

    Against the 2024 presidential vote, Byron Donalds runs furthest behind in Miami-Dade, Broward, Pinellas. That is where the forecast sees voters who backed your side two years ago and have not come back yet.

  7. The coalition levers

    Groups big enough to move the race: Large counties, 79% of voters, 47 to 51, where a 5 point gain is worth 3.96 points; Voters who cast ballots in 2022 and 2024, 67% of voters, 50 to 46, where a 5 point gain is worth 3.35 points; Voters who find daily costs hard to afford, 62% of voters, 45 to 51, where a 5 point gain is worth 3.12 points.

  8. Where you lose ground

    The forecast's worst groups for Byron Donalds: Black voters 17 to 82, Asian and other voters 31 to 67, Health care and Social Security voters 31 to 65. Cutting the loss here is often cheaper than winning new groups.

  9. The money

    $44.0M cash against $6.0M. Spend it early on persuasion television in the battleground counties and keep a reserve for the last week.

  10. The early vote

    Registered Republicans cast 40% of the 2,522,664 ballots in Florida so far, against 40% for the other party. That is 6.5 points better for Republicans than the forecast expected by now.

  11. What the ballots so far say

    The early vote has moved this forecast 1.8 points toward Byron Donalds. Bank it: chase the remaining mail ballots and low propensity voters who have not voted.

  12. David Jolly's strongest asset

    Early vote: Registered Democrats cast 40% of the 2,522,664 ballots in Florida so far, against 40% for the other party.

The map for Jolly

County projections from the forecast
Vote banksWhere the biggest net margins come from
CountyForecastVote shareNet D
BrowardD +27.07.9%+190,630
OrangeD +17.05.5%+83,690
Palm BeachD +7.97%+49,543
LeonD +28.51.5%+38,987
BattlegroundsLarge counties within 12 points
CountyForecastVote shareNet D
Miami-DadeD +0.79.5%+5,858
Palm BeachD +7.97%+49,543
HillsboroughD +4.56.3%+25,216
PinellasD +4.85.1%+22,118
Behind the 2024 mapRunning furthest behind the last presidential vote
CountyForecastVote shareNet D
CollierR +33.02.1%-60,763
St. LucieR +8.91.6%-12,997
LeeR +27.63.7%-90,134

The coalition

Jolly against Donalds among the groups that can move it, from the forecast's voter group estimates
Swing groups
  • Large counties79% of voters · a 5 point gain is worth 4.0
    5147
  • Voters who cast ballots in 2022 and 202467% of voters · a 5 point gain is worth 3.4
    4650
  • Voters who find daily costs hard to afford62% of voters · a 5 point gain is worth 3.1
    5145
  • Voters without a degree54% of voters · a 5 point gain is worth 2.7
    4850
Weakest groups
  • Immigration voters12% of voters · a 5 point gain is worth 0.6
    1978
  • White voters61% of voters · a 5 point gain is worth 3.1
    3762
  • Midsize counties18% of voters · a 5 point gain is worth 0.9
    3959
JollyDonalds

Scouting report

From the Watchdog people files, each line with its source
David Jolly

No researched file yet; this candidate is queued for the next people file batch.

Byron Donalds

No researched file yet; this candidate is queued for the next people file batch.

Top donor blocs: Billionaire megadonor, Gambling, Detention vendors, Utilities and energy, School choice and family

The forecast

Margin over recent runs
R +7.1D +2.021 runs agonow
Now
R +7.1
8 in 10 land between
D +1.0 and R +14.9
Polling average
R +5.6
Partisan lean
R +11.7
Early vote effect
R +1.8

Recent polls

Last 45 days
PollsterDays agoSampleResult
On Point Polling0378 LVR +4.2
YouGov for N+ Univision0825 RVR +9.1
ActiVote0400 LVR +3.4
University of North Florida01,471 LVR +1.6
co/efficient (R)01,014 LVR +5.2
Change Research5920 LVR +0.2
MDW Communications (D)52,351 LVR +3.4
Stetson University6716 LVR +7.9
St. Pete Polls for Florida Politics8836 LVR +1.7
YouGov103,813 LVR +2.8
Targoz Market Research (R)111,000 LVR +5.8
Mason-Dixon for Telemundo14625 LVR +6.2

Money and the air war

Latest reports
JollyDonalds
Raised$22.0M$149.0M
Spentn/an/a
Cash on hand$6.0M$44.0M
Outside money forn/an/a
Google adsn/an/a
Follow the money

The early vote

Florida, through 2026-10-24
Ballots cast
2,522,664
Party data
Reported by the state
Ballot margin
R +0.3
Forecast expected
D +6.2
Against expectation
6.5 points better for Republicans

Party registration of who has voted, not how they voted.

Open the early vote tracker

Media watch

Who is putting this race in front of an audience
  • 2026-10-06
    Remy Numa analyst

    Fox News Power Rankings moved Florida governor from Solid R to Likely R. Source

  • 2026-09-26
    Joey Jones host, leans R

    Asked Byron Donalds whether he needs to make a pledge to voters wary of data centers given industry donations. Source

  • 2026-09-26
    Tomi Lahren host, leans R

    Pressed Byron Donalds on Republican voters' wariness of data centers. Source

  • 2026-08-23
    Margaret Brennan host

    Interviewed Byron Donalds, who blamed Florida's measles outbreak on illegal immigration. Source

  • 2026-08-17
    Peter Alexander host

    Repeatedly fact-checked Byron Donalds on inflation and prices during and after a live interview. Source

  • 2026-08-15
    Steve Bannon podcaster, leans R

    War Room episode on the GOP governor primary hosted candidate James Fishback ahead of the vote. Source

Media watch

On the trail

Rallies and events, newest first
  • 2026-10-24
    Byron Donalds announced in Tampa

    Planned rally with Rep. Anna Paulina Luna and Sen. Ashley Moody, with more speakers to be announced. Source

  • 2026-10-23
    Byron Donalds rally in Fort Myers

    Trump rally in Southwest Florida that Donalds was set to join, with Trump scheduled to speak at 2 p.m. Source

  • 2026-10-20
    Bill Clinton event in Hollywood

    Appearance at Koinonia Worship Center in Broward County. Source

  • 2026-10-20
    Byron Donalds tour stop in Melbourne

    Campaign stop on the second day of early voting, part of his Defending the Florida Dream bus tour. Source

  • 2026-10-20
    Byron Donalds tour stop in Fort Pierce

    Campaign stop on the second day of early voting, part of his Defending the Florida Dream bus tour. Source

  • 2026-10-20
    Byron Donalds tour stop in Miami

    Campaign stop on the second day of early voting, part of his Defending the Florida Dream bus tour. Source

  • 2026-10-20
    David Jolly event in Pembroke Park

    Interfaith service supporting Jolly at Koinonia Worship Center with former President Bill Clinton, who also headlined a Miami fundraiser the campaign said raised 3 million dollars. Source

  • 2026-10-19
    David Jolly event in Orlando

    News conference with former Sen. Bill Nelson calling for a pause and moratorium on new data center construction. Source

  • 2026-10-12
    James Clyburn event in Tallahassee

    Clyburn appeared with Jolly and running mate Graham in Tallahassee to court Black voters. Source

  • 2026-10-08
    David Jolly event in Miami Gardens

    Live fireside chat at Florida Memorial University with Senate candidate Angie Nixon. Source

  • 2026-10-07
    David Jolly event in Miami

    Evening meet and greet with members of the Haitian community alongside running mate Gwen Graham. Source

  • 2026-10-05
    Byron Donalds tour stop in Lakewood Ranch

    Defending the Florida Dream tour stop scheduled at Owen's Fish Camp. Source

Races that move with this one

When the polls miss here, they tend to miss there too