Trump targets Florida governor's race and congressional seats in final push

President Donald Trump is scheduled to campaign in Daytona Beach on Friday to support Byron Donalds in the Florida governor's race. Donalds, a Republican and Trump ally, is challenging Democrat David Jolly for the top executive post in the state.

The current contest is viewed as competitive, even though Donalds holds the favorite position. This stands in contrast to the 2022 election, when Governor Ron DeSantis secured reelection by nearly 20 percentage points.

The political map in Florida has shifted since the last cycle. DeSantis appointed Ashley Moody to the U.S. Senate in 2025 following Marco Rubio's appointment as Secretary of State. Moody is now running in a special election to retain that seat. She faces state Rep. Angie Nixon, a Democrat.

Trump is also expected to campaign for other Republican congressional candidates in the area. Rep. Randy Fine, a freshman member of the House, represents the district where the rally will take place. Fine took office in April 2025 after winning a special election to replace Mike Waltz, who moved into the Trump administration to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.

Florida recently redrew its congressional district lines ahead of the midterm elections. Republicans currently hold 20 of the state's 28 House seats. The new map may allow that number to increase in the upcoming vote.