Florida Governor Candidate Rep. Byron Donalds Reports $22.2 Million First-Quarter Fundraising Haul

The campaign for Byron Donalds and the Friends of Byron Donalds PAC announced that the Trump-endorsed candidate raised $22.2 million during the first quarter of 2026. 

According to the campaign, more than 10,000 donors contributed during the quarter, and the $22.2 million raised in the first quarter was “unprecedented for a non-incumbent candidate” in Florida’s gubernatorial race.

 In January, his campaign reported raising $45 million during 2025, including $13.1 million in the fourth quarter alone. Florida Politics noted at the time that the total was the largest amount ever raised by a gubernatorial campaign at that point in the election cycle in Florida.

Donalds has assembled a broad list of endorsements as he campaigns to succeed outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis, who cannot seek another term because of term limits. In addition to backing from President Donald Trump, Donalds has received endorsements from Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who became the first sitting governor to support his campaign in January, as well as Donald Trump Jr., Elon Musk, Rick Scott, Mike Johnson, Jimmy Patronis, and Phil Mickelson.

The campaign also says it has support from a majority of Florida sheriffs, 17 members of Florida’s congressional delegation, and 75 percent of the Republican caucus in the Florida House.

Recent polling has shown Donalds leading the Republican field. A February survey from the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab found Donalds ahead with 28 percent support if Casey DeSantis enters the race, with 24 percent going for her. If she does not run, Donalds leads with 31 percent support. When Republican voters were told that Donald Trump had endorsed Donalds, his support rose to 47 percent, while Casey DeSantis’s fell to 12 percent.

Ryan Smith, chief strategist for the Donalds campaign, remarked, “Trump-endorsed Byron Donalds is laser-focused on defeating the Democrats and keeping Florida Red this November. Byron Donalds is the America First conservative who will defend the Florida Dream by making the Sunshine State safer and more affordable for families and seniors. As Governor, Byron Donalds will lower our cost of living, protect our communities from illegal immigration, and stop the Radical Democrats from imposing their agenda on our state.”