A University of North Florida poll showed Republicans Byron Donalds and Ashley Moody ahead in Florida’s top statewide races.
The survey found Donalds leading Democrat David Jolly 46% to 41% among likely Florida midterm voters.
Another 5% supported someone else, 2% would not vote, and 6% remained undecided.
Donalds entered the race with President Donald Trump’s endorsement and later received DeSantis’ endorsement after winning the primary.
Jolly previously served in Congress as a Republican, later left the party, and now campaigns as a Democrat.
Moody was appointed in January 2025 after Marco Rubio resigned from the Senate to become Secretary of State.
Donalds promotes tax reductions, insurance changes, government accountability, and healthcare price transparency during his campaign.
Jolly emphasizes affordability, education, housing, and insurance reform while presenting himself as a centrist despite switching parties.
Donald’s strategist Ryan Smith attacked Jolly’s “self-described ‘far left’ policies” while praising Donalds’ affordability and public-safety agenda.
Smith said Donalds would pursue policies making Florida “safer, healthier, and more affordable,” according to the campaign.
The Donalds campaign said that it had raised more than $100 million for its statewide effort.
It also reported volunteers had knocked on more than 300,000 doors when the UNF survey was released.
Earlier this month, Donalds went viral after an appearance on HBO’s “Real Time” with host Bill Maher.
Donalds, who is black, pushed back on Maher’s suggestion that race played a role in Donalds’ performance in parts of the state during the recent primary.
Appearing on the show, Donalds rejected Maher’s assertion that he lost counties in Florida’s Panhandle in part because the region has a predominantly White electorate.
Donalds disputed that characterization of the results and challenged the suggestion that racism was responsible for his weaker showing in those areas.
“You did lose the ‘Redneck Riviera’ badly,” Maher said, referring to Donalds’ losses in Calhoun, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hardee, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor, Union and Washington counties, rural counties where roughly 94% of Republican voters are White.
“I can’t get with you on a lot of this policy stuff,” Maher continued. “But I think it would be great if the country did have [its] first Black, Republican governor.”
Maher went on to heap praise on Donalds for his willingness to run in “this post-racial world” where constituents don’t care about the “color of their skin.”
But then Maher claimed, “we’re not quite there yet though.”
“The Redneck Riviera, which is the Panhandle,” Maher began.
“I think there are people there who still would not — you’re a Republican, you’re a Trumper — they should love you and they don’t. I think there is still racism,” he added.
“Let’s talk a little bit about the Panhandle,” Donalds replied, beginning his rebuttal.
“There are counties we did incredibly well in that we won. There were some counties that we fell a little short in, that’s OK,” he said.
Donalds went on to note that his victory came within a crowded field of 11 GOP candidates “who had various lines of support.”
“The No. 1 thing overall, we closed out 48% of the vote in Florida,” Donalds said. “Eight hundred thousand votes [is] a long way to becoming the nominee.”
Donalds countered Maher’s claim that racial bias affected the primary results, emphasizing that Florida is a state where anyone can seek opportunities in elected office.
“Florida really has become the microcosm of what we all want,” Donalds said.
“It’s a meritocracy,” Donalds continued.
“And it’s about the best person with the best views, the best skills, the best talent moving forward to represent your state or to represent a district in your state, and Florida exemplifies that,” he said at the same.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
