Casey DeSantis out, Byron Donalds in: Staunch Trump allies are moving away from the Florida governor
Florida Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) has formally backed Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL) in the battle to become Florida’s next governor. This is another big boost for Donalds’ already successful campaign. Luna’s recent statement adds to a growing list of prominent Republicans who are supporting Donalds, such as former President Donald Trump and U.S. Senator Rick Scott.
Luna called Donalds a “America First and Florida First patriot” in her statement and said she thinks he would work closely with the President to solve problems that are important to Floridians. She said that his focus on dealing with illegal immigration, lowering the cost of living, and protecting the health of seniors and veterans showed that he was committed to the future of the state.
People see Luna’s support as another indicator that Donalds is clearly in the lead for the Republican candidacy in the 2026 governor race. It also shows how Trump’s political circle is becoming more like Florida’s conservative lawmakers, many of whom share Donalds’ viewpoints. Since officially entering the campaign, Donalds has put out a five-point plan that focuses on the economy, education reform, protecting the environment, keeping the public safe, and veterans’ problems.
Since 2021, Donalds has been the representative for Florida’s 19th congressional district. He is noted for supporting school choice, being against red flag gun legislation, and being close to Trump. That alliance has been a defining factor in the race, one that shifted the political balance months before the election season began.
Since last year, Florida’s political chatter was focused on the possibility of First Lady Casey DeSantis running to succeed her husband. Early polls in late 2023 showed she was in the lead, but Donalds’ swift ascent, which was assisted by Trump’s early endorsement in February and his strong grassroots support, quickly erased her lead. Even though there has been a lot of speculation, Casey DeSantis has not yet entered the race. This gives Donalds a clean path to gain support among conservatives.
Senator Rick Scott’s recent support gave it additional momentum. Scott called Donalds a “principled conservative” and applauded his work on storm relief and tax reform. He said that Donalds’ vision was in line with Trump’s leadership style. The nod from a former Florida governor was both a symbolic and strategic success for Donalds.
The change in political support comes at a time when Governor Ron DeSantis and Trump are not getting along. Political analysts have called the situation a “silent war,” saying that DeSantis’ power in the state Republican Party is fading as more of his erstwhile allies join Trump’s camp. DeSantis is now watching Donald’s campaign pick up speed and his own political network seem to be getting more and more broken up. He doesn’t have a clear successor of his own.
For now, Donalds continues to dominate the conversation. He has more than $22 million in campaign funds and support from some of the most powerful people in the GOP. The fact that there aren’t any well-known Republican candidates, especially from the DeSantis camp, has given him the time and space to focus on getting additional backing from grassroots voters and establishing the infrastructure he needs for a great statewide campaign.
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Luna’s support gives an already well-funded organization a new boost, making Donalds’ position at the front of the Republican field stronger than ever. And since Casey DeSantis is still on the sidelines and Governor DeSantis is dealing with a political situation that is getting more and more complicated, Donalds’ path may be clearer than any of his rivals thought it would be just a few months ago.
