Rep. Byron Donalds scored a decisive victory over James Fishback in Florida’s Republican gubernatorial primary, bringing an unusually bitter contest — defined by online warfare, personal jabs and headline-grabbing political theater — to a clear-cut end.
Fishback, a businessman, conservative activist and newcomer to electoral politics, struggled from the outset to gain serious traction in the race.
By Tuesday night, he had not only lost to Donalds by a wide margin, but also failed to claim second place, with Lt. Gov. Jay Collins finishing well ahead of him in the runner-up spot.
Donalds will now move on to the general election, where he is set to face David Jolly, the former Republican congressman who later left the GOP and is running as a Democrat.
Fishback built much of his campaign around social media attention and online provocation. Still, Donalds said his defeated rival set the combativeness aside on election night and called to offer congratulations.
Speaking to supporters at his own watch party, however, Fishback struck a defiant note after the loss, telling the crowd, “We may concede tonight, but we will not concede this fight.”
From the moment he entered the Florida governor’s race, Fishback trained his fire on Donalds, portraying the congressman as aligned with the Republican establishment and casting doubt on whether he was conservative enough for the state’s GOP voters.
His attacks also turned ugly. Fishback used inflammatory language against Donalds, including calling him a “slave,” criticizing his ties to corporate interests, mocking him as “By’rone,” and accusing him of wanting to turn Florida into a “Section 8 ghetto.”
Donalds was backed by a long list of prominent Republicans, President Trump, Donald Trump Jr., House Speaker Mike Johnson, the late Charlie Kirk and Elon Musk
James Fishback called Byron Donalds a ‘slave’ to donors and referred to him as ‘By’rone,’ while accusing him of wanting to turn Florida into a ‘Section 8 ghetto
By the summer, Byron’s campaign said the operation had surpassed $90 million, and later reports put the combined total above $100 million heading into primary day
If successful in November’s general election, Donalds would become Florida’s first black governor.
Donalds brushed off Fishback’s inflammatory attacks as political theatre while dismissing him as a ‘con man’ and a two-faced candidate who plays to the algorithm with shock value and personal attacks.
He’s branded Fishback’s antics as ‘performative slop’ and pointed to what he says is a stark contrast between Fishback’s aggressive online persona and his behavior behind closed doors when the two previously shared a stage.
But Fishback kept escalating his attacks.
He challenged Donalds over his support from outside groups and repeatedly accused him of being insufficiently independent. He also attacked Donalds over his support from pro-Israel political organizations, at one point referring to him as ‘AIPAC Shakur.’
Then Fishback took the fight offline.
In February, he attempted to confront Donalds at an event at Florida Gulf Coast University where Donalds was speaking. Security prevented Fishback from entering, and the incident became one of the defining spectacles of the primary.
Fishback subsequently accused Donalds of trying to have him arrested and portrayed the confrontation as proof that Donalds was unwilling to face him directly.
The feud erupted again months later at a Republican gathering in Collier County, where Fishback’s campaign workers clashed with local party officials after Fishback was reportedly blocked from entering a speech.
The confrontation produced shouting and physical altercations, adding another chaotic chapter to a primary already overflowing with drama.
Fishback continued demanding that Donalds debate him. Donalds, meanwhile, largely declined to play along.
The frontrunner skipped several events that his opponents used to attack him, while his campaign argued that Donalds had already demonstrated overwhelming support among Republican voters through his polling, fundraising and endorsement from President Donald Trump.
Rather than allow the primary to become a personality contest with Fishback, he kept returning to his own agenda — affordability, property insurance, healthcare, immigration, taxes, education and public safety — while emphasizing Trump’s endorsement.
Donalds entered the primary with a political operation that was difficult for any rival to match.
President Donald Trump had given him his complete and total endorsement in February 2025, calling him a ‘TRULY GREAT and POWERFUL Governor for Florida.’
Trump was joined by a long list of prominent Republicans, including Donald Trump Jr., the late Charlie Kirk, Elon Musk, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senator Rick Scott and Senator Ted Cruz.
Governor Ron DeSantis was noticeably absent from endorsing Donalds, a result of his resentment over Donalds’ snub during his own 2024 presidential race.
The financial gap between the candidates was just as striking.
Donalds and his affiliated political operation entered 2026 having already raised roughly $45 million, and the fundraising only accelerated as the primary approached.
By the summer, his campaign said the operation had surpassed $90 million, and later reports put the combined total above $100 million heading into primary day.
That money allowed Donalds to blanket Florida, spending a whopping $3.7 million in advertising and building a massive statewide organization while Fishback struggled to break through.
Donalds’ campaign spent heavily on television and digital advertising in the final stretch and touted an extensive field operation designed to turn his polling advantage into votes.
