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Governors

Casey DeSantis Trails Byron Donalds in Republican Primary Race for Florida Governor

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A new poll of Florida Republican voters shows Casey DeSantis trailing Byron Donalds in the gubernatorial primary election, although she leads by 3 percentage points when the entire Republican base is considered. The University of North Florida's Public Opinion Research Lab (PORL) conducted the survey of nearly 800 active Florida Republicans, which revealed a 15-point lead for Donalds among Republicans who voted in the 2022 primary election. The survey also found that negative media coverage of DeSantis's Hope Florida initiative has not resonated with the GOP base, with two-thirds of respondents indicating they had never heard of the foundation.

Key Takeaways:

  • Casey DeSantis trails Byron Donalds in the Republican primary election, with 32% of respondents supporting DeSantis and 29% supporting Donalds, according to the University of North Florida's Public Opinion Research Lab (PORL) survey.
  • Donalds leads DeSantis by 15 points among Republicans who voted in the 2022 primary election.
  • 63% of GOP respondents have never heard of the Hope Florida Foundation, while 23% have a favorable opinion of the organization.
  • 63% of Florida Republicans support eliminating property taxes for homeowners, while 58% oppose a potential 2026 ballot measure legalizing recreational cannabis.
  • The survey found that President Trump's endorsement of Donalds has grown his lead over DeSantis, with some polls showing a 22-point gap between the two candidates.
  • Casey DeSantis has refused to announce whether she will seek the nomination, despite facing negative media coverage regarding her Hope Florida initiative.
  • The poll was conducted between July 14-22, with a margin of error of +/-3.9%.

Statistics:

  • 797 active Florida Republicans were polled in the survey.
  • 63% of respondents had never heard of the Hope Florida Foundation.
  • 23% of respondents had a favorable opinion of the Hope Florida Foundation.
  • 58% of respondents opposed a potential 2026 ballot measure legalizing recreational cannabis.
  • 63% of respondents supported eliminating property taxes for homeowners.

Sources:

  • University of North Florida's Public Opinion Research Lab (PORL)
  • Florida Phoenix article: "Byron Donalds Continues to Lead All Florida Republicans in 2026 Gubernatorial Poll"
  • Florida Phoenix article: "Report: Tallahassee Prosecutor Investigating Hope Florida Foundation"

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