Rep. Byron Donalds announces his candidacy for governor of Florida

Rep. Byron Donalds made his candidacy for Florida governor official days after President Donald Trump announced his endorsement on the social network Truth last Thursday.

In an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Donalds praised the work of current Gov. Ron DeSantis, who cannot seek re-election in 2026, and said it is time to ensure that Florida remains the best state in the country.

"We have a great governor - Ron DeSantis has done a tremendous job for our state. Now, the job is to keep the best state in the country," Donalds said. "I joined the Tea Party movement, was in the conservative movement, 4 years in the state legislature, 4 years in Congress - now is the time to take the mantle and lead our state into the future."

Donalds' announcement promises to generate conflict within the Republican Party in Florida. The state ceased to be pendulous under Trump's national leadership and, especially, the local management of DeSantis, who became one of the most popular governors in the country throughout his last two terms.

In fact, ahead of the 2024 presidential race, DeSantis had claimed a big win in the 2022 midterm elections, building momentum to challenge Trump in the Republican primary.

However, Trump swept DeSantis, ridiculing him in front of the media and comfortably winning a primary that really wasn't competitive.

After improving their relationship following the primaries, the president and the governor are again at odds over Donalds candidacy.

While Trump adamantly endorsed Donalds, DeSantis suggested Monday that his wife, Casey DeSantis, might be a good successor, asserting that the representative has not been part of his accomplishments against the Floridian left.

“My view is Donald Trump just got into office. I want these congressmen focused on enacting his agenda. They haven’t done very much yet," DeSantis told reporters when asked if he planned to endorse Rep. Donalds.

"They’re not putting his executive orders into place. We’ll see what they do on the spending, but we have such a narrow majority that to be trying to campaign other places and missing these votes, I think, is not something that’s advisable at all," the governor continued, before criticizing Donalds.

“The reality is we’ve achieved victories in Florida. We need to start achieving those victories up there,” DeSantis said. “I think people look at it and say you’ve got a guy like Byron, he just hasn’t been a part of any of the victories that we’ve had here over the left over these last years. He’s just not been a part of it. He’s been in other states campaigning doing that and that’s fine, but OK, then deliver results up there.”

According to AP, DeSantis also told reporters that his wife Casey has the "intestinal fortitude and the dedication to conservative principles" that would make her a suitable successor.

"Anything we've accomplished, she'd be able to take to the next level," he concluded.