Jamaican-American Rep. Byron Donalds announces bid for Florida governor

U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, a Brooklyn-born politician of Jamaican and Panamanian heritage, announced his intention to run for governor of Florida in 2026, backed by an early endorsement from U.S. President Donald Trump.

If successful, Donalds would become Florida’s first Black governor and the first governor of Caribbean descent. Donalds grew up in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, and has frequently highlighted his heritage throughout his political career.

Donalds, 46, graduated from Nazareth Regional High School in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, before attending Florida A&M University and transferring to Florida State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and marketing in 2002. He began his professional career in 2003 as a credit analyst at TIB Bank, rising to senior credit analyst and commercial credit manager roles before leaving in 2007. Donalds later worked as a portfolio manager at CMG Surety LLC and became a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors in 2015.

His political career began after his involvement in the Tea Party movement. In 2012, Donalds ran for the U.S. House in Florida’s 19th Congressional District but finished fifth out of six candidates. He was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2016, where he chaired the Insurance and Banking Subcommittee. In 2020, he won a seat in the U.S. House, representing Florida’s 19th Congressional District.