Rep. Byron Donalds eyes Florida Governor bid- Jan 18, 2025

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Why isn't Jeanette Nunez running?

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He would make a great governor.

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Only to non-Floridians.

He loves DEI.

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This NW Floridian knows nothing about him. Only thing I could find on him and CRT is that he opposed it. What am I missing?

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He’s a race-card playing lightweight

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Democrats

U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz

Last year, Moskowitz said he was looking into a run for governor in 2026. Among the reasons he said he’d be a fit: He’s shown he can work with Republicans. From 2019 until 2021, Moskowitz was the head of DeSantis' Division of Emergency Management.

In December, CNN reported that Moskowitz was a strong contender to lead the Federal Emergency Management Agency. His office tamped down the speculation following that report, with a spokesperson telling the Times that the link to FEMA was just a “rumor” and that Moskowitz is not leaving Congress. But Moskowitz could still seek Florida’s top job in 2026 if things line up right.

Florida Democratic Party Chairperson Nikki Fried

Fried oversaw the state Democratic Party as it struggled in 2024. Trump romped to victory, and Democrats won few of their targeted legislative races.

The former agriculture commissioner is the only Democrat in the rumored potential field who can claim to have won statewide. But she also lost a Democratic gubernatorial primary in 2022.

Fried declined to comment. Before 2026, she’s got another race to run — for another term as the chairperson of the Florida Democratic Party.

State Rep. Fentrice Driskell

The Harvard-educated Tampa-area state representative has led Democrats in the state House since 2022. Had Democrats in 2024 picked up enough seats to break the Republican supermajority in Tallahassee, she would have had a compelling story to tell voters in 2026.

But Democrats instead lost ground. After the elections, two of their reelected members switched to the Republican Party.

In an interview, Driskell said those defections had more to do with those lawmakers' personal ambitions than any flaw in her team’s election planning.

“In terms of what we could control, I thought we ran an extraordinary program,” Driskell said, saying that Democrats largely held ground in a tough national environment.

Driskell is still considering a 2026 run, she said. But like many Democrats, she’s keeping an eye on the political environment before making any plans.

State Sen. Shevrin Jones

Jones, of Miami Gardens, has Tallahassee experience and is from a part of the state crucial to Democrats' future electoral hopes.

The state senator was the chairperson of the party in Miami-Dade as Republicans romped to victory there. Trump carried the county by 12 points — a historic low for Democrats. In an interview, Jones said his party is in need of major recalibration ahead of 2026.

“I won’t take anything off the table,” Jones said of a 2026 run. “Whoever is considering running for governor specifically on the Democratic ticket, it cannot be done traditionally. It cannot be a traditional run, it cannot be traditional messaging.”

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine-Cava

The mayor of Miami-Dade County won reelection over a large field with 58% of the vote in August. She’s proven she knows how to get votes in South Florida, which any Democrat will have to demonstrate in 2026.

But it’s not clear she’s interested in running for governor. A political spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment about Levine-Cava’s future.

State Sen. Jason Pizzo

The state senator who represents part of Broward and Miami-Dade also leads the Democrats in his chamber. Don’t be surprised if he mounts a run for governor. He’s already talking smack to a potential Republican candidate.

On Tuesday, after the Times published a story about Gaetz exploring a run, Pizzo posted it to X with a line of commentary.

“I will kick his arse,” Pizzo wrote.

Big name wild cards

Casey DeSantis

There’s still no indication that Florida’s first lady wants the job held by her husband. But the DeSantis family is a potent political force. If she decided to run, the voters would probably respond.

Attorney John Morgan

The high-powered lawyer has floated a run for governor before. He’s doing it again.

In an interview with the Times on Thursday, Morgan said that if he were to run, he’d do so under a new party, the “People’s Party.”

“When you take the ‘D’ and ‘R’ away from the issue, most of us agree on most things,” Morgan said.

Morgan said he’s not sure he’s got the stomach or the energy for elections. But now that he’s largely stepped back from his law firm, Morgan & Morgan, he wants to do something to give back to Florida. That could mean a foray into politics.

He’s got a lot of money, and people know his name. Morgan is one to watch.

But for now, he’s on his way to Maui to mull his future.

“I’m going to go there and smoke dope and drink tequila and think,” Morgan said.

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Jared Moskowitz

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This NW Floridian knows nothing about him. Only thing I could find on him and CRT is that he opposed it. What am I missing?

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