TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — The Republican primary for Florida governor has already stirred the political pot, with the Democratic race on the road to do the very same.
Governor Ron DeSantis is approaching the end of his final term with elections set for November 2026, and the race to replace him is only intensifying for both Republicans and Democrats.
As of Sept. 16, the state has three front runners. On the Republican side, President Donald Trump endorsed Byron Donalds and former House Speaker Paul Renner.
As for Democrats, its David Jolly.
But there’s now speculation of future candidates in both parties teasing at possible bids, with eyes traveling down the I-4 corridor speculating whether Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings is next on the list.
Folks are already looking at a possible historic day for Floridians, if the Republican and Democratic front-runners end up being Donalds and Demings.
“This would be historic if you have Byron Donalds, if he wins the Republican primary, going against Jerry Demings, if he wins the Democratic primary, and the state of Florida having the top of the gubernatorial ticket being two men who are black,” said Political Analyst Tara Newsom.
Reporters asked Demings directly whether he plans on throwing his name in the race.
“I’m not saying I’m not going to run for governor. Given these things that have been happening, I just might,” Demings said.
While Demings is normally just a familiar face on the streets of Orange County, he sure has started to make headlines statewide, going head-to-head with Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, who continues call out the county’s excessive spending habits.
“They have been over taxing and overspending by the tune of over $200 million,” Ingoglia said at a press conference in Orlando.
“I think this is turning out to be a really exciting primary for the governor’s seat in the state of Florida, and that’s no surprise considering Florida is a national leader [in] policies and politics right now,” Newsom said.
As for other candidates, former House Speaker Paul Renner launched a new campaign video this week, highlighting his Republican wins coming off of his time working hand-in-hand with DeSantis.
The silence coming out of the governor’s mansion on who he’s endorsing will be key to keep a close eye on in the coming months.
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