Republican Byron Donalds has significantly reduced the visibility of Donald Trump's endorsement on his Florida gubernatorial campaign website. This shift occurs as recent polling indicates a tightening contest between Donalds and Democratic challenger David Jolly .
From "Trump Endorsed" to "Fighting for the Florida Dream"
The Byron Donalds campaign has undergone a visible digital transformation, moving away from heavy reliance on Donald Trump's brand. As reported by the Miami Herald, a September 3 screen grab showed a website heavily featuring Trump's endorsement, including a red banner and a direct quote from the former president. The previous iteration of the site included a photograph of Donalds with his wife, Erika Donalds, alongside the phrase "Trump-Endorsed Proven Conservative Fighter."
By September 22, the site had transitioned to a slogan focused on "Fighting to defend the Florida dream," with Trump's endorsement now appearing alongside names like Elon Musk and House Speaker Mike Johnson. The updated page includes no photograph of Trump, and while references to the president remain, they are notably less dominant than the five distinct references found on the earlier version of the homepage.
A statistical tie between Donalds and Jolly
Recent polling suggests the Florida gubernatorial race is far more competitive than the state's Republican lean might imply. A St. Pete Polls survey for Florida Politics found a statistical tie, placing Donalds at 44 percent and Democrat David Jolly at 43 percent. While the James Madison Institute reported Donalds leading 45 percent to 38 percent, a Change Research poll indicated Jolly held a 3-point advantage , 47 percent to 44 percent.
Even a University of North Florida poll, which showed Donalds up by 5 points, highlights how narrow the margins have become in this contest. These fluctuations suggest that the race is no longer a guaranteed Republican stronghold, despite Florida's recent conservative shifts in previous election cycles.
The Kentucky and California pattern of distancing
Byron Donalds is not the only Republican attempting to navigate a changing political landscape by de-emphasizing Donald Trump. According to reports from Louisville Public Media and The Sacramento Bee, Representative Andy Barr in Kentucky and Representative Young Kim in Southern California have also removed Trump references from their respective campaign websites. This movement toward independence is echoed by other high-profile Republicans.
Representative María Elvira Salazar in Miami-Dade has become increasingly critical of Trump, noting that 50 percent of 50,000 detainees had no criminal record.. Similarly,Representative Ashley Hinson in Iowa recently broke with the former president over the Iran war and rising fuel prices. These shifts suggest a broader strategic realignment among GOP candidates facing uncertain electoral math.
Will Trump's 29% approval rating haunt the GOP?
The primary question remains whether Donalds can successfully decouple his image from a president whose popularity is currently in flux. An American Research Poll recently found Trump's approval rating at a low of 29 percent,with 68 percent of respondents expressing disapproval. Other data, such as a YouGov and The Economist poll, placed his approval at 35 percent.
While the Donalds campaign dismisses the website changes as "fake news" and insists they are focusing on affordability and insurance costs, the central tension is whether a heavy Trump association will alienate the moderate voters needed to secure Florida. The campaign maintains that Jolly has "zero substance," but the tightening polls suggest the electorate is looking for more than just partisan rhetoric.
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