**Miami Herald Breaks Republican Streak with Stunning Jolly Endorsement in Florida Governor’s Race**

In a political earthquake that has sent shockwaves through Florida’s gubernatorial contest, the Miami Herald has endorsed Democrat David Jolly over Republican Byron Donalds for governor. The endorsement marks a significant turning point in one of the nation’s most closely watched races and could reshape the dynamics of a campaign that has already defied expectations.

The Herald’s decision to back Jolly represents a major validation for the former Republican congressman who switched parties to challenge the GOP’s nearly three-decade grip on Florida’s governorship. For a major Florida newspaper to break with the Republican establishment in favor of a party-switcher underscores just how competitive this race has become—and how much is at stake for both parties.

Byron Donalds, the current U.S. Representative who has secured endorsements from both President Donald Trump and former Governor Ron DeSantis, entered this race as the overwhelming favorite. He’s maintained a commanding fundraising advantage and has blanketed Florida airwaves with advertising. Yet recent polling has shown the race tightening considerably, with some surveys putting Donalds’s lead in the single digits and others showing an even closer contest.

The Herald’s endorsement gives Jolly something money can’t easily buy: institutional credibility and a powerful counter-narrative to Republican attacks painting him as a radical leftist. Donalds’s campaign has spent weeks attempting to define Jolly as a socialist who supports extreme progressive policies, despite Jolly’s history as a moderate Republican who represented Florida’s 13th Congressional District before leaving the GOP.

*Timing is everything in politics*, and the Herald’s announcement comes at a critical moment. With early voting underway in some Florida counties and Election Day rapidly approaching, endorsements from major newspapers still carry weight with undecided voters and can influence the crucial persuadable middle that often determines close elections.

For Democrats, the endorsement represents a glimmer of hope in their quest to end 27 years of Republican control of the governor’s mansion. Florida hasn’t elected a Democratic governor since Lawton Chiles won reelection in 1994, and the state has trended increasingly red in recent cycles. A Jolly victory would represent one of the most significant political upsets in modern Florida history.

The Herald’s editorial board likely weighed several factors in making this decision. Jolly’s moderate record, his experience in Congress, and his nuanced positions on Florida-specific issues may have contrasted favorably with Donalds’s more conservative agenda. The endorsement suggests the Herald sees Jolly as better suited to address issues facing South Florida and the state as a whole.

This endorsement won’t single-handedly decide the race—Donalds still holds advantages in funding and Republican voter registration—but it provides crucial momentum for Jolly’s campaign when it matters most. In a state where margins can be razor-thin and every advantage counts, the Miami Herald’s decision to back David Jolly could prove to be one of the defining moments of Florida’s 2026 gubernatorial election.