Florida voters will be heading to the polls in 2026 to elect a governor for the first time in eight years.
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With Ron DeSantis leaving office due to term limits, the state’s voters will have a crowded field to choose from with more than two dozen candidates running to replace him.
Florida’s primary will take place on Aug. 18, followed by the state’s general election on Nov. 3.
Here’s a look at the candidates running for the Republican nomination:
Jay Collins
Collins was appointed as DeSantis’ lieutenant governor in 2025, after serving in the Florida State Senate beginning in 2022.
He was in the U.S. Army for about 23 years before retiring in 2018. A Green Beret, Collins was deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and South America and was wounded in battle, leading to his leg being amputated years later. He also received the Purple Heart.
His campaign website said he’s running “to keep Florida free, safe, and prosperous.”
Byron Donalds
Donalds worked in finance as a credit analyst and portfolio manager before he was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2016.
He has been a member of the U.S. House of Representatives since 2021, and is endorsed by President Donald Trump.
His campaign website said he is “committed to implementing President Trump’s agenda to Make America Great Again.”
James Fishback
Fishback, from Davie, is a former research analyst for a hedge fund and founder of an investment management firm.
A political newcomer, Fishback has clashed with other candidates and has drawn criticism for his outspokenness.
“I am fighting to make life in Florida a little easier and a lot more affordable,” Fishback’s campaign website says.
Jim Holcomb
According to his website, Holcomb is a retired firefighter who served Orlando for almost 30 years.
He also worked as a teacher and previously ran for an Orange County Commission seat.
“I have a long history of building, educating and repairing things under pressure. As governor I will work towards repairing what is broken in Florida,” Holcomb says on his campaign website.
Arthur Joseph McCaffrey
McCaffrey appears to have no website or social media presence. The Tampa Bay Times reported he’s a retired computer repair business owner with an interesting past.
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Daniel Nokovich
Nokovich’s campaign website describes him as “a faith-driven, constitutionally grounded Republican running for Governor of Florida. He is not controlled by party machines or special interests — only by his faith, his family, and his commitment to the people of Florida.”
Paul Renner
Renner is a U.S. Navy veteran who served in Afghanistan before he worked as an assistant state attorney.
He was elected to the Florida House in 2015 and served as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives during the 2022-2024 term.
“As a veteran of two wars, state prosecutor, and legislator, I’ve fought and won the tough battles for our conservative values, and I am committed to securing Florida’s safety and prosperity for the next generation,” Renner says on his campaign website.
Rachel Rodriguez
Rodriguez is a Cuban-American attorney whose campaign website identifies her as a “working mom” and “business builder.”
“I don’t want to climb a political ladder. I’m running because Florida families deserve a governor who leads like Christ – self-sacrificing and identifying with their lives—and who will fight for their future,” the website says.
James W. Shaw
According to his website, Shaw spent 20 years in the transportation industry, including as owner and operator of a trucking transportation company.
He’s also a real estate investor and owned and operated three Auntie Anne’s pretzel franchises, the website said.
“My name is James W. Shaw married 44 years, 8 children, 27 grandchildren. I have a lot to protect! I’m in your corner,” his website says.
Caneste Succe
Succe was born in Haiti and moved to Lantana at 18, before working as a aircraft mechanic at Palm Beach International Airport, his website said.
He also worked in the Palm Beach Corrections Department and in the Palm Beach Supervisor of Elections office.
“I am here to serve. I am here to remind you that we are better, stronger, when we are together. And with your support, we will restore agriculture, reform prisons, uplift families, and build a Florida where opportunity is not the privilege of the few, but the promise for all,” he says on his website.
Bobby Williams
Williams is a businessman and founder of a Florida-based food and disaster relief nonprofit, Freedom Tour, which provides meals and food to people in need.
“Florida needs a Governor who already knows the working class struggle, because he has lived close enough to it to act. Bobby is running to protect families, defend freedom, and make sure help reaches people fast when disaster hits,” his website reads.
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