U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds leads Florida’s 2026 Republican gubernatorial primary by double digits in every tested ballot scenario, according to a new survey of likely GOP primary voters.
The poll, conducted Jan. 4–6 by Fabrizio, Lee & Associates among 600 likely Republican primary voters, shows Donalds at 39% in a four-way contest against Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis, who is not a candidate, at 26%, with James Fishback at 3% and former House Speaker Paul Renner at 1%. Thirty-one percent of respondents said they were undecided.
In a separate four-way matchup that included Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins, Donalds’ support increased to 45%, compared with 6% for Collins, 4% for Fishback, and 3% for Renner. Forty-one percent of voters in that scenario were undecided. In a three-way race, Donalds polled at 47%, while Fishback received 5% and Renner 4%, with 43% undecided.
The survey also measured the impact of President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Among respondents who said they were aware of the endorsement, Donalds’ support rose to between 68% and 76% depending on the ballot, while support for DeSantis, Collins, Fishback, and Renner remained in the low double or single digits.
When voters were informed during the poll that Trump had endorsed Donalds, his share increased by 9 to 14 percentage points across the tested scenarios. In a head-to-head informed ballot against Casey DeSantis, Donalds’ support increased from 39% to 48%, while DeSantis declined from 26% to 21%.
The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points.