Trump’s chosen heir Byron Donalds survives massive scare in Florida as ex-Republican nearly pulls off upset

Byron Donalds defeated David Jolly in a closely fought Florida governor’s race, becoming the state’s first Black governor and the first Black Republican elected governor in the United States. The narrow result gives Donald Trump a loyal ally in the nation’s third-largest state, but the unexpectedly tight contest raised questions about the strength of Trump’s influence and Republican support.

With 98 per cent of votes counted, Donalds had 50 per cent to Jolly’s 49 per cent, and the Associated Press called the race shortly after 9pm Eastern time. Donalds raised nearly $150 million, compared with about $22 million for Jolly, and had backing from Trump, Ron DeSantis and Rick Scott; Jolly, a former Republican congressman who switched parties, was endorsed by Barack Obama and campaigned with Bill Clinton. Both candidates focused on affordability, while Jolly also called for a halt to new data centre construction.