Byron Donalds faces tighter race among Latino voters in Florida governor contest

A new Florida poll shows Democrat David Jolly leading Republican Byron Donalds among Latino voters, while Donalds maintains a statewide advantage.

Republican U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds is facing a more competitive picture among Latino voters than the statewide numbers suggest as Florida prepares for its 2026 gubernatorial election. An N+ Univision/YouGov poll conducted October 2–15 found that Donalds led Democrat David Jolly statewide, but Jolly held a five-point advantage among Latino voters.

According to the poll reported by Yahoo News, Byron Donalds received support from 50% of registered Florida voters, compared with 42% for Jolly. Among Latino respondents, however, Jolly led with 48% support to Donalds’ 43%, while 9% remained undecided.

The results also showed differences across other statewide contests. Latino respondents favored Democrats in the U.S. House ballot, 48% to 44%, while the U.S. Senate contest was nearly evenly divided, with Democrats at 45% and Republicans at 44%. The survey included 825 registered Florida voters and a separate oversample of 937 registered Latino voters. Both samples had an approximate four-percentage-point margin of error at a 95% confidence level.

Immigration enforcement emerged as a significant concern in the survey. Fifty-five percent of Latino respondents said federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity had gone too far. That figure included 32% who said the border needed stronger security but objected to subsequent enforcement measures.

Economic concerns were also prominent. Among Latino respondents, 70% disapproved of President Donald Trump’s handling of both the cost of living and gasoline prices. The poll found that 60% of Latino respondents believed the economy was deteriorating. Despite these concerns, Republican support remained substantial among some Latino voter groups. Among Latino respondents who voted for Trump in 2024, 84% said they supported Donalds in the governor’s race.

Preferences also differed by background. Cuban American respondents favored Byron Donalds over Jolly, 51% to 42%, while Puerto Rican respondents favored Jolly, 51% to 35%. Florida’s Latino electorate is not politically uniform. The poll points to differences in candidate preferences by national or regional background, as well as by the office being contested. Immigration policy, household costs and perceptions of the economy are among the issues respondents are weighing.