In brief

• Republican Byron Donalds won Florida's gubernatorial election over Democrat David Jolly by about 1.25 percentage points.
• Donalds, backed early by Trump, will become the first Black governor in Florida's history.
• He takes office in January, succeeding the term-limited Ron DeSantis, and keeps the state under Republican control.

Election result

Donalds defeated Democrat David Jolly by about 1.25 percentage points, according to the Associated Press, with 98% of votes counted (Byron Donalds gana en Florida y consolida el control republicano tras la era DeSantis – EL PAÍS). The result keeps the governor's office in Republican hands and extends the party's control of state government after the tenure of Ron DeSantis.

Trump's role and historic significance

Donalds, a U.S. representative, received Trump's endorsement during the campaign, which was among the factors that shaped the Republican primary field (Republican Byron Donalds wins governor's race in Florida – NPR) (Trump-endorsed Republican Byron Donalds wins Florida race for governor – The Guardian). His victory makes him the first Black person to hold the office of governor in Florida (Tuesday’s elections bring historic first for Black governors – NBCNews.com).

A narrower margin than recent Republican races

The contest was closer than many Florida Republican races in recent cycles and kept the outcome uncertain for part of the evening. The same election night also produced a historic first for Black governors in another state.

What comes next

Donalds will take office in January, succeeding DeSantis, who is term-limited. His administration will inherit a state government that Republicans have controlled for more than two decades, with a legislature under the same party's leadership.