By Kate Plummer

Copyright newsweek

The Democratic Party’s chances of winning Florida‘s next gubernatorial election have increased, a new poll has indicated.

According to polling by The James Madison Institute (JMI), Florida GOP Representative Byron Donalds, who announced in February that he would run for Governor, has seen his lead on former Republican Congressman David Jolly, a Donald Trump critic who became a Democrat in April, decrease from 8 percentage points to 4. This narrowing lead suggests support for Jolly is growing.

The JMI Poll gave Donalds a 36 to 32 percentage points lead over Jolly. Earlier this month, a poll published by the AIF Center for Political Strategy had Donalds leading Jolly by 49 to 41 percent.

Newsweek contacted representatives for Donalds and Jolly by email to comment on this story outside of normal business hours.

This is a developing story. More to follow.

Left: David Jolly. Right: Byron Donalds speaks at Latino Wall Street CPAC Latino Conference 2025.