Florida gubernatorial candidate makes his pitch in Sarasota

U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Naples, who announced three months ago he is running for governor of Florida in 2026, says the Sunshine State is already pretty great. His goal, he told a crowd of business leaders Friday at Michael’s on East in Sarasota, is to make it even better. 

“We have to continue to build from what Governor Scott and Governor DeSantis have done in making this a great state,” Donalds said. “We have the opportunity to become the financial capital of the world. When I’m done being governor of Florida, I want people to say you cannot do business in the western hemisphere without coming through Florida.” 

Donalds was the featured speaker at a Meet the Minds luncheon put on by the Argus Foundation, a Sarasota-based pro-business civic organization. In what was part stump speech, part life biography, Donalds said despite his time in Congress and before that the Florida House, he considers himself a businessperson more than a politician.