Byron Donalds Names Bryan Avila as Lieutenant Governor Running Mate

Republican gubernatorial nominee Byron Donalds announced State Senator Bryan Avila as his running mate for lieutenant governor on Tuesday at the Freedom Tower in Miami. The selection of Avila, a Cuban-American captain in the Florida Army National Guard and former speaker pro tempore of the Florida House, is a strategic move to secure Hispanic voters and conservatives in Miami-Dade County.

During the announcement at the historic refugee center, Avila cited his parents' flight from communist Cuba to assert that socialism would never find a home in Florida. The Donalds-Avila ticket is campaigning on a platform of tax cuts, healthcare price transparency, and overhauling insurance and housing affordability.

Endorsed by Donald Trump, Donalds is seeking to become Florida's first Black governor. He will face the Democratic ticket, consisting of former Representative David Jolly and former Representative Gwen Graham, in the general election on November 3. Following the announcement, Jolly congratulated Avila but claimed the outcome of the race would depend on Donalds' relationship with Donald Trump rather than the partnership with Avila.