Republicans Express Concerns Over Upcoming Elections in Florida

<figure><img alt="US President Donald Trump speaks with the media prior to departing from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, May 1, 2026. Trump is going to Florida to speak at an event at The Villages and to attend the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches dinner. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)" src="https://thedailybeast-thedailybeast-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/resizer/v2/WKOM47CUUZDBPAD7WFBGIZM77A.jpg?auth=d3bf7e621b1a0655ec5da3833508f540509253e4d44ea54a45c3f4d272994a7d&amp;smart=true&amp;width=3259&amp;height=1833" /><figcaption>SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images</figcaption></figure><p>Republicans in Florida are expressing unease as polling indicates that the traditionally Republican state may be competitive for Democrats in key races. </p><p>Former Republican Representative Carlos Curbelo stated that the party is “bracing for the worst” in the state that President Donald Trump won by 13 points in the 2024 election.</p><p>Curbelo, who lost his House seat during a significant Democratic wave in the midterm elections of Trump’s first term, noted similarities to the political climate eight years ago.</p><p>“It’s definitely 2018 vibes out there,” he said. “A lot of former colleagues are bracing for the worst.”</p><p>While Curbelo does not anticipate a complete loss for Florida Republicans, he acknowledged that the situation is becoming increasingly challenging for the party.</p><p>“I still bet on Republicans holding the governor’s mansion, but it’s going to be more competitive than people could have anticipated just a few months ago,” he added.</p><p>Concerns are also being voiced by Republican state Senator Don Gaetz, father of former congressman Matt Gaetz. </p><p>“Anybody who is on the ballot ought to be concerned if they have a Democratic opponent,” he told Politico.</p><p>Decision Desk HQ recently categorized the Florida gubernatorial race—between Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, who received an early endorsement from Trump, and Democrat David Jolly—as a “toss-up.” This designation follows a month after the Cook Political Report shifted the race from “solidly Republican” to “lean Republican,” indicating a rapid decline in GOP prospects.</p><p>This shift was unexpected last January when Trump returned to Washington after winning every swing state and Florida by nearly 1.5 million votes.</p><p>Trump officially endorsed Donalds for governor on February 20, 2025, when a YouGov poll indicated Trump’s approval rating at 50 percent. Currently, amid ongoing conflicts and rising gas prices in Florida, the latest YouGov survey shows his approval rating has dropped to 33 percent.</p><p>In recent weeks, some Florida Republicans have distanced themselves from Trump and the MAGA movement. Donalds has removed references to Trump from his campaign website, despite a campaign official asserting that Trump’s endorsement is highly valuable.</p><p>Florida Representative Maria Elvira Salazar has been more explicit in her distancing, criticizing Trump’s immigration policies in a recent campaign ad.</p><p>It remains uncertain whether the current momentum will lead to actual victories for Democrats in Florida, a state known for its Republican leanings. Analysts have pointed to Republican Governor Ron DeSantis’ redistricting efforts, intended to secure more congressional seats for the GOP, as potentially backfiring by diluting Republican votes, a phenomenon described by Florida Politics publisher Peter Schorsch as a “Dummymander.”</p><p>“I don’t think we are dead yet,” a GOP county chair in Florida told Politico. “We are not on life support. But we are hemorrhaging. The question is: Do we stop the bleeding now, or wait until we reach critical conditions?”</p>