2026 FL GOV - Donald Trump Jr. & Kimberly Guilfoyle considering early endorsement of Matt Gaetz

[Pollster]

Fentrice Driskell will be the Democratic nominee here, and Gaetz as the Republican nominee probably gives her as clear a shot as possible.

[Pollster]

Fentrice Driskell will be the Democratic nominee here, and Gaetz as the Republican nominee probably gives her as clear a shot as possible.

No, not really.

Look at all of Florida's recent Governors - a son of a former President (Bush), a former Attorney General and State Senator (Crist), a prominent businessman (Scott), and a former Congressman (DeSantis). They are all solid, well known people. Of them, only Rick Scott was relatively obscure, and he had the funds to overcome that.

Nobody knows who Fentrice Driskell is. I barely know anything about her, other than what she looks like and that she's in the legislature or something. Gaetz is a known quantity with a base of support that is more loyal than even DeSantis's 2018 base.

Unless Democrats nominate Niki Fried, then Gaetz is still the frontrunner.

That's all well and good but doesn't really change the reality of what I wrote.

[Pollster]

Fentrice Driskell will be the Democratic nominee here, and Gaetz as the Republican nominee probably gives her as clear a shot as possible.

No, not really.

Look at all of Florida's recent Governors - a son of a former President (Bush), a former Attorney General and State Senator (Crist), a prominent businessman (Scott), and a former Congressman (DeSantis). They are all solid, well known people. Of them, only Rick Scott was relatively obscure, and he had the funds to overcome that.

Nobody knows who Fentrice Driskell is. I barely know anything about her, other than what she looks like and that she's in the legislature or something. Gaetz is a known quantity with a base of support that is more loyal than even DeSantis's 2018 base.

Unless Democrats nominate Niki Fried, then Gaetz is still the frontrunner.

That's all well and good but doesn't really change the reality of what I wrote.

Why do you think she's such a shoe-in to be the Dem nominee?

The party has essentially already anointed her - confidence in her is extremely high by Florida Democrat standards and most folks who could run (though not all) have already privately deferred to her. I have not met her personally yet but people I know to be sharp have been impressed.

[Pollster]

Fentrice Driskell will be the Democratic nominee here, and Gaetz as the Republican nominee probably gives her as clear a shot as possible.

No, not really.

Look at all of Florida's recent Governors - a son of a former President (Bush), a former Attorney General and State Senator (Crist), a prominent businessman (Scott), and a former Congressman (DeSantis). They are all solid, well known people. Of them, only Rick Scott was relatively obscure, and he had the funds to overcome that.

Nobody knows who Fentrice Driskell is. I barely know anything about her, other than what she looks like and that she's in the legislature or something. Gaetz is a known quantity with a base of support that is more loyal than even DeSantis's 2018 base.

Unless Democrats nominate Niki Fried, then Gaetz is still the frontrunner.

That's all well and good but doesn't really change the reality of what I wrote.

Why do you think she's such a shoe-in to be the Dem nominee?

The party has essentially already anointed her - confidence in her is extremely high by Florida Democrat standards and most folks who could run (though not all) have already privately deferred to her. I have not met her personally yet but people I know to be sharp have been impressed.

How much would you bet in a prediction market she becomes the nominee? I feel like the Democrat's best chance is to run someone from the Miami area (ie Fried would be a better candidate, as well as DMP).

This is a really good chance at a pickup if DeSantis continues running the state to the ground, especially if Gaetz is the nominee. This race probably will be the one that injects reality to the Republican Party of Florida that they're not invincible.

I'm not a betting man (and some could argue inside trading) so $0. I've also been around long enough to know that nothing in politics is truly set in stone until after it happens

Fwiw I'm not here trying to endorse her candidacy or argue that she's going to win (or even that she's the strongest Dem option), just that internally the party appears clearly set on running her.

[Pollster]

https://twitter.com/scottwongDC/status/1703837755904495846?s=20