Donalds Picks Avila for Lieutenant Governor

Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds has selected State Sen. Bryan Avila as his running mate, announcing the choice Aug. 25 at Miami's Freedom Tower. Avila, who represents Miami Springs in the state Senate, is a captain in the Florida Army National Guard and the son of Cuban immigrants.

The announcement was met with approval from Republican circles. John Meo, chair of the Collier County Republican Executive Committee, called it "an excellent choice," noting Avila's conservatism and geographic balance. "He's a strong conservative and the fact he resides on the east coast is helpful because Byron's here on the west coast," Meo said. He added that Avila's "Hispanic background should help tremendously in securing at least a good portion of the Hispanic vote, so I think it's a great thing."

Avila's Background and Record

Avila, 42, is a nearly 12-year veteran of the Florida Legislature, having served eight years in the House before moving to the upper chamber. He identifies as an American-first conservative and was recognized by the American Conservative Union as the "Most Conservative Member of the Legislature in 2024." In his legislative work, Avila has championed Everglades protection and other environmental causes, introduced legislation to ease the path for combat medics to become nurses, and frequently defended Gov. Ron DeSantis' property tax reforms.

Sean Ewing, assistant professor at Florida Gulf Coast University, highlighted Avila's legislative experience and his role as chairman of the Tax and Finance Committee. Political analyst Susan MacManus suggested Avila could help mend fences between Florida's executive and legislative branches.

Strategic Implications

The choice of the Freedom Tower for the announcement was itself a signal, analysts said. MacManus said the location indicated "that's a very important part of the state for Republicans because then they need to gain back some of the support they've lost recently over ICE." Political data analyst Vanessa Brito said Donalds needed a Hispanic running mate to appeal to the state's majority-heritage voters, a gap he sought to fill with Avila.

Donalds' decision comes after a primary in which he lost to Lt. Gov. Jay Collins in 17 rural counties, though those counties accounted for only 233,000 registered voters. Miami-Dade, where Donalds chose to make the announcement, has 1.29 million registered voters. MacManus also noted that Gov. Ron DeSantis ran with Jeanette Núñez, a Latina, as his running mate.

Democratic Response

Donalds, who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, faces Democrat David Jolly in the general election. Jolly, who won the Democratic nomination and chose Gwen Graham as his running mate, congratulated Donalds on his selection and said the race will come down to Donalds' relationship with Trump.

Ahead of the announcement, speculation had included several other contenders, such as State Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez, State Rep. Meg Weinberger, and U.S. Reps. Kat Cammack and Anna Paulina Luna. Brito had called Luna an "epic pick" but more of a "make-a-wish prediction."

Avila submitted his resignation letter to DeSantis on Aug. 25, writing that it had been "an honor and privilege to serve the people of Senate District 39."