Byron Donalds has raised $148 million with major support from the tech industry as he campaigns to turn Florida into a global financial capital. However, with 68 percent of Floridians opposing local facilities, David Jolly is leveraging conservative skepticism of artificial intelligence and Big Tech surveillance to propose a one-year building moratorium. Donalds has pushed back against project bans by noting his running mate sponsored legislation requiring data centers to pay for their utility usage. Furthermore, Donalds emphasizes that final permitting power rests strictly with local municipalities rather than the governor's office.
Key points
Local opposition to tech infrastructure has complicated Byron Donalds' pro-industry platf…: Local opposition to tech infrastructure has complicated Byron Donalds' pro-industry platform in an unexpectedly competitive gubernatorial election.
David Jolly aims to win over conservative voters by emphasizing surveillance fears and en…: David Jolly aims to win over conservative voters by emphasizing surveillance fears and environmental hazards tied to data centers.
Byron Donalds insists that the governor cannot ban facilities because local governments r…: Byron Donalds insists that the governor cannot ban facilities because local governments retain the authority to issue building permits.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
Patti Zirhut, a lifelong Republican, has been studying her ballot for weeks. Zirhut eagerly voted for President Donald Trump in 2016, 2020, and 2024, but she isn’t toeing the party line this year. “My ballot is all mixed up,” she says. She’s voting for some Republicans, some independents, and even a few Democrats. Zirhut remains undecided on a few races, but of one thing she is absolutely certain: “I will not vote for Byron Donalds,” she tells me. “No way will I ever vote for him.”
Could data center backlash flip Florida?
Bipartisan outrage has been growing for months — but Republicans’ many advantages could still help them win.
Could data center backlash flip Florida?
Bipartisan outrage has been growing for months — but Republicans’ many advantages could still help them win.
Donalds, the Republican nominee in Florida’s gubernatorial election, has Trump’s endorsement, the party’s backing, and $148 million in campaign funds, much of it from the tech industry. It’s this latest point that particularly rankles Zirhut, an organizer with a group called No Data Center Hernando County, whose purpose…
Beijing is leveraging state visits and regional missions to safeguard vital trade and energy routes disrupted by Middle East hostilities. As an importer exposed to transit bottlenecks in the Strait of Hormuz, the Chinese government is pressing Washington and Tehran toward dialogue while insulating its maritime supply lines. Strengthening ties with Gulf nations offers a strategic buffer against great-power rivalries.
Beijing is stepping up diplomatic interventions as escalating military threats, including recent warnings of strikes from U.S. President Donald Trump, jeopardize vital shipping lanes and energy infrastructure. Chinese officials met with regional representatives to push pragmatic, non-military solutions to protect commercial interests after eight months of conflict sparked by U.S.-Israeli strikes.
Tehran has tied the complete reopening of the critical Strait of Hormuz to the removal of American blockades on Iranian ports, leaving a formal proposal with mediators. The diplomatic standoff unfolds amid mounting concerns over potential military strikes by the United States and Israel following upcoming American elections. Meanwhile, attacks on commercial vessels in the vital waterway have surged to their highest monthly level since March.