Political | Process

“Congratulations, Byron! You certainly have my full support,” the billionaire SpaceX leader Elon Musk wrote on Twitter Nov. 13.

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“His endorsement reflects the momentum behind our campaign’s mission to make the American Dream more achievable in Florida by lowering costs for families, cutting taxes, unleashing innovation, and putting the future back in the hands of the American people, not government bureaucracy,”

“Together, we will deliver bold, America First leadership for Florida and ensure our state continues to lead the nation in freedom, economic growth, and opportunity for every family.”

Elon Musk joins President Donald Trump, who urged Donalds, a Brooklyn-born banker, to enter the race long before Donalds had announced his intention to try for the seat (Gov. Ron DeSantis will hit his term limit and he can’t run in 2026).

I arrived in the Sunshine State at 17 years old on a Greyhound bus, with a trunk full of clothes and a dream. Now is the time to keep the best state in the country as the best state in the country. Tonight, I am proud to announce my candidacy to be the next governor of Florida,” Donalds added.

Musk adds to the long list of influential supporters to back Donalds’s campaign ahead of the 2026 elections, including influential Republicans such as Trump, Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), Randy Fine (R-FL), Florida state Rep. Meg Weinberger, and Florida Commissioner of the City of Sweetwater Ian Vallecillo.

Donalds picked up the endorsement of 12 more sheriffs on Wednesday, bringing his total support of Florida’s top law enforcement officers to 28.

“As Governor, he’ll stand with the men and women on the front lines, defend our freedoms, and make sure Florida remains a state where law and order prevail. I’m proud to stand with Byron Donalds for Governor,” Baker County Sheriff Scotty Rhoden said in a statement the Donalds for Governor campaign shared with the Washington Examiner. 

Musk — the Tesla CEO worth $488 billion — was influential at the beginning of Trump’s second administration, spearheading DOGE’s fight to eliminate “waste, fraud, and abuse” during his volunteer role. 

Musk was also influential in the 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court elections, spending nearly $20 million in an attempt to elect conservative candidate Brad Schimel. 

Donalds is running in a crowded primary field to replace termed-out DeSantis, featuring Florida lawmaker Paul Renner and Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett, with DeSantis ally James Fishback expected to announce his bid in the coming days.