WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida Republican Rep. Byron Donalds has been telling potential donors and Florida politicians that he will run for governor in 2026, the clearest signal yet that he The much-anticipated campaign is moving forward.

Donalds, who represents Southwest Florida, has long been rumored to be considering a campaign to replace term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis, but those rumors have increased in recent days. Last weekend, at the state Republican convention in Orlando, Donald sponsored a hospitality suite and told people he was running.

Over the past week, he has sent clearer signals in a series of meetings with major lobbyists and political donors.

The account of Donald's preparations comes from five sources familiar with the meeting and his thinking.

"He was in town (Tallahassee) meeting everyone you need to meet. He told them he was in," said a source who met with Donald. “This is the step any candidate takes when preparing to run for governor.”

"I am fully focused on helping President Trump pass his America First agenda. Florida will be proud to lead the way," Donald told NBC News.

republican The field to replace DeSantis was once considered to have five or six candidates, but state Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis is running for Congress and state Attorney General Ashley Moody is likely to be appointed to fill the presidential vacancy. Senate seat vacated by Rubio. The field of candidates to elect Donald Trump as Secretary of State has narrowed significantly.

The two most prominent Republicans currently considering running are Donald and state Agriculture Committee member Wilton Simpson, a former president of the state Senate.

The Tampa Bay Times first reported that former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, who most recently anchored the conservative television network OAN, has also publicly said he is considering a run.

"Florida needs a governor who can break the hold the insurance companies have on Tallahassee. I can do that, so that's something Ginger and I are considering," Gates said in a message to NBC News , he was referring to his wife.

Simpson's team did not respond to a request for comment.

Donald is considered a close ally of Trump and a mainstay on cable news channels, giving him high profile and the ability to raise significant out-of-state funding. But Simpson is a veteran of Florida politics and already has $30 million in the bank, making him a strong potential candidate.

The upcoming nationally watched Republican gubernatorial primary will almost certainly hinge on one thing: Trump.

Florida, where Trump lives, has become a solidly red state after years of Republican rule, and Trump won by nearly 15 percentage points. He is seen as the biggest kingmaker in Florida politics, including the upcoming midterm gubernatorial race.

Simpson has a long-standing relationship with Trump's incoming White House chief of staff, Suzy Wells, as does Donald. Donald is considered to have a closer direct relationship with Trump after serving as one of his most outspoken allies and closest congressional confidants in 2024.

Additionally, Donalds has hired one of Florida's top advisers, Ryan Smith, a former business partner of Trump's 2024 campaign political director James Blair who will now serve as a senior administration official officials.

In addition to Smith, Donald is working with Brad Herold, a veteran of Florida Republican politics who was one of DeSantis' top early advisers in his 2018 gubernatorial campaign. Donald also hired Tony Fabrizio, one of DeSantis' top advisers. Trump pollster and fundraiser Megan McKinley has worked for Rubio and Indiana Sen. Todd Young, the former chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

While the field has been narrowed, DeSantis himself is viewed as a potential wild card.

His relationship with Donald was once so close that Donald introduced DeSantis and his family at a 2022 re-election night party. However, the two quickly fell out after Donald endorsed Trump in the Republican presidential primary. DeSantis has never had a close relationship with Simpson, making him unlikely to support him.

In an effort to find a candidate he can formally support, DeSantis may tap Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez, her alma mater, Florida International University, two people familiar with the thinking said as chancellor, and her successor is considered DeSantis' top choice. Running for governor to replace him.

There is not yet a shortlist of candidates.

There's no timetable for when Donald or any other candidate will officially run, but there are concerns he'll leave Congress prematurely given the slim Republican majority in the House.

Any announced timeline could depend in part on the conclusion of two special congressional races in Florida, Gaetz's resignation from the House and Trump's selection of Rep. Mike Walz as his national security adviser. Patronis and state Rep. Randy Fine are each favored in the race for these Republican-leaning seats.

Special elections for both seats are scheduled for April 1.