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Official portrait of Byron Donalds

Byron Donalds

Republican · FL Governor MIXED RECORD
Outside AI PAC Money: $3.00M

Position on Hyperscale Data Centers

  • Evolved from an enthusiastic booster touting Florida's “pristine land available to use” (Local10) into a cautious local-control advocate as public backlash over rising electric bills intensified.
  • Retreated to a municipal-deference stance, stating that “county commissioners issue building permits, not governors” (ftw.usatoday), while warning developers that “if you don't protect our ratepayers and you don't protect our water, you are not building a data center” (Local10).
  • Under scrutiny from Mother Jones, which revealed his personal stock portfolio includes AI-industry holdings, alongside reports from Florida Bulldog detailing disclosure inaccuracies.
  • Backed by $3,000,000 in outside television ad spending from American Mission Florida, funded via OpenAI-aligned Leading the Future donor networks (WUSF).

Verified Quotes & Evidence

"That's a signal to the business community that this is not a place to invest capital. This is not a place to invest in businesses... utility rates in our state will not go up for ratepayers, and we require water permits for these centers so that we protect Florida's aquifers."
Date: 2026-10-15
→ Source: FOX 13 Tampa Bay
"County commissioners issue building permits, not governors."
Date: 2026-10-19
→ Source: USA TODAY Network
"To the people who might want to build them, if you don't protect our ratepayers and you don't protect our water, you are not building a data center, and that is my position."
Date: 2026-09-22
→ Source: Local10 News