Why this matters: The same facts for every candidate, in the same order. Where we found nothing for a candidate, the cell says so — that means we didn't find it in public sources, not that it doesn't exist.

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Fact	Byron Donalds	David Jolly	Scott Eckhard Jewett	Charles Burkett	Frank J. Russo	Moliere "Moe" Dimanche	Dean Ocean Abrams	Jeffrey Peter "Dr. Jeff" Datto
Party on the ballot	Republican^1,2,3,4	Democrat^1,2,3,5	Libertarian Party of Florida^1,2,3,6,7	No Party Affiliation^1,2,3,8	No Party Affiliation^1,2,3,9	No Party Affiliation^1,2,3,10	No Party Affiliation^1,2,3,11	No Party Affiliation^1,2,3,12
Status	Open seat¹³	Open seat	Open seat	Open seat	Open seat	Open seat	Open seat	Open seat
Money	Candidates for governor file campaign-finance reports with the state, not the FEC, so this guide doesn't include their fundraising. Search the state's reports: Campaign finance database search — Florida Department of State, Division of Elections.¹⁴
Abortion law	Not found in the public sources we checked	Legal until about 24 weeks, as under Roe v. Wade, and later to protect the woman's life or health His campaign website says that, without federal legislation restoring them, Florida should write the protections of Roe v. Wade and Casey v. Planned Parenthood into state law. Its reproductive freedom page says that would mean replacing Florida's six-week ban with a state law allowing abortion until fetal viability, around 23 to 24 weeks.^15,16	Not found in the public sources we checked	The positions website his campaign names says a woman should have the right to end a pregnancy at any point up to birth, but that doctors would be legally bound to take all reasonable steps to preserve the life of the mother first and then the unborn child, an approach it calls a pro-choice and pro-life hybrid.¹⁷	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Legal only to save the pregnant woman's life His campaign website says he opposes abortion except when medically necessary to save the mother's life, and calls for funded support for mothers, including housing, child care and health care.¹⁸	His campaign website says he stands for life from conception and that his support for banning abortion depends on Florida leading in research, treatment and support for children born with neurological conditions and their families.¹⁹
Mandatory minimum sentences	Not found in the public sources we checked	His campaign website says he would reform rather than abolish mandatory minimum sentences, letting judges weigh individual circumstances through state changes similar to the federal FIRST STEP Act.²⁰	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	His campaign website says mandatory minimum sentences should be reviewed for proportionality.¹⁸	Not found in the public sources we checked
Police funding	Increase police funding, for example to hire more officers His campaign website says he would offer hiring bonuses and competitive salaries to bring top police officers, sheriff's deputies and first responders to Florida.²¹	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	The positions website his campaign names calls for zero tolerance for crime and high-quality, fully funded policing.¹⁷	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked
Books in school libraries	His campaign website says that in the Florida House he passed what it calls a first-in-the-nation bill allowing parents and community members to review instructional materials in schools.²²	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	His campaign website says sexually explicit material does not belong in K-12 libraries under a written, age-based standard, with decisions made by district committees that include parents and librarians, and that books should not be removed because of their ideas.¹⁸	Not found in the public sources we checked
State K-12 school funding	Not found in the public sources we checked	Increase state funding for public schools His campaign website says Florida should sharply increase investment in public schools, including higher teacher pay.¹⁵	Not found in the public sources we checked	Reduce state school funding or slow its growth His campaign website says school spending should be cut by 5% to 10%, with the savings going to property owners.²³	His campaign website says he wants to raise Florida's average teacher salary to at least $75,000, using state reserves as a bridge rather than new taxes at first, and to move money from administration to classrooms.^24,25,26	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	His campaign website says he would prioritize investment in traditional public schools, including teacher pay and smaller classes where possible, and would abolish charter schools by bringing them into the state public school system.^19,27
Vouchers and education savings accounts	His campaign website says education money should follow the student so parents can choose their child's school, and lists leading the effort to enact Hope Scholarships in the Florida House among his accomplishments.^22,28	Offer them only to some students, such as those from low-income families or with disabilities His campaign website says the state's private school voucher program should be limited by income to families with economic need, and that schools taking vouchers should meet public school standards, provide the same specialized services and not charge extra tuition.¹⁵	Make them available to every family His campaign website says education funding should follow each student to the family's choice of public, charter, private or home school, and that choice should be open to every parent.^29,30	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Offer them only to some students, such as those from low-income families or with disabilities His campaign website says he supports school choice but would restore income limits on vouchers.¹⁸	Not found in the public sources we checked
Data centers and electricity costs	Require data centers to pay the full cost of the power plants and lines they need His campaign website says large data centers should not pass their electricity and water costs on to households.³¹	Pause or limit new data centers His campaign website calls for an immediate moratorium on building hyperscale data centers until their environmental impact is studied and protections for water and nearby communities are shown to be sufficient.¹⁵	Require data centers to pay the full cost of the power plants and lines they need His campaign website says data centers should pay for the power, water and infrastructure they use instead of shifting those costs to household rates, and that taxpayer incentives for large tech firms should end.²⁹	His campaign website says new data centers should be allowed only after local voters approve them in a referendum, and that each must fund new power generation equal to at least 120% of its use and pay more than residential electricity rates.²³	His campaign website says major data center projects that receive public incentives should be required to plan for their power, water and infrastructure needs and deliver measurable benefits to the communities where they build.²⁴	Not found in the public sources we checked	Pause or limit new data centers His campaign website says he would ban new AI data centers in Florida and require facilities already operating to pay their full costs, including water and energy.^18,32	Pause or limit new data centers His campaign website proposes prohibiting private AI data centers in Florida and building a publicly owned state AI system instead.¹⁹
AR-15-style rifles	Not found in the public sources we checked	Ban the sale of these rifles His campaign website says Florida should ban the sale of new assault weapons, while people who already own them could keep them.^15,33	No bans or added limits on these rifles His campaign website says he opposes new restrictions on weapons and ammunition.²⁹	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked
Permits to carry concealed guns	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	No permit needed for adults who can legally own a gun His campaign website says he supports constitutional carry and open carry in Florida.²⁹	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	No permit needed for adults who can legally own a gun His campaign website says he supports constitutional carry, which it says is already Florida law, and open carry.¹⁸	Not found in the public sources we checked
Red flag laws	Not found in the public sources we checked	Adopt more red flag laws, including a national one His campaign website says Florida should keep and expand the red flag law passed after the Parkland shooting.¹⁵	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	His campaign website objects that Florida's red flag law allows property to be taken before an adversarial hearing, and says he would propose a replacement with more due process safeguards.¹⁸	Not found in the public sources we checked
Health insurance system	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	His campaign website says he would fight rules that raise premiums and shrink the number of plans families can use, push for clearer prices and expand coverage choices for workers, small businesses and people who buy their own insurance.²⁹	His campaign website proposes 15 standardized health plans that insurers would compete to sell at prices based on risk, and says people with pre-existing conditions would have no traditional insurance option; insurers would instead manage their care, paid for through means-tested state-backed loans or, for those who do not qualify, a state-managed pool. The positions website his campaign names adds that health care must be provided as a safety net for vulnerable Americans who cannot work and for those not of working age.^17,23	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	His campaign website says he would work toward universal health coverage based on income, in which people with little money pay little or nothing, along with stronger public hospitals and clinics.¹⁹
Medicaid expansion	Not found in the public sources we checked	His campaign website says Florida should expand Medicaid.¹⁵	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	His campaign website says he would direct the state's health care agency to pursue a waiver to cover the roughly 800,000 Floridians it says fall into the coverage gap.^18,32	Not found in the public sources we checked
Medical transition for minors	Not found in the public sources we checked	In a statement on transgender Floridians on his campaign website, he says a governor should have no say in a family's medical decisions and that government should stay out of the doctor's office.³⁴	Not found in the public sources we checked	The positions website his campaign names says permanent, life-altering medical decisions that are not life-threatening must wait until a person turns 18.¹⁷	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked
Homelessness	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Provide permanent housing first, without requiring treatment or sobriety beforehand His campaign website says he supports Housing First with permanent supportive housing and opposes criminalizing homelessness.¹⁸	His campaign website says he would build hotels to give people experiencing homelessness a safe place to stay, and that homelessness should not be handled simply through jail or institutions.¹⁹
Zoning and new housing	Not found in the public sources we checked	Leave zoning decisions to local governments His campaign website says local decisions, including zoning, should belong to local communities without the state overriding them.³⁵	His campaign website says he would cut the rules and delays that slow home building and supports local decisions that add starter homes and rentals.²⁹	His campaign website says he would repeal Florida's Live Local Act and favors renovating existing housing over new construction to limit crowding and density.²³	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	His campaign website says large developments should require community approval and that the state should not override local decisions on matters such as housing and land use without naming a specific statewide interest.¹⁸	Not found in the public sources we checked
Legal status for immigrants here without permission, including Dreamers	Not found in the public sources we checked	His campaign website says he supports a pathway to legal status and work for immigrants already here without legal status, particularly long-term residents and those with US citizen children, and a pathway to permanent legal status for Dreamers, which it says requires action by Congress.³⁶	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	His campaign website says he would call on Congress to create an earned federal process for long-term, law-abiding residents who meet strict requirements, including background checks.³⁷	Not found in the public sources we checked	His campaign website says he supports a path for long-term, law-abiding residents, including people brought to the US as children.¹⁸	Not found in the public sources we checked
State and local role in immigration enforcement	His campaign website says state and local police should coordinate directly with federal authorities to deport noncitizens who commit crimes.³⁸	His campaign website says local police should focus on public safety rather than deportation, and that state laws turning local police into deportation agents should be opposed.³⁶	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	His campaign website says he would strengthen partnerships between Florida law enforcement and federal agencies and prioritize state resources toward removing people who commit violent crimes, while supporting legal immigration, cracking down on worker exploitation and pressing Washington to fix the federal immigration system.^24,37	Not found in the public sources we checked	His campaign website says he does not support blanket 287(g) agreements, supports cooperating with lawful federal requests to apprehend felons and violent offenders, and says Florida officers should not hold people past their release date without judicial process.¹⁸	Not found in the public sources we checked
Work eligibility checks (E-Verify)	Require all employers to use it His campaign website says he would require every Florida business to use E-Verify.³⁸	Keep it optional for most employers His campaign website opposes state laws that require employers to use E-Verify, saying they hurt Florida's workforce.³⁶	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	His campaign website says he would strengthen employment verification requirements for state agencies and state contractors.³⁷	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked
Federal income tax rates	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	The positions website his campaign names says income tax rates should be low and apply equally to every taxpayer above the poverty line, with people earning more than $1 million paying a premium on a sliding scale that is never more than 50% above everyone else's rate.¹⁷	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	His campaign website says he opposes the federal income tax on wages and would lead a coalition of states without income taxes to press Washington.¹⁸	Not found in the public sources we checked
Property taxes	His campaign website says he would keep property taxes in check so that seniors and working families are not taxed out of their homes, and would make annual property tax notices show clearly which local offices receive the money.^31,39	Cap yearly increases or expand homeowner exemptions His campaign website says he has proposed property tax relief for first-time buyers through a homestead exemption of up to $250,000 for qualifying households, with additional exemptions of $50,000 to $100,000 for seniors and first responders, and has called for a three-year statewide pause on property tax increases.⁴⁰	Eliminate property taxes on primary homes His campaign website says he would eliminate property taxes on homesteaded homes.^29,41	Eliminate property taxes on primary homes His campaign website says he would eliminate property taxes on homesteaded primary homes by phasing in larger homestead exemptions for longtime residents, with the benefit able to pass to the homeowner's children.²³	His campaign website says he would pursue additional property tax relief for owner-occupied homes and explore added protections for seniors, veterans and longtime homeowners, while protecting essential services and cutting waste.^24,42	Eliminate property taxes on primary homes His campaign website says he would abolish property taxes on homesteads, saying the state can fund schools and public works without them.⁴³	His campaign website says he would eliminate property taxes on homesteaded homes worth up to twice their county's median home price and reduce them on homes above that level.^18,32	His campaign website says that if landlords receive property tax cuts, renters should get a proportional cut in rent.¹⁹
State government spending	His campaign website says he would run annual audits at every level of government, from state agencies down to local utility and special districts, and expand state watchdog audits to find waste, cut bloated programs and save taxpayers money.³⁹	Not found in the public sources we checked	Cut state spending and return the savings through tax cuts or rebates His campaign website says state and local governments should cut waste and live on tighter budgets alongside lower taxes, and that eliminating homestead property taxes would mean government spending less.²⁹	Cut state spending and return the savings through tax cuts or rebates His campaign website says he would cut government spending, including school and municipal budgets by at least 5%, and use the savings to lower property taxes.²³	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked
State income tax	Keep current rates His campaign website says he would keep Florida's state personal income tax at zero.⁴⁴	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Keep current rates His campaign website says he would defend Florida's constitutional ban on a state personal income tax.¹⁸	Not found in the public sources we checked
State sales taxes	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	Not found in the public sources we checked	His campaign website proposes a 9.9% consumption tax on spending above $1 million, with the first $1 million exempt, to replace other taxes and fund housing, teachers, health care and skilled trades.²⁴	Not found in the public sources we checked	His campaign website says groceries should stay exempt from sales tax and supports expanding sales tax holidays.¹⁸	Not found in the public sources we checked

Issues only one candidate has addressed

By candidate, in ballot order. We found nothing public from the other candidates in this race on these issues.

Byron Donalds — 1 issue

Religious exemptions
His campaign website says he would protect every congregation's right to preach, teach, hire and serve according to its conscience by writing that right into state law.⁴⁵

David Jolly — 9 issues

Transgender students in school sports
His campaign website says he does not think biological men belong in competitive women's sports in high school, college or scholarship competition and does not intend to change Florida's current law, while saying the governor need not regulate sports leagues and parents should be free to allow co-ed neighborhood youth leagues.³⁴
Campaign finance rules
His campaign website says Florida should adopt sweeping campaign finance and ethics reform, including limits on corporate contributions, rules showing who funds campaigns, a ban on lobbyist gifts and closing the revolving door between office and lobbying. It also cites his 2016 co-sponsorship in Congress of the Stop Act, which would have barred members of Congress from personally asking for contributions.^15,46
Drawing district lines (redistricting)
His campaign website says that during his seven years as an independent he organized voters around ending gerrymandering and opening primaries.⁴⁷
Oil and gas drilling on federal land and offshore
His campaign website says the long-standing bipartisan agreement to keep offshore drilling away from Florida's shores is under attack from an administration determined to drill closer to shore, and that drilling in the Gulf should be ended rather than expanded.^48,49
State clean electricity targets
His campaign website says Florida should require its public utilities to use more clean and renewable energy.¹⁵
Same-sex marriage
Keep same-sex marriage legal in every state
His campaign website says he would protect marriage equality in Florida and supports repealing the state's 2008 constitutional amendment against it.⁵⁰
Background checks for gun sales
Require checks for all gun sales, including private sales (with exceptions such as gifts between family members)
His campaign website says Florida should require universal background checks for gun sales.¹⁵
Help for first-time homebuyers
His campaign website says he would expand down-payment help for first-time buyers along with workforce and affordable housing construction.⁵¹
Rules for citizen ballot measures
Make it easier to get measures on the ballot, and limit lawmakers' power to change voter-approved laws
His campaign website says it should be easier for voters to place constitutional amendments on the ballot, and that the governor should work to carry out amendments that win more than 50% of the vote.¹⁵

Scott Eckhard Jewett — 4 issues

Nuclear power
His campaign website says Florida's energy future should include nuclear power.²⁹
Rules for gun accessories and parts
His campaign website says he supports the right to own, carry and modify weapons and accessories, and opposes restrictions on accessories.²⁹
Immigration enforcement inside the country
His campaign website says immigration enforcement should focus on criminals, traffickers and real security threats.²⁹
Legal immigration levels
His campaign website says legal immigration should be made simpler and faster.²⁹

Charles Burkett — 2 issues

US Department of Education
The positions website his campaign names says education should be decentralized and returned from the federal bureaucracy to state and local control.¹⁷
Federal spending levels
The positions website his campaign names says the government must balance its budget and honor its commitments, and that deficits and debt matter.¹⁷

Dean Ocean Abrams — 15 issues

Qualified immunity for police
End qualified immunity for police officers
His campaign website says he would end qualified immunity by creating a state right to sue state and local officials for constitutional violations without that defense.¹⁸
Gig worker status
His campaign website says gig workers should get injury coverage and clear pay calculations and should not be misclassified in a way that serves the platform over the worker.¹⁸
Tariffs
His campaign website says he opposes broad tariffs.¹⁸
Who sets tariffs
His campaign website says the Constitution gives Congress, not the president acting by emergency declaration, the power to impose tariffs.¹⁸
Child care costs
His campaign website says the state should fully fund its voluntary pre-kindergarten program, address child care worker pay and create incentives for employer-supported child care.¹⁸
Aid to Ukraine
His campaign website says he opposes military aid to Ukraine and that money sent abroad should be loans rather than gifts.¹⁸
Military aid to Israel
Reduce or end military aid to Israel
His campaign website says he opposes military aid to Israel.¹⁸
Who decides on military action
Require Congress to approve military action in advance, except to defend against an attack
His campaign website says Congress should vote before any military action.¹⁸
ACA premium tax credits
Bring them back for a limited time, such as through 2028, with or without changes such as income limits or minimum premiums
His campaign website says he supports extending the enhanced ACA tax credits as a bridge so premiums do not jump suddenly.¹⁸
Public health emergency powers and workplace vaccine requirements
Limit emergency powers and bar governments and employers from requiring workers to get vaccinated
His campaign website says he opposes vaccine passports, employer vaccine requirements and school closures.¹⁸
School vaccine requirements
End school vaccine requirements
His campaign website says he opposes vaccine mandates and would end Florida's school vaccine requirements in state law.¹⁸
Large investors buying single-family homes
Tighten the ban, such as by covering smaller investors or ending exceptions
His campaign website says he would bar institutional investors from buying single-family homes in Florida, lowering the federal limit of 350 homes to zero, with exemptions for builders, nonprofits, small local landlords and people who fix up and resell homes.¹⁸
State minimum wage
His campaign website says future increases in Florida's $15 minimum wage should be tied to the state's own cost of living, and that local governments should be allowed to set their own wage floors.¹⁸
Data privacy
His campaign website says Florida should make data collection opt-in by default, give people a one-click way to delete what a company holds on them, and require data brokers to register with the state.¹⁸
High-speed internet access
His campaign website says Florida should accept federal broadband money that comes without conditions limiting state authority and spend it on reaching addresses without service.¹⁸

Issue statements are drafted by AI from the public sources cited, and only cover what each candidate has said publicly.

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