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·Florida GOP primary — Aug 18, 2026·Republicans only · closed primary·Governor · Senate · U.S. House·Polls · prediction markets · vote counts·Every number linked to a source·Early voting under way in many counties·Click any race or candidate for details·Florida GOP primary — Aug 18, 2026·Republicans only · closed primary·Governor · Senate · U.S. House·Polls · prediction markets · vote counts·Every number linked to a source·Early voting under way in many counties·Click any race or candidate for details
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Photo of Byron Donalds

Shareable dossier · Governor

Byron Donalds

U.S. Representative (FL-19)

Public record and major reporting around arrests from decades ago (ethics complaint later dismissed), stock-disclosure ethics complaints, dual federal campaign-finance questions, and 2026 primary-opponent allegations he denies.

5 itemsDismissed / not pursued: 1Alleged: 2Reported: 1Context: 1

Last verified 2026-08-09 · Preview image lists top file items

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The Record is a hand-curated list of public filings and major news reports for voters. Items marked alleged or reported are not findings of guilt. Always open the linked source. This is not legal advice. Correct errors via our sources page mindset: verify the primary document.

At a glance (share-ready)

  1. 1.
    Dismissed / not pursued
    Past arrests & 2020 ethics complaint (dismissed)
    1997–2020
  2. 2.
    Alleged
    Alleged STOCK Act disclosure failures (ethics complaint filed)
    2022–2024
  3. 3.
    Reported
    FEC questions dual Congress/governor fundraising
    2025
  4. 4.
    Alleged
    2026 opponent alleges federal sex-trafficking probe (denied)
    2026
  5. 5.
    Context
    Outsized state fundraising (public filings)
    2026 cycle
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Full items with verify links

Dismissed / not pursuedCriminal / arrests1997–2020

Past arrests & 2020 ethics complaint (dismissed)

News reports and a 2020 Florida Commission on Ethics complaint described earlier arrests involving alleged marijuana distribution (1997) and a bribery-related matter (around 2000). A rival alleged Donalds failed to disclose that history on certain applications. The Commission dismissed the complaint for lack of legal sufficiency.

Context / balance

Dismissal means the panel did not proceed—not that voters must ignore the underlying history. Donalds has described youthful mistakes and a turnaround narrative for years. Read the contemporaneous reporting, not social-media summaries.

AllegedEthics2022–2024

Alleged STOCK Act disclosure failures (ethics complaint filed)

Campaign Legal Center filed a complaint with the Office of Congressional Ethics alleging Rep. Donalds failed to file required periodic transaction reports for numerous stock trades (CLC described 100+ trades totaling up to roughly $1.6M in value). That is an alleged ethics/statute violation unless an official body finds otherwise.

Context / balance

Complaints are not convictions. Check whether OCE/House Ethics took further public action and any late filings or responses from the office. Donalds has also spoken publicly about congressional stock-trading rules—voters can weigh consistency.

ReportedCampaign finance2025

FEC questions dual Congress/governor fundraising

Reporting and FEC correspondence described issues when Donalds pursued statewide office while his House committee continued receiving contributions. An FEC letter stated certain post-announcement House contributions “must be refunded” (with limited debt exceptions). The campaign’s public posture, per reporting, was that he remained an active House candidate.

Context / balance

This is campaign-finance process, not a criminal charge. Open the FEC letters and the WUSF story; outcomes can be refunds, redesignations, or continued dispute. Compare to how other dual-candidacy races handled refunds.

AllegedNews reporting2026

2026 opponent alleges federal sex-trafficking probe (denied)

Gubernatorial rival James Fishback publicly claimed a whistleblower and his legal team indicated Donalds was under federal investigation related to sex trafficking (in coverage often tied to separate reporting on ally Rep. Cory Mills). These remain campaign-level allegations unless confirmed by DOJ, an indictment, or other primary authority.

Context / balance

Donalds’ side has strongly denied wrongdoing / investigation claims in campaign responses covered by local TV. Uncorroborated primary-season allegations are common; treat as contested politics until documents appear. Do not treat opponent press conferences as court findings.

ContextCampaign finance2026 cycle

Outsized state fundraising (public filings)

Florida state campaign-finance aggregates show Donalds far ahead of the GOP field in contributions for the governor’s race (megadonors and entities publicly itemized on Transparency USA / FL filings).

Context / balance

Large fundraising is legal within Florida rules and can signal organization—or dependence on ultra-wealthy/out-of-state networks. Our Money tracker lists named top donors with amounts.

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