Donalds names Hialeah’s Bryan Avila as his running mate in campaign for governor

Republican gubernatorial nominee Byron Donalds announced on Tuesday morning that Bryan Avila, a state senator from Hialeah, will be his running mate, formally adding a lieutenant governor candidate as he ramps up his campaign for the November general election.

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Donalds, who last week secured the Republican nomination, made the announcement during his “Defending the Florida Dream” tour stop at the Freedom Tower at Miami Dade College in downtown Miami. He is set to face Democrat David Jolly and his running mate, Gwen Graham, in the race to succeed Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The choice of lieutenant governor provides insight into how Donalds intends to assemble a statewide coalition in support of his ticket. By selecting Avila, who is Cuban-American, and announcing it in Miami, the Donald campaign aims to connect with the Latino immigrant community and secure Miami-Dade County, a key battleground in the gubernatorial race.

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In May, Donalds, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, joined local leaders including Avila in Hialeah to launch a ‘Latinos for Byron’ coalition aimed at galvanizing Hispanic voters to support his ticket.

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