Live updates: Donald Trump rallies for Byron Donalds in Florida

Five days into early voting in Florida, President Donald Trump is holding a rally in Fort Myers Friday to boost gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds and other Republicans on the ballot.

Read more City of Miami cites ‘Animal House’ condo for operating as illegal hotel

Trump is set to give remarks at 2:00 p.m. at the Alico Arena at Florida Gulf Coast University.

The Florida campaign stop is the latest in his tour of deep red areas to try to drive out conservative voters ahead of a midterm election cycle that’s been increasingly raising alarm bells for his party.

Donald Trump’s approval ratings have fallen to record lows in recent weeks as the Iran War wages on and voters express concerns about affordability. There are also deep cracks in the coalition that helped elect him in 2024, including voters in Miami-Dade County, who’ve faced the largest impacts of Trump’s mass deportation agenda.

But for the voters who traveled from out-of-state, drove for hours or are existing Byron Donalds constituents in Naples, Trump’s lure remained salient.

Republican candidates are expected to praise the president, and try to ensure Republicans steep voter registration advantage translates to votes on Election Day November 3.

‘Little hump’: How MAGA loyalists are explaining away rising prices

Even Trump’s biggest fans acknowledged in Fort Myers Friday that prices are high right now, two years after he promised to curb inflation if elected back to the White House.

Read more South Florida lottery winners played at a Publix, a Presidente, gas station

But, they said, costs haven’t affected their trust in Trump, as they hold out hope that the last half of his term will deliver on those promises.

“It’s tight, but you know you, we all have to tighten the buckle and get through this little hump, he’s only been in office for two years,” said April O’Reilly, who drove up to the rally from Bonita Springs.

Another attendee, Sharon Anderson, flew down to Fort Myers from East Tennessee to “show this president we support him.”

She said that while costs are high, she still believes Trump is the leader that will bring them down.

When it comes to grocery prices right now, “I’d rather they be lower,” she said, “but Donald Trump’s fighting to make them lower. And he’s the only person in this country in this world that will fight for that.”

–Churchill Ndonwie, Claire Heddles at 1:00 p.m.

Miami Herald journalists are at the president’s rally in Fort Myers. This blog will be updated as more information becomes available.

Read more City of Miami cites ‘Animal House’ condo for operating as illegal hotel

This story was originally published October 23, 2026 at 1:06 PM.