Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri has added his name to the growing list of individuals and groups backing Byron Donalds for Governor.

Gualtieri is endorsing the Republican, who currently represents Florida’s 19th Congressional District in Southwest Florida, arguing Florida needs Donalds as its next Governor.

“Crime is at an all-time low and to keep Florida safe, we need a law-and-order Governor who supports law enforcement; the best person for the job is Byron Donalds,” Gualtieri said in a statement.

Gualtieri is one of the most well-known Sheriffs in the state after leading the Florida Sheriffs Association and overseeing public safety improvements at schools in the aftermath of the Stoneman Douglas school shooting. He endorsed Donalds Wednesday just weeks after two other Sheriffs offered their backing.

With Gualtieri’s name now among them, Donalds has secured support from 36 Sheriffs, well over half of the state’s Sheriffs.

“Byron Donalds is the proven law and order candidate for Florida governor,” said Ryan Smith, Chief Strategist for the Byron Donalds Campaign. “He is the only candidate for governor fighting against the Democrats’ soft-on-crime agenda. As governor, he will work with Florida law enforcement and President Trump to keep Florida one of the safest states in the nation.”

It’s not just law enforcement offering support. Donalds also recently earned an endorsement from the Associated Industries of Florida, which dubs itself the “Voice of Florida Business,” and from the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association.

Gualtieri also joins President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, U.S. House leadership, 17 members of Florida’s congressional delegation and 75% of the Republican Caucus in the Florida House in supporting Donalds.

Polling continues to show Donalds as the clear front-runner in the race to succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis. A Mason-Dixon poll of registered Republicans last month found 37% would vote for Donalds if the election were held today. By comparison, 7% favor Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, 4% back former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner and 3% support Azoria CEO James Fishback.

The latest endorsement could serve as a word of caution to First Lady Casey DeSantis. Her name has resurfaced as a potential gubernatorial contender after the federal government declined to pursue charges related to Hope Florida, which she championed, and she appears to be undergoing a rebrand of sorts by launching the Healthy Florida First initiative.

Despite her resurgence in the media, a DeSantis run would still be a challenge. Her name hasn’t been included in recent polls, and she would have a major funding deficit to overcome — there’s no evidence the First Lady has been securing funding commitments for a potential run. Donalds, meanwhile, raised $45 million throughout 2025, including $13 million in the fourth quarter.

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