Key facts
- Rep. Byron Donalds' campaign for Florida governor has received millions from tech industry players.
- Donations come from data center developers and artificial intelligence groups.
- Several companies pursuing data center projects in Florida have made five- and six-figure donations.
- Donalds has introduced legislation aimed at regulating data center development costs.
- Public opposition to data centers in Florida is high, with a recent poll indicating 68% opposition.
- Two opposing AI-related PACs have supported Donalds' campaign through advertising.
Rep. Byron Donalds' campaign for Florida governor has attracted significant financial backing from the technology sector, particularly from developers of data centers and artificial intelligence companies. Since launching his campaign in February 2025, Donalds has received millions of dollars in contributions, with some donations not previously reported. This influx of funds comes as the growth of hyperscale data centers and AI becomes a prominent issue in Florida politics.
Several developers actively pursuing or proposing data centers in Florida have contributed five- and six-figure sums to Donalds' political action committee, Friends of Byron Donalds. Notable contributions include $100,000 from Nelson Ferreira, founder of companies involved in a withdrawn data center proposal in Indiantown, and $400,000 from Ferreira Construction. Palm Beach Aggregates and Phillips Infrastructure Corp., companies involved in a data center project known as Project Tango, have collectively donated $350,000, with an additional $25,000 from PBA Holdings president Enrique Tomeu. Fort Meade LLC, seeking to build a data center in Polk County, also contributed $10,000.
These projects have faced local opposition due to concerns over electricity consumption, water needs, and noise pollution. The Palm Beach County Commission recently rejected Project Tango. Despite growing public opposition to data centers in Florida, with a poll indicating 68% of residents oppose them, Donalds has taken a different approach than Governor DeSantis, who has been critical and championed new regulations. Donalds has previously advocated for Florida to lead in data center development while also calling for citizen protections.
Donalds' campaign has also benefited from millions in support from pro-business PACs, including Associated Industries of Florida, which received substantial contributions from Google and Amazon. Furthermore, two clashing AI-related super PACs have purchased advertisements supporting Donalds. Leading the Future, backed by OpenAI and Andreessen Horowitz, has contributed to a PAC supporting Donalds, while Public First, backed by Anthropic's CEO, has also funded ads for his campaign.
Donalds' campaign has raised over $90 million and secured an endorsement from President Donald Trump. His campaign has highlighted his introduction of the Protecting Ratepayers Act, intended to ensure private developers bear the costs of data center developments.