President Donald Trump campaigned in Daytona Beach on Friday alongside Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds and Senate candidates, making a final push ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections as national prediction markets and polls show tightening races across Florida.
With just days remaining before the November 3 general election, President Donald Trump traveled to the Ocean Center Arena in Daytona Beach on Friday, October 30, 2026, to rally conservative voters and shore up support for the state’s Republican ticket. The visit marked Trump’s second campaign stop in Florida within a week, following an earlier rally at Alico Arena in Fort Myers.
Thousands of supporters packed the 9,300-seat Daytona Beach venue, where local authorities instituted temporary road closures along Atlantic Avenue. Prior to Trump taking the stage, state officials and congressional candidates addressed the crowd, including Lieutenant Jay Collins, Representative Randy Fine, Attorney General James Uthmeier, and Rick Scott. Also in the crowd were several top officials, including Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Bill Pulte, Attorney General Todd Blanche, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Sen. Tom Emmer.
Polling Margins and Prediction Market Outlooks in Florida
Although Florida has leaned reliably toward the GOP in recent cycles, current survey margins sit well below Trump’s 13.1-point victory in the state during the 2024 presidential election. Republican leaders have acknowledged tighter margins while projecting confidence in the final outcome. Nestpoint managing director and veteran Republican strategist John Thomas called the appearance turnout insurance in a tough national environment,
explaining that its purpose was to draw lower-propensity supporters who often skip nonpresidential elections.
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Evan Power, chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, defended the state’s polling averages while speaking with reporters, noting that midterm headwinds naturally alter the landscape for the governing party. Polling shows Byron Donalds leading David Jolly in the gubernatorial race, while Senator Ashley Moody holds an advantage over state Representative Angie Nixon.
| Contest | RealClearPolling Average | Prediction Market Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Senate (Moody vs. Nixon) | Moody +6.2 points (49.4% to 43.2%) | 88% to 91% chance for Moody |
| Governor (Donalds vs. Jolly) | Donalds +5 points (48.8% to 43.8%) | 71% to 73% chance for Donalds |
Disruptions and Speeches at the Daytona Beach Arena
Trump’s roughly hour-and-a-half address was punctuated by multiple interruptions from protesters stationed throughout the auditorium. Security personnel swiftly escorted the individuals out amid boos from the crowd, while Trump dismissed them as paid protesters
and “losers.”
These guys are losers.
President Donald Trump, via Orlando Sentinel
Trump expressed frustration that the demonstrators consistently interrupted his punchlines.
Simultaneous Campaign Blitzes Across the State
While Trump and Donalds rallied conservative voters on the east coast in Daytona Beach, Democratic gubernatorial nominee David Jolly traveled to the Tampa Bay area on the opposite coast to meet with undecided voters. Jolly is seeking to become the first Democrat elected governor of Florida since 1994.
The final weekend of campaigning proceeds alongside nationwide voting trends showing high early turnout. Across the United States, nearly 10 million more Americans had cast ballots five days before Election Day compared to the same point in the 2022 midterms, according to an Associated Press analysis, while University of Florida data collected by the Election Lab shows nearly 50 million people have voted early overall.
