MIAMI, Fla. (CBS12) — Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds announced state Sen. Bryan Avila as his running mate Tuesday during a news conference at Miami’s Freedom Tower.
Avila, R-Miami Springs, will join Donalds on the Republican ticket as his candidate for lieutenant governor. Accepting the nomination, Avila reflected on his family’s history, stating that his parents fled communist Cuba for Florida to find freedom and warning that “socialism will never find a home” in the state under a Donalds administration.
Donalds is expected to make the announcement at 10 a.m. at Miami’s Freedom Tower.
Avila is a veteran of the Florida Army National Guard and has represented Cuban-majority communities in the Florida House and Senate. Pointing to his service as a captain in the National Guard during hurricanes and emergencies, Avila argued that crisis response requires practical, decisive leadership rather than partisan politics, noting that when a storm hits, “residents care about whether their lights will come back on” and expect leaders to show up.
In 2024, Avila called himself the most conservative member of the Florida Legislature. He reaffirmed that conservative alignment at the conference, emphasizing key platform priorities by declaring, “We believe parents, not government, should raise their children.”
Donalds had been expected to announce his running mate during a 10 a.m. event at the Freedom Tower in Miami. CBS News Miami previously reported that Avila and state Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez had emerged as potential contenders.
Rodriguez, R-Doral, is also Cuban American and represents parts of South Florida. She has described herself as an independent voice focused on small businesses and tax cuts.
Donalds, who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, has made the right-leaning demographic of South Florida a key part of his campaign for governor. Sharpening the campaign’s focus on their opponents, Avila contrasted their vision with the Democratic platform, claiming their policies are “as invasive to the state of Florida as the pythons are to the Everglades.”
Donalds has said his campaign is focused on lowering housing and insurance costs while preparing young Floridians for the future economy. Avila echoed these concerns about affordability for the next generation, reassuring young voters looking to buy their first home by adding, “We hear you, and we will fight for you.”