Trump to Hold Fort Myers Rally Oct. 23 for Byron Donalds as Early Voting Opens Across Florida

President Donald Trump will hold a midterm campaign rally in Fort Myers on Friday, Oct. 23, returning to Southwest Florida to rally Republicans behind gubernatorial nominee Byron Donalds and the rest of the GOP ticket as early voting gets underway across the state. Doors open at 10:30 a.m., the program begins at 12:30 p.m. and Trump is scheduled to speak at 2 p.m., according to the Republican National Committee. The venue had not been announced as of Friday.

The rally falls in the middle of Florida's early voting period, which begins Monday, Oct. 19, in many counties, including Lee. State law requires every county to offer early voting by Saturday, Oct. 24, the day after Trump's visit. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.

What's known about the event

A spokesperson for Donalds' campaign told WINK News that the visit is aimed at rallying Republicans in support of Donalds, the Naples congressman whose 19th Congressional District includes Fort Myers. Tickets are available only through RSVP on the national Republican Party's website, and space is limited, RNC spokeswoman Caroline Courtney told The News-Press. Each signup allows up to four tickets.

The location remains unconfirmed. Florida Gulf Coast University announced Friday that it will shift to modified operations on Oct. 23 because of a "large-scale, private event" at Alico Arena, the university's roughly 4,500-seat arena in Estero, that is expected to significantly affect traffic and parking. FGCU said it could not share details about the event, its purpose or who is invited, and a spokesperson told The News-Press she could not confirm whether Trump would appear there.

FGCU is not canceling classes, but parking garages 1 through 4 will be unavailable from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. that day, lots around Alico Arena will close from 5 p.m. Oct. 22 until noon Oct. 24, and all on-campus extracurricular events that day will be rescheduled. The university warned of congestion and intermittent closures on Ben Hill Griffin Parkway and FGCU Lake Parkway North.

Trump held rallies at Hertz Arena in Estero in 2016 and 2018, but the arena's president told The News-Press it had not been contacted, and the Florida Everblades have a home game scheduled that evening. Trump's most recent visit to Southwest Florida was in April 2023, according to WINK News.

Key dates for Southwest Florida voters

The rally lands in a busy final stretch of the campaign:

In Lee County, early voting runs through Oct. 31 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, and voters can use any of the county's early voting sites, according to the Lee County Supervisor of Elections.

Why Fort Myers, and why now

Trump wrote in a social media post last month that "Two Rallies are already scheduled in Florida for Byron," according to the Florida Phoenix. The post came as Trump rejected reports that Donalds had removed mentions of the president from his campaign website. Trump endorsed Donalds in early 2025, and Donalds won the Aug. 18 Republican primary for governor by 23 points over Lt. Gov. Jay Collins.

The governor's race against Democrat David Jolly, a former Republican congressman from Pinellas County, has tightened. A St. Pete Polls survey of 836 likely voters released Oct. 8 showed Donalds at 44.7% and Jolly at 44.6%, while a Mason-Dixon poll for NBC6 and Telemundo released a day earlier had Donalds ahead 48% to 41%, according to the Florida Phoenix. Jolly's campaign announced that former President Bill Clinton will appear with him on Oct. 20 in Hollywood, Clinton's first public campaign event of the 2026 cycle.

The U.S. Senate special election between Republican Sen. Ashley Moody and Democrat Angie Nixon is also on the ballot. Nixon outraised Moody in the third quarter, though Moody holds more cash, and recent polls show both statewide contests within the margin of error even as Republicans hold a large voter registration advantage, according to Florida Politics.

Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters, a Floridian, said the visit is about turnout. "Turnout is the key this cycle. The President is best to deliver our voters," Gruters said, according to Florida Politics. In a reliably Republican region like Southwest Florida, a strong turnout could help the GOP in the governor's and Senate races and in three other statewide Cabinet contests.

Congressional races near Fort Myers

Two open congressional seats in the region are on the ballot. In the 19th District, the seat Donalds is leaving, Republican Jim Schwartzel is considered the front-runner against Democrat Victor Arias, and Schwartzel said he plans to attend the rally. In the newly drawn 22nd District, which includes much of Collier County, all of Hendry County and parts of inland Broward and Palm Beach counties, both parties are spending heavily in the race between Trump-endorsed Republican Casey Askar of Naples and Democrat Pia Dandiya of Palm Beach Gardens.

Party leaders also hope Trump's visit energizes Republican challengers elsewhere in the state who are trying to unseat Democratic U.S. Reps. Kathy Castor in Tampa, Darren Soto in Central Florida and Jared Moskowitz in South Florida, while House Democrats target Republican Reps. Gus Bilirakis, Anna Paulina Luna and María Elvira Salazar.

Amendment 3 and the local budget fight

Southwest Florida voters will also decide Amendment 3, the Legislature's property tax measure, which would raise the homestead exemption for non-school taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, then tie further increases to inflation. Like all constitutional amendments, it needs at least 60% approval. A St. Pete Polls survey reported by Fox 13 in late September found 45% of likely voters in support, 30% opposed and 25% undecided. Florida Realtors have put $10 million behind a committee supporting it, while the Florida Sheriffs Association, the Florida State Fraternal Order of Police and the Florida Professional Firefighters oppose it, warning of cuts to law enforcement and fire rescue. Gov. Ron DeSantis supports the measure and says the warnings are overstated.

For a region still rebuilding from Hurricane Ian in 2022 and the 2024 hurricane season, the debate over local revenue carries particular weight, since counties and cities pay for much of their storm recovery and emergency response with property tax dollars. Federal disaster aid has also become a campaign issue this fall after Hurricane Isaias struck the Florida Panhandle on Oct. 9.

Supporters and protesters prepare

The Lee County Republican Party said the national party contacted it Friday asking for rally volunteers. Lee County Democrats said they are organizing visibility events and voter outreach, and Lee Democratic Party Chairman Jim Rosinus said the party has seen growing interest from independent voters. Local groups including Indivisible Gambit, SWFL Red Manatees and SWFL Coalition for Democracy have called for a counterprotest on rally day, inviting participants to gather along Ben Hill Griffin Parkway outside FGCU at 1 p.m., according to The News-Press.

What's next

The RNC and Trump's campaign committee have said the venue will be announced. Before arriving in Fort Myers, Trump is scheduled to rally in Sioux City, Iowa, on Oct. 22 as part of a string of midterm stops, according to the Florida Phoenix. Voters who want to attend should register through the RNC and watch for the venue announcement and any road closures; those who plan to vote early can find sites and hours through their county supervisor of elections.