The Seventh Annual ONYX Magazine Men of Honor Gala at Orlando’s Rosen Centre honored outgoing Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and other local leaders Saturday. Florida gubernatorial candidates Byron Donalds, a Republican U.S. representative, and Democrat David Jolly were both among those who attended, though the two did not meet during the evening, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
The gala, scheduled for 5 p.m. with a reception followed by festivities at 6 p.m., was billed as a celebration of leadership, achievement and community impact, according to Jacksonville Free Press. That outlet's event announcement described the evening's 6 p.m. program as dinner, while the official ONYX schedule posted on onyxmenofhonor.com listed it as a gala and awards ceremony. Either way, Donalds and Jolly were named among the confirmed attendees, both identified as Florida's 2026 gubernatorial candidates.
The Orlando Sentinel reported that Donalds attended after campaign events in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, while Jolly came after campaigning in Pinellas and Sarasota. The candidates appeared at the gala at different times, the paper reported.
The Gala’s Two Gubernatorial Candidates
The Sentinel reported that Donalds and Jolly did not cross paths during the evening. Jolly received a loud ovation when his name was mentioned from the stage, the paper reported. The Sentinel said guests recalled the appearance as an unusual gathering of high-profile rivals during the closing month of what it described as a bruising campaign.
Both Donalds and Jolly also voiced support that night for an organization focused on youth mentorship and empowerment, per the Sentinel's account. Orlando community figure Rich Black told the paper that the candidates' presence underscored how important Black voters are to each man's chances of winning in November.
Honoring Jerry Demings as He Exits Office
The night's marquee honor went to Demings, the outgoing Orange County mayor, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award as he leaves office at the end of 2026. ONYX's own honoree materials say Demings “has devoted his career to protecting, serving and uplifting the people of Orange County,” according to onyxmenofhonor.com. The Jacksonville Free Press separately confirmed Demings was slated for the award as part of a broader slate of 2026 Men of Honor honorees that included executives, public servants, physicians, educators and community advocates.
The Men of Honor Program’s Community Work
The program has also recognized students: a 2022 Men of Honor dinner at the Rosen Centre honored 20 men and awarded scholarships to high school and college students, Spectrum News 13 reported.
Also honored as Man of the Year was Damola Adamolekun, described by ONYX's own honoree page as Red Lobster's CEO and the youngest chief executive in the chain's history. The Jacksonville Free Press, however, identified him in its event announcement as the company's president rather than CEO — a discrepancy the available reporting does not resolve.
A Campaign With No Debates Yet
The gala appearance came as both campaigns continue to crisscross the state without having met on a debate stage. Donalds and Jolly did appear together, however, at WLRN's Sunshine Economy Summit in Fort Lauderdale on Sept. 23, according to PolitiFact. At that summit, the candidates sparred over Florida's data-center boom: Jolly pledged a one-year moratorium on new data centers if elected, while Donalds said he was open to allowing them so long as consumer protections were attached. A July University of North Florida poll found 68% of Floridians surveyed opposed building data centers in their own areas, PolitiFact reported.
Data Centers and the National Energy Outlook
The candidates’ dispute comes amid rising national electricity-demand projections. Utility Dive reported that NERC projects bulk-system summer peak demand will grow by 224 gigawatts over the next 10 years, with new data centers accounting for most of the projected increase. That forecast is national, not specific to Florida.
The two have also clashed over property taxes and local control. Jolly opposed a ballot measure known as Amendment 3, warning “we are heading towards a crisis if it passes,” according to Spectrum News 13. Donalds countered that taxpayers need relief and that local governments should manage their budgets within residents' means, the station reported. Jolly also argued for greater local control over Orange County's tourist-development-tax revenue, suggesting it could help fund workforce housing and transportation.
Donalds Holds a Commanding Money Edge
Money remains one of the starkest divides in the race. Jolly raised more than $1.05 million in the week ending Sept. 25, with help from matching funds, and called it part of a stretch that included his best fundraising week — more than $2.3 million — from Aug. 22 through Aug. 28, according to Florida Politics. Still, Donalds has raised more than $135 million through his campaign account and political committee combined through Sept. 30 — roughly eight times what Jolly has brought in, the outlet reported.
Jolly said his campaign would stay on the air every day through Nov. 3, telling Florida Politics, “We will be on the air every day until then.” Per the Sentinel's reporting, Jolly said he believes his campaign has the upper hand and is probably slightly ahead, while Donalds said he believes he is winning the race outright. Neither claim has been independently verified beyond the candidates' own statements.
