Byron Donalds achieved a historic milestone as he prepared to succeed Governor Ron DeSantis in Tallahassee. At the same time, Republican Ashley Moody fended off an underfunded general election challenge from Angie Nixon to keep her U.S. Senate seat. However, Florida Democrats still showed resilience in congressional contests by defending all three U.S. House seats that state Republicans had actively redrawn against them. Meanwhile, nationwide Democratic gains simultaneously flipped both chambers of the U.S. Congress.
Key points
Florida preserved its conservative leadership while Democrats captured full control of th…: Florida preserved its conservative leadership while Democrats captured full control of the federal legislature.
Trump-backed candidates demonstrated continued electoral strength across statewide Florid…: Trump-backed candidates demonstrated continued electoral strength across statewide Florida races.
Local redistricting maneuvers by Republicans failed to unseat targeted Democratic congres…: Local redistricting maneuvers by Republicans failed to unseat targeted Democratic congressional incumbents.
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Republican candidates in Florida have held off several high-profile challenges from Democrats, as results also saw the state elect its first black governor.
Republican Byron Donalds, backed by President Donald Trump, was projected to win as governor, while Republican Ashley Moody was projected to have held her seat in the senate.
She was up against Democrat Angie Nixon in the special election for Secretary of State Marco Rubio's old Senate seat.
The two wins came amid countless - and historic - gains by Democrats that gave them full control of the US House of Representatives and the Senate for the last years of Trump's presidency.
Nixon scored a surprise win in the Democratic primary to become her party's standard-bearer, although her campaign funding could not match Moody's.
Donalds had served in Congress since 2021 before running for governor, to replace long-serving Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who was term limited and could not run again.
A big supporter of Trump, Donalds was at one point on the short list to be his running mate in 2024.
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