Florida’s primary election on Tuesday is relatively tame compared to the chaos of the presidential election. The only statewide race is for the Senate seat currently held by Republican Rick Scott. Scott is expected to easily win his primary against two lesser-known candidates. On the Democratic side, former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell is the leading candidate, aiming to challenge Scott in November. Incumbents are running for 27 of the state’s 28 House seats, with only one open seat currently held by Republican Bill Posey.
In the House races, incumbents are expected to secure their positions in the primary. The one open seat held by Posey in a conservative district is now contested by former Senate President Mike Haridopolos and tech businessman John Hearton on the Republican side. U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz’s bid for a fifth term is gaining attention due to attacks from former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s political committee. The attacks stem from a House Ethics Committee investigation into Gaetz’s personal conduct. State and local races are seeing increased attention, particularly in school board races, with Republican Governor Ron DeSantis endorsing candidates in an effort to counter “woke” ideology in public schools.
Florida Democrats have fielded candidates for all 120 House and 40 Senate seats for the first time ever, challenging Republicans who have a supermajority in both chambers. Despite this, Republicans are expected to maintain dominance in the Legislature. DeSantis has endorsed 23 school board candidates across 14 counties, targeting incumbent members as part of his agenda. Voter registration numbers show Republicans outnumbering Democrats, with a significant number of voters choosing not to register with a party. As of Friday morning, nearly 1.6 million of the state’s 13.5 million voters had cast votes by mail or at early voting sites, indicating a low overall turnout.
With the primary election approaching, the focus in Florida is on the Senate race between Rick Scott and potential Democratic challenger Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. Incumbents in House races are expected to secure their positions, with one open seat contested by Republicans. Matt Gaetz’s bid for a fifth term is facing opposition from Kevin McCarthy’s committee, with attacks based on a previous investigation into Gaetz’s conduct. State and local races are gaining attention, particularly school board races endorsed by Governor DeSantis. Despite Democrats fielding candidates for all seats, Republicans are expected to maintain dominance in the Legislature. Voter registration numbers show a Republican majority in Florida, with a low overall turnout expected for the primary election.
