TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has won reelection to a second term in a victory over Democrat Charlie Crist.
His victory Tuesday bolsters his rise as a prominent GOP star with potential White House ambitions and continues a rightward shift for what was once considered the nation’s largest swing state.
The governor raised substantially more money than Crist, a 66-year-old who had previously served as a Republican governor of Florida.
Crist aimed his candidacy at moderate voters in Florida, criticizing DeSantis as a bully, as he sought to reverse a losing streak for Democrats in the state.
Florida’s Marco Rubio wins 3rd Senate term, defeats Demings
Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio has won a third term, defeating U.S. Rep. Val Demings and holding a key seat as the GOP tried to regain control of a closely divided Senate.
Rubio ran a campaign pulled from the Republican playbook, tying Demings to President Joe Biden and hammering her on issues like spending, rising inflation and a crisis at the southern border.
The Republican was helped by shifting voter registration numbers in a state that has become increasingly red.
Demings was vying to become Florida’s first Black senator. She was Orlando’s first female police chief before being elected to the House six years ago.
Florida Republican Dunn defeats Lawson in redrawn district
Democrat Maxwell Alejandro Frost has defeated Republican Calvin Wimbish for a Florida U.S. House seat, making him the first member of Generation Z to win a seat in Congress.
Frost, a 25-year-old gun reform and social justice activist, ran in a heavily blue Orlando-area district being relinquished by Democratic Rep. Val Demings, who challenged Republican Sen. Marco Rubio this year.
There will be at least six newcomers to the U.S. House of Representatives in Tuesday’s vote from Florida as Republicans try to take advantage of an aggressively redrawn congressional map spearheaded by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Heading into this election year, Republicans held 16 seats and Democrats represented 11 from Florida in the House. Florida is gaining a 28th seat due to population growth.
