Florida held its primary elections on Tuesday, August 18, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., determining the candidates who will compete in November’s general election. The ballot featured high-stakes statewide races and significant local contests, particularly in Orange County where voters selected new leadership for key offices. Key outcomes include the advancement of U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds and former Rep. David Jolly to the governor's race, while locally, Angie Gallo secured a seat on the Orange County School Board as chair.
Governor Race Set
U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds has won the Republican nomination for Florida governor, setting up a fall campaign against Democrat David Jolly to replace outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis. In his victory speech or subsequent statements, Donalds expressed a desire for voters to elect him as Florida’s first Black governor.
Jolly, formerly a Republican congressman who switched parties last year, secured the Democratic nod. The matchup establishes the two major party contenders ahead of the November general election cycle.
U.S. Senate and Congressional Upsets
In the U.S. Senate race, Angie Nixon defeated Alex Vindman in the Democratic primary to face Republican incumbent Ashley Moody. Nixon, a progressive from Jacksonville known for an arrest during a sit-in at the governor’s office regarding redistricting maps, ran a frugal campaign against Vindman, who possessed a significant financial advantage with a $16 million war chest. Unofficial results indicated Nixon defeated Vindman 55% to 45%.
In Florida’s 7th Congressional District Republican primary, former Fox 35 news anchor Ryan Elijah defeated incumbent Cory Mills. The race followed allegations of domestic violence involving a former girlfriend, which Mills denies. Gov. Ron DeSantis and other Florida Republicans abandoned Mills ahead of the vote. President Donald Trump initially backed Mills in February but did not include him on an endorsement list released Monday.
Orange County Leadership Shifts
Voters in Orange County selected Angie Gallo as chair of the School Board, defeating Alicia Farrant by a 59% to 41% margin. Gallo, the incumbent District 1 member endorsed by local Democrats and teachers' unions, will help lead one of the largest school districts in the country alongside two newly elected board members.
In the race for Orange County Mayor, Clerk of Court Tiffany Moore Russell and tech entrepreneur Chris Messina advanced to a November runoff. Former Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy finished third despite spending nearly $1.9 million on her campaign, including contributions from Walt Disney World and billionaires Michael Bloomberg and J. Hyatt Brown.
Roberta Walton Johnson won the Democratic primary for Orange County Clerk of Court, defeating former Property Appraiser Rick Singh with approximately 53% of the vote to replace outgoing boss Tiffany Moore Russell. Additionally, four Orange County Commission races were sent to runoffs in November after no candidate secured a majority.
State Cabinet and Legislative Updates
The Associated Press reported that Blaise Ingoglia won the Republican nomination for Chief Financial Officer, while Annette Taddeo took the Democratic nod. For Agriculture Commissioner, Wilton Simpson claimed victory as a Republican, with Joey Mendoza Atkins winning the Democratic primary.
In State House District 47, Democrat Anthony Nieves was elected to represent parts of Orange and Osceola counties after incumbent Paula Stark failed to qualify for the ballot due to missing paperwork. Nieves defeated Jorge Figueroa with 53% of the vote in a race open to all voters.
