Florida holds 1st major primaries after Republicans' mid-decade redistricting
Rep. Byron Donalds is the front-runner in the Florida GOP gubernatorial primary.
Tuesday is Florida's primary election day and marks the first primaries since the Florida legislature passed a new congressional map earlier this year that could allow Republicans to flip up to four seats in November's midterm elections, increasing the GOP's chances of maintaining control of the House.
The new map, analysts have said, could result in four remaining Democratic-held districts in the state after November's elections.
The Democratic members of Congress whose Florida districts are vulnerable to flipping as a result of the redistricting are Reps. Darren Soto, Jared Moskowitz, Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Kathy Castor.
Wasserman Schultz decided to run in the newly redrawn Florida 20th Congressional District, a majority-minority district. Her decision to run in the 20th Congressional District has created tension with Black Democrats who have already been deeply impacted by Republicans' mid-decade redistricting efforts in states such as Tennessee, Louisiana and Alabama.
Moskowitz announced earlier this year that he would run for reelection in the newly drawn 25th Congressional District, where he will face a spirited primary challenge from Oliver Larkin, a progressive. The race sets up what will be a competitive House election come November, as his seat is one of the top pick-up opportunities for Republicans.
As for Castor, despite her newly drawn 14th Congressional District splitting Tampa and St. Petersburg, she still has a very good chance of retaining her seat come November, as the political environment currently does not favor Republicans.
Democrats are targeting Republican Rep. Cory Mills, who has been plagued with scandals including an ongoing House ethics investigation and a judge issuing a restraining order last year after Mills was accused by his former girlfriend of threatening to distribute sexually explicit videos of her. Mills has denied the allegations.
Ahead of his primary in the state's 7th Congressional District, two Florida House Republicans, Reps. Anna Paulina Luna and Mike Haridopolos endorsed Mills' primary opponent, Ryan Elijah, a former news anchor and NFL sideline reporter.
"We need leaders in Congress who serve with integrity, energy, and an unwavering commitment to the people who sent them there," Luna and Haridopolos said in a joint statement on social media.
The endorsements from Luna and Haridopolos come as Mills also struggles to raise money for his reelection campaign. But despite the scandals that have followed him, Mills still has the endorsement of President Donald Trump.
Eyes will also be on Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, the front-runner in the Florida GOP gubernatorial primary, who is expected to clinch the Republican nomination. Gov. Ron DeSantis is term-limited.
Donalds' gubernatorial campaign has received immense support among Republicans, with the Florida congressman having the backing of Trump and receiving a $10 million check from GOP mega-donor Ken Griffin, the largest donation made to his campaign so far.
If Donalds secures the GOP nomination for Florida governor and goes on to win in November, he would be the first Black governor elected in Florida and become the seventh Black governor ever to serve.
David Jolly, a former Republican who was previously elected to Congress, is the front-runner in the Democratic gubernatorial primary.
Related Topics
Popular Reads
ABC News Live