Florida’s primary elections have been a mixed bag of surprises and expected outcomes, highlighting the tensions in both major US parties as they prepare for November’s midterm elections.
asserted
they → expect → elections
The contests held on Tuesday were the first conducted under the state’s newly redrawn congressional map, which observers say was designed to favour Republicans and could leave Democrats with a minuscule number of Florida’s 28 House seats.
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observers → hold → seats
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Democrats → warn → results
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Democrats → finalise → calendar
The results produced a major upset within the Democratic Party, as progressive state lawmaker Angie Nixon defeated the much better-funded former national security official Alexander Vindman in their Senate primary race.
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Nixon → produce → race
Meanwhile, Republican Congressman Byron Donalds won the nomination for governor with President Donald Trump’s backing, putting him on course to potentially become Florida’s first Black governor.
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Donalds → win → course
Progressive wins in major upset
Nixon’s victory over Vindman is another sign that progressive candidates are starting to break through against better-funded establishment rivals.
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candidates → start → rivals
Nixon, a state lawmaker and former labour activist, raised less than $1m, while Vindman outraised her by more than 16 to 1.
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Vindman → raise → 16
Vindman was nationally known for his testimony during Trump’s first impeachment hearing in 2019, while Nixon had built her profile in Florida politics and among progressives.
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Nixon → build → progressives
She was backed by prominent progressive figures, including Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.
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She → back → Omar
Her victory continues a pattern seen in other Democratic primaries this year, where progressive candidates have defeated more established and heavily funded opponents.
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candidates → continue → opponents
Nixon will now face Republican Senator Ashley Moody in November in a special election for the final two years of former Senator Marco Rubio’s term.
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Nixon → face → term
Rubio vacated the seat after becoming Trump’s secretary of state.
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Rubio → vacate → state
But the Tuesday primaries didn’t all go the way of the Democratic Socialists.
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primaries → go → Socialists
In another Florida primary, union organiser Oliver Larkin was defeated by incumbent Democrat Congressman Jared Moskowitz in a new Republican-friendly district.
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Larkin → defeat → district
In another sigh of relief for establishment Democrats, longtime US Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz easily won the most contentious race, beating Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and three other Black candidates in a plurality-Black district.
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Schultz → win → district
Cherfilus-McCormick had resigned earlier this year under a pending federal indictment and the threat of House ethics sanctions but wanted her seat back.
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McCormick → resign → seat
Trump-backed Donalds wins
Republicans had a clearer result in the governor’s race, where Trump-backed Congressman Byron Donalds won the nomination to succeed term-limited Governor Ron DeSantis.
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Donalds → back → DeSantis
Donalds is now set to face Democrat David Jolly, a former Republican who later became an independent before joining the Democratic Party.
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who → set → Party
If Donalds wins in November, he would become Florida’s first Black governor.
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he → win → November
There is currently only one Black governor in the nation, Democrat Wes Moore of Maryland, who is seeking re-election in November.
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who → be → November
Donalds’ win reinforces Trump’s influence over Republican primary voters, but Florida’s political shift to the right remains the bigger factor in the governor’s race.
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shift → reinforce → race
Cory Mills becomes another Republican incumbent to fall
Republican Congressman Cory Mills lost his primary to former television news anchor Ryan Elijah, ending Mills’ bid for a third term.
Mills had been facing ethics investigations and allegations of misconduct, which had made his re-election increasingly difficult.
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election → become → misconduct
Trump had initially backed Mills in February but did not include him in a list of endorsements on Monday.
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Trump → back → Monday
Far-right Randy Fine keeps his seat
The incumbent overcame challenges from a slew of candidates to secure the Republican primary nomination for Florida’s 6th Congressional District.
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incumbent → keep → District
Since being elected to Congress last year, Trump ally Representative Fine has come to symbolise anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian rhetoric in mainstream US politics.
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Fine → elect → politics
The staunchly pro-Israel legislator suggested last year that all Muslims should be destroyed.
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Muslims → suggest → ?
He has cheered the starvation of children in Gaza and has called on Israel to use nuclear weapons against the Palestinian territory.
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He → cheer → territory
He faced a crowded pool of challengers, including, most notably, internet personality Daniel Bilzerian, who himself has faced accusations of anti-Semitism.
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who → face → Semitism
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