A Florida primary was a test for Democrats.
Three democratic socialist candidates looked to upset mainstream liberals in the Tuesday, Aug. 18, primaries in President Donald Trump’s home state of Florida. In one House primary race, activist and union organizer Oliver Larkin, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, lost to two-term Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz
in Florida's newly mapped 25th Congressional District."Republicans are also sorting out their fields in districts where they think they can knock off Democratic incumbents," says John McGlennon, professor government at the College of William & Mary. These including Rep. Darren Soto in the 9th District and Rep. Kathy Castor in the 14th, where the districts were made more Republican by
a recently redrawn congressional map.
Scroll to see results in some key Florida's House races, as well as Senate and governor primaries, according to the Associated Press and CNN.
Florida House primary results
District 7
Trump-backed Rep. Cory Mills is defending his seat amid an ongoing House Ethics Committee investigation in the House.
- Republican: Ryan Elijah (47.3% of votes) defeated Mills (43.1% of votes) with an estimated 99% of votes counted.
- Democrat: Bale Dalton (45.5% of votes) defeated Marialana Kinter (35.6% of votes) with an estimated 99% of votes counted.
District 9
- Republican: This race has not yet been called. Dan Green (25.4% of votes) leads Ben Butler (24.4% of votes) and Thomas Chalifoux (20.3% of votes) with an estimated 99% of votes counted.
- Democrat: Incumbent Rep. Darren Soto won the race uncontested.
District 14
- Republican: Mike Beltran (45.6% of votes) defeated Kevin Steele (30.2% of votes ) with an estimated 99% of votes counted.
- Democrat: Incumbent Rep. Kathy Castor won the race uncontested.
District 19
U.S. Rep. Bryan Donalds vacated his seat to run for governor, opening up a wide competition among Republicans for the nomination. Trump had endorsed Catalina Lauf, who came in second behind Jim Schwartzel.
- Republican: Schwartzel (29.1% of votes) defeated Lauf (22% of votes ) with an estimated 99% of votes counted.
- Democrat: Victor Arias (45.5% of votes) defeated Howard Sapp (41.1% of votes ) with an estimated 99% of votes counted.
District 20
U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz faced a race in the 20th District after switching her district due to Florida's redrawn congressional map. She left District 25, a Democratic stronghold, according to Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Network.
- Republican: Brent Anderson (53.8% of votes) defeated Rod Joseph (20.5% of votes ) with an estimated 99% of votes counted.
- Democrat: Wasserman Schultz (45% of votes) defeated Dale Holness (23.1% of votes ) with an estimated 99% of votes counted.
District 25
- Republican: Scott Singer (31.4% of votes) defeated George Moraitis (27.4% of votes ) with an estimated 99% of votes counted.
- Democrat: Moskowitz (63.5% of votes) defeated Larkin (36.5% of votes ) with an estimated 99% of votes counted.
Florida Senate primary results
The Senate special election primary will choose candidates to fill the rest of Secretary of State Marco Rubio's six-year term. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis picked Senator Ashley B. Moody to replace Rubio in January 2025. Moody has faced scrutiny during her term for the reported diversion of funds, originally for children's health care, to political action committees through Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis' charity, according to Florida Today, part of the USA TODAY Network.
On the Democratic side, Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon, a Democratic-Socialist, won the Senate Democratic primary against Alex Vindman, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who gave critical evidence during Trump's first impeachment.
- Republican: Moody (79.6% of votes) defeated Chris Gleason (13.7% of votes) with an estimated 99% of votes counted.
- Democrat: Nixon (56.1% of votes) defeated Vindman (43.9% of votes) with an estimated 99% of votes counted.
Florida governor primary results
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is term-limited. Trump backed U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds in the race. Donalds will face former U.S. Rep. David Jolly, a former Republican, in November.
- Republican: Donalds (47.8% of votes) defeated Jay Collins (25.2% of votes ) with an estimated 99% of votes counted.
- Democrat: Jolly (61% of votes) defeated Dayna Foster (15.1% of votes ) with an estimated 99% of votes counted.
Contributing: Terry Collins & Philip Bailey
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Florida election results: Latest on primary races for House, Senate, governor
