Florida Midterms: Moody Wins Senate, Jolly Leads Governor Race Amid Heavy Rain

Key points

• Ashley Moody, a former attorney general, won the U.S. Senate seat previously held by Marco Rubio, defeating State Rep. Angie Nixon with over 50% of the vote.
• Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Jolly is leading Republican Byron Donalds, with a significant 20-point advantage in Osceola County according to early data.
• Heavy rain and flooding caused polling place consolidations in St. Lucie and Brevard counties, though Secretary of State Cord Byrd stated voting proceeded smoothly.
• Democrats won several congressional districts, including District 20 (Debbie Wasserman Schultz), District 22 (Pia Dandiya), District 24 (Oliver Gilbert), and District 25 (Jared Moskowitz).
• Republicans retained District 27 (Maria Elvira Salazar) and District 28 (Carlos Gimenez), with Salazar winning by a razor-thin margin against Eliott Rodriguez.

Background

This election follows the 2024 presidential cycle where Donald Trump won Florida by 13 points. The Senate race is a special election to fill the seat vacated by Marco Rubio, who joined the presidential cabinet. The governor's race is a key battleground for statewide control, with candidates Byron Donalds and David Jolly campaigning heavily on economic and social issues.

How outlets are covering it

NBC News and NBC 6 South Florida emphasized the tightness of the Senate race, noting Nixon's strong early vote performance in Miami-Dade and Osceola counties, though Moody ultimately won. WUSF provided a broad overview of statewide results without specific candidate details. WPBF focused on the live updates of the governor and Senate races. There is no direct disagreement on the final Senate outcome, but outlets highlighted different aspects of the governor's race, with NBC 6 noting Jolly's lead in specific counties while WPBF focused on the overall contest.

Why it matters

The results determine Florida's governor and a U.S. Senate seat, influencing state policy and federal representation. The close races in congressional districts indicate shifting voter preferences, particularly regarding economic concerns and immigration. The flooding during voting highlights infrastructure challenges in election administration.

What to watch

Final certification of results is expected in the coming days. The governor's race may require a closer look at late-arriving mail ballots, especially in areas affected by flooding. The U.S. House balance of power may be influenced by these Florida results, along with other swing states.