November’s election will test President Donald Trump’s grip on his adopted state and Democrats’ ability to resurrect Florida as a national political battleground.
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Florida has moved notably to the right since Trump’s victory in 2016, though Democrats hope to regain ground from his slumping popularity ratings.
Take a look at who’s facing who in some of Florida’s major races of the Nov. 3 election.
Governor – Byron Donalds (R) vs. David Jolly (D)
Will Florida elect its first Black governor in history or its first Democratic governor in over three decades?
U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds was projected to win the Republican nomination for Florida governor and former Rep. David Jolly picked up the Democratic nod in Tuesday’s primaries, setting the stage for a fall campaign to replace outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis and decide the state’s future political direction.
Donalds entered the race with President Donald Trump’s endorsement. The Republican was on the short list to be his vice presidential running mate during the 2024 presidential campaign, and is now attempting to become Florida’s first Black governor. Donalds worked in finance as a credit analyst and portfolio manager before he was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2016. He has been a member of the U.S. House of Representatives since 2021.
Running on the Democratic side is a vocal Trump critic, Jolly. He is a former Republican congressman who is now a Democrat and looking to change the current leadership in the Sunshine State. He served Congress from 2014 to 2017, and is also an attorney and a television analyst.
Congressional District 20 – Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) vs. Brent Andersen (R) vs. Kedner Maxime (NP)
Longtime Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz defeated former U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and others in a redrawn south Florida district.
Wasserman Schultz ran for the District 20 seat after redistricting altered her current seat in District 25. She has served Congress for 20 years, previously representing District 20 and District 23. Wasserman Schultz highlighted efforts to address affordable housing and blight within the district.
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The district stretches across central Broward County and includes parts of Fort Lauderdale, north into Tamarac, Coral Springs and Deerfield Beach. Wasserman Schultz, as the only white Democratic candidate in the field, has faced criticism for running for a majority Black district. A Black representative has held the District 20 seat for decades.
Brent Andersen, the Republican candidate, is an insurance broker and has a bachelor’s degree from Nichols College in 2000.
Businessman Kedner Maxime is running as an independent and will appear on November’s ballot.
District 20 was left vacant since the resignation of Cherfilus-McCormick due to campaign finance and reporting violations, including allegations she stole millions in federal funds and funneled some of the money into her campaign. Cherfilus-McCormick was in this year’s race for the seat again but lost.
Congressional District 24 – Te Brown (R) vs. Oliver Gilbert (D)
Oliver Gilbert, former Miami Gardens mayor and current Miami‑Dade County Commissioner, won the Democratic ticket after opponent Shevrin Jones conceded. Gilbert was endorsed by U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, who chose him to be her successor for District 24.
Te Brown is the Republican candidate for District 24. The real estate developer, businesswoman and mom describes herself as “a pro-MAGA and pro-Constitution conservative.”
Congressional District 27 – Maria Elvira Salazar (R) vs. Eliott Rodriguez (D)
Two former news presenters will compete for Florida’s District 27.
Incumbent Maria Elvira Salazar was elected to the U.S. House in 2021 and is running for re-election. The former television journalist who worked at NBC Universal’s Telemundo and other Spanish-language stations before her election to the House.
Former CBS Miami anchor Eliott Rodriguez, who entered a Democratic primary field larger than usual, said immigration and the rising cost of living pushed him into the race. He had strong words about Salazar on Tuesday night, “For six years, Salazar has had the opportunity to deliver results for this district. Instead, she lies and lies and lies.”
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