Florida primary elections yield major political shifts and LGBTQ+ gains

Florida's recent primary elections yielded significant results for both LGBTQ+ candidates and major party contenders. In the Democratic Senate primary, progressive lawmaker Angie Nixon secured an upset victory over former National Security Council official Alex Vindman, despite being heavily outspent. Nixon will advance to face Republican Senator Ashley Moody in the general election.

On the Republican side, Donalds, a Trump-backed candidate, secured the gubernatorial nomination. If successful in the general election, Donalds would become the state’s first Black governor. In the Democratic gubernatorial primary, David Jolly won the nomination.

Advocacy groups reported notable gains for LGBTQ+ representation. Five Democrats, including Jane Aman, Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet, Samuel Vilchez Santiago, Luis Salazar, and Todd Delmay, advanced to the November general election for the Florida House. Equality Florida Action PAC reported that 81% of its endorsed candidates either won or progressed. Additionally, LGBTQ+ endorsed candidates saw success in local school board contests, including wins by Megan Tennimon and Beth Mayberry in Sarasota County and Angie Gallo for the Orange County school board chair.

Other notable congressional results included U.S. Representative Jared Moskowitz winning reelection in a newly drawn district and U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz winning a contentious South Florida primary.