# Florida primary elections

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/florida-primary-elections
> Updated: 2026-08-15T23:07:20.000Z. Sources: 37. Developments: 2.

Ahead of the August 18 primary elections in Florida, concerns were raised in Monroe County regarding potential delays in reporting results. The removal of copper landlines, which were necessary for fax machines used to transmit election data, necessitated a shift to using couriers to transport sealed voting results to the Supervisor of Elections office. Officials stated this change was intended to prioritize the “accuracy, security and integrity” of the election.

As voting commenced, the primary elections included high-stakes races for governor, U.S. Senate, and various congressional seats. These elections were the first to use new congressional maps. In the Republican gubernatorial primary, Congressman Byron Donalds emerged as a leading candidate with a Donald Trump endorsement, competing against Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins, Paul Renner, and James Fishback. In Democratic congressional contests, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz faced challenges in a newly drawn district, sparking debates over racial representation.

## Claims

- Florida voters are participating in primaries for governor, U.S. Senate, and various congressional districts. (corroborated by 7 sources)
- Rep. Byron Donalds is running for governor and is endorsed by Donald Trump. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- The Florida primary elections are the first to utilize new congressional districts approved in May. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz is running in the newly drawn 20th Congressional District. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The Republican primary for Florida's 19th Congressional District includes candidate John Strand. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- In the Republican gubernatorial primary, Byron Donalds leads with 48.7% support, followed by Jay Collins at 11.2%, James Fishback at 8.8%, and Paul Renner at 3.8%. (single source)
- Prediction markets on Kalshi show Byron Donalds with a 99% probability of winning the Republican gubernatorial nomination. (single source)
- Rep. Cory Mills is running for reelection in Florida's 7th Congressional District amid investigations. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-15: Florida holds primary elections for governor and Congress

Florida voters head to the polls for primary elections involving the governor's race, U.S. Senate, and congressional seats under newly redrawn district maps.

34 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/debbie-wasserman-schultz-faces-debate-over-florida-redistricting

### 2026-08-13: Florida primary election faces result delays in Keys due to missing fax lines

Florida's August 18 primary faces potential result delays in the Keys due to missing fax landlines, while Lt. Gov. Jay Collins campaigns for governor in North Port.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/florida-primary-election-faces-result-delays-in-keys-due-to-missing-fax-lines

---
Cite as: Florida primary elections. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/florida-primary-elections