Florida House incumbents survive primary challenges as state legislative races turn to November

All 16 Florida House incumbents facing primary challengers survived Tuesday, as most state legislative races now turn toward the November general election, where Democrats have fielded challengers in nearly every contest.

Meanwhile, several House members moved closer to seats in the Florida Senate.

House Speaker-designate Sam Garrison, R-Fleming Island, promised support from the political committee he oversees to help Republican incumbents and first-time candidates advancing to the general election.

"The Florida House Republican Campaign Committee will engage full force over the next 11 weeks in House races from Pensacola to Miami and everywhere in between," Garrison said Tuesday night.

Florida House incumbents fend off primary challengers

Of the 13 Republican incumbents facing primary challengers, Rep. Mike Redondo, an attorney from Miami who is in line to become House speaker in 2030, easily fended off Marco Insua, a Miami educator who reported a single $100 contribution since opening his campaign account March 10.

Other House Republicans who won Tuesday were Reps. Doug Bankson of Apopka, Bill Conerly of Lakewood Ranch, Randy Maggard of Dade City, Vanessa Oliver of Punta Gorda, Kim Kendall of St. Augustine, J.J. Grow of Inverness, Ryan Chamberlin of Belleview, Taylor Yarkosky of Montverde, Brian Hodgers of Viera, Robert Brackett of Vero Beach, Rachel Plakon of Lake Mary and Jon Albert of Frostproof.

All three Democratic incumbents facing primary challengers also easily defeated their opponents Tuesday: Reps. Kim Daniels of Jacksonville, Jose Alvarez of Kissimmee and Mitch Rosenwald of Oakland Park.

Chamberlin, Daniels and Rosenwald will return to the House because they have no general election challengers.

Among other notable House primary races, Republican Jon Maples defeated Jonathan Rubin, setting up a rematch with Rep. Emily Gregory, D-Jupiter, in District 87. Gregory defeated Maples in a March special election. The district runs along Palm Beach County's east coast and includes President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort.

In District 13 in Jacksonville, Audrey Gibson is set to return to the Legislature after defeating Leslie Jean-Bart, a civil rights and personal injury attorney. Gibson previously served in the House from 2002 to 2010 and the Senate from 2011 to 2022. Her only general election opponent is a write-in candidate.

Former legislator Daphne Campbell was poised to emerge from a three-way Democratic primary in Miami-Dade County's District 108. Campbell served in the House from 2010 to 2016 and the Senate from 2016 to 2018. North Miami Republican Wancito Francius awaits the Democratic nominee in the general election.

Florida House members move closer to Senate seats

In the Senate, House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, defeated Rep. Michele Rayner, D-St. Petersburg, in the Democratic primary to replace term-limited Sen. Darryl Rouson. With no other candidate in the race, Driskell is set to move to the Senate after the November election.

Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman, D-Boynton Beach, was quick to welcome Driskell.

"During her time as Democratic Leader in the Florida House, we fought back together against the corruption of the DeSantis administration and partnered on an affordability agenda that would benefit all Floridians," Berman said.

Also in the Senate, Rep. James Buchanan, a Sarasota Republican and son of U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, defeated Vic Rohe, a member of the Sarasota Memorial Hospital Board, in the race for the seat held by Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota. Democrat Lew Wasserman and independent Martin Hyde await Buchanan in the general election.

Gruters, chairman of the Republican National Committee, cannot seek reelection because of term limits.

South Florida state Senate races take shape

In South Florida, Miami Democratic state Rep. Ashley Gantt swept to victory in the Democratic primary for the Senate District 34 seat, defeating Shannan Ighodaro, a former Miami Gardens councilwoman, and Christine Alexandria Sanon-Jules Olivo of North Miami. Gantt will face Elizabeth Jeanty in the general election.

The candidates are seeking to replace state Sen. Shevrin Jones, who decided to run for Congress after longtime Democratic U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson chose not to seek reelection.

In other Senate contests, Democrat Gerald Baldi of Bradenton advanced to take on Senate President-designate Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, in the District 20 race.

Democrat John Lowndes of Maitland won his party's primary for the District 10 seat in Central Florida and will take on Sen. Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford.

In District 18 in Pinellas County, Democrat Karla Kemp of St. Petersburg advanced to face Sen. Nick DiCeglie, R-Indian Rocks Beach.

Republican Hector Rivera of Coral Springs emerged from the District 30 primary and will take on former Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book of Plantation for the seat opened by Sen. Tina Polsky's decision not to seek reelection.