Republicans swept Florida’s statewide races in Tuesday’s midterm elections even as Democrats won back control of the U.S. House of Representatives, WUSF reported. In the governor’s race, Byron Donalds was projected as the winner, Attorney General Ashley Moody narrowly defeated Angie Nixon, and voters approved Amendment 3, which requires voter approval for casino gambling expansion.
“You got to hand it Angie Nixon,” WUSF reporter Steve Newborn said. “She was closer than people predicted or gave her credit for. But close doesn’t mean anything in elections.”
Florida Becomes the Largest Republican State
The split outcome in Florida stood in contrast to the national results, where Democrats were about to take majorities in Congress, producing divided government in Washington. WUSF’s “Your Florida” reporter Douglas Soule said the results made Florida the country’s largest Republican state. “Florida’s now the largest Republican state — Texas fell blue,” Soule said. “It will be really interesting thing to consider how Florida now influences nationwide politics.”
Questions Readers Asked About the Florida Midterms
Did Democrats win any statewide office in Florida? No. According to WUSF’s reporting, Republicans held the statewide races, with the governor’s seat and attorney general’s office going to Republicans and Amendment 3 passing.
What did Amendment 3 do? Amendment 3 passed in the midterms and requires that any expansion of casino gambling in Florida be approved by voters.
How close was the attorney general race? WUSF reporter Steve Newborn said Angie Nixon was closer than people predicted, but emphasized that in elections, close does not count as a win.
The guests on the program also included Tara Newsom, a St. Petersburg College professor of social and behavioral science.