Republican Victory in Florida: Byron Donalds Makes History While Salazar and Giménez Retain Their Seats

Republican representatives from Florida, María Elvira Salazar and Carlos Jiménez, secured victory in the midterm elections, thus securing their respective reelections in a race where their Democratic opponents proved to be more than competitive.

In Florida's 27th District, Salazar defeated Democrat Eliott Rodríguez in one of the closest races, bringing about a scenario of near-parity that until recently seemed unthinkable. The district, which encompasses parts of Miami-Dade County such as Coral Gables, Cutler Bay, Key Biscayne, and Little Havana, has a significant Hispanic population and became a battleground over the impact of immigration policies and the cost of living. Salazar received President Donald Trump's last-minute endorsement, despite the disagreement between the two after the congresswoman criticized the administration's immigration measures and warned that they had gone "too far." Trump had previously questioned her statements, but ultimately endorsed her candidacy and praised her work representing the district.

For his part, Gimenez won reelection in Florida's 28th District, securing a fourth term in the House of Representatives after defeating Democrat Phil Ehr and independent candidate Eddy Rojas. The district includes parts of Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys. Gimenez, who currently chairs the House Subcommittee on Homeland Security, focused his campaign on border security, national security, and investments in local communities.

Victories for Donalds and Moody

Republican Byron Donalds won the Florida gubernatorial election by defeating Democrat David Jolly, becoming the successor to Governor Ron DeSantis, who served two full terms. Donalds, who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2021, representing Florida's 19th District, will take office in January 2027 and will become the first African American candidate elected governor of that state and the first African American Republican to win a governorship in U.S. history.

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Meanwhile, Republican Ashley Moody defeated the socialist Democrat Angie Nixon in the Senate special election and retained her seat. Moody, who was appointed by DeSantis in January 2025 following Marco Rubio's departure to serve as secretary of state, will serve out the term until the 2028 elections.

The race also served as a test of the strength of Republican dominance in Florida. After expanding its lead in voter registration to 1.5 million, the party sought to confirm that the state remains a conservative stronghold, while Democrats tried to regain ground after a decade without victories in state elections.

Republican Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna also won reelection in Florida's 13th District after narrowly defeating Democrat Leela Gray. Despite a difficult election cycle for Republicans and expectations of a "blue wave," Luna received 49.5% of the vote, compared to just under 49% for Gray.

Meanwhile, Democrat Pia Dandiya won the closely contested race for Florida's 22nd District by defeating Republican Casey Askar. Dandiya, who has experience in the education sector, managed to prevail in a district that Donald Trump won by more than 10 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.