U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist has won the Democratic nomination for governor in Florida, putting him in position to challenge Gov. Ron DeSantis this fall.
In selecting Crist, Florida Democrats sided with a candidate backed by many in the party's establishment who viewed him as the safest choice. The 66-year-old Crist defeated Nikki Fried, the state agriculture commissioner.
DeSantis, the Republican incumbent, did not face a primary challenger.
Attorney General
| Name | Votes | Percentage | Contributions | Expenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aramis Ayala | 620,402 | 44.76% | $116,855.17 | $108,451.23 |
| Jim Lewis | 375,050 | 27% | $43,637.07 | $36,952.58 |
| Daniel Uhlfelder | 390,642 | 28.1% | $369,868.26 | $308,852.77 |
Former Orlando-area State Attorney Aramis Ayala defeated two other Democrats for a chance to challenge Republican Attorney General Ashley Moody, who didn't have a primary opponent. Ayala received national attention for refusing to seek the death penalty in murder cases.
As of Thursday, Moody had nearly $2.6 million in campaign contributions, of which she had spent about $157,000.
Commissioner of Agriculture
Republican Senate President Wilton Simpson defeated little-known candidate James Shaw. Naomi Blemur defeated two other candidates in the Democratic primary.
| Name | Votes | Percentage | Contributions | Expenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naomi Blemur | 683,658 | 50.39% | $66,357.86 | $55,972.30 |
| J.R. Gaillot | 261,423 | 19.27% | $18,584 | $11,691.52 |
| Ryan Morales | 411,615 | 30.34% | $27,439.75 | $22,102.81 |
| Name | Votes | Percentage | Contributions | Expenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Shaw | 564,993 | 35.3% | $103,715.34 | $104,780.28 |
| Wilton Simpson | 1,035,643 | 64.7% | $2,325,759.03 | $529,670.56 |