Midterm voting ended at 7 p.m. Tuesday for Alachua County, and a few remaining counties have an extra hour to submit ballots in the Florida Panhandle before results come in to determine the next era of state leaders.
Voters will determine Florida’s next governor as Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is term-limited, will soon leave office after being elected first in 2019, then again in 2022. Races for the U.S. Senate, state attorney general, chief financial officer, and agricultural commissioner will also be decided once results are in.
The party in power at the White House historically tends to do poorly in midterm elections. The midterm election not only will serve as an early test of voters’ reaction to the Trump administration’s agenda over the last two years, but it will also give an early indicator to how well Democrats may perform in the 2028 elections.
President Donald Trump is coming into the midterm elections with a near record low 32% approval rating, according to an Ipsos poll released Monday.
Here’s a rundown of the state races to watch, and the winners as results come in:
U.S. Senate: Ashley Moody (R) vs. Angie Nixon (D)
Democrat Angie Nixon is facing off against Republican incumbent Ashley Moody, who was appointed to fill a vacancy in the U.S. Senate by DeSantis. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was previously a Florida senator, reelected in 2022 to fulfill a six-year-term, but left his post after being tapped to serve in the Trump administration
Moody, who was previously Florida’s attorney general, has recently been criticized by Democrats for her involvement in the Hope Florida scandal after a grand jury report alleged in its findings that she was aware of the $10 million diverted from a Medicaid settlement, which Moody denies.
But Moody has said throughout this election that a vote for her opponent is a vote for extremism.
“This election is so much more than voting for a person for the United States Senate. This is about voting for the future of this country,” Moody said at her primary election night party in August.
Nixon, who has served in the Florida House since 2020, is running on a platform of affordability and access to healthcare. She joined the Democratic Socialists of America earlier this year, and as a representative, she worked to expand childcare and protested a redistricting vote with a pink bullhorn, which earned her an official committee reprimand.
Her win in the Democratic primary came as a surprise, with many national Democrats skeptical of her status as a Democratic Socialist, worried she has veered too far left for Florida voters. Since earning the nomination, she has been endorsed by prominent Democrats like former President Barack Obama and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Governor: Byron Donalds (R) vs. David Jolly (D)
Endorsed early in the race by Trump, Republican nominee Byron Donalds could become Florida’s first Black governor if elected, and the country’s first Black Republican governor.
During his time in the Florida House, Donalds focused on parental rights in education and school choice. He currently advocates for Second Amendment rights and stricter immigration policy as a congressman.
Democratic nominee David Jolly is promising voters affordability, which has become a staple talking point for democrats as voters worry about inflation and housing costs. Like DeSantis, Jolly is vocally opposed to data centers.
A former Republican and Independent, Jolly may appeal to moderate Florida voters with his dedication to compromise. If elected, he would become the first Democratic Florida governor since the 1990s.
Attorney General: James Uthmeier (R) vs. Jose Javier Rodriguez (D)
Republican incumbent James Uthmeier has served as attorney general since 2025, replacing Moody after her appointment to the U.S. Senate. He was formerly DeSantis’ chief of staff and has primarily focused on prosecuting child predators and enforcing immigration rules. He’s also recently faced scrutiny for his involvement in the Hope Florida controversy.
A then-sealed, now-expunged grand jury report alleged Uthmeier played a role in funneling millions from the Florida Medicaid settlement to political committees opposing a 2024 recreational marijuana ballot measure.
Jose Javier Rodriguez has criticized Uthmeier for his role in the now-closed immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades, which was known as Alligator Alcatraz. Rodriguez’s platform emphasizes releasing files involving sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, reducing costs for Florida residents and protecting children.
He worked as the assistant secretary of labor in the Biden administration. Rodriguez narrowly lost reelection to the state Senate after a “ghost candidate” scandal, in which an independent candidate with the last name Rodriguez was placed on the ballot to siphon votes from Rodriguez. His opponent, Ileana Garcia, won by only 32 votes.
Chief Financial Officer: Blaise Ingoglia (R) vs. Annette Taddeo (D)
Florida’s chief financial officer also serves as the state fire marshal, and is responsible for managing the Florida Treasury and heads statewide accounting and payroll.
As the incumbent chief financial officer, Republican Blaise Ingoglia has focused his term on removing government waste with “DOGE” audits, and his campaign has emphasized that if reelected, he plans to continue focusing on allocating money to immigration enforcement.
Democrat Annette Taddeo hopes to closely monitor insurance agencies to ensure transparency and ethical practices. She opposes data centers, which have become a major issue among rural voters, and she’s said in her campaign that she hopes to bring tax relief for Florida residents.
Agriculture Commissioner: Wilton Simpson (R) vs. Joey Atkins (D)
The Florida Agriculture Commissioner regulates farming in the state, conducts food inspections and oversees forests.
As the Trump-endorsed incumbent, Republican Wilton Simpson worked to prevent property tax increases on farm land and supported citrus growers.
Democrat Joey Atkins is a trial attorney who has advocated for legal aid for farm workers. If elected, he said in his campaign that he plans to lower food and gas prices and stop the sale of farmland to data center developers. He also plans to combat Flock camera surveillance, another issue that’s become more prevalent across the nation.
Polls close at 7 p.m. local time in Florida, 8 p.m. ET in the western Panhandle. See all other Florida election results here and complete Florida voting coverage here.
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