Key Points Summary
- Florida held its statewide primary election on August 18, 2026, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time.
- Republican Rep. Byron Donalds won the GOP nomination for governor, defeating Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, James Fishback, and former House Speaker Paul Renner.
- Democrat David Jolly, a former Republican congressman, won the Democratic nomination for governor, defeating Dotie Joseph and other challengers.
- In the special U.S. Senate primary, appointed Republican Sen. Ashley Moody won her party’s nomination, while Democratic state Rep. Angie Nixon defeated Alex Vindman.
- Donalds and Jolly, along with Moody and Nixon, will face off in the November 3, 2026 general election.
Florida voters went to the polls on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, to decide primary contests for governor, U.S. Senate, and dozens of other state and federal races, setting up the matchups that will appear on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot.
Governor’s Race: Donalds and Jolly Advance
Republican Rep. Byron Donalds won the GOP nomination for Florida governor on August 18, 2026, positioning him to succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis. Donalds, a third-term congressman from Naples, secured President Donald Trump’s endorsement in February 2025, months before he officially entered the race, and built a substantial financial advantage over his rivals, raising close to $100 million for his campaign.
Donalds defeated a crowded Republican field that included Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, who finished second and had campaigned on protecting DeSantis’s legacy despite not receiving the governor’s formal endorsement. Other Republican candidates in the primary included James Fishback, former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner, state Rep. Rachel Rodriguez, and several lesser-known contenders.
On the Democratic side, David Jolly, a former Republican congressman who later became a Democrat, won his party’s nomination for governor. Jolly faced limited opposition after Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings suspended his campaign in June 2026 following a cancer diagnosis. Former state Rep. Dotie Joseph also ran but did not gain significant traction against Jolly.
Donalds and Jolly will now compete in the November 3, 2026 general election. Political analysts consider Donalds the early favorite, citing Florida’s rightward shift over the past decade; Republicans have won every Florida gubernatorial election since 1998.
U.S. Senate Race: Moody and Nixon Set November Matchup
Florida’s special U.S. Senate primary also took place on August 18, 2026. Sen. Ashley Moody, who was appointed to the seat in January 2025 after Marco Rubio left to become secretary of state, won the Republican nomination, defeating Chris Gleason, Neelam Perry, and Ernie Rivera. Moody, Florida’s former attorney general, is seeking to hold the seat through the remainder of Rubio’s term, which runs through 2028.
On the Democratic side, state Rep. Angie Nixon, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, defeated Alex Vindman, a retired lieutenant colonel and former White House national security aide known for his testimony during President Trump’s first impeachment. Nixon’s win adds to a string of recent primary victories by insurgent Democratic candidates over more moderate, better-funded opponents.
Moody and Nixon will face each other in the November 3, 2026 general election, with Democrats viewing the race as a long-shot pickup opportunity in a state that has trended Republican in recent election cycles.
NEED TO KNOW
- Florida’s primary elections were held August 18, 2026; the general election is set for November 3, 2026.
- Byron Donalds (R) will face David Jolly (D) for governor.
- Ashley Moody (R) will face Angie Nixon (D) for the U.S. Senate seat.
- Results were reported by the Associated Press and the Florida Division of Elections.
- All 28 of Florida’s U.S. House seats, most statewide offices, and dozens of state legislative seats were also decided in Tuesday’s primary.
Florida’s primary results reflect a broader national pattern this cycle, with well-funded, establishment-aligned candidates prevailing in Republican contests and further-left insurgent candidates gaining ground in several Democratic primaries. Both parties will spend the next several weeks sharpening their messaging ahead of the November 3 general election, when Florida voters will also decide races for Congress, the state legislature, and other statewide offices, including attorney general and chief financial officer.
Stay tuned for more updates as Florida’s 2026 general election campaign heats up ahead of November.