WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Rick Scott has won the Republican U.S. Senate primary in Florida, advancing to a Nov. 5 showdown against Democratic former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell in a race that could largely hinge on the success of their parties’ presidential candidates.
Scott — who won his 2018 race by a razor-thin margin of about 10,000 votes — has even larger ambitions as he looks to seek the Senate Republican leader seat if he wins the general election.
An ally of former President Donald Trump, Scott sought the Senate leadership position in 2022 and lost by a 37-10 vote to U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell. This year, with McConnell stepping down, Scott could seek the position again
Florida has shifted politically in the six years since Scott narrowly won office in 2018. At the time, Democrats outnumbered Republicans, but now, Republicans have more than a 1 million-voter advantage over Democrats.
Mucarsel-Powell, a former Miami congresswoman, had the backing of party leaders as she defeated three other Democrats on the ballot. She now has to overcome Scott’s power of incumbency and his ability to self-fund his campaign.
Her campaign has focused largely on abortion rights, gun safety and Latin American issues. This year, Florida also has amendments to protect abortion rights and legalize marijuana on the ballot, which have historically benefitted Democrats in elections.
She will also be pinned on Vice President Kamala Harris inspiring Democrats to the polls as she faces Trump.
Mucarsel-Powell was the first Ecuadorian American and South American-born congressional member elected when she won in 2018, but she lost her reelection bid in 2020 to U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez.
The Senate seat was not the only one in Florida to watch, since some of the state’s congressional races include the most well-known far-right lawmakers.
One such example is U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, who must defeat his primary challenger Aaron Dimmock. That race has been fueled by a barrage of campaign advertisements, with Gaetz accusing Dimmock of being a carpetbagger who moved from Missouri to the Florida Panhandle to promote diversity and inclusion. Meanwhile Dimmock has highlighted allegations of sexual misconduct against Gaetz.
U.S. Reps. Byron Donalds and Mike Waltz are also widely known conservative legislators. Donalds didn’t have any primary challengers, and Waltz defeated John Grow, a software engineer. Waltz has spoken at Trump’s campaign events, made Fox News appearances and appeared at the Republican National Convention last month.
U.S. Rep. Cory Mills, who is also closely aligned with Trump and has staunchly defended Gaetz in the past, defended his seat against former Florida Senate candidate and veteran Mike Johnson.
Each of these congressional members are far-right conservatives in Congress, known mostly for their alignment with Trump. They’ve led charges to defend the former president, stalled appropriations bills and budget deals, upended former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and fought for stricter regulations on abortion access and immigration.
Florida voters are deciding contested primaries in most of Florida’s 28 House districts.
Among the higher-profile House races was in District 13, in Pinellas County along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Whitney Fox, a former marketing and communications director at the county transit authority, easily bested four Democratic opponents to take on GOP freshman Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a member of the right-wing Freedom Caucus, who faced no primary opposition.
The district leans Republican, but Fox expressed optimism she could prevail in November.
“Our shared hopes for affordable housing, reproductive freedom, and an economy that works for everyone unite us far more than any differences divide us,” Fox said in an email. “This campaign is about putting power back in the hands of working families. It’s about ensuring that whether you’re a teacher, a small business owner, or a retiree, your voice matters.”
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This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Dimmock’s last name. It is Dimmock, not Dimmick.
Stephany Matat, The Associated Press
