From Miami to Washington: The races to watch in Florida's primary
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Illustration: Victoria Ellis/Axios
Tuesday's election will set the stage for Florida's big-time races drawing national attention, from the governor to U.S. House and Senate seats, come November.
- It could also have an immediate impact on local policymakers. Nonpartisan races (commission, school board, judges) will be decided Tuesday if a candidate gets 50% of the vote. Otherwise, a runoff will be held in November.
Remember: Polls close at 7pm and results will start rolling in later Tuesday night. Click here to find your polling place and things you need to know before you vote (don't forget to bring your ID!).
Here are the six major questions we're asking:
1. Who will run against Gov. Ron DeSantis in November?
- Tuesday's vote determines whether it'll be 66-year-old U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, Florida's former governor, or 44-year-old state Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried.
2. Will Floridians support a progressive prosecutor for attorney general?
- Aramis Ayala, a former state attorney who decided in 2017 she'd no longer seek the death penalty, is slightly ahead in Democratic primary polls against Daniel Uhlfelder (an attorney from Santa Rosa Beach famous for dressing up like the Grim Reaper to protest DeSantis' COVID policies) and Fort Lauderdale attorney Jim Lewis.
- The winner will face incumbent Attorney General Ashley Moody.
3. How will term limits overhaul the Miami-Dade County Commission?
- The 12-member county commission will have at least five new members due to term limits. Commissioners vote on legislation ranging from county tax rates to transit.
4. Who will face off in Miami's District 27 congressional election?
- Republican Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar is the favorite to win her primary for the U.S. Congressional District 27, and she'll either face off against state Sen. Annette Taddeo, a Democrat from Miami, TikTok politician, Miami Commissioner Ken Russell or grassroots candidate Angel Montalvo.
5. Will DeSantis shape Miami's school board?
- The governor has taken sides in the normally low-profile Miami-Dade races after touting policies restricting instruction on racism and gender identity. There are four school board seats open in Miami-Dade.
6. Who will challenge Sen. Marco Rubio for his U.S. Senate seat?
- U.S. Rep. Val Demings is the favorite to win her Democratic primary and face off against Republican Rubio in November. Recent polling indicates that would be a tight race.