2018 Florida Primary Election Results Full election vote returns from the 2018 Florida Primary Share Shares Copy Link Copy Hide Transcript Show Transcript WEBVTT SPEECH. SANIKA: TONIGHT IS THE HISTORIC UPSET THAT THE TALLAHASSEE MAYOR WAS HOPING FOR. THE CROWD IS ECSTATIC. YOU CAN FEEL THE ENERGY GROWING AS THE NUMBERS STARTED COMING IN. TWO WEEKS AGO WITH THE ENDORSEMENT OF BERNIE SANDE, HE STARTED TO SEARCH - SURGE. THAT HAS BEEN THE MAGIC WORD IN HIS CAMPAIGN. COMPARED TO HIS OPPONENTS, HE WAS OUT ALMOST 10 ONE. HE WAS GOING AGAINST BILLIONAIRES AND TONIGHT HE WON. HE SPOKE ABOUT A WIDE VARIETY OF ISSUES THAT HE WANTED TO ADDRESS IF HE BECOMES THE NEXT GOVERNOR. HE WILL BE THE FIRST BLACK GOVERNOR OF TH STATE. HERE IS WHAT HE HAD TO SAY DURING HIS SPEECH. THEY SAID THIS MOMENT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE. A FEW. AND THEN THERE WERE A FEW MORE WHO BELIEVED THIS THING WAS POSSIBLE. >> WE LOVE YOU. >> I REALIZE THAT FOR SOME, THEY ARE JUST TUNING IN TO THE POSSIBILITY OF WHAT THIS MEANS FOR ALL OF US. SOME. FOR SOME. AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW, AS HAVE SAID AS I HAVE MOVED ACROSS FLORIDA, THIS THING IS NOT ABOUT ME. IT NEVER HAS BEEN, AND IT NEVER WILL BE. THIS RACE IS ABOUT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US. SANIKA AS I MENTIONED, THE CAMPAIGN CREDITS A LOT OF THE SURGE TO THE FACT THAT BERNIE SANDERS ENDORSED HIM. BERNIE DAN -- BERNIE SANDERS HAS NOW CONGRATULATED HIM FOR HIS NOMINATION FOR THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR. IT IS STILL A LARGE PARTY OUT HERE TONIGHT. THIS IS SUCH A HISTORIC NIGHT. NOW WE JUST HAVE TO SEE IF HE CAN CARRY THE MOMENTUM THROUGH TO NOVEMBER. STEWART: AS SHE MENTIONED, BERNIE SANDERS WEIGHT I AND SAID WHAT MADE ANDREW’S CAMPAIGN SO POWERFUL IS HE IS NOT JUST WORKING HARD TO WIN AN ELECTION AM A HE HAS LAID OUT A VISION FOR A NEW COURSE FOR FLORIDA AND OUR COUNTRY. TONIGHT, FLORIDIANS JOINT ANDREW FOR STANDING UP AND DEMANDING CHANGE IN THE COMMUNITY. THAT’S WHAT THE POLITICAL REVOLUTION IS ALL ABOUT AND ANDREW GILLUM IS HELPING TO LEAD IT." SUMMER: MEANWHILE ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE CONGRESSMAN RON DESANTIS WAS PREDICTED THE WINNER BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS EARLY IN THE NIGHT OVER FORMER CONGRESSMAN/AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER ADAM PUTNAM. STEWART: WESH 2’S MATT LUPOLI IS AT THE ROSEN SHINGLE CREEK. MATT: THIS RACE WAS CALLED EARLIER THAN MOST EXPECTED. THEY EXPECTED TO WIN, BUT THE TIMING WAS A SURPRISE. RO DESANTIS THANKED HIS SUPPORTERS AND THE PRESIDENT, CREDITING HIM WITH MUCH OF HIS SUCCESS. THE PRESIDENT CONGRATULATED HIM OVER TWITTER. IN H SPEECH, HE MENTIONED GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT AND SAID HE WANTS TO CONTINUE BUILDING ON WHAT HE CALLED HIS GOOD WORK, BORROWING THE GOVERNORS JOBS, JOBS, JOBS SLOGAN. ANOTHER FOCUS OF HIS SPEECH WAS WHEN HE MADE DURING THE CAMPAIGN. HE TALKED ABOUT WATER QUALITY AND RED TIDES. HE TOLD TH CROWD, KEEP FLORIDA GREAT AND MAKE IT EVEN GREATER. LET’S LISTEN TO HIS SPEECH. WE DON’T HAVE THAT, BUT WE HAVE ANOTHE CONGRATULATIONS, THIS ONE COMING FROM THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF FLORIDA. THEY CALL HIM AN EXTENT -- THE CALL HIM AND OUTSTANDING CANDIDATE. SUMMER: PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, WHO ENDORSED DESANTIS HAS ALREADY TWEETED ABOUT HIS WI TONIGHT SAYING, "SUCH A FANTASTIC WIN FOR RON DESANTIS AND THE PEOPLE OF THE GREAT STATE OF FLORIDA." TURNING NOW OUR ATTENTION TO GWEN GRAHAM WHO FOR A WHILE THERE LOOKED LIKE SHE ALMOST HAD THE NOMINATION. STEWART: WE GO NOW LIVE TO BOB HAZE BOB, THERE ARE STILL SOME PEOPLE THERE CONGRATULATING HER ON A WELL-RUN RACE. : SHE DID NOT JUST CONCEDE THE RACE, SHE GAVE -- ALL: -- BOB: SHE DID NOT JUST CONCEDE THE RACE, SHE GAVE OUT AND GAVE HER FULL SUPPORT BEHIND ANDREW GILLUM IN THIS RACE. AS YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME, THE CROWD HA DISPERSED. NOT MANY PEOPLE OUT HERE BEFORE -- ANYMORE. MANY PEOPLE ARE CLEARING OUT. A FEW MINUTES AGO, SHE HAD HER FAMILY ON THE STAGE, INCLUDING BOB GRAHAM, HER FATHER AND FORMER SENATOR. SHE GAVE FULL SUPPORT TO ANDREW GILLUM. LET’S LISTEN TO WHAT SHE SAID. LET ME SAY, I RECENTLY SPOKE TO ANDREW GILLUM AND CONGRATULATED HIM ON HIS VICTORY. I SAID TO H THAT -- ANDREW AND I HAVE BEEN FRIENDS FOR A VERY LONG TIME. WE WERE FRIENDS BEFORE TH RACE, DURING, AND INTO THE FUTURE. I SAID TO HIM, ANDREW, GO OUT AND WIN THIS THING. BOB: SHE WAS ACCORDING TO THE POLLS GOING INTO THE RACE THE FRONT RUNNER. SO THIS WAS A BIG SURPRISE FOR EVERYONE AT THE EVENT TONIGHT, ESPECIALLY HOW LONG IT DRAGGED OUT. EVENTUALLY HAD TO GIVE UP THE NOMINATION AND CONGRATULATING ANDREW GILLUM AND GIVING HER FULL SUPPORT TO HIM IN HIS RAISE FOR GOVERNOR AGAINST RON DESANTIS. -- RACE FOR GOVERNOR AGAINST RON DESANTIS. STEWART: YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHO IS GOING TO WIN. THEY CAN CHANGE IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS. SUMMER: GREG FOX IS OUR POLITICAL EXPERT AND HE IS HERE WITH US TONIGHT. GREG: BERNI SANDERS CONGRATULATED ANDREW GILLUM ON HIS VICTORY. ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THINKING THAT ONCE BERNIE JUMPED ON BOARD, THAT SEALED IT FOR ANDREW? I THINK ANDREW HAD THE MOMENTUM BEFORE THAT, IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS LEADING UP TO IT. I SAW THAT IN THE DEBATES. HE WAS NOT PICKING ON OTHER CANDIDATE, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT IDEAS AND TALKING ABOUT BEING EVERY MAN. SUMMER: HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO WAS NOT A MILLIONAIRE OR BILLIONAIRE IN THE RACE. DO YOU THINK THAT RESONATED WITH VOTERS? GREG: I THINK IT DID. THE HE GET SOME OF THAT MONEY FROM THE PRIMARY AND LINE UP IN THE GENERAL ELECTION? STEWART: RON DESANTIS GOT A LOT OF MOMENTUM WITH TRUMP’S HELP. HOW MUCH DID THAT HELP PUSH HIM PAST THE FINISH LINE? GREG: HE HAD A VISIT FROM DONALD TRUMP, JR. AND WITH THE TRUMP BACKING, IT GALVANIZED A LOT OF REPUBLICANS WHO STILL FEEL LIKE TRUMP WON IN 2016 IN FLORIDA, HE IS STILL OUR GUY.<doc-sep>10News is monitoring the results of the 2018 Florida primary election. Primary polls around Tampa Bay closed at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Pinellas County saw voter turnout near 30 percent. In Hillsborough County, voter turnout was around 24.6 percent – including early voting and mail ballots. The last comparable midterms were in 2014, a non-presidential election year, when the county’s turnout was around 16.6 percent. Florida Gov. Rick Scott is expected to easily clinch the Republican U.S. Senate nomination, which would put him against longtime Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson in the Nov. 6 general election. That race will be one to watch because both men have substantial name recognition among Florida voters. And, although Nelson is the incumbent, Scott has outspent him by more than $20 million. Some of the other primary contests 10News will be monitoring closely tonight include the races for governor, U.S. House and attorney general. ►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the 10News app now.<doc-sep>The News-Press Here is an at-a-glance view at winners in today's election. Come back often to see more winners and for links to complete stories. Get a more detailed look at election results. Statewide races Governor, Republican primary: Ron DeSantis Governor, Democratic primary: Andrew Gillum Attorney General, Democratic primary: Sean Shaw Attorney General, Republican primary: Ashley Moody Commissioner of Agriculture, Democratic primary: Nicole "Nikki" Fried Commissioner of Agriculture: Republican primary: Matt Caldwell U.S. Senate, Republican primary: Rick Scott U.S. House, District 19, Democratic primary: David Holden U.S. House, District 17, Democratic primary: April Freeman U.S. House, District 17, Republican primary: Greg Steube Florida House, District 105, Democratic primary: Javier Estevez State Attorney, 20th Judicial Circuit, Republican primary: Amira Fox Lee County races School Board (Non-partisan), District 1: Mary Fischer School Board (Non-partisan), District 4: Don Armstrong and Debbie Jordan will face each other in a runoff election. School Board (Non-partisan), District 5: School board member Pam LaRiviere and challenger Gwyn Gittens will face each other in a runoff for the District 5 seat. School Board (Non-partisan), District 6: Nicholas Alexander and Betsy Vaughn will face each other in a runoff. More details on the Lee school board race:Runoffs needed in 3 of 4 Lee County school board races State Representative, District 76, Democratic primary: David Bogner State Representative, District 79, Republican primary: Spencer Roach Lee County Judge, Non-partisan, Group 7: Maria E. Gonzalez Fort Myers City Council, Non-partisan, Ward 4: Kevin Anderson and Leigh Eby Scrabis are headed to a runoff election in November. Bonita Springs, Charter Amendment 1, Term limits: Yes<doc-sep>Sign Up For Newsletters Woman receives gift of motherhood after cancer diagnosis Stacey Abrams on writing herself into the story – and history Maya Angelou and Sally Ride to be honored on quarters Dancers seek to rid ballet performances of Asian stereotypes China's censors cut some new friends from the "Friends" reunion Lawmakers call for ambassador to protect Afghan women Boat carrying 20 overturns heading from Cuba to Florida SolarWinds hackers have launched new campaign, Microsoft says "3-martini lunch" tax break should be axed, lawmakers say Flying over Memorial Day? Expect long lines at airports Some great white sharks are getting closer to humans, videos show Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On<doc-sep>
Tallahassee mayor Andrew Gillum prevailed in the hotly contested Democratic primary election for Florida governor, giving the left another marquee win in the 2018 midterms. Gillum is the first black Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Florida history. He won out over Gwen Graham, a former member of Congress, the daughter of a former governor and senator, and the presumed Democratic frontrunner; former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine; and businessman Jeff Greene. He will face Republican Ron DeSantis in November’s general election, a race that election forecasters have rated a toss-up. The state capital’s mayor since 2014, Gillum is young at 39, black (he would also be Florida’s first black governor), and pretty far to the left ideologically. He received the endorsement of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Our Revolution, and Democracy for America in the primary. He has proposed hiking the state’s corporate tax rate to fund education, raising its minimum wage to $15, and he endorsed a Medicare-for-all single-payer health care system at the national level. Gillum also supports expanding Medicaid under Obamacare, which Florida has thus far refused to do, leaving hundreds of thousands of its poorest residents without coverage. He has also joined with other progressive leaders who want to abolish the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency after the family separations crisis. There is also, however, an ongoing FBI investigation into corruption in the Tallahassee city government — though Gillum has not been implicated in any way, according to the Tampa Bay Times. DeSantis, currently a member of the US House, has done everything he can to embrace Donald Trump, complete with a campaign ad in which he builds a wall with his daughter and puts his young son in a Make America Great Again onesie. Gillum had led in no independent polls before Tuesday’s primary, so his win is a genuine surprise. But political operatives in the state had picked up a sense of momentum for his campaign, and the last St. Pete Polls survey before the election found him trailing Graham by just 7 points. State politicos thought Gillum benefited from being the odd man out in what was at times a fierce battle between Graham and Greene in particular. Graham, who served one term in the US House and had the endorsement of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), had led in almost every public poll. “Gillum is definitely rising,” Steve Schale, a Democratic operative in the state, told me before the primary. “When you have four people in the race, typically the one who is rising at the end is the one not being attacked.” Progressives have made inroads in Democratic primaries, but they’ve also lost plenty of races like the Florida governor’s race where there was an establishment alternative. Gillum stands out as the of the left’s biggest wins in 2018. Now he’s on to the general election.