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● InformationalEthics / Corruption

Primary takeaways: Progressive scores upset victory in Florida

Donalds won the Republican nomination for Florida governor and is seeking to become the state’s first Black governor.

Primary takeaways: Progressive scores upset victory in Florida
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This article1 analysis · Sep 29, 2026
WCVB
Aug 19, 2026
tl;dr

Florida voters nominated progressive Angie Nixon over a better-funded rival and selected Rep. Byron Donalds as the Republican gubernatorial nominee. The article also reports results in congressional races and primaries in Alaska, Wyoming and California.

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Byron Donalds R · FL-19
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Byron Donalds
R · FL-19

Representative and Republican gubernatorial nominee

PRIMARY SUBJECT

Democratic Senate candidate who won Florida’s primary

Nixon's version of this story ↗

Representative who won her Florida primary

House candidate who lost to Moskowitz

Representative mentioned among Trump-endorsed gubernatorial candidates who lost primaries

House candidate in Florida

Representative and Republican Senate nominee in Wyoming

John James
R · MI-10

Michigan representative and Republican gubernatorial nominee

Representative and defeated Michigan Senate candidate

Candidate who advanced from California’s special primary

Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President who endorsed candidates in several races

Aisha Wahab
D · CA-14

California state senator and candidate in the special primary

Eric Swalwell
Former U.S. Representative (D-CA)

Former representative whose resignation led to a special election for his seat

House candidate in Florida

Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick
Former U.S. Representative (D-FL)

Representative who lost her Florida primary

Cory Mills
R · FL-7

Representative who lost his reelection primary

House candidate in Florida

Michigan Democratic Senate candidate mentioned as a comparison

Republican House candidate who defeated Mills

Ashley Moody
R · FL · SEN

Appointed Florida senator and Republican Senate nominee

Madison Cawthorn
Former U.S. Representative (R-NC)

Former North Carolina representative seeking a comeback in Florida

Ron DeSantis
Former U.S. Representative (R-FL)

Florida governor who appointed Moody and is term-limited

Mary Peltola
Former U.S. Representative (D-AK)

Democratic Senate candidate who advanced to the general election

Jared Moskowitz
D · FL-23

Representative who won his reelection primary

Marco Rubio
Secretary of State

Secretary of State and former Florida senator

Former state senator and House candidate in Florida

House candidate endorsed by Trump who lost her primary

Cynthia M. Lummis
R · WY · SEN

Wyoming senator retiring from the seat Hageman seeks

Dan Sullivan
R · AK · SEN

Alaska senator who advanced to the general election

Democratic Senate primary candidate defeated by Nixon

Former New York representative seeking a comeback in Florida

House candidate who won the primary to succeed Donalds

ALSO MENTIONED  Aaron Ford, Nevada attorney general and Democratic gubernatorial nominee; Burt Jones, Georgia gubernatorial candidate mentioned among Trump’s struggling picks; Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., Alaska Senate candidate with the same name as the incumbent; David Crowley, Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial nominee; David Jolly, Democratic gubernatorial nominee in Florida; Eric Barlow, Wyoming state senator and Republican gubernatorial nominee; Jermaine Johnson, South Carolina state representative and Democratic gubernatorial nominee; Keisha Lance Bottoms, Former Atlanta mayor and Georgia Democratic gubernatorial nominee; Lisa Demuth, Minnesota gubernatorial candidate; Megan Degenfelder, Wyoming state superintendent and gubernatorial candidate; Mike Lindell, Minnesota gubernatorial candidate defeated by Demuth; Pamela Evette, South Carolina gubernatorial candidate mentioned among Trump’s struggling picks; Wes Moore, Maryland governor seeking reelection

Part of a bigger story

6 OUTLETS
Byron Donalds Wins Florida Republican Gubernatorial Primary

Byron Donalds won the Republican nomination for Florida governor. Left-leaning outlets focus on a voter troubled by Donalds’s decision not to debate, while noting the voter expected him to win. Center outlets present his nomination as one result in a roundup of Florida and other states’ primaries. Right-leaning outlets emphasize the Trump-backed victory and place it in the context of other election results or the November matchup.

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