Hotly contested congressional races set for November
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - More than 3.5 million voters cast ballots in Florida's primary election, or about 27 percent of the state's 13 million registered voters.
The overall turnout surpasses the last several primaries, including the 2010 primary, which also featured a wide-open race for governor. That year the turnout was 22 percent.
Rackleff, Dunn in November race for U.S. House District 2
A former Leon County commissioner has won the Democratic nomination for a north Florida congressional seat.
Bob Rackleff on Tuesday defeated Brandon Peters in the Democratic primary for District 2. The district stretches all the way from Panama City to northern Marion County.
The winner of the primary will square off against incumbent U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn in November. Dunn, a Panama City surgeon, easily won the solid GOP seat in 2016.
The 74-year-old Rackleff is a former speechwriter who once worked for the administration of President Jimmy Carter. Peters is an attorney and mediator who lives in Levy County.
Incumbent Yoho to face Hinson for November showdown in U.S. House District 3
U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho handily won the Republican nomination for his north Florida congressional seat. Y
Yoho on Tuesday defeated Judson Sapp in the GOP primary for the District 3 seat. District 3 includes Gainesville but also includes the suburbs of Jacksonville and rural areas in between.
President Donald Trump had endorsed Yoho for a fourth term earlier in the month. He will now square off against Democrat Yvonne Hayes Hinson in the November general election.
Yoho, a veterinarian, defeated U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns in the 2012 GOP primary.
Soderberg, Waltz will fight for DeSantis U.S. House District 6 seat
A Republican businessman with a military background will square off against a former top official in the administration of President Bill Clinton in the battle for a coastal Florida congressional seat.
Nancy Soderberg defeated two other Democrats to win the party primary for District 6. Former Army Green Beret Michael Waltz defeated two other GOP candidates to win the Republican nomination.
The district covers three Atlantic coast counties as well as part of Lake County in central Florida. GOP U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis gave up the seat in order to run for governor.
Miller will face incumbent Murphy for U.S.House District 7 seat
State legislator Mike Miller defeated two other Republicans in a congressional primary to face U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy in November.
Miller defeated Scott Sturgill on Tuesday. Murphy easily won the Democratic nomination for her battleground district in central Florida.
Murphy pulled off an upset in 2016 when she beat 12-term Republican U.S. Rep. John Mica to represent the Orlando-area district that includes the University of Central Florida and suburbs northeast of the city. The district barely went for President Barack Obama in 2012 but went for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.
The 39-year-old Murphy was the first Vietnamese-American woman and second Vietnamese-American to be elected to Congress.
Soto fends off firebrand Grayson for U.S. House District 9
U.S. Rep. Darren Soto is ending firebrand Alan Grayson's attempt to return to Congress.
Soto on Tuesday defeated the former congressman to win the Democratic nomination for a central Florida congressional seat.
Soto is a former state legislator and was the first Floridian of Puerto Rican descent elected to Congress.
Soto and Grayson blasted each other in the weeks leading up to the primary.
Grayson contended that Soto was not a true progressive and vowed to seek impeachment of President Donald Trump if he were elected. Soto, however, won the endorsement of many liberal groups.
Grayson earned national attention in 2009 when he said the Republican plan for health care was "don't get sick" and "if you do get sick, die quickly."
Demings cruises to win in U.S. House District 10, unopposed in November
U.S. Rep. Val Demings is heading to a new term in Congress.
The Orlando Democrat on Tuesday defeated Wade Darius in the primary. Demings won re-election because there are no Republicans or members of other parties challenging her.
Because there were no other opponents, the primary was open to all registered voters in District 10. The district is based in west Orlando and western Orange County.
The 61-year-old Demings is the former police chief for Orlando and is married to Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings. She ran unsuccessfully in 2012 before she was elected in 2016 to a newly-configured District 10.
The 37-year-old Darius is president of T.D. Homes Marketing Group and lives in neighboring Polk County.
Spano, Carlson to face-off in November for U.S. House District 15
State Rep. Ross Spano has captured the Republican nomination, and attorney Kristen Carlson has secured the Democratic nomination in a wide-open contest for a central Florida congressional seat.
Spano won a five-way Republican primary on Tuesday that included Neil Combee, a former state legislator who worked for the Trump administration. Carlson secured a majority in a three-way race.
Spano is an attorney who initially planned to run for attorney general but dropped out of that race to run for Congress instead.
District 15 is just east of Tampa and includes Lakeland and a swath of Polk and Lake counties. The scramble for the seat occurred after Republican U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross retired.
A Republican state senator who pushed to let guns be carried on college campuses has won the GOP nomination for a southwest Florida congressional seat.
Steube, Freeman fight to fill Rooney's U.S. House District 17 seat
State Sen. Greg Steube defeated State Rep. Julio Gonzalez and another Republican candidate in a bitter GOP primary for District 17. The district stretches from Venice on the Gulf coast to Lake Okeechobee.
During his time in the Florida Legislature, Steube has pushed for several gun rights bills including one that would allow concealed weapons permit holders to carry guns on college campuses.
Steube goes on to face Cape Coral film and television producer April Freeman in the November general election. Freeman defeated Bill Pollard in the Democratic primary.
The winner of the general election replaces outgoing Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney.