The Latest: Byron Donalds and David Jolly will compete to replace Ron DeSantis as Florida governor
Voters in Alabama, Florida and Wyoming are deciding Tuesday which candidates to advance to the general election in key races for governor, U.S. Senate and U.S. House, as California holds a special election to decide who will serve out the rest of U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell's term.
Swalwell resigned from Congress amid sexual assault allegations earlier this year. Regardless of who is chosen to replace him, the 14th Congressional District seat is guaranteed to remain under Democratic control.
In an open contest to replace term-limited Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Rep. Byron Donalds won the nomination on the Republican side and former Rep. David Jolly won the Democratic nomination. Sen. Ashley Moody won the Republican nomination to finish the remainder of Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s term in the U.S. Senate.
Alaska voters will narrow down a wide field of candidates for a competitive U.S. Senate seat that’s expected to play a pivotal role in determining which political party will hold a majority in the Senate next year. Among the 16 candidates running in the all-party primary, the most notable are Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democratic former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola. The top four vote-getters will advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation and the winner in November will be determined by ranked choice voting.
An unusually high number of open-seat races are on the ballot in Wyoming's primary after two prominent Republican officials announced their retirements. The upcoming departures of Gov. Mark Gordon and U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, along with U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman’s decision to run to replace Lummis, mark the first time in 32 years that Wyoming has had open seats for governor, U.S. Senate and U.S. House at the same time.
Here's the latest:
After retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel lost Florida’s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate to state Rep. Angie Nixon, he gave a conciliatory and sentimental message.
“Who would’ve ever thought that a Jewish refugee would make it to the U.S. Army, to the White House, and to becoming a candidate for the U.S. Senate,” wrote Vindman, a former National Security Council official who testified in President Donald Trump’s first impeachment case in 2019.
“I still believe in the American Dream, because I’ve lived it,” he continued on X. “Rep. Nixon ran a strong campaign. I will be standing by her side”
“Florida is a great meritocracy in America,” Donalds said when asked what it means to him and to the state to be Republicans’ first Black gubernatorial nominee and potentially its first Black governor.
Donalds did mention “my journey through life” and said many Florida voters are familiar with his story but also with his “voting record in Congress” and his conservative credentials.
Donalds has not emphasized the historic nature of his candidacy.
“I’ll let you guys write about that,” he told reporters.
Black voters nationally and in Florida vote overwhelmingly Democratic, though Trump made notable gains with Black men in 2024, and Donalds promised to court all parts of the diverse electorate.
The Republican nominee’s intro video included a clip of the president praising the congressman. But in his lengthy victory speech, Donalds did not mention President Donald Trump or the endorsement.
Afterward, he told reporters he’s grateful for the support but won’t lean on it in a general election campaign.
“Obviously, he has the strongest following of anybody in our party,” Donalds said. “You start with that.” But, he added, “You can’t just sit back and think the president’s endorsement is going to carry you.”
He said he’s talked with Trump about that and “the president knows this.”
After U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds won the GOP primary and spoke to his supporters, Collins took to the social platform X to thank his staff, adding that it was an “honor of a lifetime” to meet Floridians on the campaign trail.
“I congratulate Byron Donalds on his victory,” wrote Collins, who was previously elected as Gov. Ron DeSantis’ running mate, “and vow to continue fighting like hell to ensure we remain the free state of Florida in November.”
In-person Election Day voting ended in Wyoming at 7 p.m. local time, which is 9 p.m. ET. Comparable past elections can offer clues about when to expect the first vote results and how long the vote count might take.
In the 2024 state primary, The Associated Press first reported results at 9:27 p.m. ET, or 27 minutes after polls closed. The last vote update of the night was at 12:58 a.m. ET with about 98% of total votes counted.
Follow live results in Wyoming.
State Rep. Angie Nixon’s win in Florida’s Democratic Senate primary means that both parties will have a Black nominee in the top statewide races.
Republicans made Byron Donalds the party’s first Black nominee for governor.
Some south Florida Democrats had expressed concerns that Black turnout in heavily Democratic Broward County could be down in November if Democrats had an all-white ticket.
Donalds’ Democratic opponent, Jolly, and his running mate, Gwen Graham, are both white and could benefit if Nixon’s candidacy helps drive turnout among Black voters who might have stayed home or even be drawn to Donalds’ candidacy.
There is still the complicating factor of Nixon’s progressive leanings. That could hamper her ability to reach Hispanic voters in south Florida, where many voters or their family members’ fled socialist regimes in Latin America.
“We are going to DOGE all local governments and all state agencies,” Donalds said. “There will be no sacred cows.”
One month after President Donald Trump and Elon Musk created the United States Department of Government Efficiency in early 2025, Gov. Ron DeSantis established Florida’s state-level DOGE, which his administration said would ensure accountability in local government, reduce waste and save taxpayer money.
Florida’s DOGE examines Florida county and state agencies. Previously, it subpoenaed Orlando county workers over failing to cooperate with officers, claiming workers were hiding records associated with diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Donalds promised to post all state spending online for Florida residents to see.
“Taxpayers deserve to know their hard-earned dollars are being spent with transparency and hard-earned integrity,” Donalds said.
Some voters in Alaska said they were worried about the direction of the state and country and wanted to shake up the status quo in Washington.
Top races on Tuesday’s open primary ballot include U.S. Senate and House and governor.
Jeri Kissner, who said she votes for the person versus for a party, said she thinks Congress must do more to push back against President Donald Trump.
She said she favored Democrat Mary Peltola in the Senate race.
Giap Nguyen, an independent who leans Democratic, said he wants elected leaders who challenge the status quo. He said he felt he had a lot of choices in the field of 16 Senate candidates but wasn’t sure on the quality of some of the choices.
He declined to say who he voted for for Senate.
Florida Democrats nominated a former Republican for governor, but Republican nominee Byron Donalds wasted no time in labeling him as “Liberal David Jolly.”
Donalds said the former congressman backs socialist policies. He noted that Jolly has been a commentator on MSNOW, a liberal-leaning cable TV network, and has defended Dr. Anthony Fauci’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, while supporting Kamala Harris for president in 2024.
“Liberal David Jolly is the change that Florida cannot afford,” Donalds said.
Jolly did not shy away from his partisan history as he addressed supporters.
“To my Democratic friends, thank you for welcoming me into the party,” he said, which got a “Woo!” from the crowd.
Jolly’s speech detailed a platform that balances between both political parties: an embrace of capitalism and a lean government, but one that “needs to do its part to fill the gaps.” Then he turned to social issues, where the current governor has championed the conservative cause.
“As an old-school Republican, I talk about ending the culture wars not to celebrate some progressive platform,” he said, “but because I still believe in the old-school Republican, libertarian policy that government should simply stay out of your life.”
Former Democratic U.S. Reps. Alan Grayson and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick lost their races in the 7th and 20th Congressional Districts, respectively. Two Republican former members who previously represented districts in other states, Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina and Chris Collins of New York, lost the GOP nomination to replace U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds in the 19th Congressional District.
At the top of the ballot, two former members had better luck seeking higher office. Former Republican U.S. Rep. David Jolly and his running mate, former Democratic U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, won the Democratic nomination for governor and lieutenant governor.
The congressman told his supporters at a Universal Studios resort hotel that he’d heard from GOP rivals who pledged their help in winning the general election.
“The primary is over,” he said. “Tonight we put aside our differences. Tonight we are one united Republican Party.”
Donalds talked of his economic struggles with his wife Erica when they were a newly married couple. He ran with Trump’s endorsement, but he has emphasized Floridians’ economic hardships without blaming the president for what voters “face every single day.”
He said he wants a state where people “can give your kids a better shot than you have.”
Nine Republicans seek to succeed Harriet Hageman, Wyoming’s lone U.S. representative who is now seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.
The GOP candidates include Chuck Gray, Wyoming’s secretary of state since 2022. The others include Senate President Bo Biteman, a certified landman who has also served in the Wyoming House.
Candidate Kevin Christensen is a former U.S. Bureau of Land Management district manager who was a U.S. Army colonel and attack helicopter pilot.
Also seeking the Republican nomination are former Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow and Steve Friess, son of the late financier Foster Friess.
The winner in November will face one of two Democrats seeking their party’s nomination. Wyoming has not been represented by a Democrat in the U.S. House since 1978.
Hageman has served two terms since she defeated incumbent Liz Cheney in the 2024 Republican primary.
Mills faced a series of scandals including allegations of domestic violence involving a former girlfriend, which he denies.
Florida Republicans including DeSantis abandoned Mills ahead of the primary. President Donald Trump initially backed Mills in February but did not include him in a list of endorsements on Monday.
Surrounded by her campaign members, Wasserman Schultz tearfully thanked voters for having confidence in her.
“(I will work) to make all of you proud, to make sure that the people we spoke to all across this district know that I will fight so they can pay their rent,” Wasserman Schultz said.
She said she hoped to live up to the legacy of Alcee Hastings, a longtime representative of District 20 who passed away in 2021.
Wasserman Schultz will be the first representative of the new District 20 despite controversy regarding her running in the historically Black-represented district.
Nixon would be Florida’s first Black U.S. senator if elected in November. She is running to fill the last two years of a term Republican Marco Rubio won in 2022 before becoming Trump’s secretary of state in January 2025.
It’s the latest victory for progressive candidates who have found success in primary contests against establishment-backed Democrats this year.
Moody, 51, was appointed to fill Rubio’s seat after he became Trump’s secretary of state. Now she’s running to finish the last two years of his term.
A former state attorney general, Moody has Trump’s backing. Florida has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 2012, when then-Sen. Bill Nelson won reelection.
For the second time in a row, Florida Democrats have chosen a former Republican as their candidate for the state’s highest office.
Jolly, 53, served as a Republican U.S. representative but became a fierce critic of Trump. He became an independent and then joined the Democratic Party last year.
Four years ago, Democrats backed former Republican Gov. Charlie Crist. He was easily defeated by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is finishing his second term and is barred from seeking a third consecutive term.
Donalds, 47, was backed by President Donald Trump. If he wins in November, he would be the state’s first Black governor.
He defeated several opponents on Tuesday, including Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and political newcomer James Fishback.
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is barred from seeking a third consecutive term.
“Byron Donalds will be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement,” Trump wrote on social media.
The victory positions Wasserman Schultz to serve a 12th term in Congress. She switched districts after Republicans redrew the state’s congressional map to boost their chances in November.
Wasserman Schultz, who is white, faced criticism for running in a district that has elected Black Democrats to Congress since 1992.
She defeated several opponents in the primary, including Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who wanted her seat back after resigning earlier this year while facing an ethics investigation.
Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher, hopes to advance in Alaska’s U.S. Senate race, where the incumbent is Sen. Dan S. Sullivan.
The challenger successfully sued to appear on the ballot after the incumbent and GOP allies accused him of being a sham candidate intent on sowing voter confusion. Dan J. Sullivan has said his frustration with the incumbent was an impetus for his candidacy.
He appears on the ballot as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., with no party affiliation, while the senator appears as Dan S. Sullivan, Republican and incumbent. The decision to list them that way was made by the Division of Elections. Dan J. Sullivan appears as a Republican elsewhere, including on the division’s official candidate list online.
The southwest Florida representative has had the president’s backing for the duration of his campaign to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
But Donalds has offered a broader message, promising to tackle an economy that’s tough on many Floridians — while not blaming Trump.
“Affordability is a problem for all Floridians. It doesn’t matter what your politics are. It doesn’t matter what the color of your skin is,” Donalds said, promising to address taxes, property insurance premiums and health insurance access.
His message is notable not just because he so carefully frames economic realities under Trump but also because Donalds explicitly mentions race. Donalds would be the first Black governor of Florida, but he typically does not emphasize that historic possibility.
Donalds faces several primary opponents, including Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and business owner James Fishback. Florida’s winner-takes-all rules mean there’s no runoff, making Donalds a strong favorite.
Alaska voters will decide whether to reimpose campaign contribution limits, five years after a divided federal appeals court struck down a number of contribution caps.
The lone measure on Tuesday’s primary ballot asks voters whether to impose a $2,000 limit on the amount individuals can give to candidates in state and local elections. The measure would cap at $5,000 what an individual could give to political parties.
It also would set limits on spending on groups other than political parties and how much individuals and groups could give to joint campaigns for governor and lieutenant governor.
Supporters say limits are needed to prevent special interests and wealthy donors from having outsized influence on a campaign or race. Opponents say the measure would favor candidates with existing name recognition and that limiting what someone can contribute limits their voice.
Races for U.S. Senate, U.S. House and governor top Alaska’s primary ballot Tuesday, at a time when residents are feeling the squeeze from high fuel and energy costs.
Spikes in oil prices driven by the war in Iran have helped the financial outlook for the state, which relies on oil revenue. But it’s also hit many consumers hard, including residents of rural western Alaska who get their supplies by barge or plane and rely on diesel fuel.
Many communities had to lock in their shipments when prices were high.
Wyoming’s governor’s office is up for grabs now that Republican Mark Gordon is winding down his second term in office.
Though not the final word on who will succeed him — that happens in November — Republicans have won the governor’s race every year since 2010.
This year, four Republicans are competing for the job. Brent Bien, a retired U.S. Marine colonel and combat pilot, is running again after getting almost 30% of the vote against Gordon four years ago.
Also running is state Sen. Eric Barlow, a U.S. Marine veteran and livestock veterinarian. He’s a former Wyoming House Speaker.
A third candidate is Wyoming’s state superintendent of public instruction, Megan Degenfelder, who previously worked in the coal, oil and gas industries.
Also running is Curt Blake, a rodeo and Western events organizer who hasn’t actively campaigned or participated in candidate forums.
The winner will face Ken Casner, an Elk Mountain store owner who is unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
Voting rights groups say Alaska election officials acted unconstitutionally in moving about 3,000 people from active voters rolls weeks before the primary and asking them to verify their citizenship.
The groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska, stopped short of suing but kept that as an option if election officials did not take steps to ensure all eligible Alaskans who received the letter are able to vote in Tuesday’s primary.
The groups want to ensure that polling locations have a list of voters who were affected and that poll workers know voters can cast questioned ballots. They also want voters to know that they do not need to provide proof of citizenship.
An Alaska Division of Elections spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
In early August, the division said about 100 people responded to the letter to say they’re not citizens and about 685 affirmed their citizenship. About 2,250 others had not responded or could not be reached by mail.
Tuesday is voters’ last chance to decide whether a progressive state lawmaker or a moderate San Francisco Bay Area transit leader will fulfill the remainder of Swalwell’s term ending in January. Swalwell, a Democrat, dropped his bid for California governor and resigned from Congress in April after he was accused of sexual assault. He denies the allegations.
Aisha Wahab, a state senator, is running against Melissa Hernandez, a Bay Area Rapid Transit director and former Dublin mayor. The two Democrats, who advanced after a crowded primary in June, are vying to represent California’s 14th Congressional District, which includes cities east of San Francisco such as Hayward, Livermore and Union City.
Wahab and Hernandez will also face off in a separate general election in November to determine who will serve the next full two-year term.
Aisha Wahab, a state senator, is running against Melissa Hernandez, a Bay Area Rapid Transit director and former Dublin mayor. The two Democrats, who advanced after a crowded primary in June, are vying to represent California’s 14th Congressional District, which includes cities east of San Francisco such as Hayward, Livermore and Union City.
Wahab and Hernandez will also face off in a separate general election in November to determine who will serve the next full two-year term.
Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democratic former Rep. Mary Peltola are the highest-profile candidates in a race that will be among the few in November to determine control of the U.S. Senate.
Sullivan and Peltola have vastly outraised any of the other candidates in the overall field of 16. The candidates and groups that support them have dominated the airwaves and filled mailboxes with flyers ahead of Tuesday’s primary.
Alaska’s primary features all candidates on one ballot, with the top four advancing to November’s ranked vote general election.
Sullivan has leaned into his background as a Marine and supporter of the military, while Peltola has repurposed the “fish, family, freedom” slogan that propelled her to the U.S. House in 2022. She lost reelection in 2024.
The five Republicans competing to become Wyoming’s next U.S. senator include one with an overwhelming funding and name recognition advantage: Harriet Hageman.
Hageman seeks the GOP nomination after two terms as Wyoming’s representative in the U.S. House.
Through July, Hageman had over $900,000 still available to spend on her campaign, eight times more than the funding runner-up in the GOP race, rancher and business owner Sam Mead.
Former oil field services business owner Jimmy Skovgard had $3,200. The Federal Election Commission had no campaign finance records online for the other two Republican candidates — massage therapist Jill Edwards and U.S. Air Force veteran and attorney John Holtz.
Former state legislator Jim Byrd, one of two Democrats seeking the party’s nomination, had about $350 cash on hand, according to the FEC.
The winner will succeed Republican U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, who is retiring.
Independent commercial fisherman Bill Hill is challenging Republican U.S. Rep. Nick Begich in the race for Alaska’s only House seat.
Hill, a former educator, has focused on issues such as affordability and reining in the influence of ultra-wealthy people and special interests in politics. Hill lives in a fishing community of about 425 people in southwest Alaska, where goods are brought in by plane or barge.
In July, the highest-profile Democrat in the race, pastor Matt Schultz, suspended his campaign and urged voters to back Hill.
No other candidates in the crowded race have reported raising money. Begich has been endorsed by Trump.
The special general election pits California state Sen. Aisha Wahab, a progressive who’s championed housing issues, against San Francisco Bay Area transit leader Melissa Hernandez, a moderate who’s made cracking down on crime central to her campaign.
Hernandez, who is raising more money, has accused her rival of being too soft on crime, which Wahab denies. Wahab, who won the June primary decisively, says she’s better positioned to fight against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
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