Voters across four states headed to the polls Tuesday in a primary night punctuated by scandal, surprise upsets, and a marquee victory for a Trump-endorsed congressman seeking the Florida governor’s mansion.
Rep. Byron Donalds, an early recipient of President Donald Trump’s endorsement, was projected by the AP as the Republican nominee for governor in Florida, according to Breitbart News. Donalds, who had consistently led the field, will face Democrat David Jolly in the general election. The victory sets up a high-stakes matchup in the Sunshine State, where mid-decade redistricting has reshaped the political landscape.
DSA Shock in Florida Senate Primary
The night’s biggest surprise came in Florida’s Democratic Senate primary, where Democratic Socialists of America candidate Angie Nixon was projected to defeat Alex Vindman — the former Trump impeachment witness — by nearly nine points with 78 percent of the vote in. The result, reported by Breitbart News, is a significant upset and a sign of the party’s leftward drift in the state.
Incumbent Sen. Ashley Moody, who was appointed to the seat last year by Gov. Ron DeSantis, will represent Republicans on the ballot, keeping the seat in GOP hands heading into November.
Scandal-Plagued Races Deliver Drama
In Florida’s 19th Congressional District, a crowded and controversial GOP primary saw Jim Schwarzel, a conservative radio station owner and the only high-polling candidate actually from the district, take an early lead over Trump-endorsed Catalina Lauf. With nearly 30 percent of the vote in, Schwarzel held 28.6 percent to Lauf’s 23.4 percent. Lauf, who previously ran unsuccessfully in two Illinois districts, received Trump’s endorsement just last week. The field also included former Rep. Madison Cawthorn, who was defeated in 2022 after a series of scandals, and former Rep. Chris Collins, who was pardoned by Trump after pleading guilty to insider trading. John Strand, a January 6 defendant whose case was overturned by the Supreme Court and who also models underwear, rounded out the field.
In another Florida race, scandalized Rep. Cory Mills appeared to be trailing local newscaster Ryan Elijah, with some polling showing Elijah ahead by double digits. Mills has been under an ethics investigation for domestic violence and has faced allegations of affairs, as well as accusations of shady financial dealings in the Middle East involving his weapons company.
Wasserman Schultz Wins New District
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, once a rising star in the House Democratic Caucus, was projected by the AP to win the nomination in Florida’s new majority-Black 20th District. Her candidacy upset Black political power brokers, but the Black vote was split among multiple candidates, including 2 Live Crew rapper ‘Uncle Luke’ Luther Campbell and former Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who retired earlier this year amid scandals. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries offered awkward support without an endorsement, reflecting the tension.
Alaska’s Ranked-Choice Wild Card
In Alaska, ranked-choice voting and outside money could upend what might otherwise be straightforward races. Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan faces not only former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola but also a second Dan Sullivan — a Democrat with no relation who admitted attending a ‘No Kings’ protest and whose filing papers contained metadata linking him to a Peltola consultant. Polls showed divergent results, with Republicans touting Sullivan’s lead and left-leaning groups showing Peltola ahead. Peltola’s campaign demoted her manager days before the election, a sign of internal turmoil.
Other Notable Races
In Wyoming, Rep. Harriet Hageman rode an early Trump endorsement to a likely victory in the GOP Senate primary. In California, voters selected a replacement for disgraced former Rep. Eric Swalwell. And in Florida’s 16th District, Trump-endorsed Sydney Gruters — wife of RNC chairman Joe Gruters — was projected to win the GOP nomination, another notch in Trump’s belt. In a wacky race in another district, Rep. Randy Fine was projected by the AP to defeat internet figure Dan Bilzerian, despite a video circulating Tuesday of Fine appearing to peek into a mailbox.
Polls closed at 7 p.m. ET in most of Florida, 8 p.m. ET in the panhandle, 9 p.m. ET in Wyoming, 11 p.m. ET in California, and 1 a.m. ET in Alaska, setting up a long night of results.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/08/18/election-night-livewire-byron-donalds-eyes-governors-mansion-as-scandals-plague-races-across-country/