Here's the latest
• Eyes on Florida: Polls have closed in most of the state where Republicans are choosing a nominee to replace term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis in a contest that has turned into a bitter intra-party feud — even though there is little drama about its likely outcome. Polls in the western panhandle will stay open until 8 p.m. ET. CNN will not project results in statewide races until all polls close.
• Sunshine State results: CNN projects that Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz will win the Democratic nomination for Florida’s redrawn 20th District. Her victory likely means the Black-plurality district in Broward County will not be represented by a Black lawmaker in Congress for the first time in more than 30 years.
• Also watching: There are competitive GOP primaries in Wyoming as voters look to replace the governor, a House member and a US senator. In Alaska, the top-four primaries will set up some intriguing November races, while in California two Democrats face a runoff to replace former Rep. Eric Swalwell.
Wasserman Schultz's projected win marks anti-climatic end to messy primary
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s decisive projected win in Florida’s 20th District is an unsurprising end to one of the messiest primaries in the country.
Even before Florida redistricting, educator Elijah Manley sought to capitalize on anti-incumbent sentiment to oust embattled Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who later resigned.
After Republicans redrew the maps, Wasserman Schultz angered Black Florida Democrats, who hoped to elect one of their own and continue three decades of Black leadership in the district. Manley, Cherfilus-McCormick and two other candidates — former Broward County Mayor Dale Holness and rapper Luther Campbell — met in an effort to narrow the field and unite behind one candidate.
In the end all four ran, splitting roughly half the vote with the congresswoman.
Pia Dandiya will win Democratic primary for Florida's redrawn 22nd District, CNN projects
Educator Pia Dandiya will win the Democratic primary in Florida’s 22nd Congressional District, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, as the party seeks to defend the newly redrawn seat.
A first-time candidate, Dandiya has highlighted her experience as a teacher and the founder of a charter high school in Harlem, New York, focusing her campaign on addressing affordability issues and strengthening public education.
The district — once centered in Palm Beach County — now stretches farther into southwest of the state after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a new congressional map into law in May amid a rare mid-cycle redistricting push.
The changes could make the district more favorable to Republicans, prompting current Democratic Rep. Lois Frankel to run for a neighboring seat and presenting a more difficult path for Dandiya in the general election.
National Democrats have made retaining the seat one of their targets as they look to flip the House, adding Dandiya to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s “Red to Blue” program for strong recruits.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz was projected a winner very quickly
There were cheers at Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s election night party at a bowling alley when she was projected the winner of the Democratic primary in Florida’s redrawn 20th District.
But Wasserman Schultz wasn’t there yet.
The congresswoman’s staff says she was at the polls until they closed at 7 p.m. ET and was en route to the party when her race was projected.
Mike Beltran will win Republican primary for Florida's redrawn 14th District, CNN projects
Former state Rep. Mike Beltran will win the GOP primary in Florida’s redrawn 14th District, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, as Republicans seek to flip the seat amid a wave of mid-decade redistricting.
The litigation attorney has aligned himself closely with Donald Trump’s agenda, describing how the president’s 2016 win inspired him to run for the state Legislature.
His campaign centers on supporting some of the president’s key priorities: his federal elections overhaul legislation, border security, and Trump’s signature tax legislation.
Beltran served for six years in Florida’s House of Representatives before choosing not to seek reelection in 2024. He now advances to a general election matchup with the 10-time Democratic incumbent, Kathy Castor, whose seat could be more vulnerable after Florida Republicans redrew the Tampa-area district to be more GOP friendly.
Rep. Wasserman Schultz will win Democratic primary in Florida’s 20th District, CNN projects
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz will win the Democratic nomination for Florida’s redrawn 20th District, CNN’s Decision Desk projects.
Her win likely means the Black-plurality district in South Florida’s Broward County will not be represented by a Black lawmaker in Congress next year – marking the first instance in more than 30 years.
Wasserman Schultz — a White, Jewish woman, and the longest-serving member of Florida’s Democratic delegation — decided to forego a reelection campaign in the neighboring 25th District, which she currently represents, after it was redrawn during a wave of mid-cycle redistricting to favor Republicans.
Wasserman Schultz defeated several Black candidates vying for the 20th District nomination: former Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who resigned from the seat in April amid fraud allegations, which she denies; former Broward County Mayor Dale Holness; educator Elijah Manley; and rapper Luther Campbell.
She advances to the general election as a favorite in the heavily Democratic district.
It's 7 p.m. ET and the first polls are closing in Florida. Here's what we're watching
Most of the polls in Florida are now closed, with the exception of districts in the western part of the panhandle that are on Central Time.
Voters in the state are deciding on some of the most high-profile races happening tonight. House primaries will give a revealing look inside both parties and a nasty Republican gubernatorial race will come to a conclusion.
Here’s what to keep an eye on as results start to roll in:
- Governor: In a messy primary, Gov. Ron DeSantis is refusing to support Rep. Byron Donalds — President Donald Trump’s pick. Plus, DeSantis has also undercut other Republicans in the race, including his own Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and former state House Speaker Paul Renner.
- Senate special election: GOP Sen. Ashley Moody, who was appointed to replace Marco Rubio in 2025, is now running to serve the last two years of the term. On the Democratic side, retired Army Lt. Col. Alex Vindman, a key witness in Trump’s first impeachment inquiry, faces more moderate state Rep. Angie Nixon.
- House: Republicans redrew the state’s map this year, Florida features several interesting House races, including a free-for-all Republican primary of eccentric and controversial characters, a White congresswoman running in a district with a large Black population, and multiple incumbents facing serious challenges. Read more about Florida’s House races here.
DeSantis stews over potential successors
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis built a national reputation as an outspoken conservative, no stranger to confrontation during a consequential two terms in office.
That’s made his ambivalence on the race to succeed him all the more conspicuous. Far from endorsing, DeSantis has spent much of the contest undermining the top contenders.
Of Rep. Byron Donalds, the Trump-endorsed favorite to win the GOP gubernatorial nomination, DeSantis said at a press conference in February that “he just hasn’t been a part of any of the victories that we’ve had here over the left over these last years.”
When former state House Speaker Paul Renner – who traveled to Iowa in the winter to campaign for DeSantis’ ill-fated 2024 presidential campaign – entered the race last fall, DeSantis told reporters that “I’m not supporting Paul Renner,” adding that he made an “ill-advised decision to enter the race.”
And DeSantis has also withheld his endorsement from a third prominent contender, Lt. Gov. Jay Collins – despite appointing him to the No. 2 role just last year, and despite Collins vowing “to protect the DeSantis legacy” on his campaign website.
The icy posture reflects DeSantis’ misgivings about the field vying to replace him, having seen trial balloons for a gubernatorial bid by his wife, first lady Casey DeSantis, rejected, and Trump – his former presidential rival – put his stamp on the race early with his endorsement ofDonalds.
GOP candidates in Florida’s 19th include pardoned January 6 rioter and newcomers to state
A crowded field is vying for the Republican Party’s nomination in Florida’s 19th District.
GOP Rep. Byron Donalds’ decision not to run for reelection in the deep-red seat as he makes a bid for the governor’s mansion set off the primary sprint, which features several newcomers to South Florida, former congressmen and a pardoned January 6 rioter.
Here’s a look at who is in the running:
- Catalina Lauf – President Donald Trump endorsed Lauf, a Commerce official from his first term, in the final stretch of the race. She previously ran against another candidate on the ballot, Jim Oberweis, in a race for a House seat in Illinois in 2020. The founder of a health start-up, Lauf is aligned with the Make America Healthy Again movement.
- Chris Collins – The former New York representative resigned from office and pleaded guilty to federal charges in an insider trading case in 2019 before being pardoned by Trump in 2020. Collins prides himself on being the first member of Congress to endorse Trump for president in 2016.
- Madison Cawthorn – The former North Carolina representative, who at 25 became the youngest member of Congress in modern history, is also attempting a comeback bid. Cawthorn lost his primary in 2022, as his controversial tenure drew the ire of members of his own party. Since moving to Florida, he’s seen numerous driving citations, including a conviction for failing to move for an emergency vehicle after he collided with a state highway patrol vehicle.
- Jim Oberweis – The former Illinois state senator and dairy owner has put in nearly $5 million of his own money into the race. While he defeated Lauf in their 2020 primary showdown, Oberweis lost in the general election – one of multiple unsuccessful bids for higher office in Illinois.
- Jim Schwartzel – A native of Southwest Florida, the political newcomer is the president of Sun Broadcasting. According to his website, he is focused on supporting Trump, preserving water quality, border control and pushing back on “woke ideology.”
- John Strand – The activist spent a year in prison for his involvement in the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol before Trump pardoned him. Strand’s platform includes election integrity, abolishing the federal income tax and abolishing the Washington, DC, court system where he was convicted. He has the endorsement of Turning Point Action.
Here’s when polls close tonight and when we could know results
Make sure you’re tuned in right at 7 p.m. ET for the first poll close of the night. It’ll be in Florida, home to the night’s marquee races and a very speedy vote count.
Polls close in Wyoming at 9 p.m. ET and vote reporting there was slower in November 2024. Only about 5% of the vote was reported in the first hour, and it took until after 12:30 a.m. ET for even 50% of the vote to be in. But the state had very few votes left to count after 3:30 a.m. ET.
At 11 p.m. ET, polls close in Alameda County, California, for the special runoff to replace former Rep. Eric Swalwell. In the first round earlier this year about 85% of the vote was reported all at once about 15 minutes after polls closed. The county reported again at 12:12 a.m. ET and then just after 1 a.m., ending election night with just shy of 90% of the vote reported.
The night ends in Alaska, where the last polls in the state close at 1 a.m. ET. In November 2024, the state reported about 60% of its vote all once, but that wasn’t until more than an hour after the polls closed.
Mills is latest headache for House Republicans
Rep. Cory Mills is the latest Republican congressman who could complicate his party’s chances of defending its House majority, pressing forward with a reelection bid under a cloud of scandal.
Mills is being investigated by the House Ethics Committee for potential campaign finance violations, an accusation of a revenge porn threat, and an assault allegation. He has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.
On Tuesday, he faces a primary challenge from former news anchor Ryan Elijah and two other candidates. Two members of Florida’s House Republican delegation, Reps. Anna Paulina Luna and Mike Haridopolos, endorsed Elijah.
Though the 7th District leans Republican, a victory by Mills would leave the party with a highly problematic general election candidate that could give Democrats an opening and divert resources. And while GOP leaders may be hoping Tuesday’s primary will provide a reset, it adds to mounting headaches for House Republicans.
Earlier this month, Rep. Max Miller declined to withdraw from his reelection campaign in Ohio’s 7th District, facing his own barrage of scrutiny over abuse allegations that roiled the state party.
And in North Carolina’s 11th district, Rep. Chuck Edwards abandoned his reelection bid, after an ethics panel released an investigation that found “substantial evidence” the congressman repeatedly made unwanted advances toward two female staffers.
Democrats have also had to deal with their share of scandal-induced disruption this cycle.
Former Rep. Eric Swalwell, a leading contender for his party’s gubernatorial nomination in California, dropped out of that race in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations. And in Maine, US Senate nominee Graham Platner saw his campaign implode after allegations of sexual assault, sparking a scramble to find replacement nominee Troy Jackson at an impromptu convention.
All have denied wrongdoing.
Meet the Democratic candidates in Florida’s 20th District primary
A swathe of candidates is vying for the Democratic nomination in Florida’s historically Black 20th District after a new GOP-drawn congressional map upturned several races.
The new boundary lines prompted longtime Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a White woman, to launch a bid for the Democratic stronghold, which has long elected a Black representative in Congress. The congresswoman faces several Black contenders in the race, which has raised questions about the importance of representation in the South Florida seat.
Here’s what we know about the candidates:
- Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz: After her seat in a neighboring district was redrawn to be more Republican-friendly, the 11-term congresswoman and former DNC chair entered the race for the 20th. While she has far outraised her rivals, her decision to run has roiled local Black leaders and some of her colleagues in Congress.
- Former Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick: A two-term congresswoman in the 20th District, Cherfilus-McCormick resigned from the seat in April as the House Ethics Committee was set to weigh her expulsion amid fraud allegations. She denies wrongdoing ahead of a 2027 criminal trial.
- Dale Holness: A real estate broker and former Broward County mayor, Holness lost a 2021 primary to Cherfilus-McCormick by five votes. His campaign platform supports a public option for universal healthcare, increasing pathways for legal immigration, and expunging cannabis-use criminal convictions.
- Luther Campbell: The former frontman of hip-hop group 2 Live Crew who performed under the name “Uncle Luke,” Campbell announced his candidacy for the vacant seat in February. In a May interview with CNN’s Laura Coates, he heavily criticized Wasserman Schultz’s bid for the 20th District seat.
- Elijah Manley: The youngest candidate in this race, 27-year-old Manley grew up in Broward County and first ran for office at 19. His campaign positions Manley as the most progressive candidate, vowing to sponsor resolutions to expand the House of Representatives, impeach President Donald Trump and pass Medicare for All if elected in November.
CNN’s John Berman spoke to Manley about his candidacy yesterday.
Peltola shook up campaign leadership ahead of Alaska Senate primary
Democratic former Rep. Mary Peltola is widely expected to advance from today’s Senate primary in Alaska, but she’ll be doing so with new campaign leadership.
Her campaign disclosed Monday that her campaign manager, Anton McParland, was moving to a “new role” and that her deputy campaign manager, Cheryl Bruce, would take over the top spot. McParland was Peltola’s chief of staff in the House.
Republicans have highlighted the news as an ominous sign for her prospects of defeating GOP incumbent Dan Sullivan in the battleground race.
“Even Mary Peltola’s closest advisors know her Alaska last campaign is a lost cause,” Nick Puglia, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said in a statement.
Republicans voters say Trump's endorsement of Donalds isn't affecting their vote
President Donald Trump endorsed Rep. Byron Donalds to be Florida’s next governor 544 days ago, giving Republicans voters in the Sunshine State plenty of time to process his preference.
At one Orlando polling place early today, a half-dozen Republicans told CNN it ultimately wasn’t a factor in their decision.
Randy, another voter who declined to give his last name, said he bucked Trump’s pick and went with former House Speaker Paul Renner instead.
“I think Byron Donalds is going to win,” Randy said. “I think he’s going to make a good governor. But I had to go with my gut.”
Trump’s recent track record in governor races is mixed lately, with his preferred candidates faltering in Minnesota, Iowa and Georgia.
Donalds entered today the heavy favorite. But if Davis and Randy are indicative of a broader slice of the GOP electorate, even a victory for Donalds could raise fresh questions about the power of Trump’s endorsement in his adopted home state.
Trump's influence will be tested in Wyoming's Republican primaries
There’s little drama about which party will win in November in Wyoming, one of the nation’s most reliably Republican states.
But the state is set to see a major political shakeup, with open seats for governor, Senate and House this fall.
Degenfelder, 37, is an advocate for charter schools and vouchers who has broadly backed Trump’s education policies, including downsizing the Department of Education.
Sen. Cynthia Lummis is retiring, and Rep. Harriet Hageman, who won her seat by ousting former Rep. Liz Cheney in 2022, is backed by Trump and favored to emerge from a five-person field as the senator’s Republican heir apparent.
Nine candidates are vying for the House seat Hageman is vacating, though the president has not waded into that contest.
Florida used to be a battleground state. What happened?
Less than 33,000 votes out of 8.2 million ballots separated Republican Ron DeSantis and Democrat Andrew Gillum in the 2018 race for governor — a narrow margin that appeared to reinforce the state’s longstanding reputation as the nation’s premier battleground.
The last eight years suggest otherwise.
Florida’s rightward shift has been decades in the making. Rural areas have grown increasingly Republican, millions of new residents have arrived with conservative voting histories, and liberal donors have largely shifted their attention elsewhere. Meanwhile, DeSantis’ remarkably consequential governorship and Trump’s presence in his adopted home state have energized Republicans there. As it is, Democrats face a steep uphill climb to make the state competitive once again.
AIPAC targets race to replace Swalwell
The race to replace former Rep. Eric Swalwell in California’s 14th District is the latest test of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s campaign to influence the 2026 midterm elections, following a series of interventions that have produced mixed results and sparked backlash amid an ongoing debate over US policy toward Israel.
United Democracy Project, the super PAC arm of AIPAC, has spent more than $2 million on the special election runoff between state Sen. Aisha Wahab and Melissa Hernandez, the San Francisco public transit director whom the group is backing. Another group that has received funding from UDP, BOLD America, has spent an additional $1.8 million on the contest, according to data from AdImpact.
The groups have run waves of ads boosting Hernandez and criticizing Wahab’s record in the state legislature, making no mention of the contentious debate over US-Israel relations that has animated elections across the country.
Wahab opposes military aid to Israel and has said the country’s actions in Gaza constitute a genocide, while Hernandez has said that Israel “had a right to defend itself” but also that “the destruction in Gaza has gone too far.”
Though not the focus of the race, the issue has nevertheless become a significant undercurrent. And a liberal group formed to oppose AIPAC’s effort this election cycle, American Priorities, also waded into the contest, spending just over $200,000 on its own advertising, supporting Wahab and calling out the pro-Israel group’s activity.
“AIPAC and Trump donors are lying about Democrat Aisha Wahab because Melissa Hernandez is one of their own,” one of the group’s ads says.
White House defends Trump’s choice to again vote by mail in Florida
The White House yesterday defended President Donald Trump’s decision to vote by mail in Florida’s upcoming GOP primary election despite his push to limit absentee voting, insisting that it aligned his federal elections overhaul bill.
Trump has repeatedly sought to limit the use of mail in ballots and has often claimed without evidence that it’s a significant source of election fraud. The elimination of no-excuse mail voting is a key component of Trump’s “SAVE America Act,” which he is pushing Republicans in Washington to pass but continues to face slim odds in the Senate. Later this month, the Supreme Court is expected to rule on his emergency appeal to impose new requirements on states’ mail voting programs.
Despite his efforts to clamp down on absentee voting, Trump also voted by mail earlier this year. He cast a ballot by mail for the March special election for House District 87 in Florida.
Trump warns Alaska voters to choose the “real” Dan Sullivan in today’s primary
President Donald Trump warned Alaska voters to choose the “real” Dan Sullivan in the state’s primary as he weighed in on a US Senate race that includes two candidates with the same name.
The president was referring to there being two candidates called Dan Sullivan in Alaska’s primary, in which the top four vote-getters, regardless of party, move on to the November general election.
One of those candidates is the incumbent Republican senator, Dan S. Sullivan. The other — Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. — is a resident of a small fishing town in southeast Alaska and former teacher. He is not listed with a party affiliation, even though he filed to run as a Republican.
The incumbent GOP Sen. Sullivan had raised concerns that his rival with the same name could help the Democratic challenger in the race: former US Rep. Mary Peltola.
Dan J. Sullivan, in his few public comments, has insisted his campaign is legitimate, CNN previously reported.
CNN’s Eric Bradner contributed to this report.
How Florida’s Republican primary for governor got so messy
The race to succeed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has turned into a bitter fight that is coming to a head in today’s Republican primary.
Rep. Byron Donalds, who has President Donald Trump’s endorsement and the backing of most of the state GOP’s establishment, is widely seen as the front-runner. But he’s facing several challengers including Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, former state House Speaker Paul Renner and far-right activist James Fishback.
DeSantis, who is term-limited, has refused to hand the baton to Donalds and has spent months publicly and privately arguing the Naples congressman is unfit to replace him. Yet the governor has failed to throw his support behind an alternative, instead undercutting other Republicans trying to take down Donalds — including his own lieutenant governor.
The feud has opened space for Fishback, a 31-year-old, race-baiting insurgent who has gained national attention despite a troubling legal history and limited financial support.
Donalds has largely ignored the salvos from DeSantis. His campaign told CNN he is now looking ahead to the general election and likely Democratic nominee David Jolly, a former Republican congressman who changed parties amid his opposition to Trump.
As for DeSantis, he has made little secret of his continued presidential ambitions, but some Republican friends worry he is eroding the goodwill built during two terms in office.
