Update, 12:31 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026: AP's Florida governor results, updated at 12:27 p.m., show Byron Donalds with 4,132,275 votes (50.0%) to David Jolly's 4,024,554 (48.7%), a gap of 107,721. Both totals ticked up slightly from the 3:06 a.m. count, and the call doesn't change. Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday he'll call a special session to put Amendment 3 in place by Jan. 1; read our story.

TALLAHASSEE, FL, Nov. 4, 2026 — Republicans won every statewide race on Florida's ballot Tuesday, but by margins far tighter than the state has seen in recent elections, according to projected and unofficial results from The Associated Press and the Florida Department of State.

Republican U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds was elected governor, AP projected at 9:09 p.m. Tuesday. AP's count, last updated at 3:06 a.m. Wednesday with about 99% of the expected vote counted, shows Donalds with 4,132,112 votes (50.0%) to Democrat David Jolly's 4,024,180 (48.7%). Libertarian Scott Eckhard Jewett had 37,884 votes (0.5%) and no-party candidate Frank J. Russo had 23,199 (0.3%). The state's Election Watch site shows the same totals for Donalds and Jolly.

These are projected, unofficial numbers. Florida's results become official only when the state certifies them. County canvassing boards file unofficial results by noon Nov. 7, and the state Elections Canvassing Commission certifies on Nov. 16.

Governor: a first, and a closer race than expected

Donalds will be Florida's first Black governor, AP and NBC News reported, and AP said he'll be the nation's first elected Black Republican governor. He succeeds term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis, and former state Sen. Bryan Avila will be lieutenant governor.

"Even if you didn't vote for me, you have my word that I will be your governor, too," Donalds told supporters at the Hard Rock hotel Tuesday night, NBC News reported. AP quoted him telling the crowd, "I want you to hear from Florida that we are still red."

Donalds said he got two calls Tuesday night, one from Jolly conceding and one from President Donald Trump, WCTV reported. On social media he wrote, "We are going to make life in Florida more affordable. We are going to keep our streets safe."

The race was much closer than DeSantis's 2022 re-election, which he won by more than 20 points, NBC News noted. Donalds raised about $130 million. Jolly, a former Republican congressman who became a Democrat, ran as a centrist and declined to debate. "You can't debate a liar," Jolly said in September, according to NBC News.

Where they stood: Donalds backed Amendment 3, the homestead property tax cut, and Jolly said he'd vote against it, The Independent Florida Alligator reported. Donalds campaigned on continuing DeSantis's agenda and attacked Jolly as "too far left for Florida," while Jolly attacked Donalds's close ties to Trump, NBC News reported.

U.S. Senate: Moody wins her first election to the seat

Republican Sen. Ashley Moody won the special election for the rest of the term once held by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. AP called the race at 8:34 p.m. Its count shows Moody with 4,207,774 votes (50.9%), Democrat Angie Nixon with 3,968,811 (48.0%) and no-party candidate Neil J. Gillespie with 94,529 (1.1%).

"Whether you voted for me or whether you didn't vote for me. I am your senator. I am here to serve you," Moody said in Tampa, WUSF reported. Nixon conceded in Jacksonville. "We gave people something to believe in again," she told supporters.

DeSantis appointed Moody, then attorney general, to the seat in January 2025. The seat is up again in 2028, WUSF reported. In 2024, Sen. Rick Scott won Florida's other Senate seat 55.6% to 42.8%, Jacksonville Today reported.

The Cabinet: three Republicans win by about 2 points each

  • Attorney General: AP called the race for Republican James Uthmeier at 9:56 p.m. AP's count shows Uthmeier with 4,177,635 votes (50.9%) to Democrat José Javier Rodriguez's 4,024,302 (49.1%). "Floridians deserve public safety, accountability from corporations making our lives more expensive, protection of their rights, and leaders who will fight corruption rather than cover it up," Rodriguez said in a statement after the loss, the Alligator reported.
  • Chief Financial Officer: Republican Blaise Ingoglia, appointed CFO in July 2025, won a full term. The state's Election Watch site shows Ingoglia with 4,151,352 votes (50.94%) to Democrat Annette Taddeo's 3,997,464 (49.06%). Taddeo posted on X that "This was my last campaign," the Alligator reported.
  • Agriculture Commissioner: Republican incumbent Wilton Simpson has 4,160,343 votes (51.08%) to Democrat Joey Mendoza Atkins's 3,984,160 (48.92%), Election Watch shows.

AP's Florida results page doesn't list the CFO and agriculture races, so those numbers come from the state's unofficial Election Watch site.

Supreme Court: Muñiz retained

Voters kept Justice Carlos G. Muñiz on the Florida Supreme Court. Election Watch shows 4,296,477 "yes" votes (57.69%) to 3,150,564 "no" (42.31%). A justice stays on the court if a majority votes yes.

What's next

The state's County Reporting Status page shows 100% of precincts reporting in all 67 counties. The page also tracks provisional and 10-day overseas mail ballots, which counties can still add before results are final. Counties' unofficial results are due Nov. 7, and certification is Nov. 16. The new governor and Cabinet take office in January.

Launchpad's live results page has every race, the map and the national balance of power. We'll keep updating as counts change.

Sources: AP Florida results, AP governor, AP Senate, AP attorney general (read 7:53 AM ET Nov. 4; race pages updated 3:06 AM); Florida Department of State Election Watch, Supreme Court retention (read about 8:05 AM ET); NBC News; WCTV; WUSF; Jacksonville Today/News Service of Florida; The Independent Florida Alligator.

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