Weekly Roundup: Primary Home Stretch

August 16, 2026

Florida Weekly Roundup is a look back at last week in a Florida politics and government.

Candidates in Tuesday’s primary elections spent the final week getting out their message, as many voters have already cast their ballots.

Nearly 1.5 million Floridians have voted by mail or through in-person early voting.

CLOSING ARGUMENTS

It’s no surprise Republican voters, with nearly a 1.6 million registration advantage over the Democrats, have been more active in the primary, at least when it comes to those already filling out ballots.

There are scrambles for Congressional districts that were rewritten by the Legislature to bolster the number of Republican-held seats, primaries on both sides of the aisle for U.S. Senate and the Cabinet offices of agriculture commissioner and chief financial officer.

At least 16 state House incumbents are facing primary challengers. The focus of the state Senate primaries has been Senate District 16 between House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, and Rep. Michele Rayner, D-St. Petersburg, where the winner takes the seat.

The big-ticket item for Tuesday’s contest is the Republican gubernatorial primary, which long ago was tilted by President Donald Trump towards U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds of Naples.

The endorsement didn’t deter the other 10 Republicans on the ballot, including Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, former state House Speaker Paul Renner and conservative activist James Fishback.

But it has helped Donalds’ campaign account collect more than $11.5 million, while Renner, Collins and Fishback are all under $600,000.

Term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis hasn’t made an endorsement, but recently said Renner could “be really good” as governor.

DeSantis had previously said Renner’s entry into the contest was “ill-advised.”

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, the former governor who hasn’t been on the best terms with DeSantis, campaigned with Donalds in Wauchula on Thursday, retorting that when he ran for re-election to the U.S. Senate DeSantis “didn’t endorse me and I did fine in ‘24.”

On the Democratic side in the gubernatorial race, former U.S. Rep. David Jolly, a converted Democrat, is the frontrunner in a field of six that includes state Rep. Dotie Joseph of Miami. Joseph jumped into the contest after former Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings dropped out on the eve of qualifying due to health concerns.

The Democratic primary for U.S. Senate sees state Rep. Angie Nixon, a Jacksonville progressive, taking on retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Alex Vindman, who became a national figure as a key witness in Trump’s first impeachment. Most of his messaging has been directed as U.S. Ashley Moody, the Tampa Republican appointed to the office last year by DeSantis, who has three primary challengers.

CREATING AIR TRAFFIC

DeSantis announced that testing on electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft will be underway by the end of the year at the SunTrax test facility in Polk County.

“We believe that you’re going to see major breakthroughs in this technology in the coming years,” DeSantis said.

Earlier this year, DeSantis signed legislation (HB 1093) allowing the Florida Department of Transportation to fund 100 percent of the project costs for a public vertiport if federal funds are unavailable. If federal funds are available, FDOT may fund up to 80 percent of the nonfederal share.

Vertiports are expected to serve as hubs for short aerial commutes by the battery-powered aircraft that have characteristics of airplanes and helicopters.

DeSantis also signed a wide-ranging transportation package in 2025 requiring the transportation department to develop a plan for advanced air mobility with the Department of Commerce. The law also required advances in aviation technology to be included in the annual transportation work program.

STORY OF THE WEEK:

With nearly 1.5 million Floridians already participating, the 2026 primary cycle reaches its final days.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

“I have not endorsed Cory Mills and I do not support Cory Mills.” — Gov. Ron DeSantis when asked Friday about Florida’s Congressional District 7 contest that involved incumbent U.S. Rep. Cory Mills, a Republican from New Smyrna Beach who is subject to an active House Ethics Committee investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and campaign finance breaches.

by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under FRONT FEATURE