Why down-ballot wins are buoying Florida Democrats despite a tough election night

Miami Herald · Romy Ellenbogen · 2026-11-04 19:41 UTC

Democrats flipped 16 House seats and one Senate seat in Florida, narrowing the GOP supermajority and setting up a more competitive 2027 legislative session under Gov. Byron Donalds.

At first glimpse, Florida Democrats appeared left behind in the decisive victories their fellow party members saw across the country on Election Day.

All of Florida’s statewide Democratic candidates lost their races. But down ballot, Democrats saw success in their races for the Florida Legislature, particularly in the Florida House. Democrats flipped 17 legislative seats in their favor, with 16 in the House and one in the Senate.

That number could rise to 18. Democrat Daniel McDow, who ran against Republican Rep. Monique Miller for a Brevard County seat, was leading Wednesday morning, with the race headed toward a recount.

Read the full story at Miami Herald · All coverage of this story