Florida GOP Sen. Marco Rubio is up for reelection this year, as is Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Democratic primary election for governor will be one of the most-watched primary races in the state.
Here’s what to know about the Democratic gubernatorial race:
The race to take on DeSantis in November has mainly narrowed between former Republican governor and now-Democratic Rep. Charlie Crist and Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried.
While the Sunshine State has become more Republican over the years, Fried is hoping to cash in on being the most recent Democrat to win statewide in her bid for the governor’s mansion. Crist was first elected governor as a Republican in 2006 and then ran for Senate as an independent in 2010, losing to Republican Marco Rubio. Crist then ran for governor in 2014 as a Democrat and lost to now-Sen. Rick Scott, a Republican. He won his House seat as a Democrat in 2016.
Abortion has emerged as a major issue in the race, with Fried’s campaign attacking Crist’s record on the issue and Crist responding with a TV ad. The two Democrats have spent much of the race taking shots at DeSantis, who will be favored in the fall regardless of who wins the Democratic primary.
Poll times: Florida is split between the Eastern and Central time zones. Polls close at 7 p.m. local time.
Voter eligibility: In Florida, only voters affiliated with a political party can participate in that party’s primary. Voters in Florida are required to show a form of photo ID when voting. The first results reported will be early and mail ballots.
Congressional map: Florida gained a seat thanks to population growth recorded in the 2020 census. Click here to see how the map, which was drawn by DeSantis, likely gives the GOP an advantage in at least 18 out of 28 districts.
Source: www.cnn.com