The 2018 United States Senate election in Florida will be held on November 6, 2018, alongside a gubernatorial election, U.S. House elections, and other state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic Senator Bill Nelson is running for reelection to a fourth term.
The candidate filing deadline for this Senate race is May 4, 2018, with primary elections being held on August 28, 2018. Florida uses a closed primary process, in which the selection of each respective party's candidates for a general election is limited to registered party members.
Video United States Senate election in Florida, 2018
Background
Incumbent Democratic Senator Bill Nelson currently holds a 47%-29% approval rating among his constituents, though President Donald Trump also holds a positive approval rating of 50%-45% in Florida as of January 2018. Trump won the state in 2016 by 1.2% over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Nelson is being challenged by term-limited Governor Rick Scott, who has contributed more than $86 million of his own fortune into two successful gubernatorial bids in 2010 and 2014. Nelson is seen as vulnerable heading into the race, as he is the only statewide elected Democrat, despite winning re-election in 2012 by 13%. The 75-year-old (76 on election day) is described as a "low-key centrist" that may not be able to energize progressive voters.
Scott announced his candidacy on April 9, 2018, weeks after his last regular 60-day legislative session as governor. In September 2017, during a Hurricane Irma recovery trip to Fort Myers, President Trump encouraged Scott to run, saying "I don't know what [Scott is] gonna do, but I know that at a certain point it ends for you, and we can't let it end. So I hope he runs for Senate." Scott currently holds a 58%-31% approval rating among his constituents, with a majority of Florida voters believing the state is moving in the right direction. Combined with a good economy, it has been said that Governor Scott may be the only Republican that could defeat Senator Nelson.
Gun control is an expected key issue for this race. The election comes less than nine months after the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, the deadliest school shooting in American history that killed 17 people. Senator Nelson has also mentioned the Orlando nightclub shooting that occurred in June 2016 and killed 49 people, stating that "nothing was done" by Governor Scott's administration. In the wake of Stoneman Douglas, Scott has raised the age to purchase a gun from 18 to 21, set a three-day waiting period to purchase assault-style weapons, and banned bump stocks, moves that Nelson describes as "doing the bare minimum." The National Rifle Association has come out against Scott's legislation.
Additionally, an undetermined number of Puerto Ricans, a largely Democratic voter demographic, have moved to Florida after the island was ravaged by Hurricane Maria in September 2017. Whether they will have an impact on the race is unclear.
Maps United States Senate election in Florida, 2018
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Tamika Lyles, Air Force veteran, mediator, and philanthropist
- Bill Nelson, incumbent U.S. Senator since 2001; U.S. Representative from FL-11 1979-1991
- Randy White, pastor, bishop, philanthropist, and activist
Declined
- Randolph Bracy, State Senator (District 11) since 2016
- Tim Canova, law professor specializing in banking and finance; candidate for FL-23 in 2016 (running for FL-23)
- Pam Keith, Navy veteran, labor attorney; candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016 (running for FL-18)
Endorsements
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- Virginia Fuller, registered nurse; Republican nominee for U.S. Representative from CA-11 in 2012
- Lateresa Jones, life coach; Independent candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 2014 and U.S. Senate in 2016
- Martin Mikhail
- Rick Scott, Governor since 2011
- Joseph Smith, chiropractor; candidate for U.S. Senate in 1988 and FL-19 in 1996; Republican nominee for FL-16 in 1988
Withdrew
- Alexander George, businessman, political activist, and minister; candidate for U.S. Senate in 2012
- Augustus Sol Invictus, far-right activist and attorney; Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016
- Mike Pompura
- Marcia R. Thorne, pastor (ran as an Independent)
Declined
- Jeff Atwater, CFO of Florida 2011-2017
- Carlos Beruff, real estate developer and Republican donor; candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016
- Pam Bondi, Attorney General since 2011
- Richard Corcoran, State Representative (District 37) since 2010; Speaker of the Florida House since 2016
- John Delaney, Mayor of Jacksonville 1995-2003
- Ron DeSantis, U.S. Representative from FL-6 since 2013; candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016 (running for Governor)
- Hulk Hogan, retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, entrepreneur, and musician
- David Jolly, U.S. Representative from FL-13 2014-2017; candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016
- Carlos López-Cantera, Lieutenant Governor since 2014; candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016
- Tom Rooney, U.S. Representative from FL-17 since 2009
Endorsements
Polling
Libertarian Party
Candidates
Potential
- Roger Stone, political consultant, lobbyist, and strategist
Withdrew
- Joe Wendt, janitor
Declined
- Augustus Sol Invictus, far-right activist and attorney; candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016 (ran as a Republican)
American Independent Party
Candidates
Withdrew
- Franklin "Ed" Shoemaker
Independents
Declared
- Joe Allen, author and former teacher; candidate for Governor in 2010 and 2014; Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in 2010
- Gregory Bowles
- Carlos Garcia
- Edward Janowski
- David Weeks
Withdrew
- Marcia R. Thorne, pastor
General election
Candidates
- Howard Knepper (R, write-in), businessman and real estate developer; Independent candidate for President in 2012
- Scott McCatty (I, write-in)
- Charles Frederick Tolbert (I, write-in), pastor
Predictions
Polling
See also
- United States Senate elections, 2018
- Florida gubernatorial election, 2018
References
External links
- Official campaign websites
- Joe Allen (I) for Senate
- Edward Janowski (I) for Senate
- Lateresa Jones (R) for Senate
- Howard Knepper (R) for Senate
- Tamika Lyles (D) for Senate
- Bill Nelson (D) for Senate
- Rick Scott (R) for Senate
- David Weeks (I) for Senate
Source of article : Wikipedia
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