Gov. DeSantis: a near “extinction level event for Republicans”
Democrats made significant gains across the country in the 2026 midterms taking control of both chambers of Congress.
On Wednesday, Governor Ron DeSantis described the election night results as, “As close to an extinction level event for Republicans in many parts of the country that we have seen probably in the last 100 years.”
In Florida, Republicans no longer hold a supermajority but remain in control after Democrats flipped six seats in the state House.
Patrick Rickert, assistant professor of political science at Rollins College, said, “Really the only good news for Republicans is it could have been worse. With about a point or two more towards Democrats, they would have lost several seats in Florida, probably including the Senate and gubernatorial race.”
Florida was red enough to stay red
Republican Gov.-elect Byron Donalds and Sen. Ashley Moody both won their races by narrow margins. Republicans will hold all three Cabinet positions: Attorney General James Uthmeier, Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson.
However, according to Rickert, while Florida is a red state, Democrats aren’t gone and they’re not going anywhere.
“The environment has shifted right in such a way that it can sustain a lot of Democratic gains on a nationwide scale, but I think people are starting to see Florida as more competitive than they initially thought,” he said.
Voters elected Sen. Ashley Moody in a special election this year to serve the remainder of former Sen. Marco Rubio’s term after he left the Senate to become U.S. secretary of state. The seat will be up for election again in 2028.
“I think that seat will gain a lot of attention in part because of the national environment that people are expecting in two years,” said Rickert. “Republicans will have to defend a lot more seats than Democrats, so Democrats will have the ability to be kind of choosy and strategic about what they think they can win and given what we saw yesterday, that might include Florida.”
Too close to call
Ballots are still being counted in closely contested races. In Seminole County, Republican Ryan Elijah faces Democrat Bale Dalton in the race for Florida’s 7th Congressional District. The seat is currently held by Republican Rep. Cory Mills.
Florida’s 9th Congressional District is currently represented by Rep. Darren Soto. Republicans redrew the district as part of an effort to pick up seats in the U.S. House. Soto was considered one of the most vulnerable Democrats, while Republican Dan Green sought to unseat the incumbent.
Both congressional races remain too close to call, though Republican Ryan Elijah and Democrat Darren Soto hold leads in their respective districts. Florida is scheduled to officially certify election results Nov. 17, 2026.
Did mid-decade redistricting work?
Florida is one of the states that went through the controversial mid-decade redistricting process.
“The answer to ‘Did gerrymandering work?’ is no, yes, and not yet,” said Rickert.
No: Florida’s new congressional maps fell short of Republicans’ 24-seat goal.
Yes: Compared with the previous maps, the new districts may have helped Republicans avoid losing seats and potentially gain more than they otherwise would have.
Not yet: The maps were designed to perform well in an average election, not to withstand a Democratic wave of this magnitude.
Amendment 3 approved
Florida voters also approved Amendment 3, the property tax measure that could have significant implications for local government funding. Gov. DeSantis announced plans for a special legislative session on property taxes. The questions don’t end with what lawmakers decide. Cities will also have to consider how to pay for services with potentially reduced property tax revenue.