Florida primary election: Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony win
MIAMI - South Florida voters, who waited to vote in person, headed to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in the Florida Primary Election.
The Florida Primary Election decided final matchups for the November General Election in several races, including U.S. Senate, U.S. House, sheriffs in both Miami-Dade and Broward and school board seats.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, who only needed a little more than 50% to avoid a November 5th runoff during the general election, won her race by a large margin.
Here's a look at who won Tuesday's main races:
Miami-Dade Mayor Race
Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has won the race for county mayor with more than 57% of the vote. She faced six challengers: Manny Cid, Shlomo Danzinger, Carlos Farin, Alex Otaola, Miguel Quintero and Eddy Rojas.
The mayor released the following statement following her victory:
"I am truly humbled and honored by the vote of confidence, and the trust the voters placed in me to serve another four years as your Mayor. Through the hard work, unwavering commitment, long hours and hot days, we marked a decisive win, despite facing six opponents who attacked us, lied about our progress and the incredible work we have done."
"We knew from day one, we were going to be a people-powered campaign once again, committed to vision, integrity and a continued promise to deliver results. With your energy and passion for good government, I knew we would be unstoppable."
"Just as I promised four years ago, I will do so again tonight. I am ready and promise to continue doing the work that needs to get done. We will double down on our housing challenges, invest in our infrastructure so we can be future-ready, prioritize healthy and safe communities and ensure we are a resilient county that protects and preserves our environment. We will continue to partner with our business community so together we can chart a path for progress to take on challenges big and small. And I promise to stay community-focused to empower people to achieve their full potential and live their American Dream."
"What makes Miami-Dade great is our people. And just as our nation's motto reads- Out of Many, One- we are ONE Miami-Dade! Today, Tomorrow, Always. I cherish and guard the vote of confidence and reiterate today that I will continue to lead. You are my priority, your hopes, dreams, needs, and shared concerns for our future. When I win, we ALL win. Let's dance and celebrate tonight, and tomorrow we take on the future."
Miami-Dade Sheriff Race
Fifteen candidates were vying for the job of Miami-Dade Sheriff. The top candidate from each party will appear on the ballot during the general election in November.
Democrat James Reyes had won over three other candidates with over 46% of the votes and Rosanna 'Rosie' Cordero-Stutz beat out the Republican field with 24% of the vote.
Cordero-Stutz will now face Reyes in the November general election.
Broward Sheriff Race
Incumbent Sheriff Gregory Tony won his race with over 50% of the vote and is headed to November's general election. Tony faced three challengers, former FDLE agent Steven Geller, long-time law enforcement veteran David Howard and retired BSO Colonel Al Pollock.
Tony will face independent candidate Charles Edward Whatley in November.
Here's what Tony had to say following his victory:
"I'm truly honored to once again be selected by the Democratic Party to serve as their nominee. For approximately six years, I've focused on reforming the Broward Sheriff's Office into the finest public safety organization in the country.
"I'm extremely grateful for the people's continued trust and confidence in my administration. My devotion to the people of Broward County will remain steadfast. I will always prioritize public safety over politics.
Congress
US Senate:
US Senator, Republican Rick Scott advances to the general election in November where he will be facing Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, both candidates won their races with an overwhelming majority.
House of Representatives:
Rep. Jesus Gabriel Navarro (Republican), District 24, won with over 56% of the vote.
Rep. Wasserman Schultz (Democrat), District 25, won her race with over 83% of the vote.
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (Rep.), District 26, won his race with over 91% of the vote.
Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (Rep.), District 27, won her race with over 88% of the vote.
Rep. Lucia Baez-Geller (Dem.), District 27, had received over 54% of the vote with 219 out of 221 precincts reporting.
Other Races
Five Broward County School Board seats were at play. Here are the winners:
Maura McCarthy Bullman won her School Board, District 1, race with over 51% of the vote.
Rebecca Thompson won her School Board, District 2, race with over 66% of the vote.
Sarah Leonardi won her School Board, District 3, race with over 70% of the vote.
Jeff Holness won his School Board, District 5, race with over 75% of the vote.
Debra "Debbi" Hixon won her School Board, At-large, Seat 9, race with over 70% of the vote.
For complete Miami-Dade results, click here and for Broward, click here.
The general election will take place on Tuesday, November 5th, 2024.
