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Florida's 25th Congressional District election, 2018

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Florida's 25th Congressional District
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: May 4, 2018
Primary: August 28, 2018
General: November 6, 2018
Pre-election incumbent:
Mario Diaz-Balart (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voting in Florida
Race ratings
Cook Partisan Voter Index (2018): R+4
Cook Political Report: Likely Republican
Inside Elections: Solid Republican
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Likely Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
See also
Florida's 25th Congressional District
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th • 10th • 11th • 12th • 13th • 14th • 15th • 16th • 17th • 18th • 19th • 20th • 21st • 22nd • 23rd • 24th • 25th • 26th • 27th
Florida elections, 2018
U.S. Congress elections, 2018
U.S. Senate elections, 2018
U.S. House elections, 2018

Incumbent Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R) defeated former Eleventh Circuit Court Judge Mary Barzee Flores (D) in the general election on November 6, 2018, for Florida's 25th Congressional District.

All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives were up for election in 2018. The Democratic Party gained a net total of 40 seats, winning control of the chamber. This race was identified as a 2018 battleground that might have affected partisan control of the U.S. House in the 116th Congress. Heading into the election, the Republican Party was in the majority holding 235 seats to Democrats' 193 seats, with seven vacant seats. Democrats needed to win 23 GOP-held seats in 2018 to win control of the House. From 1918 to 2016, the president’s party lost an average of 29 seats in midterm elections.

Diaz-Balart was elected in 2002 by a margin of 29 percentage points. In 2008, Diaz-Balart defeated Joe Garcia (D) by a margin of 6 percentage points in his closest re-election bid going into the 2018 election.

Two forecasting outlets covered by Ballotpedia rated the race "Likely Republican" and one outlet rated the race "Solid Republican" in the month leading up to the election. On September 20, 2018, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) named Barzee Flores to its "Red to Blue" program.[3]

Democratic Party For more information about the Democratic primary, click here.
Republican Party For more information about the Republican primary, click here.


Candidates and election results

General election

General election for U.S. House Florida District 25

Incumbent Mario Diaz-Balart defeated Mary Barzee Flores in the general election for U.S. House Florida District 25 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Mario Diaz-Balart
Mario Diaz-Balart (R)
 
60.5
 
128,672
Image of Mary Barzee Flores
Mary Barzee Flores (D)
 
39.5
 
84,173

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 212,845
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 25

Mary Barzee Flores advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 25 on August 28, 2018.

Candidate
✔
Image of Mary Barzee Flores
Mary Barzee Flores

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 25

Incumbent Mario Diaz-Balart advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 25 on August 28, 2018.

Candidate
✔
Image of Mario Diaz-Balart
Mario Diaz-Balart

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Candidate profiles

See also: Editorial approach to writing about key campaign messages
Mario Diaz-Balart, U.S. Representative
Mario Diaz Balart.jpg

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Party: Republican

Incumbent: Yes

Political office: U.S. House Florida District 25

Biography: Diaz Balart studied Political Science at the University of South Florida in Tampa. He was elected to the state House in 1988 and became the youngest person ever elected to the Florida Senate in 1992. Diaz-Barlart was first elected to represent Florida's 25th Congressional District in 2002. As of 2018, he served as a senior member on the Budget and Appropriations Committees.[4]

Key messages
  • In a September 19 video message, Diaz-Balart said Congress needed to do more to keep children safe at school. He cited a bill he was sponsoring that would "First off, ban bump-stocks, second, strengthen background checks, and third, make sure dangerous individuals do not have access to guns."
  • Diaz-Balart defended Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) against calls to abolish the agency, tweeting, "I will continue to work tirelessly to reform our nation’s immigration laws but calls to abolish ICE are misplaced & uncalled for."[5]
  • Diaz-Balart said he had worked on the Appropriations Committee to secure funding for the district and the state, including $2 million in Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) funding for Miami Springs, $64 million from for the restoration of the Everglades, and $11.3 million for Miami International Airport.[6][7][8]


Mary Barzee Flores, Small business owner
Mary Barzee Flores Headshot.JPG

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Party: Democratic

Incumbent: No

Political office: None

Biography: Barzee Flores received her undergraduate degree from the University of Miami School of Music in 1985 and her J.D., graduating cum laude, from the University of Miami School of Law in 1988. Flores was elected to the bench as a criminal division judge of the Eleventh Circuit of Florida in 2002. After leaving the bench in 2011., Barzee Flores became a shareholder in the litigation department of the law firm Stearns Weaver Miller. In 2015 President Barack Obama nominated Flores to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. On January 3, 2017, Flores' nomination was returned to President Obama at the sine die adjournment of the 114th Congress.[9][10][11][12][13][14]

Key messages
  • Barzee Flores advocated for "at least a $15 minimum wage and a family leave policy" on a national level.[15]
  • Citing her experience in the criminal justice system, Barzee Flores called for an end to the war on drugs, cash bail, private prisons, and mandatory minimum sentencing.[15]
  • Barzee Flores criticized Diaz-Balart for contributions she said he received from the National Rifle Association in an ad. She promoted universal background checks for firearm purchases, closing what she referred to as the gun show loophole, and reinstating what she referred to as a federal assault weapons ban.[15]


Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

If you are aware of polls conducted in this race, please email us.


Campaign finance

The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Mario Diaz-Balart Republican Party $2,295,610 $2,639,188 $147,164 As of December 31, 2018
Mary Barzee Flores Democratic Party $2,198,498 $2,192,833 $8,151 As of December 31, 2018

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2018. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.


Satellite spending

Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[16][17][18]

This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.

Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

  • Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
  • Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
  • Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[20]
  • Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[21][22][23]

Race ratings: Florida's 25th Congressional District election, 2018
Race trackerRace ratings
October 30, 2018October 23, 2018October 16, 2018October 9, 2018
The Cook Political ReportLikely RepublicanLikely RepublicanLikely RepublicanLikely Republican
Inside Elections with Nathan L. GonzalesSolid RepublicanSolid RepublicanSolid RepublicanSolid Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal BallLikely RepublicanLikely RepublicanLikely RepublicanLikely Republican
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season.

District analysis

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores

The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+4, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 4 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Florida's 25th Congressional District the 198th most Republican nationally.[24]

FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 1.20. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 1.20 points toward that party.[25]

Noteworthy endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.


Click the links below for to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites.

Candidate endorsements
Endorsement Date Diaz-Balart Barzee Flores
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D)[26] September 4, 2018 ✔
National Education Association[27] September 10, 2018 ✔

Campaign advertisements

Democratic Party Mary Barzee Flores

Support
"Trump should be impeached" - Barzee Flores campaign ad, released January 25, 2018
Against
"Just Wrong" - Diaz-Balart campaign ad, released July 17, 2018

Republican Party Mario Diaz-Balart

Support
"Ayuda para Cuidado Mental" - Diaz-Balart campaign ad, released September 18, 2018
"Protegiendo Escuelas" - Diaz-Balart campaign ad, released September 18, 2018
"Two Issues" - Diaz-Balart campaign ad, released September 14, 2018
"Results" - Diaz-Balart campaign ad, released July 17, 2018
Oppose
"Recuperado" - Barzee Flores campaign ad, released September 10, 2018
"Afford" - Barzee Flores campaign ad, released September 10, 2018
"Fred Guttenberg supports Mary Barzee Flores" - Barzee Flores campaign ad, released August 22, 2018


Campaign themes

These were the policy positions stated in interviews or listed on the candidates' websites, if available.

Democratic Party Mary Barzee Flores

“

An Economy for Everyone For too long, Republicans have billed themselves as the party that gets people to work, but they leave out key components that help working families and regular folks thrive. I have had backbreaking hourly jobs being a maid, a line cook, a dishwasher–you name it. I know the struggle of what a low hourly wage, high housing costs, and no job security can do to a person and their community. Our communities need at least a $15 minimum wage and a family leave policy that protects the health and wellbeing of working families on a national level. Big corporations stand in the way of worker’s rights by threatening those who unionize, but we need to enable workers to build strong unions, not fire them for exercising their rights. We must also understand that a green economy is a growing economy, and invest back in our infrastructure and in renewable energy like wind and solar. A government’s budget is a statement of values. In congress I will prioritize the core values that have been informed by my own life experience by investing in working class people and fighting for working families in this district, who — just like I did —  work two or three jobs just to make ends meet.The bottom line is this: no one working full time should be living in poverty. I will fight to make sure every person who wants to work, can, and when they do, they have a living wage that they have a say in.

Criminal Justice Reform For over 20 years, I served this community first as a federal public defender and then for over eight years as a judge. While I was working in the criminal justice system, I realized we need dramatic changes to achieve equal justice for all. Unfortunately despite the progress our country has made, justice is still far from equal. That is why when I’m in Congress, one of my top priorities will be ending mass incarceration by reforming our criminal justice system. Together, we must stop this injustice by ending unjust programs that promote racial disparities, poverty, and prejudice. I will fight tooth and nail to end the war on drugs, cash bail, private prisons, and mandatory minimums. When I was on the bench, I made sure that everyone was treated with dignity and respect–black or white, LGBTQ+ or straight–and when I’m in congress, I’ll make sure the government does the same.

Education I owe part of my success to education, and every student, no matter the zip code, should be allowed to walk the same path to success that I did. In the classroom, it’s teachers, not the government, who know best. We should continue to take steps towards moving control to the classroom and empowering teachers to fulfill their calling by having autonomy to teach their students and reduce the emphasis on arbitrary, high-stakes tests. In order to make sure that our teachers can provide the best education possible, we need to support them through robust funding. That means that no public tax money should be going to private schools, no matter if those private schools are a part of voucher programs. Instead of funding tests, we need to be funding art classes, school counseling programs, and the kinds of activities that we all needed to grow up and become poised for success. But we can’t just stop at highschool, because life doesn’t stop at highschool. A strong, educated America depends on making college accessible. We need to make community colleges free, and 4 year state Universities should have the federal resources to waive their tuition for students who face economic barriers. DREAMers need to be able to keep in state tuition as well, because they are as much a part of our educational system as anyone else. Donald Trump and Betsy Devos are fighting to take away Pell grants and Student Loan Forgiveness, but I’ll fight right back to not only keep, but expand those programs and make sure education is accessible for everyone.

The Environment South Florida is ground zero for climate change, and we must lead the way in combating it. We are already seeing the effects of stronger storms and increased flooding. By 2100, South Florida will be underwater–we cannot wait for action. As of January 2018, the Trump Administration has already overturned 33 environmental protections implemented under the Obama Administration, including green-lighting the dangerous and disrespectful Dakota Access Pipeline. We must start divesting from fossil fuels and invest in green energy. America needs to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord and show global leadership in innovating for a sustainable future that incentivizes jobs in renewable energy. America cannot afford an EPA that does not protect the environment against those who seek to exploit nature and local economies through destructive drilling, fracking, and pipeline construction practices.

Gun Violence I am 100% committed to taking on the NRA and enacting policies to end our country’s epidemic of senseless gun violence that for too long has left our most vulnerable communities to suffer in silence. Florida does not require background checks for private sales, and it is not alone in allowing this massive and deadly loophole to persist. 33 states have taken no action to close this so-called “gun show” loophole. Common sense gun reform is necessary to ensure the safety of our kids and our communities. Weapons of war have no place in our classrooms, neighborhoods, or public spaces. This is something I truly believe most of us agree with. But we’ve been stuck with inaction and death because The NRA has billions of dollars- they’ve bought and paid for a Congress that will advance their agenda and their profit margins upon command. The NRA won’t be able to buy me and I’ll make sure that Congress listens to the American people and mandates universal background checks, closes dangerous loopholes, and reinstates the federal assault weapons ban.

Healthcare & Reproductive Justice Growing up my father managed a fish and tackle shop, Fisherman Paradise. Chronic health problems forced him out of his job. Because he lost his job, he lost his healthcare. I know what it’s like for a family to be one health crisis away from financial disaster. In fact, it’s one of the number one causes of personal bankruptcy in this country. I believe that healthcare is a fundamental right and should be treated as such. In congress I will fight for universal, affordable health care for all, because health care should be a right for all Americans, not a privilege for the few. I won’t be afraid to take on Big Insurance and other special interests that stand in the way. I believe in medicare for all, but I think the road to get there has to be traveled in a way that insures more people along the way, not fewer. This means that more subsidies should be provided to middle class folks who are currently insured through the ACA, more health centers need to be situated in rural areas, and reproductive health must not be excluded from healthcare plans. Women have the right to make their own decisions regarding their families and their bodies– period. Planned parenthood is a medical facility, and it needs to be fully funded so people in every area can receive reproductive care. Women’s healthcare should not be chipped away by special interests intent on controlling our bodies. Abortion is healthcare and we must stop the assault on Roe V Wade and the 14th amendment. Birth control should not be a luxury for those in wealthy communities that have access to clinics. Pregnancy shouldn’t be a cause of death in the United States, but we have the highest rate of maternal mortality in the developed world. The rates are much worse for women of color, and we must to fight to ensure that Black women are not a statistic. Everyone, regardless of race, gender identity, or background should have access to high quality, comprehensive, and affordable healthcare.

Immigration The immigrant dream IS the American Dream: if you work hard, and play by the rules, there are no limits on what you can accomplish here. So when I see that Donald Trump and the Republicans are trying to make it impossible to play by the rules by having families wait in unending, impossibly expensive immigration limbo and criminalizing Black and brown bodies not only at the border, but all throughout our nation, it makes me furious. When I get to DC, I will channel that fury into change and fight for permanent protection and dignity for all 11 million undocumented immigrants by paving their way to a realistic path to citizenship. We must end DREAMER’s uncertainty by immediately reinstating DACA until they, too, can secure citizenship in the only place they’ve called home–the US. We must also support TPS recipients by allowing them to choose their own journey, whether that be resituating back home, or here in the US, their new homes. My husband’s family moved from Mexico to the Midwest in the 1950’s, drawn by good-paying jobs in the steel mills and auto industry—jobs where hard work meant a good wage, good benefits, and the ability to create a good life for your family. When Trump called Mexicans rapists and criminals, I was personally offended and I knew that every progressive needed to make immigration a top priority instead of just last minute legislation tacked on to other bills–and when I’m in Washington, I promise to be one of those progressives.

Veterans & Social Security Veterans have offered this country the greatest gift of all, protecting our freedom and the numerous sacrifices that come with service. When we support our veterans, we strengthen our economy and our country. My parents were both veterans. My mother was a nurse in the Korean War and my father served in World War II. So this issue is deeply personal to me. Veterans need a strong social safety net, proven job training programs, and reliable health services so that they aren’t forgotten. We must block any and all efforts to privatize the VA and prioritize healthcare, including mental healthcare, for all of our veterans. Every day, over 20 veterans commit suicide and many more are homeless on our streets. Almost 25% of all social security beneficiaries are veterans, and in order to lift veterans out of poverty and into safe, affordable, and supportive housing, we have to maintain a robust social security program. Social Security is America at its best–a shared belief that every American should be able to retire with dignity after years of hard work, and that should especially be true for veterans. [28]

”
—Mary Barzee Flores for Congress[29]

Republican Party Mario Diaz-Balart

“

MEET MARIO

MARIO DIAZ-BALART: DEDICATED TO SERVING SOUTH FLORIDA

Mario Diaz-Balart has a profound vocation for public service. He currently represents the residents of Florida’s 25th District in the U.S. House of Representatives. In Congress, Mario serves on the powerful and influential House Committee on Appropriations which sets the spending expenditures for the U.S. Government. On the Appropriations Committee he serves on three sub-committees: the Financial Services Subcommittee, of which he is the vice-chairman, the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee.


Mario was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2002 to represent Florida’s 25th Congressional district. In 2010, Diaz-Balart ran unopposed for Florida’s 21st Congressional district. After the 2012 redistricting cycle, he was elected to the newly redrawn 25th Congressional district, which includes parts of Miami-Dade, Broward, Collier, and Hendry Counties.


Before he was elected to the U.S House of Representative, Congressman Diaz-Balart spent 14 years serving both in the Florida Senate and the Florida House of Representatives. At the time he was elected to the Florida Senate, Congressman Diaz-Balart was 31, making him the youngest person ever elected to the Florida Senate. Congressman Diaz-Balart distinguished himself during his tenure in the Florida Legislature as a trustworthy steward of Florida’s tax dollars, especially while he served as Chairman of the combined Appropriations / Ways and Means / Finance and Tax Committee.


In Washington, Diaz-Balart is still known as a fiscal hawk for his work first on the Budget Committee and now on the Appropriations Committee. It’s important for him that Congress judiciously use the tax-dollars of hard working Americans. He also feels it is an integral part of his job that he do all he can to keep America strong, both economically and militarily.

Throughout his tenure in Congress he has focused on improving our local infrastructure so that Florida’s 25th District can compete in both the national and international marketplace for good paying jobs. One prime example of his commitment to our local infrastructure is the millions of federal dollars he helped steer to widen I-75 in Collier County. This year he helped secure a provision in the Omnibus Appropriations bill that allowed for the Miami Harbor Deep Dredge project to move forward. Once the project is complete it is expected that it will lead to tens of thousands of new jobs and a significant economic impact to the area.


As a native South Floridian, Congressman Diaz-Balart understands the unique role the Everglades plays in our local ecology. So when he first arrived in Congress he founded the Everglades Caucus. As Co-Chairman of the Caucus he has helped bring together members on both sides of the aisle to help secure billions of dollars for the restoration of the Everglades.


Diaz-Balart was born on September 25, 1961 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to Rafael and Hilda Diaz-Balart, and is the youngest of four brothers (Rafael, Lincoln, and Jose). He studied Political Science at the University of South Florida in Tampa.


Diaz-Balart currently resides in Miami, FL with his wife, Tia, and their son, Cristian. [28]

”
—Mario Diaz-Balart for Congress[30]

Social media

Twitter accounts

Facebook accounts

Click the icons below to visit the candidates' Facebook pages.

Democratic Party Mario Diaz-Balart Facebook

Republican Party Mary Barzee Flores Facebook

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Four of 67 Florida counties—6 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Jefferson County, Florida 5.06% 1.75% 3.66%
Monroe County, Florida 6.82% 0.44% 4.90%
Pinellas County, Florida 1.11% 5.65% 8.25%
St. Lucie County, Florida 2.40% 7.86% 12.12%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Florida with 49 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 47.8 percent. Florida was considered a key battleground state in the 2016 general election. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Florida voted Democratic 56.67 percent of the time and Republican 43.33 percent of the time. Florida went to the Republicans in 2000, 2004, and 2016, and it went to the Democrats in 2008 and 2012.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Florida. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[31][32]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 55 out of 120 state House districts in Florida with an average margin of victory of 29.1 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 54 out of 120 state House districts in Florida with an average margin of victory of 30.3 points. Clinton won 14 districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 65 out of 120 state House districts in Florida with an average margin of victory of 17.7 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 66 out of 120 state House districts in Florida with an average margin of victory of 21.1 points. Trump won two districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

District history

2016

See also: Florida's 25th Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent Mario Diaz-Balart (R) defeated Alina Valdes (D) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Neither candidate faced a primary opponent in August.[33][34]

U.S. House, Florida District 25 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngMario Diaz-Balart Incumbent 62.4% 157,921
     Democratic Alina Valdes 37.6% 95,319
Total Votes 253,240
Source: Florida Division of Elections

2014

See also: Florida's 25th Congressional District elections, 2014

The 25th Congressional District of Florida held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Mario Diaz-Balart (R) ran unopposed in the general election.

U.S. House, Florida District 25 General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngMario Diaz-Balart Incumbent 0% 0
Total Votes 0
Source: Florida Division of Elections

State overview

Partisan control

This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Florida heading into the 2018 elections.

Congressional delegation

State executives

State legislature

Trifecta status

2018 elections

See also: Florida elections, 2018

Florida held elections for the following positions in 2018:

Demographics

Demographic data for Florida
 FloridaU.S.
Total population:20,244,914316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):53,6253,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:76%73.6%
Black/African American:16.1%12.6%
Asian:2.6%5.1%
Native American:0.3%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0.1%0.2%
Two or more:2.4%3%
Hispanic/Latino:23.7%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:86.9%86.7%
College graduation rate:27.3%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$47,507$53,889
Persons below poverty level:19.8%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Florida.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

As of July 2017, Florida's three largest cities were Jacksonville (pop. est. 860,000), Miami (pop. est. 430,000), and Tampa (pop. est. 360,000).[35][36]

State election history

This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Florida from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Florida Department of State.

Historical elections

Presidential elections

This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Florida every year from 2000 to 2016.

Election results (President of the United States), Florida 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Republican Party Donald Trump 49.0% Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 47.8% 1.2%
2012 Democratic Party Barack Obama 50.0% Republican Party Mitt Romney 49.1% 0.9%
2008 Democratic Party Barack Obama 51.0% Republican Party John McCain 48.2% 2.8%
2004 Republican Party George W. Bush 52.10% Democratic Party John Kerry 47.09% 5.01%
2000 Republican Party George W. Bush 48.847% Democratic Party Al Gore 48.838% 0.009%

U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Florida from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

Election results (U.S. Senator), Florida 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Republican Party Marco Rubio 52.0% Democratic Party Patrick Murphy 44.3% 7.7%
2012 Democratic Party Bill Nelson 55.2% Republican Party Connie Mack 42.2% 13.0%
2010 Republican Party Marco Rubio 48.9% Independent Charlie Crist 29.7% 19.2%
2006 Democratic Party Bill Nelson 60.3% Republican Party Katherine Harris 38.1% 22.2%
2004 Republican Party Mel Martinez 49.4% Democratic Party Betty Castor 48.3% 1.1%
2000 Democratic Party Bill Nelson 51.0% Republican Party Bill McCollum 46.2% 4.8%

Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Florida.

Election results (Governor/Lt. Governor), Florida 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2014 Republican Party Rick Scott/Carlos Lopez-Cantera 48.1% Democratic Party Charlie Crist/Annette Taddeo-Goldstein 47.1% 1%
2010 Republican Party Rick Scott/Jennifer Carroll 48.9% Democratic Party Alex Sink/Rod Smith 47.7% 1.2%
2006 Republican Party Charlie Crist/Jeff Kottkamp 52.2% Democratic Party Jim Davis/Daryl Jones 45.1% 7.1%
2002 Republican Party Jeb Bush/Frank Brogan 56.0% Democratic Party Bill McBride/Tom Rossin 43.2% 12.8%

Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Florida in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

Congressional delegation, Florida 2000-2016
Year Republicans Republicans (%) Democrats Democrats (%) Balance of power
2016 Republican Party 17 62.9% Democratic Party 10 37.0% R+7
2014 Republican Party 17 62.9% Democratic Party 10 37.0% R+7
2012 Republican Party 17 62.9% Democratic Party 10 37.0% R+7
2010 Republican Party 19 76.0% Democratic Party 6 24.0% R+13
2008 Republican Party 15 60.0% Democratic Party 10 40.0% R+5
2006 Republican Party 16 64.0% Democratic Party 9 36.0% R+7
2004 Republican Party 18 66.7% Democratic Party 7 33.3% R+11
2002 Republican Party 17 66.7% Democratic Party 8 33.3% R+9
2000 Republican Party 15 57.9% Democratic Party 8 42.1% R+7

Trifectas, 1992-2017

A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

Florida Party Control: 1992-2024
One year of a Democratic trifecta  •  Twenty-six years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R I R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Senate D S S R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
House D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R


See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Counties could add additional early voting days from October 22 through October 26 and/or November 4.
  2. ↑ Counties could add additional early voting days from October 22 through October 26 and/or November 4.
  3. ↑ Sunshine State News, "DCCC Names Mary Barzee Flores to 'Red to Blue' Program," September 21, 2018
  4. ↑ Hunter for Congress, "About Duncan Hunter," accessed May 28, 2018
  5. ↑ Twitter, "MarioDBCamp," August 10, 2018
  6. ↑ Florida Daily, "Mario Diaz-Balart Gets Almost $2 Million in FEMA Funds for Miami Springs," September 13, 2018
  7. ↑ Florida Daily, "Mario Diaz-Balart Gets $11.3 Million from DOT for Miami International Airport," August 27, 2018
  8. ↑ Twitter, "MarioDBCamp," August 18, 2018
  9. ↑ United States Congress, "PN 232 — Mary Barzee Flores — The Judiciary," accessed January 3, 2017
  10. ↑ The White House, "President Obama Nominates Two to Serve on the United States District Courts," February 26, 2015
  11. ↑ Information submitted via email on May 14, 2014
  12. ↑ Florida 11th Circuit Court, "Judicial Court Directory," accessed March 12, 2015
  13. ↑ Office of the Florida Governor, Press Release: "Governor Scott Appoints Judge Rosa C. Figarola and Thomas J. Rebull to Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court," August 10, 2011
  14. ↑ Stearns Weaver Miller Press Release: "Circuit Court Judge to Join Stearns Weaver Miller," May 10, 2011
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Mary Barzee Flores for Congress, "Issues," accessed September 17, 2018
  16. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed September 22, 2015
  17. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed September 22, 2015
  18. ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," November 6, 2015
  19. ↑ Sunshine State News, "DCCC Names Mary Barzee Flores to 'Red to Blue' Program," September 21
  20. ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
  21. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
  22. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
  23. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
  24. ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
  25. ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
  26. ↑ Florida Daily, "Elizabeth Warren Takes Aim at Mario Diaz-Balart," September 16, 2018
  27. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named NEA
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  29. ↑ "Priorities," accessed July 31, 2018
  30. ↑ "About Mario," accessed July 31, 2018
  31. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  32. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
  33. ↑ Florida Department of State, "Candidate Listing for 2016 General Election," accessed June 25, 2016
  34. ↑ Politico, " Florida House Races Results," August 30, 2016
  35. ↑ United States Census Bureau, "QuickFacts - Florida," accessed May 9, 2018
  36. ↑ Florida Demographics, "Florida Cities by Population," accessed May 9, 2018
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Florida's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
Ashley Moody (R)
Rick Scott (R)
Representatives
District 1
District 2
Neal Dunn (R)
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
Anna Luna (R)
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 18
District 19
District 20
District 21
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
District 26
District 27
District 28
Republican Party (22)
Democratic Party (8)

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