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United States Senate election in Florida, 2024 (August 20 Republican primary)
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← 2022
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| U.S. Senate, Florida |
|---|
 |
| Democratic primary Republican primary General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: April 26, 2024 |
| Primary: August 20, 2024 General: November 5, 2024 Pre-election incumbent: Rick Scott (Republican) |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting in Florida |
| Race ratings |
DDHQ and The Hill: Lean Republican Inside Elections: Likely 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, 2024 |
| See also |
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 • 28th Florida elections, 2024 U.S. Congress elections, 2024 U.S. Senate elections, 2024 U.S. House elections, 2024 |
A Republican Party primary took place on August 20, 2024, in Florida to determine which Republican candidate would run in the state's general election on November 5, 2024.
Incumbent Rick Scott advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Florida.
Thirty-four of 100 seats in the U.S. Senate were up for election in 2024, including one special election. At the time of the election, Democrats had a 51-49 majority.[1] Of the seats up for election in 2024, Democrats held 19, Republicans held 11, and independents held four. As of May 2024, eight members of the U.S. Senate had announced they were not running for re-election.
| Candidate filing deadline | Primary election | General election |
|---|---|---|
Heading into the election, the incumbent was Rick Scott (Republican), who was first elected in 2018.
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Florida utilizes a closed primary process, in which the selection of a party's candidates in an election is limited to registered party members.[2][3]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
This page focuses on Florida's United States Senate Republican primary. For more in-depth information on the state's Democratic primary and the general election, see the following pages:
- United States Senate election in Florida, 2024 (August 20 Democratic primary)
- United States Senate election in Florida, 2024
Candidates and election results
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. Senate Florida
Incumbent Rick Scott defeated Keith Gross and John Columbus in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Florida on August 20, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Rick Scott | 84.4 | 1,283,904 |
 | Keith Gross  | 9.4 | 142,392 | |
 | John Columbus | 6.3 | 95,342 | |
| Total votes: 1,521,638 | |||
| = 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
- Katy Sun (R)
- Angela Marie Walls-Windhauser (R)
- Shannon O'Dell (R)
- Patricia Krentcil (R)
- Joe Smith (R)
Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: Yes
Political Office:
- U.S. Senator (Assumed office: 2019)
- Governor of Florida (2011-2019)
Biography: Scott received his bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and his J.D. from Southern Methodist University. Scott previously served in the Navy. He worked as a lawyer and owned various businesses including health care companies and an insurance company.
Show sources
Sources: Rick Scott 2024 campaign website, "About Rick," accessed October 24, 2024; Rick Scott 2024 campaign website, "5. Economy/Growth," accessed October 24, 2024; Rick Scott 2024 campaign website, "4. Immigration," accessed October 24, 2024; ; Vote Smart, "Rick Scott," accessed October 24, 2024; Britannica, "Rick Scott," accessed October 24, 2024
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Florida in 2024.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I am a 40-year-old millennial who would like to see positive change happen in Washington DC. My whole life I’ve been a theatre professional and understand that on one ego is more important than the product the audience deserves. This is why I decided to get into politics. As of late the audience (American Citizens) have been manipulated by bad actors, bad writers, and terrible narratives while inequities continue to proliferate onto the next generation. One of my favorite albums, Incubus’s Make Yourself states it perfectly, “I feel emphatic about not being static, and not eating the BS that’s being fed to me… cause now I’m full.” I’m here as an admittedly flawed Millennial who is ready for Washington DC to keep up with the needs of the people. I attended New York University and obtained a BFA in Theatre. I love to read, I love to write, and above all I know how to collaborate with others. Henry Clay urged for more mutual concessions as to create better legislation, but at present as we face The Great Perception, we are having trouble distinguishing what are Facts and what are Fictions. Because of the echo chambers caused by social media, the division will keep getting worse unless more people like me stand up and tell the status quo we have had enough. In this gig economy, I need the work, and I think Rick Scott will enjoy spending time with his grandkids in retirement."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Florida in 2024.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "Keith Gross is a conservative businessman and attorney from Panama City, Florida. Keith and his sister watched their single mother work her way through college to become an educator. His grandmother was a gas station clerk and his grandfather was a veteran working at a local chemical plant who was disabled during an industrial incident. From a young age, Keith began working alongside his grandmother, including in the early morning hours and late nights to work around his school schedule. With this strong work ethic and example, he quickly became a successful businessman, starting and investing in businesses across the country. A graduate of Florida State University, Keith continued his education earning a law degree at the University of Montana. After law school, Keith returned to his home state of Florida to continue working in and expanding his businesses. "
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Florida in 2024.
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Florida
Campaign finance
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rick Scott | Republican Party | $46,570,584 | $47,232,824 | $798,364 | As of December 31, 2024 |
| John Columbus | Republican Party | $25,900 | $25,900 | $0 | As of September 30, 2024 |
| Keith Gross | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
|
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2024. 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." |
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Quarterly campaign finance analysis
Fourth quarter, 2023
Incumbent Rick Scott (R) raised the most money in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Florida, taking in $18.76 million since the start of the campaign cycle.
Scott raised $4.70 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Keith Gross (R) raised the next most in the primary, with $1.38 million since the start of the campaign and $372,726 in quarter four.
The primary was scheduled for August 20, 2024. Seven candidates raised a combined $20.15 million through Dec. 31, 2023. Looking at all 125 congressional battlegrounds we tracked, this was more than the average of $3.41 million.
In battlegrounds with incumbents running, Scott raised more than the average of $1.41 million. Scott raised $85.23 million during the 2018 election cycle.
Twenty-three candidates raised a combined $132.75 million running for U.S. Senate in Florida in 2022, while 13 raised $119.39 million in 2018.
Below is how much each Republican candidate raised and spent during the 2023-2024 election cycle:
Looking at Scott and Gross alone:
- 5,874 donors donated to Scott's campaign in quarter four.
- Of those 5,874, the largest share, 1,963 (33%), donated between $5 and $24.
- Four donors donated to Gross' campaign in quarter four.
- Of those four, the largest share, three (75%), donated between $100 and $499.
Ballot access
The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in Florida in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Florida, click here.
| Filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates, 2024 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Office | Party | Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source |
| Florida | U.S. Senate | Ballot-qualified party | 145,040[4] | $10,440.00 | 4/26/2024 | Source |
| Florida | U.S. Senate | Unaffiliated | 145,040[5] | $6,960.00 | 4/26/2024 | Source |
Election analysis
Click the tabs below to view information about demographics, past elections, and partisan control of the state.
- Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the state.
- Statewide elections - Information about recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections in the state.
- State partisanship - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
- Demographics - Information about the state's demographics and how they compare to the country as a whole.
Cook PVI by congressional district
2020 presidential results by 2024 congressional district lines
| 2020 presidential results in congressional districts based on 2024 district lines, Florida[6] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Joe Biden 
|
Donald Trump 
| ||
| Florida's 1st | 33.0% | 65.3% | ||
| Florida's 2nd | 44.0% | 55.0% | ||
| Florida's 3rd | 42.4% | 56.5% | ||
| Florida's 4th | 46.0% | 52.7% | ||
| Florida's 5th | 41.5% | 57.3% | ||
| Florida's 6th | 37.7% | 61.4% | ||
| Florida's 7th | 46.7% | 52.2% | ||
| Florida's 8th | 40.6% | 58.3% | ||
| Florida's 9th | 58.2% | 40.8% | ||
| Florida's 10th | 65.3% | 33.5% | ||
| Florida's 11th | 44.1% | 55.0% | ||
| Florida's 12th | 35.1% | 63.9% | ||
| Florida's 13th | 46.1% | 52.9% | ||
| Florida's 14th | 59.0% | 39.8% | ||
| Florida's 15th | 47.9% | 51.0% | ||
| Florida's 16th | 45.1% | 54.0% | ||
| Florida's 17th | 41.6% | 57.6% | ||
| Florida's 18th | 38.1% | 60.9% | ||
| Florida's 19th | 39.1% | 60.2% | ||
| Florida's 20th | 75.9% | 23.5% | ||
| Florida's 21st | 45.0% | 54.4% | ||
| Florida's 22nd | 58.5% | 40.9% | ||
| Florida's 23rd | 56.3% | 43.1% | ||
| Florida's 24th | 74.3% | 25.2% | ||
| Florida's 25th | 59.7% | 39.7% | ||
| Florida's 26th | 40.6% | 58.9% | ||
| Florida's 27th | 49.6% | 49.9% | ||
| Florida's 28th | 46.5% | 52.9% | ||
2012-2020
How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential elections: Solid, Trending, Battleground, and New. Click [show] on the table below for examples:
| County-level voting pattern categories | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | |||||||
| Status | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | ||||
| Solid Democratic | D | D | D | ||||
| Trending Democratic | R | D | D | ||||
| Battleground Democratic | D | R | D | ||||
| New Democratic | R | R | D | ||||
| Republican | |||||||
| Status | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | ||||
| Solid Republican | R | R | R | ||||
| Trending Republican | D | R | R | ||||
| Battleground Republican | R | D | R | ||||
| New Republican | D | D | R | ||||
Following the 2020 presidential election, 46.6% of Floridians lived in one of the state's nine Solid Democratic counties, which voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election from 2012 to 2020, and 40.2% lived in one of 52 Solid Republican counties. Overall, Florida was Trending Republican, having voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2012, Donald Trump (R) in 2016, and Donald Trump (R) in 2020. Use the table below to view the total number of each type of county in Florida following the 2020 election as well as the overall percentage of the state population located in each county type.
| Florida county-level statistics, 2020 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solid Democratic | 9 | 46.6% | |||||
| Solid Republican | 52 | 40.2% | |||||
| New Democratic | 2 | 6.8% | |||||
| Battleground Democratic | 1 | 4.5% | |||||
| Trending Republican | 3 | 2.0% | |||||
| Total voted Democratic | 12 | 57.8% | |||||
| Total voted Republican | 55 | 42.2% | |||||
Historical voting trends
Florida presidential election results (1900-2020)
- 17 Democratic wins
- 14 Republican wins
| Year | 1900 | 1904 | 1908 | 1912 | 1916 | 1920 | 1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1940 | 1944 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winning Party | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | D | R | R | D | R | R | R | R | D | R | R | D | D | R | R |
This section details the results of the five most recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections held in the state.
U.S. Senate elections
The table below details the vote in the five most recent U.S. Senate races in Florida.
| U.S. Senate election results in Florida | ||
|---|---|---|
| Race | Winner | Runner up |
| 2022 | 57.7% |
41.3%
|
| 2018 | 50.1% |
49.9%
|
| 2016 | 52.0% |
44.3%
|
| 2012 | 55.2% |
42.2%
|
| 2010 | 48.9% |
29.7% (Independent)
|
| Average | 53.3 | 40.8 |
Gubernatorial elections
- See also: Governor of Florida
The table below details the vote in the five most recent gubernatorial elections in Florida.
| Gubernatorial election results in Florida | ||
|---|---|---|
| Race | Winner | Runner up |
| 2022 | 59.4% |
40.0%
|
| 2018 | 49.6% |
49.2%
|
| 2014 | 48.1% |
47.1%
|
| 2010 | 48.9% |
47.7%
|
| 2006 | 52.2% |
45.1%
|
| Average | 51.0 | 46.5 |
Congressional delegation
The table below displays the partisan composition of Florida's congressional delegation as of May 2024.
| Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Florida | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | U.S. Senate | U.S. House | Total |
| Democratic | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| Republican | 2 | 20 | 22 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vacancies | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 2 | 28 | 30 |
State executive
The table below displays the officeholders in Florida's top four state executive offices as of May 2024.
| State executive officials in Florida, May 2024 | |
|---|---|
| Office | Officeholder |
| Governor | Ron DeSantis
|
| Lieutenant Governor | Jeanette Nuñez
|
| Secretary of State | Cord Byrd
|
| Attorney General | Ashley B. Moody
|
State legislature
Florida State Senate
| Party | As of February 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 12 | |
| Republican Party | 28 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 40 | |
Florida House of Representatives
| Party | As of February 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 36 | |
| Republican Party | 84 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 120 | |
Trifecta control
The table below shows the state's trifecta status from 1992 until the 2024 election.
Florida Party Control: 1992-2024
One year of a Democratic trifecta • Twenty-five 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
The table below details demographic data in Florida and compares it to the broader United States as of 2022.
| Demographic Data for Florida | ||
|---|---|---|
| Florida | United States | |
| Population | 21,538,187 | 331,449,281 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 53,653 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 63.8% | 65.9% |
| Black/African American | 15.5% | 12.5% |
| Asian | 2.8% | 5.8% |
| Native American | 0.3% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Other (single race) | 4.8% | 6% |
| Multiple | 12.7% | 8.8% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 26.5% | 18.7% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 89.3% | 89.1% |
| College graduation rate | 32.3% | 34.3% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $67,917 | $75,149 |
| Persons below poverty level | 9.1% | 8.8% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2017-2022). | ||
| **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. | ||
See also
- United States Senate election in Florida, 2024 (August 20 Democratic primary)
- United States Senate election in Florida, 2024
- United States Senate Democratic Party primaries, 2024
- United States Senate Republican Party primaries, 2024
- United States Senate elections, 2024
- U.S. Senate battlegrounds, 2024
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Two Independents caucused with the Democratic Party. Another independent, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, counted toward the Democratic majority for committee purposes.
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed July 23, 2024
- ↑ Florida Division of Elections, "Closed Primary Election," accessed July 23, 2024
- ↑ Petition signatures only required in lieu of filing fee.
- ↑ Petition signatures only required in lieu of filing fee.
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for 2020, 2016, and 2012," accessed December 15, 2023
