Voters in Florida and Alaska participated in primary elections on Tuesday that will determine candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. These contests serve as indicators for the upcoming November midterm elections, which will decide party control of both chambers of Congress.
The elections follow recent redistricting efforts and changes to voting systems. In Florida, a new congressional map approved by the Republican-led legislature is expected to increase Republican representation. In Alaska, a nonpartisan primary system and ranked-choice voting are being used to narrow the field for the general election.
In Florida, the new map has led several Democratic incumbents to seek election in new districts. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz is running in the 20th district, while Representative Jared Moskowitz is also contesting a new seat. The state's Republican primary for governor features Representative Byron Donalds, while former Representative David Jolly seeks the Democratic nomination. For the U.S. Senate, Republican incumbent Ashley Moody and Democratic candidate Alex Vindman are the primary contenders to fill a term ending in 2029.
Alaska's nonpartisan Senate primary features Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan and Democratic challenger Mary Peltola on a single ballot. A second Republican candidate also named Dan Sullivan is on the ballot following a court ruling. In the House race, incumbent Republican Representative Nick Begich III is facing a challenge from independent Bill Hill and 13 other candidates. The top four finishers in these primaries will move on to the November general election.
For voters, these changes mean new district boundaries and, in some cases, new representatives. In Florida's 20th district, residents in Broward County will choose between Wasserman Schultz and several Black candidates, including Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and Luther Campbell. In Alaska, the approximately 730,000 residents see a shift in how their votes are processed through ranked-choice voting, which allows for the consolidation of support among multiple candidates rather than a single party choice. This system could directly influence whether Democrats gain the four seats they need to take control of the 100-seat U.S. Senate.
The elections also set precedents for how states handle redistricting outside of the typical 10-year census cycle. Florida's map was redrawn this year at the urging of Donald Trump, a move that prompted similar redistricting actions in Democratic-led states. The outcome of these races will validate or challenge these map-drawing strategies ahead of the general election. Following Tuesday's results, the winners will immediately begin campaigning for the November general election, where final control of the federal government's legislative branch will be decided.