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  • Florida votes against amendment enshrining abortion rights into state constitution | US elections 2024

    Florida voters defeated a measure to enshrine abortion access into the state constitution, a devastating blow for advocates who had hoped to roll back the state’s six-week abortion ban and continue their now-broken streak of ballot-measure victories.

    A total of 10 states voted on abortion-related ballot initiatives on Tuesday. Results are forthcoming in seven states, four of which could overturn post-Roe v Wade abortion bans and restore access. New York and Maryland passed ballot measures to expand their states’ protections for abortion and cement their status as abortion havens.

    Given that abortion is one of the top issues in the 2024 election, Democrats had hoped these measures would boost turnout among their base. But while many of the outstanding measures appear on track to pass, including in swing states like Nevada and Arizona, polls suggest a chunk of voters are effectively splitting their votes by supporting both abortion rights and Republicans.

    Out of all the abortion-related measures, the Florida initiative – known as amendment 4 – was long considered the most difficult to pass. Unlike other measures, which only require a simple majority – or, in the case of Colorado, 55% of the vote – to pass, the Florida measure needed to garner 60% of the vote. At the time it was called by the Associated Press, the Florida measure had amassed a clear majority, with 57% of the vote.

    The Florida result is a bitter pill for abortion rights supporters, shattering a string of successes at the ballot box. Advocates have won abortion-related ballot measures in seven states since Roe was overturned.

    After the US supreme court overturned Roe in 2022, Florida became a refuge for people fleeing the abortion bans that now blanket the rest of the US south, before its six-week ban took effect in May of this year.

    Had the Florida measure passed on Tuesday, it would have protected the right to abortion up until fetal viability, or about 24 weeks into pregnancy.

    In the weeks leading up to election day, Florida Republicans alarmed civil rights and voting rights groups by unleashing a wave of attacks on the measure. Law enforcement officials investigated people who signed a petition to get the measure onto the ballot, while the state’s agency for healthcare administration put up a webpage attacking the amendment. The health department also sent cease-and-desist letters to local TV stations that aired an advertisement supporting the measure, prompting the measure’s organizers to sue.

    “Florida’s deadly abortion ban is out of line with the values of our state,” said Lauren Brenzel, manager of the campaign for the amendment, Yes on 4 Florida, in a statement. “Florida voters sent that message loud and clear today, and despite the fact that only a minority of voters voted to retain the abortion ban our extremist government will exploit the situation to deny its own constituents the right to decide on our bodily autonomy.”

    Read more of the Guardian’s 2024 US election coverage

  • Florida will vote on marijuana, abortion in an election that will test GOP’s dominance

    Florida will vote on marijuana, abortion in an election that will test GOP’s dominance

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s election will test whether the state maintains its new reputation as a Republican stronghold, or whether Democrats make some gains by tapping into the support for abortion and marijuana ballot questions and the new energy Vice President Kamala Harris brings to the race.

    Gone are the days when Florida was looked at as the biggest prize among swing states. After former President Barack Obama won Florida twice, former President Donald Trump carried the state by a whisker in 2016 and then by a much larger share in 2020. In 2022, Republicans took all five statewide seats on the ballot by landslide margins.

    Still, there is a lot of buzz over constitutional amendments that could protect abortion rights and legalize recreational marijuana, with both sides of each issue pumping millions of dollars into advertising. Democrats support the ballot measures and hope they boost turnout to give them at least a chance stopping Trump’s third straight Florida victory and keeping U.S. Sen. Rick Scott from winning a second term.

    The only statewide office on the ballot is Scott’s Senate seat. Scott is being challenged by former Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Murcarsel-Powell in a race that’s been overshadowed by the presidential election and the abortion and marijuana ballot questions.

    Even if Trump and Scott are victorious in Florida, Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried said the election will be a huge success if the amendments pass and the party flips enough legislative seats to take away the Republicans’ supermajority.

    “Look where we were in of November 2022. We had the largest loss that Florida Democrats have ever experienced,” Fried said. “Nobody anticipated that we would even have this conversation today, that the polls are showing that we are tight, that there was even a possibility that Florida would be in play. Everybody counted us out.”

    Still, it’s an uphill climb. The amendments need support from at least 60% of voters, and there’s enough money being spent against them that it could create doubts among voters who normally support the issues, said Florida-based Republican political strategist Jamie Miller.

    “As a general rule, amendments pass if there’s no real effort against them and they fail when there are real efforts against them,” Miller said.

    Miller also believes Democrats are motivated to vote against the Republicans they don’t like rather than be inspired by their own candidates.

    “I see excitement against Donald Trump and against Rick Scott, but that as a general rule in the state the size of Florida is not enough to get you across the line,” he said.

    Scott served two terms as governor, winning each with less than 50% of the vote. In 2018, he defeated incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in a race decided by 0.2 percentage points. But Florida politics changed. The last time Scott was on the ballot, Democrats outnumbered Republicans in the state. Republicans now have a million-voter advantage.

    Scott, one of the richest members of Congress, pumped millions of dollars of his own money into the race, as he has with his previous three elections. Far outspent, and with little money coming in from national Democrats until the last few weeks of the race, Murcarsel-Powell struggled to gain attention.

    While Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis wasn’t on the ballot, he spent time campaigning against the abortion rights and marijuana amendments. DeSantis even used state agencies to fight the amendment, with the Agency for Health Care Administration set up a website and aired TV ads providing information on abortion and the Department of Health tried to stop television stations from airing a pro-amendment ad.

    What to know about the 2024 Election

    The abortion amendment would protect the rights of women to have an abortion up to the point the fetus can survive outside the womb. Florida now bans abortion six weeks after conception, when many women don’t realize they are pregnant.

    Voters overwhelming approved medical marijuana in 2016. This year they’re being asked to legalize recreational marijuana. The marijuana industry has spent tens of millions of dollars on the campaign, while DeSantis has raised money against it and criticized it often during official events.

    Very few, if any, of Florida’s 28 congressional seats are competitive, but the state will elect at least one new member to Congress. Former Senate President Mike Haridopolos is favored to replace retiring Republican Rep. Bill Posey. He’s being challenged by Democrat Sandy Kennedy in a strong Republican district.

    Republicans will maintain firm control of the Legislature. Democrats will consider it a major victory if they flip enough seats to remove the supermajority GOP hold in the House and Senate.

    One of the legislative seats being heavily targeted is held by Republican Sen. Corey Simon, a former Florida State and NFL football star who is being challenged by nationally known civil rights lawyer Daryl Parks, who is the former partner of civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.

  • Overview and Live Results: Florida, Alaska, and Wyoming primaries

    Overview and Live Results: Florida, Alaska, and Wyoming primaries

    It’s primary Tuesday in Florida, the nation’s third most populous state. Voters will also go to the polls in two of the three least-populated states: Alaska and Wyoming. 

    Alaska has a unique system where all candidates appear on a single ballot and the top four finishers advance. The general election is then decided by ranked choice voting.

    Use the links below for full results. Displayed are the poll closings converted to Eastern Time.

    * A small part of the state (<1%) closes at 1:00 AM Eastern. | + 7:00 PM local time; portions of the Panhandle observe Central Time.

    On this page, we’ll highlight some of the key races to watch, organized by office.

    U.S. Senate

    Florida and Wyoming have Senate elections this year. 

    Florida

    Republican Sen. Rick Scott is seeking a second term. He is expected to win renomination.

    There are four candidates vying for the Democratic nomination. The frontrunner is former Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (FL-26).

    It is a difficult Senate map for Democrats this year. The party is all but certain to lose West Virginia with the retirement of Joe Manchin. If there are no other incumbent party losses, and Donald Trump wins the election, Republicans will gain control of the chamber.

    Even if Trump loses, Democrats need to run the table to hold competitive seats in Arizona, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Wisconsin. That is, unless they can gain a seat.

    Florida and Texas are the only realistic Democratic pick-ups and both are considered long-shots at this point. That said – and bringing it back to Florida – Scott is unpopular and only led by four in the two most recent polls. Additionally, the presidential race has tightened in the state since Harris replaced Biden at the top of the ticket.   

    Wyoming

    Republican Sen. John Barrasso is seeking a third term, which he should have no trouble securing in one of the deepest of red states. He faces minor primary challengers. Scott Morrow is unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

    U.S. House

    Alaska At-Large

    Democrat Mary Peltola flipped this seat in a 2022 special election held after the death of Republican Don Young. She won the regular election in November of that year, and is now seeking a second full term.

    Peltola benefited from the top four primary as well as ranked choice voting in the general election. Republicans Sarah Palin and Nick Begich III advanced to the general election, where they split the GOP vote.

    This year, there are twelve candidates on the ballot. Peltola, Begich, and Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom (R) are expected to advance, along with whoever finishes in fourth place.

    To avoid a repeat of 2022, Begich has said he would end his campaign if he finished third. However, Dahlstrom has not taken a similar pledge.

    Florida

    Redistricting after the 2020 Census largely eliminated highly competitive general election districts in Florida. All but one incumbent is seeking reelection.

    District 1 (Republican)

    This district is in the Central Time Zone; results available after 8:00 PM Eastern.

    Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz is seeking a 5th term in this deep-red Panhandle district. Gaetz led the successful charge to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. A PAC connected to McCarthy is attempting to return the favor. They’ve spent millions in support of Navy veteran Aaron Dimmock.

    Despite this effort, and ongoing ethical issues, the incumbent is likely to prevail. 

    District 8 (Republican)

    Republican Bill Posey is retiring. His decision came on the final day of filing, all but ensuring his hand-picked successor, former state Sen. president Mike Haridopolos would face little competition for the nomination. This is a safely Republican district – Posey won his last term by 30% – so Haridopolos will almost certainly be the next representative.

    District 13 (Democratic)

    Freshman Republican Anna Paulina Luna is seeking reelection; she is unopposed for the nomination. Five Democrats are on the ballot looking to challenge her. The frontrunner appears to be Whitney Fox, who is the communications director at the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority.

    Luna won by 8% in 2022. Now with the power of incumbency, most forecasters rate the general election as Likely Republican.

    District 15 (Republican)

    Rep. Laurel Lee is seeking a second term, which she is likely to win in this Republican-leaning district. We’re listing the primary here only because of an odd backstory. Last March, Donald Trump called for someone to challenge Lee. The former president did not explicitly specify a reason, although Lee had endorsed Gov. Ron DeSantis in the presidential race. 

    After no major candidate entered the race, Trump eventually came around and endorsed the incumbent.

    District 23 (Republican)

    Democrat Jared Moskowitz is seeking a second term. He is unopposed for renomination. Six Republicans are vying to challenge him. Despite Moskowitz’s surprisingly narrow win (5%) in 2022, most forecasters see the general election as Likely or Safe Democratic.

    District 27 (Democratic)

    Republican Maria Elvira Salazar is seeking a third term. This district has moved to the right: Salazar flipped it by three percent in 2020 and won reelection by 15 percent in 2022.

    Like District 23, it is on the far edge of the competitive map; most forecasters see it as Likely or Safe Republican.

    Two Democrats are vying to take on the incumbent.

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