Tuesday’s primary elections saw several incumbent Republicans emerge victorious, but some will face tough challenges in the general election against strong Democratic opponents. In Florida, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) defeated a challenger backed by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, marking the latest salvo in their ongoing feud.
Gaetz’s win was a significant blow to McCarthy, who had supported Aaron Dimmock, a retired Navy pilot, in the primary. Despite being outspent nearly 4 to 1, Gaetz’s name recognition and Republican primary voters’ distrust of McCarthy propelled him to victory.
In Alaska, Rep. Mary Peltola (D-AK) advanced to the general election, where she will face two Republican challengers in a ranked-choice voting system. Peltola, who flipped the seat in 2022, holds a significant fundraising advantage over her opponents and is well-positioned to retain her seat.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) easily defeated two GOP challengers and will face former Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell in November. Mucarsel-Powell has raised millions of dollars and is seen as a strong challenger, but polling still shows Scott with a lead.
Several other House members, including Reps. Darren Soto (D-FL), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), will face competitive general election challenges. Soto will face former Osceola County School Board member Thomas Chalifoux, while Luna will face Democratic challenger Whitney Fox. Moskowitz will face Joe Kaufman, a Republican challenger with previous national election experience.
Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) is representing a once-comfortably blue seat that has trended toward Republicans in recent years. She defeated her GOP challenger and will face Lucia Baez-Geller in the general election, but her large war chest and moderate positions on policy issues make it unlikely that a Democratic challenger will unseat her.
The primary elections have set up several competitive matchups in November, with House Republicans seeking to maintain their narrow majority and House Democrats looking to protect their safe seats and flip the House back under their control.
