Ashley Moody and Carlos Giménez win in Florida, according to electoral projections

Ashley Moody and Carlos GiménezPhoto © Collage/Facebook/Ashley Moody and Carlos Giménez

The began to shape the political landscape of the country, with Carlos Giménez and Ashley Moody among the projected winners in Florida, while Byron Donalds also received a projected victory in the state's governorship.

The Republican María Elvira Salazar held a narrow lead over the Democrat Eliott Rodríguez in Miami's 27th district, with a difference of just 770 votes, while Mario Díaz-Balart was also leading the count in the 26th district.

Both contests remained without a declared winner according to Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ), despite more than 95% of the estimated votes being counted in each district.

Carlos Giménez secures reelection to Congress

Cuban-American Republican Congressman Carlos A. Giménez was declared the winner of his contest for Florida's 28th district, according to Decision Desk HQ, which issued its projection at 7:37 p.m. Eastern Time.

In the updated count at 8:48 p.m., Giménez had accumulated 123,449 votes (52.86%), compared to 106,714 (45.69%) for the Democrat Phil "Felipe" Ehr. Independent candidate Eddy Rojas recorded 3,386 votes (1.45%), with over 95% of the estimated vote reported.

Independent candidate Eddy Rojas, also of Cuban origin, recorded 3,243 votes (1.43%). DDHQ estimated that more than 95% of the votes had been reported.

Giménez, born in Havana and former mayor of Miami-Dade, will continue to represent South Florida in Congress, where he has maintained a critical stance toward the Cuban regime.

Ashley Moody wins the seat left by Marco Rubio

Republican Senator Ashley Moody was also declared the winner by DDHQ, which projected her victory at 8:00 p.m. over Democrat Angie Nixon.

At the 8:36 p.m. update, Moody had accumulated 4,026,831 votes (50.67%), compared to Nixon's 3,830,376 votes (48.20%), with approximately 94% of the estimated vote reported.

Moody was appointed senator in January 2025, after Marco Rubio left his seat to assume the position of Secretary of State of the United States.

Her projected victory allows the Republicans to retain the position for the remainder of Rubio's term, which ends in January 2029.

María Elvira Salazar holds a slight lead over Eliott Rodríguez

One of the closest races of the night is taking place in Florida's 27th district, where María Elvira Salazar is seeking re-election against Cuban-American journalist and Democrat Eliott Rodríguez.

According to DDHQ, at 8:48 p.m., Salazar had accumulated 121,752 votes (50.16%), compared to 120,982 (49.84%) for Rodríguez.

The difference was just 770 votes, with over 95% of the estimated vote reported.

The difference was just 150 votes, with more than 95% of the estimated vote reported.

Both candidates, children of Cuban emigrants and with extensive backgrounds in television journalism, are at the center of a contest that has generated significant interest in Miami.

Despite Salazar's advantage, there was still no declaration of a winner in the latest report consulted.

Mario Díaz-Balart is also facing a tight election

Cuban-American Republican Mario Díaz-Balart continued to lead the count in District 26 against Democrat Nicole Locklin, although his victory had not yet been officially confirmed.

According to DDHQ, Díaz-Balart had accumulated 111,927 votes (49.95%), while Locklin recorded 109,872 (49.03%).

The difference was 2,055 votes, with over 95% of the estimated votes reported by the cut-off time of 8:31 p.m. Independent candidate Deborah Meidinger Hosey received another 2,270 votes (1.01%).

Florida Governor's Office: Jolly and Donalds are locked in a very tight race

The Republican Byron Donalds, endorsed by President Donald Trump, has been projected as the winner of the Florida gubernatorial race by Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ), against Democrat David Jolly.

Donalds will succeed the Republican governor Ron DeSantis, who was unable to run for a third consecutive term.

The contest was marked by a very close tally during the early hours of the election night, when both candidates recorded minimal differences in the count.

The DDHQ projection anticipates the continuation of the Republican Party in control of the state government, although the result is still pending official certification.

Other projected victories in Florida

Several Democratic candidates also achieved projected victories in their respective districts.

Jared Moskowitz was declared the winner of the reelection in District 25 against Republican Scott Singer, despite competing in a district altered by the new electoral map.

Pia Dandiya also emerged victorious, defeating Republican Casey Askar in District 22, according to DDHQ. In the latest reported count, Dandiya had garnered 148,204 votes (51.98%) compared to 136,895 votes (48.02%).

In other districts, Lois Frankel (23), Oliver Gilbert III (24), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (20) also secured projected victories.

These results are particularly significant in the context of the redistribution of electoral districts in Florida, which altered several constituencies before the elections.

Ossoff wins in Georgia and Pappas in New Hampshire

Outside of Florida, Democrat Jon Ossoff was re-elected to the Senate from Georgia after defeating Republican Mike Collins, who was endorsed by Donald Trump, according to the Associated Press.

Another significant victory was that of Democrat Chris Pappas in New Hampshire, where he defeated Republican John E. Sununu in the contest for the Senate seat being vacated by Jeanne Shaheen.

Democrat Mark Warner was also re-elected to the Senate from Virginia.

In the gubernatorial elections, Democrats Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania, J. B. Pritzker in Illinois, Wes Moore in Maryland, and Maura Healey in Massachusetts received projections of victory.

The midterm elections will determine the composition of Congress during the last two years of Donald Trump's second term.

The control of the House of Representatives and the Senate remains one of the key issues on the agenda, with numerous contests still ongoing.

The results can be viewed at Florida Election Watch, the portal of the Florida Department of State, and on the electoral platforms of AP and Decision Desk HQ.

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CiberCuba Editorial Team

A team of journalists committed to reporting on Cuban current affairs and topics of global interest. At CiberCuba, we work to deliver truthful news and critical analysis.