Republican James Uthmeier won this Tuesday's , defeating Democrat José Javier Rodríguez in a tight electoral contest, as reported by Florida Politics.
According to the provisional results published by the electoral authorities of Florida, Uthmeier received 50.64% of the votes, compared to Rodríguez's 49.36%, a difference of just over 100,000 ballots.
The projected victory allows the Republican to remain at the head of the Attorney General's Office, a position to which he was appointed in February 2025 by Governor Ron DeSantis, after Ashley Moody was named federal senator to replace Marco Rubio.
Moody also winned the federal Senate election for Florida, ensuring her continuity in the seat she has occupied since January 2025, when she was appointed to replace Marco Rubio.
This marks Uthmeier's first electoral victory, having previously served as DeSantis's chief of staff and never having been elected to public office before.
The campaign was marked by considerable financial disparity. According to Florida Politics, Uthmeier raised $13.27 million, while Rodríguez managed just over three million between his campaign funds and his political committee.
The Democrat, a former state legislator and former official at the Department of Labor during Joe Biden's administration, focused part of his campaign on the Hope Florida scandal, which involved 10 million dollars from a Medicaid deal that ended up, through a foundation and two nonprofit organizations, in a political committee chaired by Uthmeier. A grand jury questioned the management of the funds, although no criminal charges were filed. In October, an appeals court ordered the removal of its report, ruling that it had exceeded its authority.
Following the projections of his victory, Uthmeier expressed gratitude for the support received and promised to continue his public safety policies.
"This evening, Florida voted to keep our state safe, strong, and free," he expressed on his X account.
The Republican assured that he will continue to promote the imprisonment of sexual offenders against minors, supporting law enforcement and defending what he described as "God-given" rights.
"The Free State of Florida remains free. Thank you. The work continues!" he concluded.
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