Florida will be the focus of attention on this Tuesday’s election day, in which voters will choose the candidates who will compete in November for the governorship, a Senate seat, and several House of Representatives positions. The election will also test the influence of President Donald Trump in the state and will take place under a new congressional map designed to favor Republicans.
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The succession of Governor Ron DeSantis is the most significant contest. Eleven Republicans are seeking their party’s nomination, including Congressman Byron Donalds, backed by Trump, and Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins, close to DeSantis. On the Democratic side, six candidates are trying to make their way in a state where the party has not won a gubernatorial election in more than three decades.
Florida will not be the only state holding primaries this Tuesday. Wyoming will go to the polls with an unusually high number of open state offices, while in Hawaii, a corruption investigation involving Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke marks one of the main contests of the day.
When and what time are the elections?
The primaries will be held on Tuesday, August 18.
In Florida, most of the state is in the Eastern time zone and polling places will close at 7:00 p.m. Some western counties are in the Central time zone, so their polls will close at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time.
In Wyoming, polls will close at 7:00 p.m. Mountain time, equivalent to 9:00 p.m. on the East Coast.
Who are the candidates?
The most watched election in Florida is the Republican primary to succeed DeSantis, who cannot run for a third term.
Byron Donalds, backed by Trump, is the favorite after supporting the president against DeSantis in 2024. His main rival is Jay Collins, lieutenant governor and ally of the current governor, who seeks to protect his legacy. James Fishback and former state House leader Paul Renner, among others, are also competing.
On the Democratic side, there are six contenders, including David Jolly, a former Republican who switched to the Democratic Party in 2025 and leads in fundraising alongside Gwen Graham. The party is trying to break a drought of more than 30 years without winning the governorship.
In the Senate, Republican Ashley Moody, appointed by DeSantis in 2025, faces no significant internal opposition and will face the Democratic winner between Angie Nixon and Alex Vindman in November.
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These primaries are the first under the new congressional map approved by Republicans, which seeks to reduce Democratic representation and could effectively eliminate four districts currently held by the party.
What is happening in Wyoming?
The Wyoming primary is key because several Republican offices are up for renewal.
Governor Mark Gordon and Senator Cynthia Lummis are not seeking re-election, while Harriet Hageman is running for Lummis’s Senate seat. It is the first time in 32 years that the governorship, Senate, and House are simultaneously up for election.
Megan Degenfelder, with Trump’s support, is the favorite in the race for governor. Hageman also has presidential backing and a financial advantage in the Senate race.
And what is at stake in Hawaii?
In Hawaii, five Democrats and four Republicans are competing for the lieutenant governorship, following the departure of Sylvia Luke, who is under investigation for alleged bribery.
The position is important because the governor and lieutenant governor are elected separately and it is often a political springboard in the state.
The Democratic Congressman Ed Case’s primary also stands out, as he faces four rivals. One of them, State Senator Jarrett Keohokalole, criticizes him for his support of the SAVE Act, promoted by Trump. Case’s district is strongly Democratic, so the primary winner is favored for November.
Who can vote?
Florida and Wyoming have closed primaries. Voters registered as Republicans can only participate in Republican primaries and Democrats in Democratic primaries. Independent or unaffiliated voters cannot vote in either.
Hawaii uses a different system: any registered voter can participate in the primary of either party.
