2018 Midterm Election Results In!

2018 Midterm Election Results In!

The 2018 midterm election results are in. Democrats retook the House and a lot of state legislatures, but it was the Republicans who are celebrating victories in Florida tonight. Republicans Ron DeSantis and Rick Scott won their races for governor and senator, and Congressman Brian Mast won reelection. Locally, all of the ballot measures passed. That means the sales tax will go up by a half cent in both Martin and St Lucie counties. In Martin the increase will pay for schools, in St Lucie the money will pay for road repairs. And Martin County voters also changed how they will select their next school superintendent. The position will no longer be elected by the voters. Rather, it will be appointed by the school board.

Ron DeSantis has won the Governors Race.

Congressman Brian Mast won reelection, beating Democratic challenger Lauren Baer to represent District 18 in the US House of Representatives.

Republican Gayle Harrell successfully jumped from the Florida House to the Florida Senate, defeating Robert Levy for Florida Senate District 25. Incumbent MaryLynn Magar easily won reelection to the Florida House with over 60% of the vote. Toby Overdorf defeated Matt Theobald with 52% of the vote, and Delores Johnson defeated Mark Gotz with 51%. In Martin County Stacey Hetherington defeated Joe Banfi for County Commission with 65% of the vote, while James Campo and David Kruzman were both elected as Sewall’s Point commissioners.

In St Lucie County, Sean Mitchell won a close race against Anthony Bonna for County Commission, as did Frannie Hutchinson over Helen Henderson. As for ballot measures… almost everything passed. The half-cent sales tax increase in Martin County to pay for school infrastructure passed with 57% of the vote, as did the sales tax increase in St Lucie County. Martin County voters also decided that the school superintendent will no longer be an elected position. It will now be appointed by the school board. Statewide most of the amendments passed, including Amendment 4 which would grant voting rights to felons who have completed their sentences. The only amendment that failed was Amendment 1, which would have increased homestead exemptions for homes valued at over $100,000. That got 58% of the vote, but needed 60% to pass.