TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV/Gray Florida Capital Bureau) – Democrats are heading into the 2026 midterms with momentum following special election victories, while Republicans acknowledge the race may be more challenging than anticipated.
Democrats flipped two state legislative seats in special elections this week, prompting party leaders to point to the results as evidence of shifting political dynamics despite a voter registration deficit of more than a million.
Gov. Ron DeSantis addressed the political landscape during a fireside chat at Palm Beach Atlantic University Wednesday night, acknowledging Republicans face challenges in the upcoming midterms.
“I think the midterms nationally, there’s obviously headwinds. You got to figure out ways to overcome it as Republicans,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis urged congressional Republicans to take action that voters can see.
“If I were advising people in Congress, I would say, well, one way you can maybe change the narrative is actually get off your rear ends and do something for a change, because they’re not doing very much,” he said.
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said the special election results demonstrate the party’s ability to compete statewide.
“We are showing the world that Florida Democrats are ready to compete everywhere. And if we can win in Donald Trump’s backyard, we can win anywhere,” Fried said.
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Fried attributed the wins to voter frustration with Republican policies.
“Today, Floridians everywhere are feeling the strain of rising prices fueled by Trump’s chaos and years of corruption from Washington to Tallahassee,” she said.
A new AP-NORC poll suggests the president could face blowback from his own voters if the U.S. gets drawn into a prolonged war in the Middle East.
Political analyst Susan MacManus said the special election wins provide an energy boost for Florida Democrats.
“This has been an infusion of energy into Florida Democrats that they’ve really needed. It’s going to help them raise a lot of money because they lag behind the Republicans,” MacManus said.
MacManus said turnout will determine the outcome in November.
“Absolutely, turnout is everything. You can’t just take registration. You can’t just take party. You can’t just take a standard kind of approach to getting out the vote. Those things don’t work anymore,” she said.
MacManus noted the midterms remain seven months away.
“A lot can change between now and then,” she said.
Lawmakers return to Tallahassee next month for a special session on congressional redistricting.
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