Incumbent judge overcomes Cager’s advantage in Leon, Gadsden and Franklin counties with strong support in Wakulla, Jefferson and Liberty counties.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Circuit Judge Jason Jones has won the race for Group 7 of Florida’s 2nd Judicial Circuit, overcoming challenger Stephanie A. Cager in a close, six-county contest Tuesday.

Unofficial election-night results from the Florida Department of State show Jones receiving 43,459 votes, compared with 41,297 votes for Cager. That gives Jones a winning margin of 2,162 votes across the circuit.

The nonpartisan judicial district covers Leon, Gadsden, Jefferson, Liberty, Wakulla and Franklin counties.

CIRCUIT JUDGE ELECTION RESULTS

Cager wins Leon County, but Jones takes three counties

Cager actually finished ahead of Jones in the circuit’s largest county.

Unofficial results show Cager receiving 31,751 votes in Leon County, compared with 30,736 for Jones — a difference of just over 1,000 votes.

Cager also carried Gadsden County, where she received 4,819 votes to Jones’ 4,454, and Franklin County, where she led 424 to 358.

But Jones built the margins he needed elsewhere.

In Wakulla County, Jones received 4,467 votes compared with Cager’s 2,700.

Jones also won Jefferson County 2,076 to 1,088 and dominated in Liberty County, 1,368 to 515. Those three counties provided enough of an advantage to overcome Cager’s leads in Leon, Gadsden and Franklin.

Jones was appointed to circuit bench in 2025

Jones entered the election as the incumbent after Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed him to the circuit court in 2025.

Before that appointment, Jones served for five years as a Leon County judge. He was originally appointed to the county bench by DeSantis in 2020 and later won election to the position in 2022.

Jones’ legal career also includes work as an assistant state attorney and service with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, where he eventually became general counsel.

During the campaign, Jones emphasized his courtroom experience, telling voters he had presided over hundreds of evidentiary hearings and trials while serving as a county judge. As a circuit judge, Jones has served as the general jurisdiction judge for Jefferson County while also handling probate and guardianship matters in Leon County.

Cager challenged incumbent with public service background

Cager entered the race with extensive legal and public service experience but without Jones’ experience on the bench.

She serves as senior vice president of legal affairs for the Children’s Home Society of Florida and previously worked as chief legal counsel for the Florida Department of Health.

Cager also highlighted her background in trauma-informed care during the campaign, arguing that experience could provide a different perspective in dealing with people who come before the court.

Candidates stressed judicial independence

Although judicial races in Florida are nonpartisan, the contest came amid broader public debate over politics and the judiciary.

During a candidate forum earlier this summer, Jones and Cager both stressed the importance of judges remaining independent and deciding cases based on the law rather than political pressure.

The two also discussed public trust in the courts, qualifications for the bench and how judges should approach implicit bias when making decisions.

What does a circuit judge do?

Florida circuit courts are trial courts with broad jurisdiction.

Circuit judges handle major civil lawsuits as well as felony criminal cases, juvenile matters and other cases that fall within the circuit court’s jurisdiction. Judges are elected in nonpartisan elections and serve six-year terms.

For Jones, Tuesday’s victory means voters have chosen to keep him on the circuit bench after his appointment last year.

The results remain unofficial until the counties complete canvassing and the election results are certified.