{"id":204769,"date":"2026-03-25T01:34:11","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T01:34:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/204769\/"},"modified":"2026-03-25T01:34:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T01:34:11","slug":"democrat-brian-nathan-wins-special-election-for-hillsborough-senate-seat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/204769\/","title":{"rendered":"Democrat Brian Nathan wins special election for Hillsborough Senate seat"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ABrian Nathan at WMNF in Tampa, Florida on March 20, 2026. Credit: Mitch Perry \/ Florida Phoenix<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s been 224 days since Jay Collins resigned to become Gov. Ron DeSantis\u2019 Lieutenant Governor<\/a>. Tonight, voters in Florida\u2019s Senate District 14 finally have a new state senator.<\/p>\n

Democrat Brian Nathan, a union leader and U.S. Navy Veteran, scratched out a victory over Republican Josie Tomkow in the special election<\/a> that wrapped tonight, according to unofficial results posted by the Hillsborough Supervisor of elections<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Nathan, 45, jumped out to an early lead after polls closed Tuesday night. He had 3,069 more votes than his 35-year-old opponent after early votes and vote-by-mail ballots were reported by the Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections.<\/p>\n

He held onto the lead by the slimmest of margins, earning 40,212 total votes while Tomkow hauled in 39,804.<\/p>\n

The 408-vote advantage gives Nathan a 0.5% margin of victory\u2014not enough to avoid an automatic recount.<\/p>\n

Florida state statute calls for a recount for a contest if the margin of victory is less than or equal to 0.5%. A rep for the Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay the state will not call for a recount until their office\u2019s first unofficial results are reported on Friday.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat will include any mail ballots that are cured or provisional ballots from today that are accepted,\u201d the rep added.<\/p>\n

Florida Politics<\/a>, however, says that Tomkow conceded defeat at her watch party in Ybor City, hinting that she would be back on the ballot in November for the district\u2019s regular election.<\/p>\n

Nathan\u2019s lead going into the recount comes despite him being outspent and outfundraised<\/a> according to the News Service of Florida.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Florida Phoenix<\/a> reported beyond Tomkow\u2019s huge fundraising advantage lead over Nathan, a political action committee worth more than $3 million was also aiding her effort.<\/p>\n

Republicans also enjoyed a voter registration advantage in the district overall, according to numbers from Feb. 23. Of the 299,317 registered voters, 116,095 were Republican, 93,403 Democratic and 79,944 had no party affiliation.<\/p>\n

Turnout was just under 27% .<\/p>\n

Florida\u2019s Senate District 14 stretches south from MacDill Air Force Base in South Tampa all the way to Odessa in the northern part of Hillsborough County. It goes as far east as New Tampa and west to Town \u2018n\u2019 Country. Carrollwood and Westchase are also in the district.<\/p>\n

\"AA Tampa Monitor analysis of voter turnout in the 2026 special election for Florida Senate District 14. Credit: Tampa Monitor \/ Tampa Bay Journalism Project<\/a><\/p>\n

A Tampa Monitor analysis of voter turnout<\/a> shows the highest concentration of voters in Odessa\u2019s Precinct 518 where VR Systems data shows that registered Republicans outnumber Democrats 401-101 (119 NPA).\u00a0<\/p>\n

Further analysis by the coder-powered civics blog<\/a> found that Nanthan enjoyed his widest margins of victory in Carver City-Lincoln Gardens Precinct 204 (83.43% of the vote) and New Tampa\u2019s Precinct 355 (80.28%).<\/p>\n

Tomkow mostly dominated in the outer reaches of the county in neighborhoods like Town \u2018n\u2019 Country Precinct 404 (72.22%) and Odessa Precinct 518 (71.65%).<\/p>\n

\"AA Tampa Monitor analysis showing margins of victory in the 2026 special election for Florida Senate District 14. Credit: Tampa Monitor \/ Tampa Bay Journalism Project<\/a><\/p>\n

Collins flipped the seat in 2022 when he defeated Sen. Janet Cruz<\/a> who had been in the incumbent since 2018.<\/p>\n

Tomkow, who comes from a Polk County cattle family, served in different seats at the Florida legislature from 2018-2025. She responded to claims that she did not live in the district by explaining that her husband lives in South Tampa and that she has plans to move there whether she won or lost.<\/p>\n

This is a developing post.<\/p>\n

Pitch in to help make the Tampa Bay Journalism Project a success.<\/a><\/p>\n

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This article appears in Mar. 19 \u2013 25, 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n

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