{"id":299508,"date":"2026-06-08T00:09:13","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T00:09:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/299508\/"},"modified":"2026-06-08T00:09:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T00:09:13","slug":"with-qualifying-days-away-5-competitive-house-seats-remain-unchallenged","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/299508\/","title":{"rendered":"With qualifying days away, 5 competitive House seats remain unchallenged"},"content":{"rendered":"

Less than a week from the qualifying deadline<\/a>, 25 Florida House district races remain uncontested by one of the two major political parties.<\/p>\n

That means each race has either only Democrats or Republicans running, with, in some cases, a third-party challenger with little to no shot of winning.<\/p>\n

That arrangement is understandable in 80% of those contests, where one party has such an edge with the electorate that, for now, running candidates to flip those seats would be a waste of money and resources.<\/p>\n

But in five House districts (two Republican-controlled, three Democrat-led), the voter divide is narrow enough that the absence of a challenger from the opposing party is eye-raising at best and confounding at worst.<\/p>\n

They range from a district in Palm Beach County that sided with Kamala Harris in 2024 by just 1 percentage point, based on 2024 state presidential vote analyses by Matt Isbell of MCI Maps<\/a>, to an Orange County district Harris won by 11 points.<\/p>\n

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That\u2019s roughly the same margin by which President Donald Trump won in House District 87, which Jupiter Democratic Rep. Emily Gregory flipped in a national news-making March upset<\/a> that has bolstered hopes<\/a> of further such returns in November.<\/p>\n

The other three races \u2014 set in Duval, Miami-Dade and Pinellas counties \u2014 have even smaller divides between Democrats and GOP voters. Yet none are contested.<\/p>\n

Of four uncontested Senate races, just one \u2014 SD 36 in Miami-Dade County \u2014 is remotely close. Incumbent Republican Sen. Ileana Garcia is on track to win the seat she won in 2020 by 34 votes<\/a> and kept two years later by 18 points.<\/p>\n

Voters there picked Trump over Harris by a 16-point margin.<\/p>\n

In a statement to Florida Politics, the Florida Democratic Party said that despite the gaps in winnable races, the organization has worked hard to identify \u201cstrong, quality candidates up and down the ballot who are willing to work hard for Floridians and create a state where we can all thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe Florida Democratic Party (FDP) has spent the last several years investing in year-round organizing, and a part of that is candidate recruitment,\u201d the group said. \u201cFloridians across the state have raised their hand to run, with over 1,300 Democrats expressing a desire to learn more about running over the last 18 months.\u201d<\/p>\n

Republican Party of Florida Chair Evan Power, meanwhile, expressed confidence that his group will further grow its already supermajority share of the Legislature and threw shade across the aisle.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust like last year when (FDP Chair) Nikki Fried was worried about giving out participation trophies in every race, the Florida GOP remains focused on winning races. We know we will field quality candidates across Florida that will drive us to big victories,\u201d he said in a statement. \u201cThe Florida Democrats are on the verge of extinction. Floridians have rejected the radical left agenda and we are confident that we will be on offense.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Primary Election is on Aug. 18, followed by the General Election.<\/p>\n

Here are the House Districts with candidates from only one of the two major political parties running, as of Friday.<\/p>\n

House District 12 \u2014 Republican-controlled<\/p>\n

HD 12<\/a>, which covers part of Jacksonville\u2019s Westside and Southside, crossing the St. Johns River, went 10 points for Trump in 2024. Republican Wyman Duggan, the district\u2019s current Representative, must leave office in November due to term limits, and former Jacksonville City Council President Terrance Freeman is running to keep it in GOP hands.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s the only person in the race.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Image via MCI Maps. Click to enlarge.<\/p>\n

House District 44 \u2014 Democrat-controlled<\/p>\n

HD 44<\/a>, which spans portions of Orange County, including Orlando and parts of the unincorporated areas of Hunters Creek, Meadow Woods, Sky Lake and Southchase, is a D+11 district, based on MCI Maps figures.<\/p>\n

Democratic Rep. Rita Harris is seeking her third consecutive term in the district and, so far, no one is blocking her path to an easy re-election.<\/p>\n

Harris, first elected in 2022, has yet to face a Republican on the ballot. Her only opponent in the past two cycles was former state Rep. Diasy Morales, whom she unseated by about 8.5 points and repelled with a whopping 65% share of the votes in a 2024 rematch.<\/p>\n

House District 60 \u2014 Democrat-controlled<\/p>\n

HD 60<\/a>, a D+7 district, is getting a new Representative after incumbent Rep. Lindsay Cross announced that she will not seek re-election<\/a> this year. The district covers a bay-facing portion of Pinellas County that includes parts of St. Petersburg and Pinellas Park, along with the communities of Feather Sound and Lealman and the neighborhood of Grande Bayou.<\/p>\n

Lawyer Lindsay Polega-Quigley, a former Vice President of the St. Petersburg chapter of the League of Women Voters, filed to run<\/a> for the seat within hours of Cross\u2019 withdrawal and is thus far unopposed.<\/p>\n

House District 89 \u2014 Democrat-controlled<\/p>\n

In what would be the closest contest, if anyone else were to run, Democratic Rep. Debra Tendrich enjoys an unobstructed path to re-election in HD 89<\/a>, a D+1 district that spans part of inland Palm Beach County, including Greenacres, Lake Clarke Shores, Lake Worth Beach and Palm Springs.<\/p>\n

Tendrich, a nonprofit executive, won the seat in 2024 by a 2-point margin<\/a>, keeping the seat previously held by Democrat David Silvers.<\/p>\n

House District 114 \u2014 Republican-controlled<\/p>\n

An R+10 district, HD 114<\/a> covers parts of Miami-Dade, including Coral Gables, Miami, Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest, South Miami and West Miami.<\/p>\n

Republican Rep. Demi Busatta has held the seat since 2020, when its prior Democratic occupant, South Miami Mayor Javier Fern\u00e1ndez, left for an unsuccessful Senate bid.<\/p>\n

Busatta has proven popular among voters in past races, winning re-election in 2022 by almost 13 points and again in 2024 by 17 points after dwarfing her Democratic opponents in fundraising.<\/p>\n

Other unchallenged races<\/p>\n

There are 23 other uncontested state legislative races, including:<\/p>\n

\u2014 Senate District 16<\/a> (D+26), which covers part of the Tampa Bay area including Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell and Democratic Rep. Michele Rayner are the only two candidates.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Senate District 32<\/a> (D+39), an inland Broward County area that includes Fort Lauderdale, Lauderdale Lakes, Lauderhill, North Lauderdale, Oakland Park, Plantation, Sunrise and Tamarac. Incumbent Sen. Rosalind Osgood currently faces one opponent, no-party candidate Crescente Furnaguera.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Senate District 34<\/a> (D+39), which covers parts of north Miami-Dade, including Bay Harbour Islands, Miami Beach, Miami Gardens, North Miami, North Miami Beach and Opa-locka. The district\u2019s current representative, Democratic Sen. Shevrin Jones, is leaving to run for Congress<\/a>, and just one candidate, Miami Democratic Rep. Ashley Gantt, has filed to succeed him.<\/p>\n

\u2014 House District 7<\/a> (R+54), which covers a large Panhandle area including Dixie, Franklin, Gulf, Hamilton, Lafayette, Liberty, Suwannee and Wakulla counties, and a southern portion of Leon County. Incumbent Republican Rep. Jason Shoaf faces no opposition.<\/p>\n

\u2014 House District 8<\/a> (D+42), which spans all of Gadsden County and part of Leon County. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Gallop Franklin faces Independent Party of Florida candidate Aaron Ruddell.<\/p>\n

\u2014 House District 13<\/a> (D+24), which covers a northeast portion of Duval County. The all-Democrat field includes former Sen. Audrey Gibson and candidates Brandon Groover, Leslie Jean-Bart and Christopher Thomas.<\/p>\n

\u2014 House District 14<\/a> (D+25.5), which covers part of Duval County. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Kimberly Daniels faces two Primary challengers: Elgin Foreman and Rhian Tutson.<\/p>\n

\u2014 House District 24<\/a> (R+28), which covers a southeast portion of Marion County. Incumbent Republican Rep. Ryan Chamberlin faces Primary challenger Scott Wilkins.<\/p>\n

\u2014 House District 27<\/a> (R+37), which spans parts of Lake, Marion and Volusia counties. Republican Rep. Richard Gentry is unopposed in his re-election bid.<\/p>\n

\u2014 House District 40<\/a> (D+35), which covers an unincorporated swath of Orange County, including the Riverside Acres neighborhood and census-designated areas of Lockhart, Pine Hills and Rosemont. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Ra\u2019Shon Young is unopposed.<\/p>\n

\u2014 House District 56<\/a> (R+27.5), which covers a coastal stretch of Pasco County encompassing New Port Richey and the census-designated areas of Bayonet Point, Beacon Square, Elfers, Jasmine Estates and Holiday. Incumbent Republican Rep. Brad Yeager has no opponent.<\/p>\n

\u2014 House District 62<\/a> (D+34), which covers part of Pinellas County, including St. Petersburg, and a portion of Hillsborough County, including Tampa and the unincorporated Gibsonton area. Democrats Kyandra Darling, Upton Fisher and Wengay Newton are competing to succeed Rayner.<\/p>\n

\u2014 House District 63<\/a> (D+41), which covers much of inland Hillsborough, including Temple Terrace, the census-designated area of Harney and Tampa\u2019s Sulphur Springs, West Tampa and Ybor City neighborhoods. Democrats Jacqueline Coffie-Leeks, Robin Lockett and Conrad Schupay are running to replace outgoing<\/a> Rep. Dianne Hart-Lowman..<\/p>\n

\u2014\u00a0House District 68<\/a>\u00a0(R+29), which covers a northeast portion of Hillsborough, including Plant City and the unincorporated Shiloh and Valrico areas. Republican\u00a0Ryan Gill\u00a0is the only candidate in the race to succeed Rep.\u00a0Lawrence McClure, who has endorsed Gill.<\/p>\n

\u2014\u00a0House District 96<\/a>\u00a0(D+19), which covers west Broward. Incumbent Democratic Rep.\u00a0Dan Daley, who\u00a0briefly considered<\/a>\u00a0a Senate District 30 bid, faces no opposition.<\/p>\n

\u2014\u00a0House District 97<\/a>\u00a0(D+52), which covers part of Broward, including Lauderdale Lakes, Lauderhill, North Lauderdale and the Sabal Palms Estates and Sunrise Heights neighborhoods. Incumbent Democratic Rep.\u00a0Lisa Dunkley\u00a0is unopposed.<\/p>\n

\u2014\u00a0House District 98<\/a>\u00a0(D+30), which covers part of Broward, including Oakland Park and unincorporated Lakeview and North Andrews Gardens. Incumbent Democratic Rep.\u00a0Mitch Rosenwald\u00a0faces Primary challenger\u00a0Keith Abel.<\/p>\n

\u2014\u00a0House District 99<\/a>\u00a0(D+44), which covers part of Broward, including Fort Lauderdale, Lauderhill, Plantation and Wilton Manors. Incumbent Democratic Rep.\u00a0Daryl Campbell\u00a0faces no opposition.<\/p>\n

\u2014\u00a0House District 104<\/a>\u00a0(D+28), which covers a southern part of Broward, including Miramar and Pembroke Pines, and part of Miami-Dade County, including Miami Gardens. Incumbent Democratic Rep.\u00a0Felicia Robinson\u00a0is unopposed.<\/p>\n

\u2014\u00a0House District 105<\/a>\u00a0(D+27), which covers part of south Broward County, including Hollywood and West Park. Incumbent Democratic Rep.\u00a0Marie Woodson\u00a0faces no opposition.<\/p>\n

\u2014\u00a0House District 110<\/a>\u00a0(R+40), which covers part of northwest Miami-Dade County, including Miami Lakes. Incumbent Republican Rep.\u00a0Tom Fabricio\u00a0is unopposed.<\/p>\n

\u2014\u00a0House District 111<\/a>\u00a0(R+35.5), which covers part of northwest Miami-Dade County, including Doral, Hialeah and Hialeah Gardens. Incumbent Republican Rep.\u00a0David Borrero\u00a0faces no opposition.<\/p>\n

\u2014\u00a0House District 112<\/a>\u00a0(R+45), which covers part of Miami-Dade County, including Hialeah and Miami International Airport. Incumbent Republican Rep.\u00a0Alex Rizo, the immediate past Miami-Dade GOP chair, is unopposed.<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

Jacob Ogles\u00a0contributed to this report.<\/p>\n