What to watch in Tuesday’s Florida primary elections

What the report says

Voters in Florida are set to choose party nominees on Tuesday in primaries that Al Jazeera says will help shape key state and federal contests in November. The elections are the first in Florida to be held under new congressional districts approved in May, part of a Republican-led redistricting effort that aims to strengthen the party’s position in the midterms. Al Jazeera says the campaign backdrop also includes disputes over Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, Donald Trump’s politics and the war in Gaza.

Among the most closely watched races is the Republican governor’s primary, where Congressman Byron Donalds is reported to be the front-runner with Trump’s backing as he seeks to replace term-limited Governor Ron DeSantis. On the Democratic side, former Congressman David Jolly is expected to win his party’s nomination. The article also highlights a Florida congressional contest involving Republican Representative Randy Fine, who has faced criticism for anti-Muslim rhetoric, while challenger Daniel Bilzerian has drawn condemnation for anti-Jewish comments.

Tuesday’s voting will also help determine nominees for the special election to fill the remainder of Marco Rubio’s Senate term. Former Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is the Republican favorite, while Democrats are choosing between Alexander Vindman and state lawmaker Angie Nixon. In South Florida, Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz is fighting to keep her seat after redistricting altered her district, while other Democratic primaries could signal whether voters are moving toward more progressive, outsider candidates. The races matter because Florida’s political map has shifted sharply rightward, but Democrats are still trying to reclaim ground.