Democrats took six Republican-held Florida House seats in Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties. The state now projects a 70-50 House, short of a GOP supermajority.
Democrats won six Central Florida seats in the Florida House that Republicans held before Tuesday’s election. All six districts take in parts of Orange, Seminole or Osceola counties.
The gains helped push Republicans below a two-thirds supermajority in the House. The Florida Division of Elections’ legislative projection now gives Republicans 70 of the 120 seats and Democrats 50. Two-thirds of the House is 80 seats.
All results are unofficial until they are certified.
The six seats
Each of these seats was held by a Republican in the 2024-2026 term, according to the Florida House member list for that term. The House’s list for the new term now shows a Democrat in each one.
| District | Counties | Held by (R) | Winner (D) | Winner’s vote | Republican candidate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | Orange, Osceola | Erika Booth | Eric Gray | 56.1% | Erika Booth, 43.9% |
| 36 | Seminole | Rachel Plakon | Darryl Block | 54.7% | Rachel Plakon, 45.3% |
| 37 | Orange, Seminole | Susan Plasencia | Jane Aman | 58.7% | Robert Prater, 41.3% |
| 38 | Seminole | David Smith | Nik Dean | 56.2% | Emily Duda Buckley, 43.8% |
| 39 | Orange, Seminole | Doug Bankson | Jarod Fox | 55.5% | Doug Bankson, 44.5% |
| 47 | Orange, Osceola | Paula Stark | Anthony Nieves | no race on ballot | none |
The vote shares come from the state’s election night results file, with every precinct reporting in each district. Three Republican incumbents lost their seats: Booth, Plakon and Bankson. In Districts 37 and 38 the Republican lawmaker was not on the ballot.
The District 47 race did not appear in the state’s general election results. The House’s new-term list shows Nieves in the seat.
The vote counts
- District 35: Gray 41,028, Booth 32,103
- District 36: Block 38,023, Plakon 31,465
- District 37: Aman 34,302, Prater 24,097
- District 38: Dean 39,040, Duda Buckley 30,391
- District 39: Fox 40,506, Bankson 32,528
Our Orange County election results page breaks down how Orange County’s share of each district voted, along with the county mayor’s race.
Why the supermajority matters
The House needs a two-thirds vote, along with the Senate, to override a governor’s veto. That rule is in Article III, Section 8 of the Florida Constitution.
Placing a constitutional amendment on the ballot through the Legislature takes three-fifths of the membership of each chamber, under Article XI, Section 1. In the House, that is 72 votes. At 70 seats, Republicans would need Democratic votes for either step.
Republicans still hold a majority. They will still choose the speaker and control which bills reach the floor.
Elsewhere in the area
- State Senate, District 10: Democrat John Lowndes beat Republican Jason Brodeur 125,012 votes to 98,457, or 55.9%. The district covers all of Seminole County and part of Orange County. The Senate’s member list now shows Lowndes in the seat.
- Orange County’s own House seats: Democrats also held Districts 40, 42, 43 and 45. Our county results page has those figures.
Statewide, one House race was still undecided. In District 33 in Brevard County, Democrat Daniel McDow led Republican Monique Miller by 274 votes, 36,394 to 36,120. The House lists that seat as “pending election.”
What it means for you
- A new state representative for many Orlando-area voters. If you live in Districts 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 or 47, your representative in Tallahassee has changed. The new term began Wednesday, the House’s member list shows. Its Find Your Representative tool shows yours by address.
- The new Legislature meets Tuesday, Nov. 17. The state constitution sets an organization session on the 14th day after a general election, under Article III, Section 3. Members choose their leaders that day.
- Results can still change. County canvassing boards certify the count, and the state certifies legislative races after that. Our voting page explains how to check your registration for the next election.
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