2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida

The 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, to elect the 27 U.S. representatives from the state of Florida, one from each of the state's 27 congressional districts. The elections coincided with the elections of other offices, including a gubernatorial election, other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate, and various state and local elections. The party primaries were held on August 28, 2018.

The state congressional delegation changed from a 16–11 Republican majority to a slim 14–13 Republican majority, one short from a Democratic flip. These were seen as the most seats Democrats had attained in Florida since 1982. As noted in the vote table below, Florida does not count votes in uncontested races, so the votes in the four uncontested seats held by Democratic members of the House are not counted in the totals or percentages on this page, and each under counts the votes for Democrats in Florida.

District
Results of the 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida by district:

District 1
The 1st district stretches along the Emerald Coast and is located in the western Panhandle anchored by Pensacola, it also includes Fort Walton Beach, Navarre, and Wright. Incumbent Republican Matt Gaetz, who had represented the district since 2017, ran for re-election. He was elected with 69% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of R+22.

Nominee

 * Matt Gaetz, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Cris Dosev, businessman and candidate for this district in 2016
 * John Mills, retired U.S. Navy pilot

Nominee

 * Jennifer M. Zimmerman, pediatrician

Eliminated in primary

 * Phil Ehr, U.S. Navy commander

District 2
The 2nd district is located in the Big Bend region and is anchored by Panama City, and includes the suburbs of Tallahassee. Incumbent Republican Neal Dunn, who had represented the district since 2017, ran for re-election. He was elected with 67% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of R+18.

Nominee

 * Neal Dunn, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Bob Rackleff, former Leon County Commissioner

Eliminated in primary

 * Brandon Peters, lawyer

District 3
The 3rd district is located in North Central Florida and includes the cities of Gainesville, Palatka, and Ocala. Incumbent Republican Ted Yoho, who had represented the district since 2013, ran for re-election. He was elected to a third term with 57% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of R+9.

Nominee

 * Ted Yoho, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Judson Sapp, businessman

Nominee

 * Yvonne Hayes Hinson, former Gainesville City Commissioner

Eliminated in primary

 * Dushyant Gosai, educator
 * Tom Wells, businessman

District 4
The 4th district is located in the First Coast region and is made up of the Jacksonville metropolitan area including Jacksonville Beach and St. Augustine. Incumbent Republican John Rutherford, who had represented the district since 2017, ran for re-election. He was elected with 70% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of R+17.

Nominee

 * John Rutherford, incumbent U.S. Representative

Withdrawn

 * Rob Ficker

Nominee

 * Ges Selmont, attorney

District 5
The 5th district stretches along the northern border of Florida from the state capital, Tallahassee, to Jacksonville. Incumbent Democrat Al Lawson, who had represented the district since 2017, ran for re-election. He was elected with 64% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of D+12.

Nominee

 * Al Lawson, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Alvin Brown, former mayor of Jacksonville

Nominee

 * Virginia Fuller, nurse and perennial candidate

District 6
The 6th district is located in the Surf Coast region and includes the cities of Daytona Beach, Deltona, and Palm Coast. Incumbent Republican Ron DeSantis, who had represented the district since 2013, was re-elected to a third term with 59% of the vote in 2016. He did not run for re-election in 2018, rather opting to run for Governor of Florida. The district had a PVI of R+7.

Nominee

 * Michael Waltz, former Green Beret

Eliminated in primary

 * Fred Costello, former state representative
 * John Ward, businessman

Withdrawn

 * Jimmy Johns, St. Johns County commissioner

Democratic primary
Florida's 6th district is one of the 20 Republican held seats included in the second round of seats targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2018.

Nominee

 * Nancy Soderberg, former representative at the United Nations and former deputy national security advisor

Eliminated in primary

 * Stephen Sevigny, radiologist
 * John Upchurch, attorney

Withdrawn

 * Robert Coffman, commercial pilot

Debate
A debate was scheduled for September 25, but it was cancelled.

District 7
The 7th district is centered around downtown Orlando and the northern Orlando suburbs such as Sanford and Winter Park. Incumbent Democrat Stephanie Murphy, who had represented the district since 2017, ran for re-election. She was elected with 51% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of Even.

Nominee

 * Stephanie Murphy, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Chardo Richardson, former president of the ACLU

Nominee

 * Mike Miller, state representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Vennia Francois, policy advisor
 * Scott Sturgill, former Seminole County Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisor and state house candidate in 2014

Declined

 * Bob Cortes, state representative
 * Joel Greenberg, Seminole County Tax Collector
 * David Simmons, state senator

District 8
The 8th district includes the Space Coast region and the cities of Melbourne, Palm Bay, and Vero Beach. Incumbent Republican Bill Posey, who had represented the district since 2013 and previously represented the 15th district from 2009 to 2013, ran for re-election. He was re-elected to a fifth term with 63% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of R+11.

Nominee

 * Bill Posey, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Sanjay Patel, management consultant

District 9
The 9th district is located in inland Central Florida including Kissimmee, St. Cloud, and Winter Haven. Incumbent Democrat Darren Soto, who had represented the district since 2017, ran for re-election. He was elected with 57% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of D+5.

Nominee

 * Darren Soto, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Alan Grayson, former U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Wayne Liebnitzky, engineer and nominee for this seat in 2016

District 10
The 10th district is centered around Orlando and the surrounding suburbs such as Lockhart, Oak Ridge, and Zellwood. Incumbent Democrat Val Demings, who had represented the district since 2017, ran for re-election. She was elected with 65% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of D+11.

Democratic primary
Because no write-in candidates or candidates of other parties filed to run in this district, the Democratic primary was open to all voters.

Nominee

 * Val Demings, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Wade Darius, businessman

Republican primary
No Republicans filed.

General election
Incumbent Val Demings ran unopposed in the general election. As such, no election for the position was held, and Demings was declared the winner automatically by the Board of Elections for the State of Florida.

District 11
The 11th district is located in Central Florida and includes the southern suburbs of Ocala and Spring Hill, this district also includes the retirement community known as The Villages. Incumbent Republican Daniel Webster, who had represented the district since 2017 and previously represented the 8th district from 2011 to 2013 and the 10th district from 2013 to 2017, ran for re-election. He was re-elected to a fourth term with 65% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of R+15.

Nominee

 * Daniel Webster, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Dana Cottrell, teacher

District 12
The 12th district is located in the Tampa Bay Area and includes Dade City, New Port Richey, and Palm Harbor. Incumbent Republican Gus Bilirakis, who had represented the district since 2013 and previously represented the 9th district from 2007 to 2013, was re-elected to a sixth term with 69% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of R+8.

Nominee

 * Gus Bilirakis, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Chris Hunter, former federal prosecutor

Eliminated in primary

 * Stephen Perenich, tax preparer
 * Robert Tager, attorney and nominee for this seat in 2016

District 13
The 13th district is located in the Tampa Bay Area and includes Clearwater, Largo and Saint Petersburg. Incumbent Democrat Charlie Crist, who had represented the district since 2017, ran for re-election. He was elected with 52% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of D+2.

Nominee

 * Charlie Crist, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * George Buck, educator

Eliminated in primary

 * Brad Sostack, navy veteran

District 14
The 14th district is centred around the city of Tampa and the immediate surrounding suburbs such as Lutz and Temple Terrace. Incumbent Democrat Kathy Castor, who had represented the district since 2013 and previously represented the 11th district from 2007 to 2013, ran for re-election. She was re-elected to a sixth term with 62% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of D+7.

Castor was the only candidate in 2018, and so was unopposed in the Democratic primary and general election.

Nominee

 * Kathy Castor, incumbent U.S. Representative

Republican primary
No Republicans filed.

General election
Incumbent Kathy Castor ran unopposed in the general election. As such, no election for the position was held, and Castor was declared the winner automatically by the Board of Elections for the State of Florida.

District 15
The 15th district is located in inland Central Florida and is anchored by Lakeland. The district also includes the eastern suburbs of Tampa such as Brandon and Riverview. Incumbent Republican Dennis Ross, who had represented the district since 2013 and previously represented the 12th district from 2011 to 2013, was retiring.

Nominee

 * Ross Spano, state representative for the 59th District

Eliminated in primary

 * Neil Combee, former state representative for the 39th District
 * Sean Harper, contractor
 * Danny Kushmer, non-profit executive
 * Ed Shoemaker, conservative activist

Withdrew

 * Loretta "Leah Lax" Miller, former IDF officer
 * Curt Rogers
 * Dennis Ross, incumbent U.S. Representative

Declined

 * Ben Albritton, state representative for the 56th district
 * Scott Franklin, Lakeland City Commissioner
 * Grady Judd, Sheriff of Polk County
 * Tom Lee, state senator for the 20th district, former President of the State Senate and nominee for Chief Financial Officer in 2006
 * Seth McKeel, former state representative for the 40th district
 * Kelli Stargel, state senator for the 22nd district

Nominee

 * Kristen Carlson, attorney

Eliminated in primary

 * Andrew Learned, naval reserve officer
 * Ray Pena, retired police officer

District 16
The 16th district is located in the Suncoast region and includes Bradenton, Sarasota, and some Tampa suburbs such as FishHawk. Incumbent Republican Vern Buchanan, who had represented the district since 2013 and previously represented the 13th district from 2007 to 2013, ran for re-election. He was re-elected to a sixth term with 60% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of R+7.

Nominee

 * Vern Buchanan, incumbent U.S. Representative

Democratic primary
Florida's 16th district is one of the 20 Republican held seats included in the second round of seats targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2018.

Nominee

 * David Shapiro, attorney

Eliminated in primary

 * Jan Schneider, attorney

District 17
The 17th district comprises most of the Florida Heartland, including the cities of Sebring and Okeechobee, as well as parts of the Suncoast, such as North Port and Port Charlotte. Incumbent Republican Tom Rooney, who had represented the district since 2013 and previously represented the 16th district from 2009 to 2013, retired. He was re-elected to a fifth term with 62% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of R+13.

Republican primary
Rooney announced on February 19, 2018, that he will retire from Congress and not seek re-election in 2018.

Nominee

 * Greg Steube, state senator for the 23rd district

Eliminated in primary

 * Bill Akins, veteran
 * Julio Gonzalez, state representative

Nominee

 * April Freeman, businesswoman, nominee for the 19th district in 2014 and for this seat in 2016

Eliminated in primary

 * Bill Pollard, respiratory therapist

Campaign
The Democratic nominee April Freeman died on September 24, 2018, six weeks before the election. Allen Ellison was chosen to be the Democratic nominee.

District 18
The 18th district is located in the Treasure Coast region and includes Stuart, Port St. Lucie, and the northern Palm Beach suburbs such as Jupiter and Palm Beach Gardens. Incumbent Republican Brian Mast, who had represented the district since 2017, was elected with 54% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of R+5.

Nominee

 * Brian Mast, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Dave Cummings, educator
 * Mark Freeman, businessman

Democratic primary
Florida's 18th district was included on the initial list of Republican held seats being targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2018.

Nominee

 * Lauren Baer, attorney and former U.S. State Department official

Eliminated in primary

 * Pam Keith, attorney and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016

Declined

 * Dave Aronberg, Palm Beach County State Attorney and former state senator (endorsed Baer)
 * Jonathan Chane, attorney and candidate for this seat in 2016 (endorsed Baer)
 * Corinna Robinson, retired Army major and nominee for South Dakota's at-large congressional district in 2014

District 19
The 19th district is located in Southwestern Florida and includes Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, and Naples. Incumbent Republican Francis Rooney, who had represented the district since 2017, ran for re-election. He was elected with 66% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of R+13.

Nominee

 * Francis Rooney, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * David Holden, financial adviser

Eliminated in primary

 * Todd James Truax, healthcare administrator

District 20
The 20th district stretches from inland South Florida with many protected areas of the Everglades and Belle Glade to the Miami metro area and includes parts of West Palm Beach & Fort Lauderdale, and Miramar. Incumbent Democrat Alcee Hastings, who had represented the district since 2013 and previously represented the 23rd district from 1993 to 2013, ran for re-election. He was re-elected to a thirteenth term with 80% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of D+31.

Nominee

 * Alcee Hastings, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, healthcare executive

District 21
The 21st district is located in the Miami metro area and includes the West Palm Beach suburbs, such as Greenacres and Wellington, as well as Boynton Beach and Delray Beach. Incumbent Democrat Lois Frankel, who had represented the district since 2017 and previously represented the 22nd district from 2013 to 2017, ran for re-election. She was re-elected to a third term with 63% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of D+9.

Nominee

 * Lois Frankel, incumbent U.S. Representative

General election
Incumbent Lois Frankel ran unopposed in the general election. As such, no election for the position was held, and Frankel was declared the winner automatically by the Board of Elections for the State of Florida.

District 22
The 22nd district is located in the Miami metro area and includes Boca Raton and Parkland, the site of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. Also, this district includes significant portions of Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach. Incumbent Democrat Ted Deutch, who had represented the district since 2017 and previously represented the 19th district from 2010 to 2013 and the 21st district from 2013 to 2017, ran for re-election. He was re-elected to a fourth term with 59% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of D+6.

Nominee

 * Ted Deutch, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Jeff Fandl, businessman

Nominee

 * Nicolas Kimaz, businessman

Eliminated in primary

 * Javier Manjarres, blogger
 * Eddison Walters, real estate investor

District 23
The 23rd district is located in the Miami metro area, including Plantation, Sunrise, and Weston. Incumbent Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who had represented the district since 2013 and previously represented the 20th district from 2005 to 2013, ran for re-election. She was re-elected to a seventh term with 57% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of D+11.

Nominee

 * Debbie Wasserman Schultz, incumbent U.S. Representative

Nominee

 * Joe Kaufman, counter-terrorism researcher, founder of Americans Against Hate, candidate for this seat 2012 and nominee in 2014 & 2016

Eliminated in primary

 * Carlos Reyes, lawyer
 * Carla Spalding, navy veteran, nurse and Independent candidate for the 18th district in 2016

Independents
Tim Canova, who lost in the 2016 primary to Wasserman Schultz by a 57% to 43% margin, ran as an independent in the 2018 general election. Don Endriss also ran as an independent candidate.

District 24
The 24th district includes parts of Miami and its northern suburbs such as North Miami Beach and Miami Gardens. Democrat Frederica Wilson, who had represented the district since 2013 and previously represented the 17th district from 2011 to 2013, was re-elected to a fourth term unopposed in 2016. The district had a PVI of D+34.

Democratic primary
Because no write-in candidates or candidates of other parties filed to run in this district, the Democratic primary was open to all voters.

Nominee

 * Frederica Wilson, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Ricardo de la Fuente, entrepreneur

Withdrawn

 * Louis E. Sola, U.S. Army veteran

General election
Both candidates were removed from the ballot which was cited for the recount in the Florida gubernatorial and United States Senate elections.

Results
Incumbent Frederica Wilson won unopposed in the general election

District 25
The 25th district includes the western Miami suburbs, such as Hialeah and Miami Lakes, and goes across the northern border of the Everglades to eastern Naples suburbs of Golden Gate and Immokalee. The district also extends upward into the Florida Heartland including Clewiston and LaBelle. Incumbent Republican Mario Díaz-Balart, who had represented the district since 2013 and previously represented the 21st district from 2011 to 2013 as well as a different version of the 25th from 2003 to 2011, ran for re-election. He was re-elected to an eighth term with 62% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of R+4.

Nominee

 * Mario Díaz-Balart, incumbent U.S. Representative

Democratic primary
Florida's 25th district has been included on the initial list of Republican-held seats being targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2018.

Nominee

 * Mary Barzee Flores, attorney and former Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida Judge

Withdrawn

 * Annisa Karim, Lee County Department of Parks & Recreation manager (endorsed Flores)
 * Alina Valdes, doctor and nominee for this seat in 2016 (endorsed Flores)

District 26
The 26th district is centered on the Miami suburb of Homestead, includes most of the Everglades National Park, and extends downward into the Florida Keys, including Key West and Marathon. Incumbent Republican Carlos Curbelo, who had represented the district since 2015, ran for re-election. He was re-elected to a second term with 53% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of D+6.

Nominee

 * Carlos Curbelo, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Souraya Faas, television personality

Democratic primary
Florida's 26th district was included on the initial list of Republican-held seats being targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2018.

Nominee

 * Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, businesswoman and nominee for the 23rd Senate district in 2016

Eliminated in primary

 * Demetries Grimes, U.S. Navy veteran

Declined

 * Steve Smith, businessman

Results
Mucarsel-Powell defeated Curbelo, becoming the first Ecuadorian American and first South American-born immigrant to serve as a member of the U.S. Congress.

District 27
The 27th district is located in the Miami metro area, including Coral Gables, Kendall, Miami Beach, and portions of Miami. Incumbent Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who had represented the district since 2013 and previously represented the 18th district from 1989 to 2013, retired from office in 2018. She was re-elected with 54.9% of the vote in 2016. The district had a PVI of D+5.

Nominee

 * Maria Elvira Salazar, journalist

Eliminated in primary

 * Elizabeth Adadi, U.S. Army veteran
 * Bruno Barreiro, Miami-Dade County Commissioner
 * Angie Chirino, songwriter (daughter of Cuban-American musician Willy Chirino)
 * Mike Ohevzion, businessman
 * Maria Peiro, educator and candidate for this district in 2016
 * Bettina Rodriguez-Aguilera, former Doral City Councilwoman
 * Gina Sosa, filmmaker

Withdrawn

 * Stephen Marks, political consultant (endorsed Donna Shalala, remained on ballot)
 * Raquel Regalado, former Miami-Dade School Board member and candidate for Mayor of Miami-Dade County in 2016

Declined

 * Jeb Bush Jr., son of former governor Jeb Bush
 * Carlos Curbelo, incumbent U.S. Representative for the 26th district
 * Miguel Díaz de la Portilla, former state senator
 * José Félix Díaz, state representative
 * Art Estopinan, former chief of staff to U.S. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
 * Anitere Flores, state senator
 * René García, state senator
 * Carlos López-Cantera, Lieutenant Governor of Florida and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016
 * Ed MacDougall, former mayor of Cutler Bay and candidate for this seat in 2014
 * Jeanette Núñez, state representative
 * Juan C. Zapata, former Miami-Dade County Commissioner

Democratic primary
Florida's 27th district has been included on the initial list of Republican-held seats being targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2018.

Nominee

 * Donna Shalala, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and former president of the University of Miami

Eliminated in primary

 * Matt Haggman, Miami program director of the Knight Foundation and former Miami Herald reporter
 * Michael Hepburn, University of Miami academic adviser and candidate for state house in 2010 and 2014
 * David Richardson, state representative
 * Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, Miami Beach city commissioner

Withdrawn

 * Mary Barzee Flores, attorney and former Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida judge (running for FL-25)
 * Scott Fuhrman, businessman and candidate for Congress in 2016
 * José Javier Rodríguez, state senator
 * Ken Russell, Miami City Commissioner

Declined

 * Alberto Carvalho, Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent
 * Francisco Cerezo, attorney
 * Manny Diaz, former mayor of Miami
 * Cindy Lerner, former mayor of Pinecrest and former state representative
 * Philip Levine, Mayor of Miami Beach
 * Daniella Levine Cava, Miami-Dade County Commissioner
 * Jimmy Morales, Miami Beach City Manager
 * Mark Person
 * Marc Sarnoff, former Miami City Commissioner