Associated Press Reports Florida Governor Rick Scott Re-Elected; Medical Marijuana Fails

Above:  Associated Press Reports Florida Governor Rick Scott Re-Elected (Photo Courtesy of the Miami Herald)

 

With returns in from 96.46 percent of statewide voting precincts and 48.3 percent of the vote, Florida Governor Rick Scott has been re-elected to another term, Associated Press reported at approximately 10:30 p.m. this evening, November 4, 2014.  Democratic challenger Charlie Crist garnered 46.91 percent of voters, with Libertarian candidate Adrian Wyllie receiving 3.75 percent.

Crist, a former Florida Governor, had not yet conceded the race, inasmuch as Democratic-leaning precincts in areas such as Palm Beach County had not fully reported as of 10:45 p.m.

Florida’s Attorney General Pam Bondi, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater and Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Adam Putnam–all Republican members of Florida’s Cabinet–also have been re-elected.

With reports of long lines at several predominantly African-American precincts in Democratic-dominated Broward County, coupled with alleged problems spawned by redistricting, the Crist campaign unsuccessfully filed a last-minute emergency injunction to request an extension of voting hours there.

Incumbent Republican Senators Jack Latvala, Joe Negron, Jeff Brandes and John Thrasher were easily re-elected.  Senator Thrasher is expected to be confirmed as the President of Florida State University this week, which will cause a special election to be called in order to fill the resulting vacancy.

Among Democratic races called early in the evening’s returns:

• Incumbent Senator Maria Lorts Sachs won re-election over Republican challenger Ellyn Bogdanoff for District 34, which spans South Florida’s tri-county area.
• Joe Geller, brother of former Florida Senator Steve Geller, was elected to Florida House of Representatives’ District 100 in Broward County.
• Palm Beach County voters returned State Representative Mark Pafford to represent District 86 in the Florida House.

To see up-to-the minute election night data, go to:  http://enight.elections.myflorida.com.

 

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