Based on 99 percent of the vote reporting, Florida’s senatorial race remains unbelievably close, with the possibility of a necessary recount. At the moment, Republican Rick Scott just barely has the majority of the votes at 50.4 percent, though his opponent, Democrat Bill Nelson, trails by only 0.8 percent. Nelson, who identifies as a centrist, is a three-time incumbent seeking a fourth term. Most notably, he’s currently the only Democrat holding a statewide office in the state of Florida. Following the gubernatorial victory for Ron DeSantis, a victory for Scott could lead to all statewide offices in Florida being Republican-held.
“It’s a disappointment,” Weinberg sophomore Alexis Gomez said. “I expected a larger blue wave in that we’d keep Bill Nelson and elect [Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew] Gillum. It seems that nationally, the election has gone relatively well for us Democrats, and generally I prefer slow transitions of power and change.”
That being said, this election could still go either way. Reportedly, there are votes yet to be counted in Broward County, a notably Democratic area, that have the potential to change the tide of this incredibly tight race.
Though both major races in Florida are still hotly contested, the state made some notable decisions through referendum voting. The majority of voters supported passing legislation that would make it legal for felons to vote, excluding those convicted of murder or sexual crimes. With adding over 1 million voters to the Florida political climate, this has serious potential to change the course of the 2020 elections. It’s possible the blue wave in Florida is not over, but just postponed.
The magnitude of Amendment 4 passing in Florida.
— Khaled Beydoun (@KhaledBeydoun) November 7, 2018
-1.5 million former felons can now vote
-That's roughly 40% of the Black male population in Florida
-Lifts restriction in state with highest # of disenfranchised voters - BY FAR pic.twitter.com/Ec8XSXcfW5