Staff Reports
In the northern half of Florida, the races for Congressional District 6 and District 15 captured the attention of the national media as well as pundits. Some of the others were decided shortly after the polls closed, or before.
Democratic Reps. Val Demings of Orlando and Kathy Castor of Tampa are returning to Washington after receiving no opposition in this year’s election. They represent District 10 and District 14, respectively.
In District 1, Fort Walton Beach Republican Matt Gaetz easily defeated Dr. Jennifer Zimmerman, a Santa Rosa County pediatrician, while in District 2, Panama City Republican Dr. Neal Dunn won re-election by dispatching former Leon County Commissioner Bob Rackleff, a former speechwriter for President Jimmy Carter.
Republican Rep. John Rutherford easily won a second term representing District 4 with a victory over Democrat Ges Selmont, a Ponte Vedra Beach lawyer. Democratic Rep. Al Lawson of Tallahassee defeated Virginia Fuller, a registered nurse from Tallahassee, to win re-election to the District 5 seat.
Republican Rep. Ted Yoho of Gainesville won a second term in District 3 by defeating Yvonne Hayes Hinson, a former educator and elected member of the Gainesville City Commission. In District 8, veteran GOP Rep. Bill Posey of Rockledge has won another term by defeating businessman Sanjay Patel of Satellite Beach.
Republican Rep. Daniel Webster of Clermont won another term representing District 11 by defeating Spring Hill educator Dana Cottrell.
