Florida election results: Rick Scott beats Bill Nelson for Senate seat as Andrew Gillum loses to Ron DeSantis for governor

Democrat Donna Shalala also beats Republican Maria Elvira Salazar to take House seat in 27th district

Donna Shalala stresses importance of community after flipping Florida House seat

Republican Ron DeSantis has beaten Democrat Andrew Gillum in the race to become the next governor of Florida, extending GOP control of that office which has remained unbroken since 1994.

Meanwhile, the current governor of the state, Republican Rick Scott, has beat Senator Bill Nelson in the race for US Senate. Mr Scott beat Mr Nelson narrowly after an expensive race that ranks as one of the most expensive in US electoral history.

Mr Gillum called Mr DeSantis to concede, but vowed to continue to fight for causes he believes in.

In down ballot races, Democrats flipped two House seats from Republicans, with Democrats Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and Donna Shalala now set to become US representatives in January.

The Republican victory in the Florida Senate race reflects a broader trend for the GOP in that legislative body, as President Donald Trump’s party expanded its control there. The party flipped at last three seats from Democrats.

But, Democrats saw victories in ways that will hobble the president’s next two years in office, and gained control of the House of Representatives. Democrats will now yield power over congressional investigations, and will have the ability to re-open or expand investigations into Russia’s involvement in the 2016 election and any connection that involvement may have had to Mr Trump’s campaign.

Democrats also saw important wins in governors races across the country, even if Mr Gillum was unable to flip control in Tallahassee. As election results poured in from across the country, Democrats picked up at least six governorships from Republican hands. That means that the party will control at least 21 governor's mansions. Republicans, with four seats left to be decided on Wednesday morning, had retained control of 25 seats.

To see how the evening unfolded please read our live blog below

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Key Points

• Ron DeSantis will be the next governor of Florida, after Democrat Andrew Gillum's concession
• Rick Scott has beat Bill Nelson in the race for US Senate after a close win over the Democrat
• Democrats have flipped two House seats — the 27th district and the 26th district
• Florida voters have also passed a measure giving some felons back the vote

[6 November 2018 16:14 · Joe Sommerlad]

Republican Ron DeSantis has meanwhile made his final pitch to voters on morning television.

[6 November 2018 16:21 · Joe Sommerlad]

Florida, known as America's most populous swing state, had a Democratic governor for much of the 20th century but Republicans have dominated in decades.

The state governor's office has been red since 1999, with outgoing incumbent Rick Scott following Charlie Crist and Jeb Bush, indicating the extent of the challenge faced by Andrew Gillum, who is seeking to turn the tide and become Florida's first African American governor into the bargain.

[6 November 2018 18:24 · Kristin Hugo]

In some areas of Central Florida, the number of people voting has already surpassed the number of people who voted in the 2014 midterm election, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

50 percent of Orange County eligible voters had already cast their vote by 1pm. By contrast, only 44 percent of the county voted in 2014.

Compared with the country at large, only 36 percent of those eligible to vote cast their ballots in the 2014 midterms. This midterm season is seeing a considerable increase in voting across the country. 

[6 November 2018 18:48 · Kristin Hugo]

Forecasts suggest that Florida will lean more democratic this season, in spite of the fact that the state voted for President Trump in 2016.

Political forecast website FiveThirtyEight predicts that democrat Bill Nelson has a 73 percent chance of winning over Republican Rick Scott for a seat on the Senate. 

Express reports that democrat Andrew Gillum is tipped to win by a 77 percent margin over republican Ron De Santis. 

[6 November 2018 19:04 · Kristin Hugo]

Students across the country, including in at least four Tampa Bay, Florida high schools, are "walking out to vote."

Survivors of the high school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida have supported "vote for our lives," a play on "march for our lives," which supports gun reform. However, there are no formal propositions on the ballot referencing guns or firearms. 

[6 November 2018 21:02 · Kristin Hugo]

Republican Representative Ron DeSantis has posted a photoset on Instagram, portraying himself and his family, saying that he voted. 

[6 November 2018 21:33 · Kristin Hugo]

One proposed amendment on the Florida ballot is to ban betting on dog racing by January 1, 2021. 

Florida is currently one of 10 states where dog racing is legal, and one of only six with operational tracks. Florida is the epicenter of dog racing, although in 2012, the state found that the sport cost $35 million more than it earned. Gambling centers like to keep dog racing, though, because that allows them to legally continue other types of gambling, Quartz reported.

Amendment 13 aims to change that, as animal welfare organizations claim that the sport is cruel and the dogs are abused. The amendment would continue to allow other forms of gambling.  

[6 November 2018 21:47 · Kristin Hugo]

One amendment on the Florida ballot includes restoring voting rights for most felons who have completed their sentences. Early polls show support for this amendment. 

If passed, Amendment 4 would change the Florida constitution so that those who have committed felonies, with the exception of rape and murder, will automatically allowed to vote in the state. Only four states currently don't automatically allow felons who have served their sentence to cast their ballots. Currently, felons in Florida must go through a clemency process before they are eligible.  

[6 November 2018 22:10 · Kristin Hugo]

A local news organization has posted an informal exit poll for Florida after logging data from a few hundred voters. 

The Naples Daily News reports from limited data that Ron DeSantis may be ahead in the race for governor, Rick Scott may be ahead in the Senate race, a county sales tax amendment is behind, and an amendment to end bets on dog racing is ahead. 

[6 November 2018 22:31 · Lucy Anna Gray]

In Florida, poll closing times are between 7 and 8 pm ET, with the first voting results expected to come in at 7pm ET.