The 2018 United States Senate election in Florida was held on November 6, 2018, alongside a gubernatorial election, elections to the U.S. House of Representatives and other state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic Senator Bill Nelson ran for election to a fourth term, but was narrowly defeated by Republican Governor Rick Scott. The election was the closest Senate race in the state's history, and remains the last Florida U.S. Senate race where the winner received less than 55% of votes.
This was one of ten Democratic-held Senate seats up for election in a state won by Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election. The results of the race were in dispute for 12 days following the election. The results showed that Nelson was narrowly trailing Scott, but the margin remained below 0.5%, triggering an automatic recount under Florida law. A controversial recount ensued, with both campaigns claiming irregularities.
Following the recount, Florida elections officials confirmed Scott's victory on November 18, 2018. Scott received 50.05% of the vote, while Nelson received 49.93%; the margin of victory was 10,033 votes out of 8.19 million votes cast, or 0.12%. Both in terms of raw vote margin and by percentage of difference, this was the closest Senate election in the 2018 cycle. Scott flipped numerous counties that Nelson had won in 2012, despite the favorable national environment for Democrats in 2018.
Scott's victory marked the first time since the Reconstruction era in 1875 that Republicans have held both Senate seats in Florida.
The 2018 United States Senate election in Florida was held on November 6, 2018, alongside a gubernatorial election, elections to the U.S. House of Representatives and other state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic Senator Bill Nelson ran for election to a fourth term, but was narrowly defeated by Republican Governor Rick Scott. The election still remains the closest U.S. Senate race in the state's history.
This was one of ten Democratic-held Senate seats up for election in a state won by Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election. The results of the race were in dispute for 12 days following the election. The results showed that Nelson was narrowly trailing Scott, but the margin remained below 0.5%, triggering an automatic recount under Florida law. A controversial recount ensued, with both campaigns claiming irregularities.
Following the recount, Florida elections officials confirmed Scott's victory on November 18, 2018. Scott received 50.05% of the vote, while Nelson received 49.93%; the margin of victory was 10,033 votes out of 8.19 million votes cast, or 0.12%. Both in terms of raw vote margin and by percentage of difference, this was the closest Senate election in the 2018 cycle. Scott flipped 16 counties that Nelson had won in 2012, despite the favorable national environment for Democrats in 2018.
Scott's victory marked the first time since the Reconstruction era in 1875 that Republicans have held both Senate seats in Florida.
Background
Incumbent Democratic Senator Bill Nelson sought re-election in the 2018 U.S. Senate election in Florida. The election was expected to be a key race in determining which party would control the U.S. Senate in 2019.
As of the second quarter of 2018, Nelson had a 44%–34% approval rating among his constituents. Despite having won re-election in 2012 by a 13% margin, Nelson was considered potentially vulnerable; he had been the only statewide elected Democrat in Florida since 2011, and his previous opponents, Connie Mack IV and Katherine Harris, were seen as much weaker challengers than Scott. Additionally, he was one of 10 incumbent Democratic senators running in states that had been carried by Donald Trump in 2016. Nelson was described as a "low-key centrist" that might not be able to energize progressive voters.
After being encouraged by President Trump to enter the Senate race, Republican governor of Florida Rick Scott announced his candidacy on April 9, 2018. As of the first quarter of 2018, Scott held a 54%–35% approval rating among his constituents, with a majority of Florida voters believing the state was moving in the right direction under Scott's administration. Republican President Donald Trump also held a positive approval rating of 49%–47% in Florida as of August 2018. Trump had won the state in 2016 by 1.2% over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Scott had put more than $86 million of his own money into his successful 2010 and 2014 gubernatorial bids.
Republican primary
The Republican primary was considered merely a formality, as Governor Scott's lone challenger was a perennial candidate who was running for Senate seats in eight other Republican primaries across the country. No other notable Republicans entered the race before or after Scott announced his candidacy.
Candidates
Nominee
Rick Scott, incumbent governor of Florida
Eliminated in the primary
Rocky De La Fuente, businessman and perennial candidate; American Delta and Reform nominee for president in 2016
Withdrew
Virginia Fuller, registered nurse; Republican nominee for U.S. representative from CA-11 in 2012
Alexander George, businessman, political activist, and minister; candidate for U.S. Senate in 2012
Augustus Sol Invictus, far-right activist; candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016
Lateresa Jones, life coach; Independent candidate for lieutenant governor in 2014 and U.S. Senate in 2016 (running as a write-in candidate)
Martin Mikhail
Mike Pompura
Joseph Smith, chiropractor; candidate for U.S. Senate in 1988 and FL-19 in 1996; Republican nominee for FL-16 in 1988
Marcia R. Thorne, pastor (ran as an independent)
Angela Marie Walls-Windhauser, candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016 (ran as a write-in candidate)
Declined
Jeff Atwater, Chief Financial Officer 2011–2017
Carlos Beruff, real estate developer and Republican donor; candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016
Pam Bondi, Attorney General since 2011
Richard Corcoran, State Representative (District 37) since 2010; Speaker of the Florida House since 2016
John Delaney, mayor of Jacksonville 1995–2003
Ron DeSantis, U.S. representative from FL-6 2013–2018; candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016 (running for governor)
Hulk Hogan, semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, entrepreneur, and musician
David Jolly, U.S. representative from FL-13 2014–2017; candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016
Carlos Lopez-Cantera, lieutenant governor since 2014; candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016
Tom Rooney, U.S. representative from FL-17 since 2009
Democratic primary
As both of Senator Nelson's primary opponents failed to qualify for the ballot, no Democratic primary was held.
Candidates
Nominee
Bill Nelson, incumbent U.S. senator since 2001; U.S. representative from FL-11 1979–1991
Declined
Randolph Bracy, State Senator (District 11) since 2016
Tim Canova, law professor; candidate for FL-23 in 2016 (running for FL-23)
Pam Keith, Navy veteran, labor attorney; candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016 (running for FL-18)
Failed to qualify
Tamika Lyles
Randy White
Libertarian Party
Candidates
Withdrew
Joe Wendt, janitor
Declined
Augustus Sol Invictus, far-right activist; candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016 (ran as a Republican)
Roger Stone, political consultant, lobbyist, and strategist
American Independent Party
Candidates
Withdrew
Ed Shoemaker, psychologist (ran for FL-15)
Independents and write-ins
Candidates
Declared
Lateresa Jones, life coach; candidate for lieutenant governor in 2014 and U.S. Senate in 2016 (write-in)
Howard Knepper, businessman and real estate developer; candidate for president in 2012 (write-in)
Michael S. Levinson, candidate for FL-13 in 2014 and the 2014 special election (write-in)
Charles Frederick Tolbert, pastor (write-in)
David Weeks (write-in)
Withdrew
Edward Janowski
Scott McCatty (write-in)
Marcia R. Thorne, pastor
Angela Marie Walls-Windhauser, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016 (write-in)
General election
According to The Cook Political Report, the race was one of the 10 most competitive U.S. Senate races in the nation in 2018. It was also described as the most expensive U.S. Senate race in the country in 2018.
Scott's involvement in a large Medicare fraud case stirred controversy during the general election campaign. Scott responded with ads accusing Nelson of having cut Medicare benefits and stolen from Medicare; fact-checkers found that both of Scott's assertions were "mostly false." During the campaign, Scott characterize[s] Nelson as a "socialist"; PolitiFact described the assertion as "pants-on-fire" false.
Gun control was a key issue in this race. The election came less than nine months after the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland. Nelson also mentioned the Orlando nightclub shooting that occurred in June 2016 and killed 49 people, asserting that "nothing was done" by Scott's administration. In the wake of Stoneman Douglas, Scott raised the age to purchase a gun from 18 to 21, set a three-day waiting period to purchase assault-style weapons, and banned bump stocks—moves that Nelson described as "doing the bare...minimum". The National Rifle Association of America opposed Scott's legislation.
Environmental issues also took on a prominent role in the race. Scott and his administration had been heavily criticized for weakening regulations designed to protect the environment, even going as far as to instruct the FDEP not to use the words "climate change" or "global warming" in official reports. Because of this, Scott was blamed for the state's worsening algae blooms, even being dubbed "Red Tide Rick" on social media. Scott blamed the toxic blooms on Nelson and on Congress' general inefficiency.
During the campaign, Scott sought to avoid mentioning President Trump and at times criticized or distanced himself from actions of the Trump administration. Prior to the campaign, he had used his friendship with Trump to boost his profile, had been an early and vocal supporter of Trump in 2016, and reportedly spoke to President Trump every one or two weeks. Trump endorsed Scott in his Senate bid.
Both Nelson's and Scott's responses to Hurricanes Irma and Michael (which made landfall in September 2017 and October 2018, respectively) were closely watched during the campaign season.
Scott made Nelson's age an issue in the campaign.
A 2024 study found that the confusing ballot design in Broward County, which flouted federal guidelines on ballot design, led approximately 25,000 voters to undervote in the 2018 Senate election. As the race was determined by less than 10,000 votes, some have speculated that the ballot design flaws contributed to the election outcome. However, the study concluded that this was unlikely to be the case.
Debates
Complete video of debate, October 2, 2018
Endorsements
Rick Scott (R)
George W. Bush, 43rd president of the United States 2001–2009; governor of Texas 1995–2000
Mike Pence, 48th vice president of the United States 2017–2021; governor of Indiana 2013–2017; U.S. representative from IN-6 2001–2013
Donald Trump, 45th president of the United States 2017–2021
John Cornyn, U.S. senator from Texas 2002–present
Joni Ernst, U.S. senator from Iowa 2015–present
Cory Gardner, U.S. senator from Colorado 2015–2021; U.S. representative from CO-4 2011–2015
Lindsey Graham, U.S. senator from South Carolina 2003–2026; U.S. representative from SC-3 1995–2003; candidate for president in 2016
Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader, U.S. senator from Kentucky 1985–present
Marco Rubio, U.S. senator from Florida 2011–2026; candidate for president in 2016
Tim Scott, U.S. senator from South Carolina 2013–present; U.S. representative from SC-1 2011–2013
Todd Young, U.S. senator from Indiana 2017–present; U.S. representative from IN-9 2011–2017
Ron DeSantis, U.S. representative from FL-6 2013–2018; Republican nominee for governor in 2018
Mario Díaz-Balart, U.S. representative from FL-25 2003–present
Neal Dunn, U.S. representative from FL-2 2017–present
Luis Fortuño, resident commissioner of Puerto Rico 2005–2009; governor 2009–2013 (New Progressive)
Matt Gaetz, U.S. representative from FL-1 2017–2024
Jenniffer González, resident ccmmissioner of Puerto Rico 2017–2025
Kevin McCarthy, House Majority Leader, U.S. representative from CA-23 2007–2023
Carlos Romero Barceló, resident commissioner of Puerto Rico 1993–2001; governor 1977–1985; mayor of San Juan 1969–1977 (New Progressive)
Francis Rooney, U.S. representative from FL-19 2017–2021
Haley Barbour, governor of Mississippi 2004–2012; Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in 1982
Jeb Bush, governor of Florida 1999–2007; candidate for president in 2016
Pam Bondi, Attorney General of Florida 2011–2019
Jimmy Patronis, Chief Financial Officer of Florida 2017–2025
Adam Putnam, Commissioner of Agriculture of Florida 2011-2019; U.S. representative from FL-12 2001–2011; candidate for governor in 2018
Luis G. Rivera Marín, Secretary of State of Puerto Rico 2017–2019 (New Progressive)