The 2018 Florida gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2018, to elect the next governor of Florida, alongside an election to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and other state and local elections. Incumbent two-term Republican Governor Rick Scott was term-limited and could not run for a third term, and he successfully ran for Florida's Class I Senate seat.
Republican U.S. representative Ron DeSantis narrowly defeated Democratic mayor of Tallahassee Andrew Gillum for the governorship, in what some considered an upset. The candidate filing deadline was June 22, 2018, and primary elections were held on August 28. Florida uses a closed primary process, in which the selection of each party's candidates for a general election is limited to registered members of that party; Gillum won the Democratic primary and DeSantis the Republican primary.
The close margin mandated a machine recount, which had a deadline of November 15, 2018. After the recount was complete, DeSantis was certified as the winner. Gillum conceded on November 17. DeSantis's victory marked the sixth straight election in which Florida elected a Republican to the governorship, and the third in a row that neither candidate received over 50% of the vote. With a margin of 0.4%, this election was the closest race of the 2018 gubernatorial election cycle, and also the closest gubernatorial election in Florida history. Gillum became the first Democrat to win Duval County since 1986 and Seminole County since 1990, while DeSantis became the first Republican gubernatorial candidate to win Jefferson County since 1884.
Republican primary
Nominee
Ron DeSantis, U.S. representative from the 6th district and Iraq War veteran
Eliminated in primary
Don Baldauf, contractor Timothy Devine, candidate for governor of Florida in 2014 Bob Langford, attorney John Joseph Mercadante, Republican National Committee official Bruce Nathan, physical therapist and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2016 Adam Putnam, Florida commissioner of agriculture and former U.S. representative Bob White, chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus of Florida
Withdrawn
Issak Almaleh, notary Frederick Buntin, incarcerated felon Usha Jain, medical director Jack Latvala, former Florida state senator Armando Adames Rivas, banker Angel Rivera, businessman, political strategist Nathan Dale Wilson
Declined
Jeff Atwater, former chief financial officer of Florida Pam Bondi, Florida attorney general (endorsed Putnam) Richard Corcoran, speaker of the Florida House of Representatives (endorsed Putnam) John Delaney, former mayor of Jacksonville Mike Huckabee, former governor of Arkansas and candidate for president in 2008 and in 2016 Francis Rooney, U.S. representative Marco Rubio, U.S. senator from Florida and candidate for president in 2016 Will Weatherford, former speaker of the Florida House of Representatives
Endorsements
Polling
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error RichardCorcoran RonDeSantis JackLatvala AdamPutnam BobWhite Other UndecidedGravis MarketingGravis Marketing August 21–25, 2018 579 ± 4.1% – 39% – 27% 6% 4% 23%St. Pete PollsSt. Pete Polls August 22–23, 2018 2,141 ± 2.1% – 56% – 33% 3% – 8%Gravis MarketingGravis Marketing August 21–22, 2018 321 ± 5.5% – 39% – 24% 6% 4% 26%Florida Atlantic UniversityFlorida Atlantic University August 16–20, 2018 222 ± 6.5% – 32% – 31% 2% 13% 22%Saint Leo UniversitySaint Leo University August 10–16, 2018 172 – – 41% – 52% – 5% –SurveyUSASurveyUSA August 10–13, 2018 558 ± 5.2% – 40% – 38% 2% 5% 16%North Star Opinion Research (R-DeSantis)North Star Opinion Research (R-DeSantis) August 5–7, 2018 600 ± 4.0% – 50% – 30% – – –Mason-DixonMason-Dixon July 23–25, 2018 500 ± 4.5% – 41% – 29% 0% 2% 28%Florida Atlantic UniversityFlorida Atlantic University July 20–21, 2018 262 ± 6.0% – 36% – 27% 3% 12% 23%Clearview ResearchClearview Research July 14–19, 2018 700 ± 4.0% – 38% – 39% – – 23%St. Pete PollsSt. Pete Polls July 16–17, 2018 1,709 ± 2.4% – 50% – 30% 4% – 17%Gravis MarketingGravis Marketing July 13–14, 2018 905 ± 3.3% – 35% – 29% 4% 25%Fabrizio, Lee and Associates (R)Fabrizio, Lee and Associates (R) July 8–12, 2018 349 ± 5.2% – 42% – 30% – – 27%Remington (R-Tenth Amendment Project)Remington (R-Tenth Amendment Project) July 2–5, 2018 2,826 ± 1.8% – 43% – 26% – – 25%1892 Polling (R-DeSantis)1892 Polling (R-DeSantis) July 2, 2018 800 ± 3.4% – 47% – 28% – –Marist CollegeMarist College June 17–21, 2018 326 ± 6.7% – 21% – 38% – 3% 39%Fox NewsFox News June 15–19, 2018 901 ± 3.0% – 17% – 32% 3% 5%Gravis MarketingGravis Marketing May 31 – June 15, 2018 543 ± 4.2% 4% 19% – 29% 5% – 43%Cherry CommunicationsCherry Communications June 7–9, 2018 501 ± 5.3% – 15% – 32% – 5% 48%Saint Leo UniversitySaint Leo University May 25–31, 2018 175 – – 13% – 35% – 9% 44%Florida Atlantic UniversityFlorida Atlantic University May 4–7, 2018 371 ± 5.0% – 16% – 15% 3% 24% 43%1892 Polling (R-DeSantis)1892 Polling (R-DeSantis) April 19–23, 2018 800 ± 3.4% 7% 30% – 23% – – 40% – 30% – 26% – – 44%Gravis MarketingGravis Marketing February 26 – March 19, 2018 – – 3% 19% 0% 17% 0% – 60%North Star Opinion Research (R-DeSantis)North Star Opinion Research (R-DeSantis) March 12–15, 2018 600 – <6% 21% – 19% – – – – 28% – 23% – – –Saint Leo UniversitySaint Leo University February 18–24, 2018 175 – 7% 14% 3% 15% 5% 9% 46%Big Data PollBig Data Poll February 17–18, 2018 297 – – 15% 0% 17% 5% 4% 60%Gravis MarketingGravis Marketing February 1–18, 2018 – – 3% 16% 0% 18% 2% – 61%Mason-DixonMason-Dixon January 29 – February 1, 2018 500 ± 4.5% 7% 23% – 27% – – 43%RemingtonRemington December 30–31, 2017 1,423 ± 2.6% 3% 28% – 25% – – 44%Gravis MarketingGravis Marketing December 19–24, 2017 – – 2% 12% 2% 23% 1% – 60%Saint Leo UniversitySaint Leo University November 19–24, 2017 166 – 5% 15% 4% 10% 63%Cherry CommunicationsCherry Communications September 17–24, 2017 256 – 1% 9% 26% – 3% 59%Saint Leo UniversitySaint Leo University September 10–16, 2017 173 – 4% 7% 20% 2% 11% 44%Florida Atlantic UniversityFlorida Atlantic University August 24–26, 2017 304 ± 6.5% 10% 9% 27% – – 53%
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error JeffAtwater RickBaker PamBondi RichardCorcoran MikeHuckabee UshaJain DavidJolly JackLatvala AdamPutnam WillWeatherford Other UndecidedGravis MarketingGravis Marketing March 28–29, 2017 – – – 2% – 5% – – 5% 4% 21% – – 63%Saint Leo UniversitySaint Leo University March 3–11, 2017 175 – – 6% – 5% 30% 2% – 3% 13% – 8% 34%Associated Industries of FloridaAssociated Industries of Florida February 14–17, 2017 800 ± 3.5% – – – 4% – – – – 22% – – 71%Cherry CommunicationsCherry Communications December 3–8, 2016 – – – – – – – – – – 22% – – 64%Saint Leo UniversitySaint Leo University November 27–30, 2016 – – 5% 1% – 2% 32% – – – 6% 1% 7% 47%StPetePolls.orgStPetePolls.org August 2, 2016 1,835 ± 2.3% 7% 3% 26% 1% 37% – – – 8% 1% 7% 12%
Results
Democratic primary
Nominee Andrew Gillum, mayor of Tallahassee
Eliminated in primary Gwen Graham, former U.S. representative and daughter of former U.S. senator and former governor Bob Graham Jeff Greene, real estate billionaire and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010 Chris King, entrepreneur and founder of Elevation Financial Group Philip Levine, former mayor of Miami Beach Alex Lundmark, real estate agent John Wetherbee, entrepreneur
Withdrew Henry E. Davis, judge Richard Paul Dembinsky, candidate for U.S. representative in 2016 and candidate for governor in 2006 Lucretia Fordyce, activist Josue Larose, perennial candidate Brooke Russell Locke Marx, notary Louis McClanahan, plant operator
Declined Bob Buckhorn, mayor of Tampa Kathy Castor, U.S. representative (ran for reelection) Charlie Crist, U.S. representative, former governor of Florida, and nominee for governor in 2014 (ran for reelection) Buddy Dyer, mayor of Orlando Rick Kriseman, mayor of St. Petersburg John Morgan, lawyer and medical marijuana advocate Patrick Murphy, former U.S. representative and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2016 Bill Nelson, U.S. senator (ran for reelection) Jeremy Ring, former Florida state senator (ran for CFO) Jack Seiler, mayor of Fort Lauderdale
Endorsements
Polling
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error AndrewGillum GwenGraham JeffGreene ChrisKing PhilipLevine Other UndecidedSt. Pete PollsSt. Pete Polls August 25–26, 2018 2,342 ± 2.0% 25% 32% 11% 2% 22% 4% 5%Gravis Marketing August 21–25, 2018 531 ± 4.3% 16% 26% 19% 5% 18% – 17%Gravis Marketing August 21–22, 2018 308 ± 5.6% 15% 26% 19% 5% 18% – 17%Schroth, Eldon and Associates (D)Schroth, Eldon and Associates (D) August 19–21, 2018 669 ± 3.8% 18% 25% 13% 2% 26% – 15%Florida Atlantic University August 16–20, 2018 280 ± 6.3% 11% 29% 11% 10% 17% 3% 19%Change Research (D-Gillum)Change Research (D-Gillum) August 18–19, 2018 1,178 – 33% 22% 10% – 22% – –St. Pete PollsSt. Pete Polls August 18–19, 2018 2,202 ± 2.1% 21% 27% 15% 3% 25% 4% 6%Saint Leo University August 10–16, 2018 188 – 15% 31% 17% 5% 22% 4% –Schroth, Eldon and Associates (D)Schroth, Eldon and Associates (D) August 11–14, 2018 600 ± 4.0% 15% 24% 13% 3% 27% – 18%SurveyUSASurveyUSA August 10–13, 2018 631 ± 5.2% 11% 22% 16% 3% 22% 2% 24%Public Policy Polling (D-Levine)Public Policy Polling (D-Levine) August 5–6, 2018 572 – 13% 26% 16% 4% 22% – 19%ALG Research (D-Graham)ALG Research (D-Graham) July 29 – August 2, 2018 800 ± 3.4% 10% 33% 13% 3% 17% – 23%St. Pete PollsSt. Pete Polls July 30–31, 2018 1,652 ± 2.4% 12% 29% 23% 3% 19% 4% 9%Mason-Dixon July 23–25, 2018 500 ± 4.5% 10% 27% 12% 7% 18% 1% 25%Florida Atlantic University July 20–21, 2018 271 ± 5.9% 7% 20% 14% 9% 16% 3% 31%Associated Industries of FloridaAssociated Industries of Florida July 16–18, 2018 800 – 12% 24% 13% 4% 16% – –Frederick PollsFrederick Polls July 2018 506 – 15% 28% 23% 7% 27% – –St. Pete PollsSt. Pete Polls July 14–15, 2018 1,314 ± 2.7% 10% 22% 22% 3% 19% 1% 25%Gravis Marketing July 13–14, 2018 1,540 ± 2.5% 10% 27% 18% – 17% – 27%Marist College June 17–21, 2018 344 ± 6.5% 8% 17% 4% 3% 19% 1% 47%RABA ResearchRABA Research June 15–16, 2018 660 ± 3.8% 8% 26% 3% 15% 27% – 21%Gravis Marketing May 31 – June 15, 2018 485 ± 4.5% 29% 24% – 3% 17% – 27%Let's Preserve the American DreamLet's Preserve the American Dream June 6–9, 2018 800 ± 3.1% 11% 21% 3% 4% 24% – 37%Schroth, Eldon and Associates (D)Schroth, Eldon and Associates (D) June 3–5, 2018 600 ± 4.0% 11% 16% 4% 6% 32% – 31%Saint Leo University May 25–31, 2018 195 – 10% 14% – 6% 14% 9% 47%Public Policy Polling (D-Levine)Public Policy Polling (D-Levine) May 21–22, 2018 583 – 12% 20% – 6% 30% – 33%Change Research (D-Gillum)Change Research (D-Gillum) May 8–11, 2018 1,107 ± 3.0% 13% 13% – 3% 20% – 52%Florida Atlantic University May 4–7, 2018 372 ± 3.0% 6% 15% – 10% 16% 11% 42%Public Policy Polling (D-EDGE Comms.)Public Policy Polling (D-EDGE Comms.) April 10–11, 2018 491 – 8% 23% – 4% 29% – 36%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling March 23–25, 2018 613 – 8% 19% – 5% 22% – 46%Gravis Marketing February 26 – March 19, 2018 – – 11% 9% 2% 2% 13% – 64%Saint Leo University February 18–24, 2018 190 – 10% 17% 5% 7% 8% 3% 50%Gravis Marketing February 1–18, 2018 – – 9% 12% 1% 2% 12% – 63%Mason-Dixon January 29 – February 1, 2018 500 ± 4.5% 10% 20% – 4% 17% – 49%Gravis Marketing December 19–24, 2017 – – 12% 18% 2% 3% 6% – 60%