2026 United States Senate special election in Florida

The 2026 United States Senate special election in Florida is expected to be held on November 3, 2026, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Florida, to finish the last two years of former Republican Senator Marco Rubio's term, who resigned his seat to become United States secretary of state in President Donald Trump's second administration. The primary election will be held August 18, 2026.

Source: Wikipedia

Article

2026 United States Senate special election in Florida

According to Florida law, if a U.S. Senate seat becomes vacant, the governor has authority to appoint a temporary replacement until the next general election. The appointee holds the position until the vacancy is filled by a special election during the next general election cycle, which, in this case, is scheduled for November 3, 2026. Governor Ron DeSantis chose Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to replace Rubio. She is running in the special election to complete the term.

This will be the first U.S. Senate special election in Florida since (/wiki/1936UnitedStatesSenatespecialelectionsinFlorida).

Interim appointment

Appointee

• Ashley Moody, Florida attorney general (2019–2025)

Considered but not appointed

• Kat Cammack, U.S. representative from Florida's 3rd congressional district (2021–present) • Jay Collins, state senator from the 14th district (2022–2025) • Laurel Lee, U.S. representative from Florida's 15th congressional district (2023–present) • Cory Mills, U.S. representative from Florida's 7th congressional district (2023–present) • James Uthmeier, chief of staff to Governor Ron DeSantis (2021–2025)

Declined to be considered

• Ron DeSantis, governor of Florida (2019–present), former U.S. representative from Florida's 6th congressional district (2013–2018), candidate for U.S. Senate in (/wiki/2016UnitedStatesSenateelectioninFlorida), and candidate for president in (/wiki/2024UnitedStatespresidentialelection) • Lara Trump, former co-chair of the Republican National Committee (2024–2025) and daughter-in-law of President Donald Trump

Republican primary

Declared

• Jake Lang, podcaster and participant in the January 6 U.S. Capitol attack • Ashley Moody, incumbent U.S. senator (2025–present)

Filed paperwork

• Josue Larose, lobbyist and perennial candidate • Alix Toulme, religion founder and perennial candidate

Declined

• Matt Gaetz, former U.S. representative from Florida's 1st congressional district (2017–2024)

Fundraising

Democratic primary

Declared

• Joey Atkins, attorney and nominee for Florida's 26th congressional district in (/wiki/2024UnitedStatesHouseofRepresentativeselectionsinFlorida#District26) • Alex Gould, business owner • Alan Grayson, former U.S. representative from Florida's 9th congressional district (2009–2011, 2013–2017) • Hector Mujica, tech executive • Angie Nixon, state representative from the 13th district (2020–present) • Alex Vindman, former director of European affairs for the U.S. National Security Council, whistleblower in the 2019 Trump–Ukraine scandal, and brother of U.S. representative Eugene Vindman

Filed paperwork

• Paul Cruz • Frank Dimola • Kael Dougherty • Evelyn McBride, life coach • Dennis Stevens

Withdrawn

• Jennifer Jenkins, former Brevard County school board member (running for U.S. House, endorsed Vindman) • Tamika Lyles, former chair of the Osceola County Democratic Black Caucus (running for U.S. House) • Josh Weil, teacher, nominee for Florida's 6th congressional district in the 2025 special election, and candidate for U.S. Senate in (/wiki/2022UnitedStatesSenateelectioninFlorida)

Declined

• Jerry Demings, Mayor of Orange County (2018–present) and husband of former U.S. representative Val Demings (running for governor)

Fundraising

<table><thead><tr><th>Campaign finance reports as of December 31, 2025</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Candidate</td><td>Raised</td><td>Spent</td><td>Cash on hand</td></tr><tr><td>Joey Atkins (D)</td><td>$6,193</td><td>$5,378</td><td>$814</td></tr><tr><td>Alan Grayson (D)</td><td>$137,892</td><td>$138,795</td><td>$126,014</td></tr><tr><td>Tamika Lyles (D)</td><td>$22,877</td><td>$3,048</td><td>$19,828</td></tr><tr><td>Hector Mujica (D)</td><td>$463,668</td><td>$310,124</td><td>$153,544</td></tr><tr><td>Angie Nixon (D)</td><td>$97,680</td><td>$2,649</td><td>$95,031</td></tr><tr><td>Source: Federal Election Commission</td></tr></tbody></table>

Independents

Declined

• John Morgan, lawyer and founder of Morgan & Morgan

General election

Predictions

<table><thead><tr><th>Source</th><th>Ranking</th><th>As of</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Inside Elections</td><td>Solid R</td><td>January 12, 2026</td></tr><tr><td>The Cook Political Report</td><td>Solid R</td><td>January 12, 2026</td></tr><tr><td>Sabato's Crystal Ball</td><td>Likely R</td><td>January 29, 2026</td></tr><tr><td>Race To The WH</td><td>Lean R</td><td>February 2, 2026</td></tr></tbody></table>

Polling

<table><thead><tr><th>Poll source</th><th>Date(s) administered</th><th>Sample size</th><th>Margin of error</th><th>Ashley Moody (R)</th><th>Angie Nixon (D)</th><th>Other</th><th>Undecided</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>University of North Florida</td><td>February 21 – March 2, 2026</td><td>786 (LV)</td><td>± 4.0%</td><td>46%</td><td>38%</td><td>2%</td><td>15%</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table><thead><tr><th>Poll source</th><th>Date(s) administered</th><th>Sample size</th><th>Margin of error</th><th>Ashley Moody (R)</th><th>Alexander Vindman (D)</th><th>Other</th><th>Undecided</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>University of North Florida</td><td>February 21 – March 2, 2026</td><td>786 (LV)</td><td>± 4.0%</td><td>45%</td><td>38%</td><td>2%</td><td>15%</td></tr></tbody></table>