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Florida to consider returning to party runoffs in 2026

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Florida to consider returning to party runoffs in 2026


Florida could soon reinstate primary runoffs for the first time since 2000.

A Committee bill filed Monday (PCB SAC 6) for the House State Affairs Committee would call for a second Primary to be held whenever more than two candidates file for a partisan office. It’s a significant election reform that could substantially extend the election season in Florida — though not until the 2026 cycle.

As drafted, the bill would call for a first Primary Election in every partisan race in Florida to be held 20 weeks before the General Election.

That would mean a state Primary would be scheduled for June 16, 2026, with a runoff held 10 weeks later on Aug. 25.

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A runoff wouldn’t happen if any candidate receives a majority vote on the first run, a guarantee if only two candidates file. Both would advance in the rare event of a tie between two candidates.

Florida used to hold Primary runoffs. Indeed, the political career of many of Florida’s most storied political leaders like former Gov. Bob Graham, owed statewide wins to the system. In Graham’s case, he came in second in a Democratic Primary for Governor in 1978 behind Robert Shevin, then won a runoff for the Democratic nomination before ultimately winning the Governor’s mansion in November.

Graham’s daughter, former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, endorsed the proposal.

“When no primary candidate gets more than 50% of the vote, runoffs allow for the strongest candidate in the general election,” the Panhandle Democrat said. “My Dad would not have been Governor without the runoff. Bringing back runoffs would be good for Florida and democracy.”

The younger Graham has her own history with runoffs— or the lack thereof. She ran for Governor in 2018 but lost the nomination to Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum in a crowded field with a winner-takes-all primary.  With a runoff, she and Gillum would have advanced and she might have consolidated a moderate wing of the party against the progressive. Gillum, who was under federal investigation as he ran, lost to Republican Ron DeSantis by an historically slim margin.

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Runoffs existed in Florida for most of the 20th century.

The state implemented a runoff system in 2001, setting a first Primary and a runoff four weeks apart, with the nomination for each party determined four weeks ahead of the General Election. About 12 years later, the state changed to a ranked-choice system, but by 1929, it re-established a Primary runoff system that would survive the century.

The state largely moved away from runoffs after 2002, when the federal Help America Vote Act became law. Scheduling issues prompted the state to suspend runoffs in 2002 and 2004 before formally repealing them in 2006.

Of course, the election cycle under the old runoff system was more abbreviated than what’s proposed now. The longer periods between the first Primary, Runoff and General elections would allow the state to comply with federal requirements about mailing ballots and other timing issues.

But this would also impact qualification deadlines, requiring just one qualifying period that runs 71 to 67 days before the first Primary. Currently, the state has separate qualifying periods, one for federal and judicial offices and one for state, county, School District and special taxing district offices.

This year, the first qualifying deadline ends on April 26, with the second deadline on June 14.

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Under the new law, the federal and judicial qualifying deadline in 2026 would be on Feb. 20, while the state and county qualifying deadline would be on April 6.

But a single qualifying deadline would occur sooner under the proposed law. In 2026, the qualifying for all offices impacted would be on April 10 at noon.

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Florida high school football team pulls off miraculous touchdown to help win state championship

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Florida high school football team pulls off miraculous touchdown to help win state championship


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A Florida high school state football championship finished with a phenomenal ending for one team and absolute heartbreak for the other on Saturday night.

Lake Mary High School was down six points with seven seconds left in the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 7A title game against Vero Beach. Noah Grubbs dropped back to pass and rolled to his right. He gained momentum and fired the ball, which was tipped and caught short of the goal line.

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A Lake Mary quarterback looks to throw in the FHSAA Class 7A state championship, Dec. 13, 2025, at Pitbull Stadium in Miami. (Crystal Vander Weit/TCPALM/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

As Vero Beach defenders tried to keep receiver Barrett Schultz out of the end zone, Schultz’s teammate Tavarius Brundidge Jr. came around and took the ball out of Schultz’s hands. Brundidge ran the ball into the end zone to complete the wild and chaotic play.

The touchdown tied the game, and Lake Mary would kick the extra point to win, 28-27.

INDIANA’S FERNANDO MENDOZA WINS 2025 HEISMAN TROPHY

A Lake Mary player in the FHSAA Class 7A state championship, Dec. 13, 2025, makes a catch at Pitbull Stadium in Miami. (Crystal Vander Weit/TCPALM/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

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“I was just hoping and praying like everyone else that he was going to come down with the football and Barrett did,” Lake Mary head coach Scott Perry said, via TC Palm. “… We were just going to keep fighting and fighting until the final whistle.”

Vero Beach tried to run out the clock the best they could. The team decided to take a safety with 12 seconds left, and gave the ball back to Lake Mary.

A Vero Beach player is stunned after the FHSAA Class 7A state championship, Dec. 13, 2025, at Pitbull Stadium in Miami. (Crystal Vander Weit/TCPALM/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

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It was the first state championship for Lake Mary in its history.

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Gisele Bündchen and Joaquim Valente enjoy Florida day date on jet skis

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Gisele Bündchen and Joaquim Valente enjoy Florida day date on jet skis


Gisele Bündchen and her boyfriend, Joaquim Valente, soaked up the sun during a jet skiing date in Florida.

The model and the MMA athlete appeared in good spirits while on the water near their home in Surfside on Saturday.

They both stayed close to each other and sported life vests.

Gisele Bündchen and her boyfriend, Joaquim Valente, were seen soaking up the sun on jet skis. BACKGRID
The couple enjoyed a date day in Surfside, Fla., on Saturday. BACKGRID

Bündchen, 35, appeared to be wearing a white one-piece bathing suit underneath her vest.

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She accessorized with sunglasses and styled her hair in a ponytail.

As for Valente, he sported black swim trunks.

At one point, the model was seen on the phone. BACKGRID
Bündchen sported a white swimsuit. BACKGRID

The couple, who have been romantically linked since 2023, enjoyed some quality time together after welcoming a son together in February.

While Bündchen and Valente have shied away from revealing too much about their infant, they recently took him out on a boat ride in September.

At the time, the former Victoria’s Secret model was seen cradling her son while her beau took the wheel.

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She also wore a life vest. BACKGRID
The health guru accessorized with sunglasses. BACKGRID

Valente then adorably held onto their 10-month-old, as Bündchen watched in awe.

The health guru also shared a rare glimpse of her son alongside her 16-year-old son, Benjamin, in October.

The teenager adorably held onto his little brother while playing the piano.

She also wore her hair up. BACKGRID
Bündchen was seen on her phone while at a standstill. BACKGRID

Bündchen shares Benjamin and her daughter Vivian, 13, with her ex-husband, Tom Brady.

The exes were wed from 2009 to 2022.

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The former NFL star also shares an 18-year-old son, Jack, with his ex Bridget Moynahan.



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Florida Class 4A state championship: How to watch American Heritage vs. Jones

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Florida Class 4A state championship: How to watch American Heritage vs. Jones


The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) football state championships continued last night down in Miami at Pitbull Stadium as the Raines Vikings upset the Northwestern Bulls for the the Class 3A state championship, provind the most exciting game of the week thus far. Another rematch from last year’s finals pits the American Heritage Patriots versus the Jones Tigers for the Class 4A state championship this afternoon. We preview the sixth of seven FHSAA state championship games as teams begin being crowned as champions of their classifications.

How to Watch American Heritage vs. Jones in Florida 4A state championship game

Date: Saturday, Dec. 13
Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
Location: Pitbull Stadium in Miami, Fla.
TV Channel: NFHS Network

American Heritage Players to Watch

QB Leon Strawder: Strawder is making his second consecutive appearance in a state championship game, this time with a different team, however. The senior has thrown for 2,052 yards and 19 touchdowns.

WR Jamar Denson: Of the star-studded wide receiving corps for American Heritage, its Denson who has been Mr. Reliable thus far this season. Throughout the course of the season, Denson has hauled in 69 passes for 991 yards and 15 touchdowns.

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WR Jeffar Jean-Noel: The Georgia Tech commit has been the second option behind Denson on offense, with Jean-Noel catching 57 passes for 795 yards and six touchdowns.

LB Dylan Bennett: Anchoring the front seven of the Patriots’ defense is the senior linebacker, who currently leads the team with 61 total tackles, 17 them going for a loss and five sacks.

Jones Players to Watch

QB Dereon Coleman: The Miami signee is as calm as they come in the pocket as the senior quarterback has thrown for 2,749 yards, 28 touchdowns and only three picks this Florida high school football season.

WR Larry Miles: Coleman’s favorite target to throw to is the Nebraska signee as the senior looks to end his high school career with a state crown. Miles has caught 88 passes for 1,111 and 10 touchdowns.

OL Xavier Payne: The 6-foot-7, 275-pound Colorado offensive tackle signee will have the job of making sure Coleman stands upright throughout the afternoon against American Heritage’s pass rush.

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EDGE Frederick Ards: The 2027 four-star EDGE rusher for the Tigers has been superb, racking up 73 tackles, 13 for loss and 11 sacks.

Where to Watch the Florida Class 4A state championship on livestream:

You can watch the American Heritage Patriots take on the Jones Tigers starting at 12:30 p.m. ET on NFHS Network.

For Florida high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Sunshine State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the high school football excitement across the state of Florida.



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