WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida U.S. Sen. Rick Scott has his sights on a GOP leadership role, but first he must get past two candidates in the state’s Republican primary on Tuesday.
Scott, who won his Senate spot by a margin of about 10,000 votes in 2018, is aiming to run for Senate Republican leader to replace retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
If Scott wins the primary, he would face a Democratic opponent in November.
The Democratic frontrunner is former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who got President Joe Biden’s endorsement in April and has campaigned for the past year against Scott.
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The senate seat is not the only one in Florida to watch, since some of the state’s congressional races include the most well-known far-right lawmakers.
One such example is U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, who must defeat his primary challenger Aaron Dimmick. That race has been fueled by a barrage of campaign advertisements, with Gaetz accusing Dimmick of being a carpetbagger who moved from Missouri to the Florida Panhandle to promote diversity and inclusion. Meanwhile Dimmick has highlighted allegations of sexual misconduct against Gaetz.
U.S. Reps. Byron Donalds and Mike Waltz are also widely known conservative legislators. Donalds doesn’t have any primary challengers and Waltz is facing John Grow, a software engineer who may struggle to upend the conservative lawmaker. Waltz, however, has spoken at former President Donald Trump’s campaign events, made Fox News appearances and appeared at the Republican National Convention last month.
U.S. Rep. Cory Mills, who is also closely aligned with Trump and has staunchly defended Gaetz in the past, is defending his seat versus former Florida Senate candidate and veteran Mike Johnson.
Each of these congressional members are far-right conservatives in Congress, known mostly for their alignment with Trump. They’ve led charges to defend the former president, stalled appropriations bills and budget deals, upended former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and fought for stricter regulations on abortion access and immigration.
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Florida voters will also decide contested primaries in most of Florida’s 28 House districts.
Among the higher-profile House races is in District 13, in Pinellas County along Florida’s Gulf coast. The incumbent is Republican freshman Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a member of the right-wing Freedom Caucus, who faces no primary opposition.
Five Democrats are battling to take on Luna in the fall for a seat that leans Republican but could possibly flip parties. The leader in endorsements and fundraising is Whitney Fox, former marketing and communications director at the county transit authority. Others include former congressional aide Liz Dahan and former Health and Human Services Department adviser Sabrina Bousbar.
This Week in South Florida Full Episode: March 1, 2026
PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. — On the latest episode of “This Week in South Florida” host Janine Stanwood welcomes President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Broward County Audra Berg, Secretary General of the Assembly of the Cuban Resistance Orlando Gutierrez-Boronat, Division Director of Flood Control and Water Supply Planning for the South Florida Water Management District Carolina Maran, State Rep. Juan Carlos Porras and State Rep. Kevin Chambliss.
The full episode can be seen at the top of this page.
Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.
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Janine Stanwood
Janine Stanwood is a Emmy award-winning reporter and anchor. She joined Local 10 News in February 2004 as an assignment editor.
South Florida leaders are taking preventative measures to keep residents safe after the U.S. and Israel launched major strikes on Iran early Saturday morning.
Miami-Dade County mayor Daniella-Levine Cava issued a statement reacting to the military operation that President Trump dubbed on Truth Social as “Operation Epic Fury.”
The statement reads: “The escalating conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran poses serious risks to regional stability and international safety.”
She goes on to say that her thoughts are “with the people of Israel and the Jewish community here in South Florida who are watching these events with worry and uncertainty.” She also says the Iranian people “deserve peace, safety, dignity, and the freedom to live without repression.”
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Of the Trump administration’s decision to launch the military operation, Levine-Cava writes: “Any military action taken without congressional authorization is a dangerous precedent, and we must learn from our nation’s past challenges. What must come next is a serious effort to restore stability and pursue diplomacy, not further violence.”
As for measures she will be taking, she says she asked her Chief of Public Safety to “ensure public safety agencies are aware and ready to activate plans in case of any disruption.”
The Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz also issued a statement saying that MDSO is “taking immediate security measures by increasing patrols to ensure the safety of our residents.” She said that they have increased security presence around places of worship, cultural centers, and schools.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the servicemen and women protecting our national security interests around the globe,” Cordero-Stutz wrote.
Aventura Police have also responded to the current situation on X, saying that they are monitoring the “current situation in the Middle East with our local, state, and federal partners.”
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@aventurapoliceis monitoring the current situation in the Middle East with our local, state and federal partners. At this time there are no known or credible threats to the US or Miami-Dade County. In an abundance of caution, we have implemented a heightened security posture with directed patrols at our religious facilities and other sensitive locations throughout @cityofaventuraWe will continue to monitor and report any suspicious behavior.https://x.com/aventurapolice/status/2027787245164335222/photo/1
X/Aventura Police
They go on to say: “At this time, there are no known or credible threats to the U.S. or Miami-Dade County.” However, they note that in “an abundance of caution,” they will be increasing security in religious facilities and other locations they deem as “sensitive” throughout the city.
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The City of Miami Beach also posted its statement to X, saying it is also “closely monitoring the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.” They also note that at this time, there are no known credible threats to the city.
They write: “Out of an abundance of caution, we have increased our uniformed presence at synagogues, schools, and other key locations citywide. We remain in close coordination with our law enforcement partners and leaders within the faith-based community.”
Miami Beach Police Department Increases Patrols Ahead of Purim Amid Ongoing Middle East Conflicthttps://x.com/MiamiBeachPD/status/2027752171173773807/photo/1
X/Miami Beach Police
They also urge residents to report any “suspicious or unlawful activity” to call their non-emergency number at 305-673-7901 or, if it is an emergency, call 911.
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Other cities’ police departments, such as Bal Harbour, Sunny Isles Beach, and Hallendale Beach, posted on their social media that they will also increase security measures after the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran.
