Florida’s Surprising Blackity-Black Election Wins and What They Mean For the State’s Future

In a world where the Democratic Party is struggling to regroup after its presidential election loss last November, an unexpected win in a swing state could prove vital to the next four years. As such, Democrats in Florida are celebrating landslide victory after a special election turned the tide in a state known for supporting President Donald Trump. And it’s who was elected that’s especially turning heads.

LaVon Bracy Davis was elected to representative Florida in the House back in 2022. But in February, a spot in the Senate became vacant when Sen. Geraldine Thompson died at age 76. That’s when Bracy Davis decided to run in a special election, leaving her seat in the House up for grabs. Enter RaShon Young, a former NASA engineer turned legislative staffer.

Young ran to fill Bracy Davis’ spot, and to many voters’ surprise, both Black politicians won on Tuesday’s (Sept. 2) election by very wide margins.

Bracy Davis defeated her Republican opponent with 72.6 percent of the votes, according to unofficial results from the Orange County supervisor of elections. Young won by 72 percent. And in a state where about 17 percent of residents are Black, according to Blackdemographics.com, this victory matter more than you may think.

Why Is This Important?

For starters, Florida has been dominated by Republicans since Trump walked onto the political scene in 2015. The mostly red state hasn’t voted for a Democratic president since Barack Obama. With that said, Young and Bracy Davis wins mark uncharted territory for the red state, which could indicate a turn in Florida’s political landscape.

It’s also important to note that President Trump’s approval rating in the state continues to drop. According to a Civiqs poll, his net approval rating was negative one point in May, with 49 percent of people disapproving of his job so far. Anti-Trump protesters continue to flood the streets of Florida, even as recent as during Labor Day weekend in Tampa Bay. Growing dissent from Trump indicates a shift away from him at the time where he needs support the most.

Fla. Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said Young and Bracy Davis’ victories are a reaction to bubbling frustrating for residents. According to Fried, Floridians are upset with “political posturing, wasteful spending, and the never-ending culture wars” affecting everyday issues like education and cost of living. With that, many voters feel the political party currently running the show– the GOP– needs to change.

“Senator-elect LaVon Bracy Davis and Representative-elect RaShon Young are true community advocates,” Fried said in a statement. “They care about and are ready to fight for what Central Floridians care about most: lower costs of living, safer communities, and change driven by and for the people.”