FLORIDA: Bill Nelson Concedes After Final Recount

The Associated Press reports:

Florida’s recount is over and Republican Gov. Rick Scott leads incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in the state’s contentious Senate race by more than 10,000 votes.

Official results posted by the state on Sunday showed Scott ahead of Nelson following legally required hand and machine recounts. State officials will certify the final totals Tuesday. The results show that Scott is poised to end Nelson’s lengthy political career.

Scott spent more than $60 million of his own money on ads that portrayed Nelson as out-of-touch and ineffective. Nelson responded by questioning Scott’s ethics and saying he would be under the sway of President Donald Trump.

Florida Today reports:



Democrat Nikki Fried hung on through the recount process to defeat Republican Matt Caldwell in the agriculture commission race by 6,753 votes out of more than 8 million cast. She will replace Nelson as the only Democrat holding statewide office in Florida.

Republican former congressman Ron DeSantis will be the state’s next governor after Democratic Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum conceded Friday afternoon. A machine recount that ended Thursday showing DeSantis with a 32,463 vote lead.