Fewest Florida state legislative incumbents facing primary challenges since 2010

Florida has 46 contested state legislative primaries in 2024, a decrease of 43% from the preceding cycle.

Nineteen of these primaries are for Democrats, down 39% from 31 in 2022. Republicans have 27 primaries, a 45% decrease from 49 in 2022.

Thirteen incumbents face primary challenges, the fewest since tracking began in 2010 and representing 12% of all incumbents running for re-election. The average number of contested incumbents each election cycle from 2010 to 2022 was 22.

Of the 13 incumbents in contested primaries, eight are Democrats and five are Republicans.

In total, 336 major party candidates—172 Democrats and 164 Republicans—filed to run. All 120 House seats and 20 of 40 Senate seats are up for election. Thirty-one of those seats are open, meaning no incumbents filed. This is the fewest since 2014, when 18 seats were open.

Florida has a Republican trifecta and has had a Republican trifecta every year since 1999 except 2010, when then-Governor Charlie Crist became an Independent. Republicans currently have an 84-36 majority in the House and a 28-12 majority in the Senate.

Florida’s state legislative primaries are scheduled for August 20.