Florida Republicans appeared to force Miami Democratic state Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez into a recount Tuesday and fended off two fierce challenges to their narrow majority in the Florida Senate as a bitterly fought and expensive election cycle came to an end.
The Republican surge in Miami-Dade County that helped boost President Donald Trump’s margin in the state helped elect state House Rep. Ana Maria Rodriguez to Senate District 39 seat in South Miami-Dade and Monroe County, and Jason Brodeur, a Republican former state representative to Senate District 9 in Seminole and Volusia counties.
But the biggest surprise of the night was that Javier Rodriguez, who was first elected to the Senate four years ago, appeared headed for a recount against newcomer Ileana Garcia, a Republican who founded Latinas for Trump. With all precincts reporting at 10:30 p.m., Javier Rodriguez trailed Garcia by 110 votes, although the Miami-Dade elections officials said some vote-by-mail ballots were still uncounted.
Read more at our news partner the Miami Herald.
