Republicans Sweep All Five Florida Legislative Races
Republicans won every state legislative race involving Manatee County voters in the November 3, 2026 election, with Jim Boyd slated to become Senate president.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Republicans won all five Florida legislative races involving Manatee County voters on November 3, 2026. Jim Boyd won re-election to Senate District 20 with nearly 56% of the vote and is slated to become Senate president.
Why it matters
The results keep Republican control of the districts covering Manatee County and set up leadership changes in the Florida Senate. Two open seats were created as term limits prevented Joe Gruters and Will Robinson Jr. from seeking re-election.
Winners in the five races took between 53% and 62% of the vote, with Senate District 22 winner James Buchanan at 55% against independent Martin Hyde at 3%. The extraction does not indicate any contested outcomes or pending recounts.
The players
Jim Boyd
Jim Boyd is a Florida Republican state senator serving as Senate majority leader who previously served in the Florida House before his 2020 Senate election.
James Buchanan
James Buchanan is a Florida Republican who has served in the Florida House since 2018 and now replaces Joe Gruters in Senate District 22.
The details
Jim Boyd won re-election to Senate District 20, which covers most of Manatee County and part of southern Hillsborough County, while James Buchanan won the Senate District 22 seat that Joe Gruters vacated under term limits. In the House, Michael Owen, Bill Conerly and Jordan Varnadore retained or won seats in districts 70, 71 and 72, with Varnadore succeeding Will Robinson Jr.
Timeline
November 3, 2026: Florida legislative elections held and Republicans won all five races
2018: James Buchanan began serving in the Florida House
2020: Jim Boyd elected to the Florida Senate after serving in the House
2024: Bill Conerly first ran for state office and won
Seasonal Patterns
Term limits under Florida's state constitution produced the two open seats that Buchanan and Varnadore won, continuing a pattern of leadership turnover in the Legislature. Both winners replaced long-serving incumbents who could not run again under those limits.
Florida voters in these districts now have newly elected representatives who will set state policy starting with the next legislative session. The changes affect the Senate leadership structure and the district representation for residents of Manatee, Sarasota and Hillsborough counties.
The takeaway
Term limits are reshaping Florida's Legislature, and voters in the affected districts now have new representatives to hold accountable. Tracking committee assignments in the coming session will show how the new leadership handles their agendas.
Further reading
For more on the candidates and results, see Elections coverage across Florida.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Bradenton Herald.
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