Calatayud Wins Narrow Re-Election in District 38
Republican Alexis Calatayud holds her Florida Senate seat after defeating Democrat Richard Lamondin by 1,576 votes.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Elections
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Alexis Calatayud won re-election to Florida Senate District 38 with 49.5% of the vote, narrowly defeating Democratic challenger Richard Lamondin, who received 48.7%. Lamondin conceded after results showed a margin of less than one percentage point.
Why it matters
The close result signals that the Live Local Act, a state housing law Calatayud authored, remains a contested issue among Florida voters. Lamondin made opposition to the law a central plank of his campaign.
Calatayud won with 49.5% of the vote to Lamondin's 48.7%, a margin of 1,576 votes, while independent Jeffrey Solomon took 1.8%. Her 2022 victory was wider, at 54% against Janelle Perez, and it is unclear from the extraction how the Live Local Act debate shaped the shift.
The players
Alexis Calatayud
Florida state senator who authored the Live Local Act and defended it as a response to the state's housing crisis.
Richard Lamondin
Democratic challenger who ran a campaign centered on opposition to the Live Local Act and conceded after the close result.
The details
Senate District 38 covers parts of southeastern Miami-Dade County, including Coconut Grove, a neighborhood facing development pressure and rising costs. The Live Local Act gives qualifying developers additional building rights in exchange for reserving 40% of apartments for affordable or workforce housing.
Timeline
2022: Calatayud won her first Senate term against Janelle Perez.
November 3, 2026: Senate District 38 election held and Calatayud narrowly re-elected.
Political Context
The Live Local Act's affordable-housing set-aside became the central dividing issue in this race, with Lamondin campaigning against it. Calatayud's narrow win shows how a single state housing policy can tighten a district's margin even for a sitting senator.
Florida residents in housing-pressured areas could see the Live Local Act's affordable-unit requirements affect which developments get built. Renters and buyers in districts like Coconut Grove may feel the effects of any future changes to the law's incentives.
The takeaway
Voters in close races often weigh specific local policies heavily, so reading the actual terms of laws like Live Local helps clarify what is at stake. Following the next legislative session will show whether the law changes.
Further reading
Explore more on the Elections coverage covering races like this one across Florida.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Coconut Grove Spotlight.
Live Poll
Do you think Florida's Live Local Act is helping make housing affordable where you live?
