Voters in the region also delivered a rare upset to a local judge, with defense attorney Maria Ruhl unseating Circuit Court Judge Brian Iten, taking 93,371 votes to the incumbent’s 70,451 in the three-county jurisdiction.

And Manatee County Commissioner Charles Smith fell in his District 2 race to challenger Reggie Bellamy in the Democratic primary. 

Besides that, Misty Servia won the Republican primary for Manatee County Commission District 4 over Mark Black and Laura Galle, and incumbent Commissioner Carol Whitmore won her countywide Republican primary over challenger James Satcher.

In Sarasota County, Christian Ziegler won the Republican nomination for Sarasota County Commissioner for District 2 over Alex Coe. Incumbent Alan Maio fended off a rematch primary challenge from fellow Republican Lourdes Ramirez for the District 4 seat, and he will now face Democrat Wesley Beggs, who won a primary over Mike Cosentino.